(Akiit.com) Getting your finances in order can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you’ve never felt particularly smart when it comes to your money. However, there’s no better time than the start of the year to begin making positive changes, and here you’ll find some resolutions that will help you on your way to a healthier financial future. Take a look at the ideas below and you’ll get a good idea of what you can do to improve your finances.
Save An Emergency Fund
First of all, saving an emergency fund is a really important step. Around 60% of people don’t even have $1000 in the bank, and 
that’s a pretty shocking amount. Not having at least a little money saved for emergencies can mean having to turn to credit and getting into debt. Experts recommend having 3-6 months living expenses saved up, but even if you can’t manage that right away, aim for $1000 to get you started. You’ll feel so much better – just make sure you have it in an account that means you won’t spend the money, without being unable to access it if something is to go wrong.
Put Money Into A Retirement Fund
Having money in a retirement fund is something plenty of people are worried about. We’re all going to get old, and some of us may be unable to work. Some will want to simply enjoy the remaining years of their life without having to worry about working at all. Making sure you put at least a little money into a retirement fund sooner rather than later is a must.
Find Smart Ways To Make More Money
Don’t rely on one source of income to make money – especially if you’re having to swap your time for that one source of income. One day, you’ll run out of time, and that means your income also runs out too. Instead, try to come up with passive ways to make money so you don’t have to work as much, and have multiple income streams. You might even choose to start your own business or side hustle, but you should come up with a plan so that you know you’re not going to be working your fingers to the bone forever. If you do end up doing this, you might experience burn out and end up having to deal with a business Chapter 7 when it all goes wrong.
Rethink Your Shopping Habits
Put yourself on a shopping ban for 2 weeks so you can assess your spending. Figure out where most of your money goes and what makes you want to spend. Do your best to rethink these habits and make sure you give yourself plenty of breathing time around a purchase (at least 2 weeks) so you stop making bad decisions.
Create A Budget That Works For You
If you don’t have a budget, there’s no better time to make one. It doesn’t mean scrimping and saving – it simply means ensuring you have enough money for absolutely everything and that you’re being smart.
Staff Writer; Peter Day