(MoneyHippo.com) – At the end of the year, many people watch the ball drop and promise the next 12 months will be different from the last. But if those resolutions don’t come with a solid path, it’s difficult to stick to the change. If you’re looking ahead with a promise to make a fresh financial start, here are three easy tips to launch you on the way and keep you on the right track.
- Tackle debt: Gather your obligations and plan to pay down more debt than you did the year before. Start small. For example, if you pay $150 per month, bump up the number to $160. Have that amount automatically deducted from your bank and put the card away so the balance goes down, not up.
- Save more: You might think there’s no room for savings in the budget — there is. Take the change out of the bottom of a purse, the pocket of jeans, or from underneath car seats, and deposit it into a high-yield savings account. Then, set up an automatic monthly withdrawal into the account from your checking. Even a few dollars will add up over time.
- Use a budget: Tracking where every penny goes from your paycheck might seem tedious, but it doesn’t have to be. Download an app to help you stay on track with your financial goals. That way, the program does the work, and you can see where you stand at a glance.
By making small changes, your financial picture next year could look vastly different than the year before with minimal effort.
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