6 Financial Resolutions to Keep for the New Year

Now's the perfect time to get your money in order.

Get Money - The new year is the perfect time to get your finances in order. But we all know that resolutions rarely stick beyond January, so we have some money-focused resolutions you can knock out in a couple days. Do the following in the first week of the year, then forget about them — your finances will thank you. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Get Money - The new year is the perfect time to get your finances in order. But we all know that resolutions rarely stick beyond January, so we have some money-focused resolutions you can knock out in a couple days. Do the following in the first week of the year, then forget about them — your finances will thank you. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

Create a Budget - It’s hard to improve your financial situation without a clear view of where you currently stand. Take a day or two and create a budget that shows what you make versus what you spend (and what you spend it on). An app like Mint will help you identify your spending habits and YouNeedABudget.com’s budget tool will help you make sense of it all and plan for the future. If you already have a budget, review it and determine if you need to make any spending changes in the New Year. (Photo: Tetra Images/Corbis)

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Create a Budget - It’s hard to improve your financial situation without a clear view of where you currently stand. Take a day or two and create a budget that shows what you make versus what you spend (and what you spend it on). An app like Mint will help you identify your spending habits and YouNeedABudget.com’s budget tool will help you make sense of it all and plan for the future. If you already have a budget, review it and determine if you need to make any spending changes in the New Year. (Photo: Tetra Images/Corbis)

Click Here - It doesn’t get any easier than this: Just click the pink button on this site once a day, every day, and the site will make a donation to help fund a mammogram.  (Photo: Ariel Skelley/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Start Your Emergency Savings Fund - You know you need one, but chances are you don’t have one. Experts recommend putting away enough money to cover three to six months of expenses. Get started by creating a twice-monthly (right after you get paid) automatic transfer of cash to a savings account. Tip: Set it up using an online account separate from where you keep the rest of your money so it will be harder to “borrow.” (Photo: Ariel Skelley/Blend Images/Corbis)

Devise a Plan to Pay Off Your Credit Cards - Use the snowball method: Start with the card that has the highest interest rate and pay as much as you can afford each month, while paying the minimum on your others. Make it painless by setting up an automatic payment from your checking account. When the first card is down to zero, add that same money to your minimum payment for the next card until it is paid off. You will quickly find yourself with zero balances. (Photo: 145/Tony Cordoza/Ocean/Corbis)

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Devise a Plan to Pay Off Your Credit Cards - Use the snowball method: Start with the card that has the highest interest rate and pay as much as you can afford each month, while paying the minimum on your others. Make it painless by setting up an automatic payment from your checking account. When the first card is down to zero, add that same money to your minimum payment for the next card until it is paid off. You will quickly find yourself with zero balances. (Photo: 145/Tony Cordoza/Ocean/Corbis)

Reassess Your Insurance - Have your auto, rental or homeowners insurance needs changed? Should you update the beneficiaries on your accounts? Can you save money on your coverage by switching companies? Visit NetQuote.com to review your options. (Photo: Jacqueline Veissid/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Reassess Your Insurance - Have your auto, rental or homeowners insurance needs changed? Should you update the beneficiaries on your accounts? Can you save money on your coverage by switching companies? Visit NetQuote.com to review your options. (Photo: Jacqueline Veissid/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Set Up a 529 - Got kids? It’s easy to set up a low-cost college savings plan for them. A 529 invests your money and lets you use it for educational purposes without paying federal taxes on it. And most states offer a tax deduction. Visit CollegeSavings.org to learn about your state’s 529 program, then set it and forget it.  (Photo: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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Set Up a 529 - Got kids? It’s easy to set up a low-cost college savings plan for them. A 529 invests your money and lets you use it for educational purposes without paying federal taxes on it. And most states offer a tax deduction. Visit CollegeSavings.org to learn about your state’s 529 program, then set it and forget it. (Photo: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Put Away More for Retirement - If you’re not already taking advantage of your company’s 401(k) plan, don’t let another day go by without enrolling. You will barely feel the pre-tax contributions to your account, as they are taken out of your paycheck before you even see it, and many companies will match a portion of your investment. If you are already contributing, bump up your contribution for 2015. Even if it’s a tiny increase, you will reap the rewards later. (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc./Blend Images/Corbis)

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Put Away More for Retirement - If you’re not already taking advantage of your company’s 401(k) plan, don’t let another day go by without enrolling. You will barely feel the pre-tax contributions to your account, as they are taken out of your paycheck before you even see it, and many companies will match a portion of your investment. If you are already contributing, bump up your contribution for 2015. Even if it’s a tiny increase, you will reap the rewards later. (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc./Blend Images/Corbis)