Steps To Keep Your Financial Goals On Track In 2019

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Axiom Bank. All opinions are mine alone.

Sticking to a financial plan in 2019.

Creating a budget plan and sticking to it in 2019

If you’re into traditions, you know it’s that time of year when many of us set out with good intentions for our New Year's resolutions. Saving money in the year to come is often on top of the list. I know that in our house, we always go a bit beyond our holiday spending budget. It always seems that things that we forgot to calculate seem to just pop up! Maybe it is dining out one too many times because we were too busy shopping to cook, or we forgot to calculate the amount for a gift card for our mail carrier.Whatever the case may be we plan to tighten our budget and actually stick to our plan as a New Year's resolution!Did you know that tackling your finances is actually one of the most common New Year’s resolutions? Although most of us vow to do so, according to U.S. News and World Report, a whopping 80 percent of us revert to our old habits by mid-February. Let's make 2019 the year of changing this statistic and actually sticking to our plan.It may feel easier said than done, but you are in luck. Check out these 4 steps for keeping your financial goals on track all year long.Here are some steps to help keep your financial goals on track in 2019: Step 1: Get organized.It’s important to map out your goals by writing them down on paper. In fact, that’s whatbillionaire Richard Branson does, and told CNBC it’s been one of his secrets to success. Bransonsays a written record allows him to reference something every morning and get in the mindsetto tackle what’s on the list. Checking items off can help motivate you to keep moving forward. Step 2: Set measures for success.When you sit down to begin writing your goals, start small and be as detailed as possible. Setdaily targets that ultimately work toward your major objective, such as saving money or payingoff debt. Tools, like Axiom Bank’s AxiomGO mobile app, can also help set measurable marks forsmart saving and spending. The My $ Manager function allows you to input your goals and trackyour progress. Step 3: Study your spending habits.Many of us think we have a good grasp on how we spend our money. But if you find yourself alittle short at the end of the month, it might be time to study where the money is going. Wherecan you cut back? AxiomGO makes this process easy. You can create individual spendingbuckets, such as mortgage/rent, car, gas, groceries, entertainment, etc., and set a limit for each.The My $ Manager function automatically tallies money from that category and alerts you whenyou’re reaching the limit you set. Step 4: Start now!It’s easy to keep putting things off but procrastination limits your ability to get ahead. BillionaireWarren Buffett agrees. He says getting control of your finances is all about mindset. You have tomake a conscious effort to stick with your budget. Think about ways to engage and challengeyourself to meet goals, such as going a day without spending money on non-essential purchases.Developing a new habit takes time, but the easy to follow lesson Richard Branson applies every day is “try and try again, but never give up!” So cheers to making 2019 the year you take control of your finances.