Experts say about a third of Americans have set financial resolutions for the New Year, with saving more, spending less and paying down debt being the most common goals for 2019.
Ted Rossman from Creditcards.com suggests trying an uncommon approach, like temporarily taking on a second job, and asking your boss for a raise to help bring in more cash.
“Especially if you’re a good performer and you haven’t had a raise in a while, it definitely doesn’t hurt to ask,” Rossman said.
Another priority within these first few weeks should be a check-up on your credit score.
“There are a lot of people who have errors on their credit reports that are costing them money. Take a quick look, go to annualcreditreport.com, and get any mistakes corrected,” Rossman said.
Finally, if you’re nervous about the wild swings expected in the stock market, Rossman says you should consider moving your money back into a traditional bank savings account.
“You can get about 2.5 percent federally insured on your savings,” said Rossman. “For the first time in many years, that’s keeping pace with inflation.”
