Financial Resolutions You Can Keep This Year

Financial resolutions can be difficult. They differ from other resolutions because you will see the results of your financial changes later. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth pursuing! Making smart decisions with your money today will pay off in the long run and help you avoid financial stress. So if you’ve been meaning to make some changes but haven’t gotten around to it yet — or if you want a little encouragement — here are some tips for getting started on your financial resolutions:

Take the emotion out of it.

The first lesson is to take the emotion out of it. It’s hard to make decisions when we’re angry, sad, or frustrated — even if we’re trying not to be emotional. So your first step should be to find a way to be objective about what’s happening in your life and how you’re going about handling your finances.

• Once you’ve done that, set goals for yourself around what you want from your finances in the coming year:
• Do you want more savings?
• Do you want less debt?
• Are there lifestyle changes that might help achieve these goals (like moving out of an overpriced apartment or getting rid of cable TV)?
• What are some concrete steps toward those goals?

The answers may vary from person to person; don’t worry if yours aren’t exactly like someone else’s.

Now come up with a plan for how this will all happen: what bills will change each month (if any), which loans need refinancing, etc. — then stick with it!

Get organized

As we get older, our responsibilities increase, and it becomes harder to keep track of everything happening. Staying organized will help you manage your finances more efficiently.

Start by organizing your finances. Keeping your finances organized is no small feat, but it will make keeping up with them much more manageable.

You can do this by setting up an online account for all your financial accounts so that everything is in one place and easily accessible.

This also makes it easy to add new accounts and pay bills online — but be sure not to forget about the old-fashioned checkbook!

It’s still preferred by some people who like writing checks instead of paying bills electronically or having their money deducted automatically from their checking accounts each month.

Identify your goals

The first step in reaching your financial goals is to write them down. Though it may seem obvious, defining the problem before starting on a solution is crucial for success. If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how will you know when you’ve achieved it?

Once your goals are written, they can be evaluated against one another. For example: Is my goal of saving $1 million more important than my desire to retire at age 55? If I work just a little harder and earn more money during the next 12 months, could I save enough to retire early?

That said, it’s also important not to worry about what other people’s goals are; everyone is different, and everyone has different priorities. What matters most is that your goals are attainable — and if they’re not attainable now, perhaps they could become so within six months or one year!

Set realistic and achievable goals

The first step to achieving your financial goals is setting them. Don’t worry about other people’s goals; this is not a competition, and you shouldn’t try to outdo anyone else. Instead, focus on what you want for yourself, and think about how far you could go if you dedicate yourself entirely to achieving it.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, here are some examples from different areas of fitness that might inspire:

• Run five miles without stopping (3–6 months)
• Complete five pull-ups in one set (3–6 months)
• Run a 10k race (1 year)

Smart financial decisions are made when you change how you think about money.

You can make smart financial decisions when you change how you think about money.

• Having a financial plan is essential. You need to know what your priorities are, what goals are most important to you, and where your money is going. This will help keep your spending on track and prevent impulse buys that waste money.
• Stick to your financial plan. If something is coming up, that will affect your finances — such as an upcoming move or another big purchase — then make sure it fits into the budget before making any purchases.
• Be disciplined with money matters so they stay manageable by allowing yourself some leeway at times but not too much (if this sounds like a difficult task for you). That way, if something comes up unexpectedly, such as an emergency car repair or medical bill, there’s some wiggle room in case things get tight financially until payday rolls around again next month (or sooner).

Conclusion

I’m passionate about helping people make smart financial decisions. As a result, I wanted to help readers with their financial resolutions by sharing some of the best tips and tricks I have learned. If you want to make smart choices in 2023, take these resolutions seriously! They will help guide you through each season without feeling overwhelmed or anxious about money.