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Happy New Year! It’s that time of the year when many of us are heading for new beginnings. For those working, the year really begins after you've refreshed yourself with an August vacation, not on January 1st. If you've gotten a little behind, September usually offers a launch pad to kick in your efforts before the end of the calendar year. If your a teacher or returning student, this really is the beginning of a new year and you have a fresh start with new faces.
So maybe this is the best time to make resolutions about how we’re going to try to improve our lives. I’ve got five generic resolutions that you’re welcome to make.
1. We should all make an effort to be realistic about the state of our personal finances. Sit down and take stock of your income, assets, and debt. If you've been hiding from the dire facts, it is better to face them head on before you hit the holiday season.
2. Vow to improve your economic IQ. We can all improve our economic literacy. It’s a sure way to usher in a little economic sanity. Pay attention to the big picture and develop a rational grip on where the economy is heading and what is happening to whatever industry you work in.
3. Vow to live within our means. There is no doubt that the purchasing power of the average pay check is on the decline. Many of the new jobs created in this so-called recovery pay lower wages. If you’re a construction worker or a real-estate agent, you didn’t need to hear that from us. Newly minted college graduates are also facing challenges landing decent paying entry level positions and few people expect to get a pay raise this year. Many households have suffered bouts of unemployment and underemployment. Let’s vow to accommodate that reality in both our spending habits and our material expectations.
4. Let’s count our blessings and vow to walk on the bright side of the street. The cup is not nearly half empty and most people reading this live a relatively prosperous life. We can let the gloomy economic stats get us down or we can put in that little extra effort to improve our situation. If you’re unemployed, don’t despair when you hear that the unofficial figure for unemployment and underemployment is 17%. Opportunities exist in many places, but it takes far more effort to land a job today than in the last 70 years. But every day, thousands of people are getting jobs, many of them that pay well.
5. Commit to being kind to our environment. There is nothing more environmental than consuming less. Every time you feel like making that impulse buy, take a deep breath and try to restrain the urge. If it’s plastic - move on. Recycle - not just cans and paper - everything. If you’re building or renovating a home, try to do it with environmental materials. Buy things that last. A $50 item that lasts a year is far more expensive to both you and the environment than one that costs $75 and lasts 5 years. When you can, buy local, your neighbors will thank you.
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