Financial Resolutions that Stick
Article published in Northampton Living
(January 2024)
Like millions of Americans, you may have made a New Year’s resolution to get a handle on money – whether that’s saving more, tackling your debt, or planning to purchase a new car or home. When you are optimistic about a new year, it’s easy to have grand visions of how you will cut out every cup of coffee, cook at home every day, and break out a ledger or leverage a budgeting app on a weekly basis. By funneling this energy into a few hours of work, you won’t need to sustain that excitement for the rest of the year. Here are a few examples to help you meet your financial goals.
Utilize your Utility Company’s Online Tools
Regardless of your familiarity with online services, you may not be aware of the full range of tools that some of your service providers offer. If you have an internet connection or if you frequent a library, make use of a computer or your mobile device and check out your online services. Most electric companies offer budget plans, which allow you to spread your projected yearly cost into 12 balanced monthly payments. If you receive other utilities from a grid, such as natural gas, this may be another opportunity to make your monthly payments more consistent. By paying the same amount each month on utilities, you will be better able to budget and plan for expenses year-round.
Split your Paycheck Between Savings and Spending Accounts
Although it can feel nice to have a lump sum deposited in your checking account on payday, it makes it very easy to dip into funds that you may be saving for other expenses. Putting all of your paycheck into one account is like putting your favorite dessert in front of you and willing yourself not to eat it. By automatically setting aside a portion of your paycheck into a separate savings account, that account will grow, and you will be able to spend what is in your checking account without worrying as much.
Set up Recurring Payments
This January, think about each bill you prepare to make a transfer for, pay via credit card, or even call to process directly through your banking account. Imagine not having to be concerned with all this. Think about how much time and energy you could save each month, and then decide if it’s worthwhile to give automatic payments a try. Most of the time, you will be able to specify whether the payment comes out of your checking or savings accounts, and if you are regularly putting money into your savings account, you won’t need to worry about whether you have enough money in your checking for the bills.
At UMassFive, our goal is to make everyone in our community an educated financial consumer. Looking for more tips? We’d love to see you at one of our monthly online financial wellness workshops. For more information, visit umassfive.coop/workshops.