The New Year Begins with Consumers examining their Personal Financial Goals

January begins with a blizzard of news articles all aimed at improving the finances of consumers. Just as spring is the season for cleaning house, apparently January, right after the holidays end is the season for getting ones financial house in order. A trip to the newsstand or grocery check out will save you thousands of dollars in professional fees, if the advice is adhered to. The experts in magazines as varied as Consumer Reports, Kiplingers Finance and Business Week have published many ideas that can tune up anyones finances.

Dont buy dozens of magazines and read endless articles, here is an edited version of the financial advice currently overflowing at the newsstand:

1. Resolutions only work when they are tracked, write down objectives and check results on a frequent basis. Have consequences, both good and bad. If youre saving for a vacation and fall short of your goal, the consequence is a trip to the neighborhood swimming pool, not a resort. Track goals weekly or monthly and make corrections, or pay the consequences! 2. Make investing easy Set up an automated payroll deposit so each paycheck automatically goes into your account at the bank or investment firm, then have the bank or investment firm deduct a specified amount each pay period to be invested in your chosen vehicle. This is the easiest tip of all; follow up consists of reading quarterly statements. 3. Simplify all your vendors: have one insurance company for cars and home, one bank where you can pay bills on line and invest, and one credit card. The fewer vendors to pay, the less time it will take to pay them. 4. Review your will, taxes and insurance policies every year. Keep on top of legal changes to lessen the possibility that fines or penalties accrue. Life Insurance rates have dropped considerably in the last ten years, it could be beneficial to apply for new coverage and let go of the older policy.

Dont let the opportunity that the New Year brings pass you by. Spend an hour or two on the above projects and reap the benefits all year long. Perhaps the best part will be next January when you dont need to make the same resolutions because you took the four steps above.

Debra Rabin heads Business Development for Spectrum Direct Insurance Services, Inc., the largest seller of e-commerce life insurance on the internet. Mrs. Rabin writes on topics pertaining to insurance, affiliate marketing, and current timely topics. Prior to coming to Spectrum Direct, Mrs. Rabin headed Marketing and Sales for MarketingJobs.com and she is an active parent and volunteer in Orange County, CA.

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