Our  guestblogger this month is Kelsa Dickey from Fiscal Fitness Phoenix.

It’s always a good time and never too late to get financially organized. Early in the year there are 5 things I always like to do!

1. Write down what you’re financially most proud of this past year. Maybe you saved a bit more, maybe you didn’t add anything to a credit card, or maybe you hit a specific goal. Finish this sentence, “This past year, I’m most proud of _______” and WRITE IT DOWN! Give yourself some credit for what you did right in 2013, even if it wasn’t perfect!
2. Write down a financial goal you have for this year. It doesn’t matter HOW BIG the goal is or how realistic it is because the truth is, you won’t achieve it in 2015 if you don’t start in 2014. Write it down and keep it front and center – in your planner, on your fridge, or on your bathroom mirror. Despite the ups and downs you may experience over the coming year, stay focused on this bigger goal.
3. Write down 3 actions you can take this year to accomplish your goal from #2. There may be a million steps you can take but just focus on a few and it will seem much more managable. If your goal is to increase your Emergency Fund, maybe your steps are to:
   1. Stick to a budget
   2. Increase my savings transfer by $25 per paycheck or
   3. Review my expenses and see if I can reduce or cancel any (then redirect the savings to my Emergency Fund).
4. Calculate your net worth. Your net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. It may be negative but hopefully you see this improve from one year to the next. It can be very gratifying if you see this number improve despite what may feel like a bad year (even if it’s just “less negative” than the year before). You know you’re doing some things right!
5. Shop your insurance. Call Mike & Shauna Murphy and ask them to review your insurance. They do a great job of doing this for their clients! Give them a call and see if you can’t save a little money or cover your assets a bit better for the same price.

2014 may not go perfectly but that doesn’t mean we can’t make some small changes or improvements and then build from that in 2015.

Kelsa Dickey is a financial coach in Tempe, Arizona. Through her company Fiscal Fitness Phoenix,  Kelsa empowers individuals and couples to change how they spend and save money with one simple goal – to take the stress out of money.