By now the tree has been removed, decorations put away for another year, and the brave march has begun toward checking off that peskiest of New Year’s Resolutions: yep, the one involving all those holiday treats. It’s a brave new year and there’s no doubt you’re ready to tackle new challenges while improving on the ones to which you’re already committed.

So let’s keep this train going.

Everyone wants to lose weight. We all want to cut back on things like alcohol or junk food. And, perhaps the most popular of resolutions, we all want to live life to the fullest this year.

But does that carpe diem attitude need to cost money in 2017?

It sure can, but it doesn’t have to. It’s up to you. We’re always talking about ways we can stretch our dollar, but the reality is that if you truly want, wait, need to save money this year, then you’ll make it happen out of necessity.
With that in mind, here are our choices for the best resolutions driven to maximize your financial health in 2017.

1. Decide Between Needs & Wants

I’m incredibly guilty of the grass-is-always-greener syndrome. I see a newer model of vehicle, I want it. I see a nicer jacket, I want it.

I see a bigger home…

I have a hard time seeing past my own immediate desires at times. Ok, all the time. What few of us understand is how we’ll feel once we do turn the key in that new vehicle for the first, second, or 52nd time.

Stick to what you need in 2017. If you need to buy a new home, that’s fine, just try to avoid buying a new car you don’t need at the same time.

2. Build From Within

Reaching for something you don’t need often ends in frustration or anger. This could be said whether you’re starting your family, building the home to put them in, or shaping the body in which you keep yourself.

When it comes to your home, focus on the strongest characteristics of your house or condo and enhance them instead of overhauling the entire house. Big yard?
Landscaping. Natural light? Greenery and other plants are a huge asset to the aesthetics of your home.

When it comes to your body, just know this: money and clothes might be fun in the short term (alright, the long term too), but there’s no replacement for good health. And healthy choices can be as inexpensive as you need them to be.

3. Invest In Yourself

Alright, there’s no hidden message behind this one. Invest in yourself in 2017. While you’re grinding out a living and providing for your family in the here and now, it’s never too late to start putting something away for the future. And no, it doesn’t have to be a lot, it just needs to be.

Plus, there’s nothing like the feeling of satisfaction watching a retirement fund or life insurance policy grow. We can help you iron out the details and sure, it takes time, but there’s no time like the present, right?

Right.

Happy new year!