It’s a new year, and that means it is time to get yourself on the right financial foot. After the holiday season, most of us are at financial low points due to the extra travel and gift buying, and maybe some higher balances on our credit cards, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get your finances in order as soon as possible. In fact, the holidays, in particular New Year’s, can help you do so.
New Year’s resolutions are a must for anyone looking forward to the new year, and many of those resolutions can also help you save money in addition to improving yourself overall. So forget spending hours scouring for cheap insurance quotes or limiting your diet to canned tuna on your quest to save money. Instead, consider giving one of the following resolutions a try.
1) Losing Weight
If you ask anyone what their New Year’s resolution this year, there is a good chance that they will say “losing weight.” Losing weight has become one of the most popular resolutions worldwide in recent years, and most of that is due to the worldwide obesity epidemic. While losing weight is excellent for your health, it is also excellent for your budget. In fact, it is one of the most cost-effective New Year’s resolutions you can take on – even with membership fees and health food purchases – because of the amount of money you will save on eating out and future medical bills.
2) Quitting Smoking or Drinking
A pack of cigarettes can range anywhere from $5 to $10 depending on your favorite brand and the state you live in. On average, however, the every day smoker goes though a pack a day, and racks up a monthly bill over $200. So if you are looking to save big this year, give up those smokes. You will save nearly $1,500 annually.
As far as alcohol goes, it’s never cheap – especially if you hit the bar or drink while eating out. It really ads up. There are empty calories in that alcohol, plus it is a depressant. So if you are feeling the blues, you’ll certainly be helped a great deal by cutting it out to improve your mood as well. And you’ll most likely lose some excess baggage around the mid section if you have some.
3) Giving Up Caffeine
Surprisingly enough, your caffeine addiction can be as costly, in terms of product purchased, as a smoking addiction. Purchasing a coffee every morning an cost you nearly $5 a day (if you purchase specialty drinks), and can be even more if you have to have a midday soda pick-me-up. By giving up caffeine, you can save yourself nearly $200 a month.
We all want to save money, and we all want to improve ourselves. Consider killing two birds with one stone, and picking one of the above resolutions to get yourself living life healthier while also putting more cash back into your wallet.