Your Year in Review – 12 Months to Financial Fitness

What a year! It’s officially our final installment in our 12 Months to Financial Fitness series. It’s hard to believe that we began this journey with you all a year ago, so we thought we’d take a moment to look back on 2022, as well as leave you with a few more tips as we head into 2023.

Why Reviewing Your Year is Important

Examining what worked and what didn’t is imperative to developing your next financial plan. It’s that simple! You wouldn’t want to continue doing something that isn’t working, would you? By the same logic, there might be areas that are trending positively where you can make changes and improve even more. It may be difficult, but striking a balance between looking at the past, analyzing your present, and planning your future is best. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at your 2022.

Celebrate Your Successes

Celebrate what you got right in 2022! Perhaps you began paying down credit card debt, saw improvements in your credit score, or achieved a savings goal. There’s also the possibility that you’re still working on some of your goals going into 2023. That’s okay! Financial fitness is a long process that can take multiple years. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:

• What are some positive habits you’ve gained?
• Is there something you’re most proud of you accomplished this year?
• Will you consider setting more challenging goals next year?
• Was there a goal or challenge that felt too easy to complete?

Learn From Your Failures

Sometimes a financial fitness journey can feel like two steps forward and one step back. Was there something you attempted this year that didn’t quite hit the mark? This can be anything like starting a budget but not following it, to accruing more debt than expected.

• Is there a financial goal that gave you more trouble than another did?
• Can you identify any areas of particular struggle?
• What will you change about your financial plan in 2023 to ensure success?
• Was there a goal or challenge that felt too difficult to complete?

Where to Go in 2023

While it’s cliché, we encourage you to make some financial resolutions as we go into 2023, like building an emergency savings fund or raising your credit score. Whatever you want to accomplish, going into the year with your goals set is ideal for success next year. We hope 2022 has been a productive year for your finances, and we’re confident you can use what you’ve accomplished and learned to make 2023 your best year yet! If you find yourself needing some extra help, we're always here to help! Whether you need extra money to make it through the month, or you're looking for a new home or car, we're ready to be your financial partner.