Five Ways to Start the Year off on the Right Financial Foot
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Take stock of your holiday spending
Review your recent spending and take stock of how much debt you’re carrying over from the holidays.
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Make a debt-crushing plan
Make a plan to pay off your debt, maximizing one monthly payment at a time until it’s paid off. Be sure to continue making the minimum payments on all debts as you focus on knocking out one at a time.
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Trim your budget
Most budgets have some fat to trim. Take a close look at your monthly spending and look for ways to cut back to build more breathing room in your budget.
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Pay yourself first
Get into the habit of putting money into savings before you start spending your way through your paycheck. Building an emergency fund and long-term savings will give you the financial cushion you need to get through many things life throws your way.
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Build your financial smarts
Expand your financial knowledge this year by tuning into a money-minded podcast, reading personal finance books or attending a course on money management.