Christmas is almost here. Your shopping is nearly complete. Your baking is well under way. Friends and relatives are making plans to get together with you in the next couple of weeks. After all the season’s greetings have come to an end, it will be time to ring in a new year. If you are planning on making a New Year’s resolution, you’ll want to set yourself up for success ahead of time. Here are a few tips for preparing to be successful with all your New Year’s resolutions.
Resolution: Get healthy
If your goal is to get healthy and add fitness into your life in the new year, then it is important to create a situation that provides for your success. Toss out or donate all the food items that you won’t be eating soon. Do it before January 1 so you can hit the ground running. Create meal plans for the entire month which covers all meals. Type those meal plans out and post them on your fridge. By preparing for a full month, you’ll give yourself plenty of time to create a habit. Don’t forget to create a plan for working out and be ready to start as soon as you can after the ball drops!
Resolution: Pay off debt
One of the top resolutions set every year involves finances. Millions of people plan to get out of debt, increase savings or grow wealth but struggle during the year for a number of reasons. If your hope is to get your finances in order next year, there are steps you can take this December to prepare for success in all of 2016.
Gather documentation for all expenses you have had over the year. Take a look at a year’s worth of statements and create a comprehensive list so that you can fully prepare for any expenditure that may develop in the next 365 days. It might sound overwhelming, but the effort will pay off.
If you are hoping to begin working on debt reduction on the first but have never created a budget or aren’t sure the best method for paying down debt, develop a solid plan to curb your spending. You might want to start by tracking your spending and looking for items to cut. Keep those tips in mind before heading out on the 31 and you’ll be starting the new year off feeling great about your plan.
See what you bills you can get rid of and which ones you can negotiate down. Then start to tap away at your debt, once at a time. You might even develop some momentum once you start paying off larger and larger chunks. To stay motivated, remember why you are working so hard. If you keep your focus on the financial freedom that a debt-free life brings, it will be easier to sacrifice in the short-term to get there.
Tax season is coming shortly after the new year begins, so take the down time after the holidays to gather all the documentation you will need for tax season. Pull together receipts from expenses and for donations. Gather statements for bank accounts, investments and any property of value that you may have. Organize all items into one place so that you are ready to file your taxes as soon as all W2s have arrived at your door.
Resolution: Get organized
Many people have hopes of getting organized and resolve to do that every new year. They struggle to bring their home out of the chaos and into the calm, serene home they envision.
Prepare for a new year of organized bliss by checking out the site FlyLady.net and find out what organization style fits your personality.
Whether you are hoping to lose weight, increase your exercise, get organized, take on a new hobby, end a bad habit or take control of your finances, the key to success for any New Year’s resolution is planning. Create a plan now that will carry you through the entire month of January. Those first 31 days will help you establish a routine, force it to become second nature and improve your chances of success. Good luck!
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How to Prepare For New Year’s Resolution Success originally appeared on usnews.com
