Are your clients talking about making some financial changes in 2016? Many folks make financial resolutions, and you can help them by providing tools and resources to help make their goals a reality
Smart Goals: You can help your clients identify what they hope to achieve with their financial changes by introducing them to SMART goals, that is goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and are accomplished on a Timeline. By working with your client to list how their plans fit into these goals, the action steps to get started will become more easily identifiable.
Budgeting/Tracking: Many folks need to begin with the basics of creating a budget and learning skills and having resources available that will help them track their spending in order to meet their goals. Here are many resources:
The 52 Week Money Challenge is a good savings approach for people looking to save more in 2016. Groups of people make commit to the savings challenge together to increase the accountability of the program.
Steps to Health & Wealth. New year resolutions based on finances are only eclipsed by health and fitness-based resolutions. The Small Steps to Health & Wealth program offers tips and resources for combining these goals to make long-lasting positive changes for better health and better financial security.
Of course, a starting point for many families at the start of the New Year is paying off any accumulated holiday debt. Using systems like PowerPay.org can help folks focusing on creating new financial behaviors track their repayment and maximize their efforts to reduce debt.
What other tools and resources do you point clients to when they are looking for ways to make lasting behavior change? Share them here.
