Make some financial resolutions for 2009!

Every year, we make the same resolutions: lose weight, eat better, exercise more, find our soulmate. In 2009, why not take make some resolutions for your personal finances?

Here are some ideas. If you successfully add one to your daily habits, move on to the next.

• Make a budget to figure out where your money is going and, if needed, cut out your extra expenses. Use our spreadsheet to make a budget online (PDF, 227 KB).
• Concentrate on paying your debts and decide which one to pay first. It might be the biggest one, or the smallest. Paying the smallest one might be particularly motivating, because it will quickly eliminate a debt from your list.
• Make your minimum credit card payment every month and, if possible, pay it in full to avoid interest charges.
• Save a little each week for your projects. You can set up automatic transfers on AccèsD Internet into a savings account. Even only $20 a week will add up to over $1,000 at the end of the year!
  Find out about transfers between accounts.
• Use credit wisely. Use it to pay for your unexpected expenses, services or online purchases only if you plan on paying them in full when you get your bill.
• Learn to live simply and appreciate the little moments in life that don’t cost a thing. Spend fun evenings at home with friends, take a walk, make a hot chocolate yourself instead of buying a coffee, or cook at home and stock up your freezer instead of going to a restaurant. You’ll see! You will get your money’s worth!

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