Finances and New Year's Resolutions - Two Weeks, One day, and Counting. . .

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to not use my credit cards for the month of January. We’re half-way and a day through the month — and so far, so good.

(Well, sort of. I had to order some books from Amazon for a work project. But I think that falls under “required expenses.”?)

Anyway, for those of us trying to keep our resolutions in the new year about better personal finances, here are a few major tips I’ve culled from the experts which have really helped me: At least, they’ve kept me on the straight and narrow for a few weeks now:

First, post your major financial goals in a public place in your home. One expert suggests the refrigerator! I’m not about to divulge “numbers”? to my kids, but I will put a chart up there that for each day asks the question, “did or did not use credit cards/if so, why.”? Talk about accountability!

Realize that whatever you think may bring you happiness right now probably won’t be as exciting to you in 6 months. The new expensive blouse will get something on it, the fancy car will get a ding, even the new kitchen won’t “sparkle”? quite as much. If you hadn’t splurged on the “new thing,”? you would often be just as happy -- and a lot richer.

Save for specifics. We all know we should have “college funds,”? retirement, and so on. That’s great, and it’s far off. In addition, how about putting an envelope, literally an envelope that occasionally gets taken to the bank as you fill it with extra cash, with “summer vacation”? written on it?

Finally, one expert told me that when you are saving more and being more responsible with money, you’ll also enjoy spending it more. That’s a good point. If you are overweight and eating three pieces of chocolate cake a day, it doesn’t make you feel good. But if you are in shape and occasionally want to have that piece of cake, you’ll actually enjoy it a lot more. And a few experiences with that kind of delight can lead to an upward spiral of ever more responsibility with money.

I’m moving forward in all these areas. I’m just trying to figure out how to justify using my credit card for Rod Stewart (Chicago) tickets by somehow labeling them a “required expense.”?