Welcome back to KEYS by GM Financial.
I'm Marion, and each week on KEYS,
we're bringing you personal financial tips
to help you unlock your financial future.
Today, we're looking at seven tips
to get your finances on track for the new year
and keep it that way.
Number one, start small.
Small changes stick best.
Whatever habits you choose to adopt,
don't go full throttle at the starting line.
Instead, make gradual, manageable changes.
The key is to stay positive.
Number two, enroll in paperless billing.
Say goodbye to clutter by electing
to go paperless where you can.
Fewer receipts, letters, and statements
in the mail from retailers or creditors
means you can stay organized without the endless paperwork.
Number three, manage your debt.
Set a goal to reduce your debt this year.
Every little bit helps.
Look to your credit report to understand accounts,
amount owed, and interest rates.
From there, review your budget and make a plan.
Number four, save a little.
Got coins piling up in your center console
or a $5 bill that keeps getting washed with your jeans?
Deposit those, along with a few bucks from each paycheck,
into a savings account.
You won't miss the money, but these micro deposits
can build up over time into a vacation or emergency fund.
Number five, get current on your bills.
If you have missed payments, get current and stay current.
Consider enrolling in recurring payments,
or setting up payment reminders in my account or the GM
Financial mobile app.
Number six, download a budgeting app.
Keep an eye on your budget everywhere
you go by downloading a personal finance app to your smartphone.
We'll have some links to apps that we like in the description
below.
And then number seven, build credit responsibly.
Be choosy about new credit accounts
and only open them as needed.
New credit accounts may impact your credit score.
So consider carefully before signing up.