| Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
NEW YORK (NAPSI)—Now that 2025 is here, it’s time to tackle resolutions for a financially healthier year. The self-improvement journey can be expensive, so choose goals that will help keep you on track, especially after an expensive holiday season.
Americans were estimated to have spent over $1,000 on holiday shopping, a 10% increase from 2023. Roughly 47% of people entered this past holiday season carrying debt from the year prior. With real-life back in business, you’ll want to find meaningful solutions to achieve financial wellness.
2025 is the year to relieve yourself of financial stress. Here are some ways to go beyond staying financially afloat, and they can set you up for success.
Map out your expenses and create a budget
- Identifying where your money goes puts you in control. Spend some time listing out your expenses by category. These include insurance, groceries, rent or mortgage, gas, and entertainment. Once you’ve figured out how much money you need to spend, you can begin budgeting.
- Your budget should be as detailed as possible. Allot money toward your reoccurring expenses, breaking it down by month. Plan to spend your money on the categories you identified and intentionally put any remaining funds into an account where they can grow.
Cut out unnecessary bills
- Monthly bills rack up whether you notice it or not. These necessities, from housing costs to healthcare and phone bills, can eat away at your wallet when on autopilot. For example, Americans spend an average of $1,365 yearly on phone bills, which often carry hidden fees. Switching to phone service provider TextNow makes it easy to track your bill within a simple app and saves you money. You can call and text, free, over Wi-Fi or unlock free cellular service nationwide with a $4.99 SIM card.
Take advantage of free trials
- Before you commit to an expensive gym membership for your 2025 glow-up, try out different forms of exercise through free trials. Try Pilates, yoga, cycling, kickboxing, HIIT, and group workouts—the options are nearly endless. Save money and experience all that’s out there. Ask about corporate, student, senior, and youth discounts while you’re at it.
-With Jay Dimingo/PDM
