It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. –Charles Dickens
Was 2011 the best of times or the worst of times? The answer to that depends upon whether your glass was half full or half empty.
Review 
Don’t let frustration cloud the path of renewal. There’s nothing worse than basking in what you didn’t accomplish – look to what worked first.
Take out a sheet of paper and draw a big “T” across and down the page. Write WORKING on the left side and list the things you have in place you’re happy with. Consider whether you want to build further on any of these and make a note to do so.
Retool
Now write NEEDS WORK on the right side of the paper and list any financial concerns/objectives you’d like to address/reach in the coming year. What simple steps can be taken to start working on these?
Savings and cash flow are priority objectives for most people. Here are some easy things to do to rev up for the New Year:
Kitty Jar – Throw $5 bucks into a jar each week. A year from now you’ll have an extra $250 to pay bills, invest, or splurge with.
Automated Savings Account – Consider opening an automated savings account. Most banks have programs where you can designate a certain amount of money to be automatically transferred from your checking account each month into a savings account.
“Keep the Change” accounts are also an easy way to save automatically through your debit card transactions. Every time you buy something, the change is rounded up to the next dollar with the difference automatically deposited into the separate account. An additional amount of money may be required for auto transfer each month too, usually a $25 minimum. If you use your debit card in lieu of cash or check, an account like this can easily add up to far more than you might think over the course of a year.
Invested Savings – Mutual fund accounts can be opened for as little as $25 per month and set up on an automated basis. Naturally, this type of account carries no guarantee for positive results but if investing is a goal you have yet to reach, small accounts like these may be the best thing to do to get started.
Boost Cash Flow – There are numerous things you can do to increase cash flow: pay down/off revolving debt with the highest billed interest rates first, shop wiser, bag your lunch, etc. Now is also definitely the time to revisit the U.S. tax code. Taking advantage of every exemption, credit and deduction available to you can save hundreds to thousands in taxes. Ear mark your refund (ahead of time) for something on your list this year.
Embrace Economic Trends – Economies void of high interest rates of return provide affordable opportunities. Make low interest rates work for you! If you haven’t refinanced you home, do so. Financed items are cheaper now.
Renew
Work both sides of your “T” sheet and take simple steps to welcome in the New Year, clarity and resilience are on your side.
What was and what wasn’t becomes what can and what will in one quick tick tock. It’s really magical when you think about it.
We wish you a very Healthy & Prosperous New Year!
Kurt Rusch CLU, ChFC
