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I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas, full of family and fun.
One of the areas in which I always make resolutions is financial. Past resolutions have included stopping use of credit cards (we have slowed down to barely a trickle), building an emergency fund (still working on that one), and learning about investing (I'm still a neophyte there). Here are my resolutions for 2002: 1) Fully fund my $1000 emergency fund by June. These resolutions have several things going for them. They will be easy to keep because 1) there are only a few of them, 2) they are realistic given our income, and 3) they are specific. I know exactly what to do and how to do it. At year's end, I can tell whether I've failed or succeeded. I encourage you to make a few financial resolutions of your own. Maybe you're already out of debt. That's great! Your resolutions can include contributing to a 401K or IRA, saving 10-15% of pretax income, or starting education savings accounts for your kids. Maybe you are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, unable to pay your bills. Your resolutions may include making a list of all your debts so you can assess your true situation, meeting with a financial counselor, or reading a book that will help you formulate a plan to improve your situation, like Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace (www.daveramsey.com). If the word "resolutions" has negative connotations for you, think of them as goals, or just making a plan. Without some kind of plan, you are just drifting. Things can get out of control that way. You're much more likely to stay on track or make progress with a plan or some goals. I wish everyone the best in the coming year. I'm optimistic that 2002 will be a great year, financially and otherwise! Jen Krausz Go To Page: 1 |
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