It’s that time of year again! The holiday season is upon us, and New Year’s is right around the corner. Hard to believe it, right? While you may be thinking it’s a bit early to be jotting down resolutions, why wait till the New Year to get started? It’s never too early to work on improving your finances. Per a recent survey, getting organized and saving more money are two of the top resolutions around. Unfortunately, there is a major pitfall to the whole trying to turn over a new leaf thing: folks come up with goals that are vague, which makes it hard to figure out if you even end up accomplishing them or not.
Don’t fret. Here are three achievable financial resolutions to go ahead and plan for now. You can do it!
Resolution No. 1: Start saving.
Yep, you read that right. So long as you just start saving, you’ve got this one in the bag. It doesn’t matter if you’re saving $20 a week, or $200 a week. Just get into the habit of saving in 2017. The easiest way to make it happen? Automation baby! Consistency is key. Set up an automatic transfer into your savings or brokerage account for a reasonable dollar amount after every pay day, and let your savings steadily add up over time. If you’re not used to saving at all, we recommend setting the bar pretty low for yourself. Remember that just STARTING is the goal, not necessarily the amount. Just a little bit each month can really make a big difference over time, so long as you leave the savings where they are – dipping into your savings for random purchases during the year is a no no. Just think of how rewarding it will be at the end of the year when you can see how much you’ve put away!
Resolution No. 2: Less debt by year end.
“Man, I really wish I had more debt to worry about”, said no one…ever. Who doesn’t want to have less debt? Make this one a priority guys. Whether it’s paying off that credit card debt that’s been looming over your head for ages, finishing off a car loan, or making a dent in your student loan debt, just work on paying down something. At the same time, make sure you don’t replace the debt you finally rid yourself of with other debt. Instead, put that additional positive monthly cash flow to good use. How you say? Resolution No. 1…you see what we did there?
Resolution No. 3: Get a plan.
A financial plan is the way to go if you want to really see your financial situation improve over time. You can set your aspirations for the future, and steadily work toward making them a reality. It doesn’t take a ton of legwork to get a financial plan in place either. So long as you know your income, how much you’re saving, and have some goals in mind, you’re already at a great starting point. And if you think a financial plan doesn’t apply to your life, give this blog post a read. A financial plan provides a road map for getting yourself on track for the long haul. Who couldn’t use one of those to start the year off on the right foot?
Everyone wants to make things better, do things better, and start fresh in the New Year. Figuring out how to get all of that done can sometimes make your head spin. Set yourself up for financial success with these three simple resolutions, and you’ll be well on your way. We’re cheering for you! If you have any questions about how to get started, or would like to get the ball rolling on your financial plan, give us a shout.