It's 2013. We've successfully gotten past the Mayans, and media exposure from the Fiscal Cliff hasn't claimed any lives that we know of. Go us.
January 1st is a time for new year's resolutions, starting afresh, all that good stuff. Here are a couple of simple suggestions for your finances as we enter the new year.
- Spend less than you earn. Matt Jabs posted his reasoning on his Facebook page, and I don't think I could improve on it: “My financial advice for your 2013 is to spend less than you earn. Do that and everything else falls into place.”
- If you find yourself not spending less than you earn, start again. Immediately. My blogging buddies are torn on the idea of new year's resolutions anyway. Why wait until a milestone date to start? Why not right now? January 1st is a great time to start doing something positive. So is July 12th. Getting the new start immediately will be a good deal for your finances.
Happy new year all.
Good points! It is just a question of setting priorities. Focusing on living within your means has huge benefits.
Agree. It’s nice to see a lower credit card bill to pay off, and we already feel like we have more breathing room.
Great idea — simple, but somehow, not so easy!
Exactly!
Spend less than you earn is so simple, yet so hard to understand for some people. Keep track of what you earn, and spend less than it!
Dead simple. The other issue is knowing that you’re spending more/less than you earn, and that requires tracking. That’s where I’ve fallen short again and again.