Guest Author - Rhonda Cliett

Organizing and controlling your finances are important to the financial health of your future. And, the best way to get control of your finances is to first identify your financial goals and resolutions. The next step is to find a way to achieve your goals and resolutions. Listed below are some of the most common financial goals, along with ways to help you each goal.

GOAL: Balance my checking account each month.
Balancing the checking account seems like such a simple task yet so many people procrastinate doing it each month. Why is this? Perhaps they feel they know how much money is in their account so they don’t feel the need to balance the account. Probably the most common reason is that balancing the checking account forces them to face their financial situation, and this can be very scary. If one of your financial goals is to balance your checking account, here are some articles to help you achieve your goal.
How to Balance Your Checking Account
Balancing Your Checkbook

GOAL: Find ways to increase my income.
Who wouldn’t want this as a goal? But how can it be achieved? This answer will differ for everyone but here are a few articles to help you brainstorm and get started on increasing your income.
Make More Money by Increasing Your Income
e-trepreneur! by Sherry Szydlik and Lamont Wood - This is a great book to read if you are considering an online business.
Financial Book Reviews - Educate yourself about various opportunities and methods to increase your income.

GOAL: Find ways to reduce my taxes.
There is nothing wrong with trying to reduce the amount of taxes that you pay as long as your methods are legal and ethical. Everyone should take a good look at their financial and tax situation and make certain they have taken advantage of every method to reduce their tax burden. Here are a few articles to get you started: Flexible Spending Account
Tax Free Holiday
Preparing Your Own Taxes

GOAL: Give more to charities.
Donating to charities is a win-win situation. The giver may be able to use the donation to reduce their tax burden (depending on their individual tax situation); but the greatest benefit to the giver is they have the satisfaction of knowing their money has helped a greater cause. Here are some ideas to help you give more to charities: Purposeful Spending

GOAL: Reduce my debt.
Getting out of debt is probably the most common financial goal. It isn’t an easy goal, but it is achievable. Take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves, and get started today. Getting Out of Debt – A slew of articles and forms to help you reduce your debt.

GOAL: Evaluate my current insurance policies and make certain I am adequately covered.
Trying to determine how much insurance you need can be challenging. There are so many different types of insurance (i.e., life, disability, auto, home, renters, etc.) and the types of policies can be difficult to understand. Your insurance agent is your best source for help in determining what type of insurance coverage you need. So, call your insurance agent today and schedule an appointment so that you can sit down and discuss your current needs as well as anticipate your future needs.

GOAL: Keep track of the progress I am making on my goals.
Keeping track of your financial goal progress is key to actually achieving your goals. If you cannot see your success-to-date, you will tend to focus on what you haven’t achieved rather than what you have achieved. Write down your goals and write down your progress. Keep a financial journal. Reward yourself for your progress along the way.