No Longer Broke in America in 2009

Today is the beginning of the rest of my life, and I choose to no longer be broke in America.    Worrying about my finances is taking a toll on my life, so much so that it sucks up all my creativity and my passion for life.

Instead of being reactive, I choose to be proactive, and here is the plan:

First, I have to stop the bleeding.  The late fees and insufficient fund fees I paid in 2008 have been shamefully staggering.  This tells me that not only was I broke, but that I need to keep track of my money better.  I need to plan my expenses accordingly, and work from a budget.  This is going to be tricky.  I do not do well with paper, so it will have to be some finance software that is easy to use.  The goal is to have a workable budget so that I will no longer pay any late fees on my utilities by the end of Q1.

Second, I need to raise my income.  With the economy and job market the way they are, this will be hard to do.  In order to be more competitive, I will need to raise my qualifications.  I plan to get a certification in the technical field that interests me, and this will help me get a better position — and better pay, I hope — than what I have now.  The goal is to have passed the certification exam by the end of Q1.

I am keeping it simple enough so that it is achievable.  How about you, what are your financial goals or resolutions for the new year?