Americans’ Top 10 Financial Resolutions

The following article by WalletHub highlights the top 10 financial resolutions of Americans for 2021:

Roughly 97 million Americans plan to make New Year’s resolutions for 2021, according to a new WalletHub survey. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or perhaps because of it, we are still filled with the seasonal spirit that led Benjamin Franklin to advise: “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”

We all have our fair share of vices and room for improvement, especially when it comes to money. So, it’s unsurprising that financially themed resolutions are among the most popular made each new year. In fact, the top financial resolution for 2021 is to save more, with a third of Americans on board.

But fewer than 40% of resolution-makers expect to keep their vow for a full year, which is not a good sign for hopes of improved money management. Neither is the fact that more than 7 in 10 people admit to having cheated on a New Year’s resolution in the past.

Don’t be discouraged, though. WalletHub has your back. We put together a list of the top financial New Year’s resolutions to make for 2021, plus a playbook for making them a reality.

The Top 10 Financial Resolutions for 2021 are:

1. Make a realistic budget and stick to it.
2. Look for a better job.
3. Focus on physical health, given its strong connection to financial health.
4. Use different credit cards for everyday purchases and debt.
5. Sign up for credit monitoring.
6. Repay 20% of your credit card debt.
7. Add one month’s pay to your emergency fund.
8. Pay bills right after getting your paycheck.
9. Get an A in Wallet Literacy.
10. Make sure you have enough insurance for a catastrophe.

Get more insights from WalletHub’s Q&A with a panel of experts in the fields of finance and psychology about making and keeping New Year’s resolutions.