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All advertising these days seems to be about consumption, buying, spending, perhaps even going beyond your comfort level or your means to buy things that will supposedly make you or your family members happy.
I’m all for cheer throughout the year, but I’m also for realism, and I fear that a lot of people literally buy into the idea that they need the biggest, fastest, newest whatever when that thing doesn’t bring them any peace or security and indeed can do quite the opposite.
No matter your financial situation, there are things you can do — or do better — to ensure financial peace in the new year. Here are some things we could all work on, big and small, some difficult, some silly, some fun, to get and keep our finances in good shape.
11 Ideas for Financial Security in 2015 and Beyond
- Pay off credit cards if you’re holding debt, staring with the ones that charge the highest interest rates.
- Once you’ve paid off your cards, keep one to use for expenses that you pay off every month.
- Use cash more often for little expenses. Seeing money change hands can make you more mindful of your spending, and makes your credit card bill smaller.
- Save before you spend. If you know an expense like a new car, family vacation or college education is on the horizon, save all you can to avoid going into debt for that purchase.
- Mend clothing and fix other items that are minimally broken but still useable.
- Reuse, alter, make do and get creative with the things you do have.
- Make gifts, or choose among your family to set a dollar limit or buy fewer gifts (or have a handmade gift challenge).
- Shop from your closet, swap DVDs with friends, visit the library instead of the book store.
- Plant a garden.
- Think about the weight of owning so much stuff and realize you don’t have to live that way.
- Consider a 24 hour waiting period on nonessential purchases. Often that space will make you realize you don’t really need whatever it is you wanted.
Let Capital One 360’s Black Friday Sale Help
Whatever your financial goals, Capital One 360 has a lot of services to help you get there, and right now they’re having a Black Friday “sale” to give you even more reason to think about financial peace in this busy season. They’re offering new account bonuses, referral rewards and credits on closing costs for home loans that will allow you to give yourself the gift of financial peace of mind.
The details of the sale include:
- Up to $1,250 bonus (tiered) for new ShareBuilder customers
- $1,250 off closing costs for people who sign up for mortgages during the sale
- $100 bonus for new Checking 360 customers who open accounts with at least $500
- $100 bonus for new Savings 360 customers who open accounts with at least $1,000
- $40 bonus for any current customers who refer friends who open new accounts
Capital One 360 accounts are fee free and the checking and savings accounts earn interest. They offer remote deposit capture with Capital One 360’s CheckMate tool and make savings a snap with the Automatic Savings Plan. Check out Capital One 360’s Black Friday sales page for all the details.
How are you planning to start the new year in a better place financially? What tips would you add to my list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
