My friend Bob sent me an email during the Christmas break saying he’s sick and tired of hearing about New Year’s resolutions that few people ever keep. He supplied me with a top ten list of what he calls his true New Year’s resolutions. Here it is.
10. I will read less.
9. I will stop wasting time exercising.
8. I will gain weight. Maybe 30 pounds.
7. I will devote more time to Facebook and watching TV.
6. I will procrastinate as much as possible.
5. I will make a strong effort to be gloomy.
4. I will give weight to superstitions and gamble more.
3. I will devote more time to working weekends.
2. I will take up a new bad habit.
1. I will spend money like a drunken sailor.
Quite a list. I’ve got all kinds of problems with it for obvious reasons, though I’m not surprised by it in light of Bob’s curmudgeonly nature. Still, I’m particularly troubled by resolution number one since, from our perspective here at Credit Canada, resolutions having to do with personal finance are absolute keepers. On that note, here’s a recommended top ten for 2012.
10. I will have a clear, concise financial goal for the year that is put in writing and that includes specific numbers.
9. I will prioritize my debts, paying them down from the most important to the least important.
8. I will open an RRSP.
7. I will enroll in an automatic savings plan through my bank.
6. I will pay myself first by planning for retirement.
5. I will close all unnecessary accounts and memberships.
4. I will collect my change (maybe even buy a cool new piggy bank).
3. I will occasionally give money to others spontaneously in order to observe its power and promise.
2. I will keep track of my spending on a monthly basis, and through its findings create a written personal and/or household budget that applies monthly and yearly.
1. I will manage expectations first by realizing that I’m no drunken sailor.
I think I’ll fire this off to Bob in an email.
Meanwhile, all the best for the New Year.
{ 7 comments }
Thank you, Laurie! I will work these into my resolutions for 2012!
Hi Duke, unfortunately I think all of us has a ‘Bob’ in our lives or had one at some point. Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Hi Kim, thanks for your feedback. Sure you could say number 6 and 8 are the same but one is the actual doing (ie opening up an RSP) and the other is the planning. The plan is extremely important….how much do you need to save, what is your retirement goal, what are your plans in retirement, what will it cost you and when can you do it etc, etc. Number 5 could be credit cards where you may pay annual fees and you are not using them, it could also be a gym membership that has collected dust so to speak and is not used. Keep up the great work and let’s all plan for a successful, happy and healthy New Year.
Hi Laurie:
Happy New Years to all at Credit Canada! I love your list, and really like #3 which I think is healthy and interesting in terms of putting money into perspective. Thanks for a great article!
Nancy
I think I know Bob ——he used to be a friend but when the fat lazy slob started to visit only to borrow $, our friendship faded ! —-Continued success to Credit Canada for all the good work you do –day in and day out !! —Happy New Year to all —
is #6 and #8 the same?? can you explain differences to me please
#5 do you mean credit card? thought better open not used as far as credit ratings go
My 2012 is to be conscious with my money and plan spending before spending and get to point where one bill I hate is gone first half of year and I see a 4 digit number in savings dollars. gotta keep it simple for me or I won’t feel success
Thanks for all Credit Canada’s help and Happy New Year
I love #6 of your revised resolutions: I will pay myself first by planning my retirement. How easy it is to put that off… and then of course, how soon it becomes too late!
I so understand Bob’s frustration though. So often we just make a list and feel like, well, that’s done and think of it no more.
Thanks for the fun post.
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