You Can Make Financial Resolutions Anytime

The New Year often brings with it a desire to right the wrongs in your life. From this desire springs the tradition of New Year resolutions. You should take advantage of this to change your financial situation.

There is a good chance by the time many of you read this, you will have already made and BROKEN your financial resolutions. Those of you who have not already done so, know they are hard to keep. You can change that. Anytime is a good time to make financial resolutions.

Since you are thinking about this, you must suspect a problem. The first step is defining the problem. Define it specifically. "I spend too much money", is not good enough. You spend too much money on what? Why do you spend too much money? It is not often you are speaking of life's necessities here. You need to specifically target your problem areas.

The best way to identify problem areas in your spending, is to pull out your check registers and credit card statements for the past twelve months. Write down all checks and charges for items other than necessities. This spending will be your gold to mine.

After making this list, add up the total amount of these expenses. This will be a very revealing exercise. For some the total will be staggering, especially when done for a twelve month period.

Pay close attention to checks and charges for restaurants and fast food chains. Look at the amount and frequency of payments to convenience stores. Examine closely the spending on your home and your closet.

Using this information you become aware of your weaknesses and where they occur. You are now better equipped to overcome them. You need to make conscious decisions to stay away from the places where you overspend. If you don't go there you won't be tempted to waste your resources and place your financial life in peril.

Now, armed with these bits of information you can boldly and successfully make resolutions. Remember, changing your behavior is how you will keep these resolutions. If you fail, and you will, just climb right back on the resolution wagon. Dogged repetition will help you succeed. Check how you are doing on a monthly basis. Make any adjustments needed.

Putting your financial house in order and becoming debt free is a process before it is an event.

(C) David Wilding

David Wilding has for the past ten years worked with groups and individuals to rid their lives of debt. Visit his website http://www.debtattack.com for more ideas, tools, and strategies to become debt free.

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Policy/Andhra_pays_for_fiscal_profligacy_may_be_denied_debt_relief/articleshow/3782142.cmscid=0ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNG4JrVCsB_XV6Qm1w22qCjGdFws9AAndhra pays for fiscal profligacy, may be denied bdebt relief/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEconomic Times,nbsp;Indiafont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In FY08, the state got a bdebt/b-brelief/b of around Rs 1889 crore. “We have been attaining a revenue surplus despite huge allocations for revenue expenditure b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1683104.htmcid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNFOxObF7tjp8z80oVHrmIOk2KUjtwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=bMehIlJSlIAJimgurl=www.prweb.com/prfiles/2008/11/29/827284/gI_0_1_059O8775.jpg width=53 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2PR Web (press release)/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://7thspace.com/headlines/299085/wealthy_nations_others_behind_financial_crisis_must_take_responsibility_round_table_on_debt_told.htmlcid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNFW5_12AQq-ZqayPEiFWy00ndcmRgWEALTHY NATIONS, OTHERS BEHIND FINANCIAL CRISIS MUST TAKE b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6f7thSpace Interactive (press release),nbsp;NYfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In introductory remarks, moderator Portugal said significant advances had been made since Monterrey, particularly on bdebt relief/b for the poorest countries. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://mediaglobal.org/article/2008-12-02/amidst-financial-meltdown-doha-conference-gives-developing-countries-a-voicecid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNGWa1vMnFIqmDh4l5kukPVZW06_yQAmidst financial meltdown, Doha Conference gives developing b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMediaGlobal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D2682:recession-must-not-lead-to-human-crisis%26catid%3D23:topnews%26Itemid%3D58cid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNEgGbuK7NTfvF6oAiFqHhQa2n3TLg‘Recession must not lead to human crisis’/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBusiness Mirror/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.usaid.gov/press/releases/2008/ps081130.htmlcid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNHbdPPa7VbdjmBGHIXDUWrwjiFG-QPress Statement From USAID Administrator, Henrietta H. Fore/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUSAID (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/Local/Kenya-committed-to-Monterrey-Consensus-1210.htmlcid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNFWewqNJaZgsP0k1t-xNLDKrYzGuwnobrCapital FM/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp%3FID%3D54181cid=1276145671ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNE0JW9uOQUWu8mpMxG2ArX43OsJAwnobrKenya Broadcasting Corporation/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276145671hl=ennobrall 362 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-12-01/know-the-details-of-the-mortgage-forgiveness-debt-relief-act-2/cid=0ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNFnAMEbK8v3ywmyh_SZLky7I2uGCAKnow the Details of the Mortgage Forgiveness bDebt Relief/b Act/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRisMedia.com (press release),nbsp;CTfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b in December 2007, Congress stepped in to provide temporary brelief/b in the form of forgiving this bdebt/b, but only for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 tax years. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx%3FTitle%3DGovt%2Bto%2Brelease%2BRs%2B21.43%2Bcr%2Bfor%2Bdebt%2Brelief%26artid%3D1lszTVk554Y%3D%26SectionID%3D1ZkF/jmWuSA%3D%26MainSectionID%3DfyV9T2jIa4A%3D%26SectionName%3DX7s7i%257CxOZ5Y%3D%26SEO%3Dcid=0ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNGco2N3aRUclCbNSmrquF79-iJPWwGovt to release Rs 21.43 cr for bdebt relief/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExpress Buzz,nbsp;Indiafont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As per the recommendations of the Farmer’s bDebt Relief/b Commission, the Government has disbursed Rs 14.11 crore so far, and it has been b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php%3Fid%3D129604cid=0ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNHywaIPAC0YYZbgcApk0hf2oM-45wHIPC: Togo Gets bDebt Relief/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTHISDAY,nbsp;Nigeriafont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The statement said that Togo would receive interim bdebt relief/b from certain creditors, but in order to qualify for irrevocable bdebt relief/b at the completion b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21993683~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.htmlcid=1276399584ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNGI-3m15Z8MpEWeeSJqE48udGH6NQHome gt; News gt; World Bank Launches Facility to Prevent .../abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWorld Bank Group,nbsp;DCfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Bank also called on donor countries to meet their bdebt relief/b commitments. “The bdebt relief/b provided by the World Bank and other creditors to heavily b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.economicnews.ca/cepnews/wire/article/177142cid=1276958165ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNFJFeADrO9SKorFqBgJ19ApL3lMAwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=3qr1TO02A8sJimgurl=www.economicnews.ca/cepnews/img/article/missing.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2CEP News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D94QOT800.htmcid=1276958165ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNHPbwhBeFBziKgfXcynK1G7dCy--wCitigroup to offer $5.5 billion in bdebt/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBusinessWeekfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1That cash will come from the government#39;s $700 billion bank investment program aimed at providing brelief/b for banks and spurring lending amid the economic b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/financials-claw-back-some-losses/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B30D4C42A-9937-4365-A5FE-03A82FBB0DBE%257D%26dist%3Dmsr_1cid=1276958165ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNEiWlggTjk1VgHN9g6US0bM8Z-HCQFINANCIAL STOCKS Financials claw back some losses, Citi, banks rise/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMarketWatch/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276958165hl=ennobrall 24 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business/Parliament_warns_govt_against_external_debts_76108.shtmlcid=0ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNEI-ROHcduuu3aXPecO4t2jJ7P2SAParliament warns govt against external debts/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDaily Monitor,nbsp;Ugandafont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b 100 per cent Uganda’s bdebt/b under the Highly Indebted bDebt Relief/b initiatives and the 2006 Multilateral bDebt Relief/b initiative less than five years ago. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122818833059071519.htmlcid=1276838332ei=JuY1SezeIp_S9QTszKiuDQusg=AFQjCNF0NdYXrd2zw2J5SWZRHkIpA0ASZQGoldman Faces Loss of $2 Billion for Quarter/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journalfont size=-1 class=ima href=/a/fontnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Over the years, Goldman has invested in everything from troubled auto loans in Thailand to the bdebt/b of a liquor maker in South Korea to struggling golf b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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