What Are Your 2011 Goals?

Thanksgiving just ended and your New Years resolutions are probably the farthest thing from your mind right now.  But we all know times flies so before you know it we’ll be in 2011.  If you wait to set your goals until next year has already begun you’ll be starting out behind.

People who start their diet a few weeks before January 1^st and hit the ground running have more success than those who begin New Year’s diets two or three weeks into the next year.  From a financial perspective, there is spending planning you can do to support your goals for next year – and don’t forget the year end tax moves you can make now.

Of course, one of the keys to achieving your goals is to set specific objectives that you can track and measure progress against.  I don’t have all my goals detailed out for next year yet but I will in the next week or two.  So, get to work on your goals to make 2011 a productive year!

I know we all like to procrastinate so here are a few personal finance articles you can check out before sitting down to figure out your goals : )

Personal Finance

• The Secret Power of No @ Money Crush
• What is Quantitative Easing? @ Lazy Man and Money
• How Private Are Your Finances, Really? @ Moolanomy
• What Happens to Your Debts After You Die? @ Cash Money Life
• What to Do When the Unexpected Happens @ Eventual Millionaire
• Why Co-Signing for a Loan Isn’t a Good Idea @ Rainy Day Saver
• 60 Reasons Why Personal Finance is So Damn Hard @ Fiscal Fizzle

Investing

• Preferred Stock Selection Criteria – Primer on Preferred Stocks IV @ Million Dollar Journey
• 10 Ways to Invest $1,000 Dollars, Without Putting a Dime in the Stock Market @ Frugal Dad

Career

• Can’t Find a Job? Start a Business @ Couple Money
• Three Ways to Make a Killing Without a College Degree @ Studenomics
• 8 Reasons Why I Quit My Dream Job to Be a Stay At Home Mom @ The Money Crashers

College

• Saving Up for a College Education @ Suns Financial Diary
• How Does A Roth IRA Conversion Affect College Funding? @ The Digerati Life

Frugality

• The Perfect Wedding Doesn’t Cost Much @ Consumerism Commentary
• Six Painless Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill @ Free Money Finance
• Ten Ways to Get the Most Out of a Vacation @ Narrow Bridge

Shopping

• 10 Inexpensive Christmas Gifts Under $10 @ My Dollar Plan
• The Anatomy of a Coupon @ Frugal Confessions
• 4 Money Smart Holiday Gifts @ Cash Flow Sherpa
• Online Black Friday Sales and Beyond @ Generation X Finance

Thanks to the following sites for including our articles in their carnivals:

Carnival of Personal Finance

• Online Degree Programs @ PT Money
• Airline Credit Card Rewards for the Holidays @ Simply Forties

Credit Cards and Saving

• Online Credit Card Protection @ Card Wisdom
• Southwest Airlines Credit Card Review @ Card Wisdom

Festival of Frugality

• 9 Ways to Lower Health Care Costs @ Festival of Frugality

Ben Edwards, the founder of Money Smart Life, saved up enough to buy a Nintendo back when he was 12 years old. When he used the money to buy shares of Wal-Mart stock instead, he knew he wasn't like the other kids... His addiction to personal finance has paid off for his family and now he's helping you to afford the life that you want. Check him out on the web at Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook.

All posts by Ben Edwards