;^cVcXZ Solutions for you + your family " The first thing to do is recognize what it is you wish you did differently, " she says. " Take last year's credit card statement and highlight what you wish you hadn't done. " Identify one or two bad habits that are preventing you from getting what you really want from your money. Look for patterns of eating out at expensive restaurants or impulse buys at the mall. Once you add up how much you could have saved by avoiding these purchases, it can be a big motivator for changing behavior, Craigie says.@>C< ?6CJ6GN '%&' long with exercising and losing weight, finances are at the top of the list when it comes to making improvements with New Year's resolutions. hdchd[cdglVn#Xdb Money management keeps reappearing as a goal because many don't have a good system, says Carol Craigie, a certified financial planner and owner of Fiscal Fitness Clubs of America in Denver. Consider who you shop with that might be a bad influence or times when you might buy something for emotional reasons. Recognize that your actions may not match your goals of paying down your credit cards or savings for a grandchild's education. Replace those bad habits with something positive. Sometimes working with a financial planning professional can give you an outside view and help you review your progress and stay on track. Craigie suggests the following financial New Year's resolutions: 1 HZi Vh^YZ i]gZZ ]djgh ZVX] bdci] id VYYgZhh ÈcVcX^Va ^hhjZh# " We trade our life energy for money. Then we ignore what we do with it, " Craigie says. Time each month can allow you to do a systematic review of your finances. Make a net worth state