10 Financial Resolutions for 2018

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.” -Benjamin Franklin.

The first of the year brings both the promise of new beginnings and the burden of self-improvement. Fueled by the nostalgia of the holidays and armed with a year’s worth of regrets, some 45% of Americans decide to make New Year’s resolutions each January, according to research from the University of Scranton.

We all certainly have our fair share of vices, especially as they relate to money. So it’s unsurprising that financially-themed resolutions are among the most popular made each new year. But the fact that less than 10% of resolution-makers achieve their goals is not a good sign for hopes of improved money management.

Don’t be discouraged, though. WalletHub has your back. Below, you will find a list of the top 10 financial resolutions to make in 2018, along with some helpful tips for making sure they happen. Now, we know it's no longer January, however, making changes in your financial life can happen at any point in the year. Seeing that we are all working on taxes and potentially receiving income tax refund checks, this is the best time to kick-start your year of financial freedom.

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Improve Your Credit Score by 20 Points:

Less than 1% of people have the highest credit score possible (850). Fewer than 1 in 6 people have perfect credit scores (800+). And the average credit score is 679. So most people have room for credit score improvement and could save a lot of money as a result.The best way to improve your credit is to maintain an open credit card account that is in good standing. The card will then report positive information to the major credit bureaus each month, either building out a short credit history or helping to devalue mistakes from the past. You don’t have to get into debt to benefit from the credit building capabilities of a credit card, unlike with a loan, and you don’t even need to make purchases with your card. If you don’t have the credit standing necessary to qualify for a normal credit card, you can always place a refundable deposit on a secured credit card and benefit from what’s basically guaranteed approval.You can get your free credit score, updated daily, by signing up for WalletHub. This will give you an accurate sense of your starting point and enable you to track your progress over time. Plus, you will receive customized credit-improvement advice that will help you maximize both your score and your savings. For example, the grades on the Credit Analysis section of your WalletHub account will tell you what weak points you need to work on.

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Improve Your Credit Score by 20 Points: