It has become a tradition that whenever the New Year comes around, we make resolutions for a new and better life. Whether it’s about our health, work, family, personal improvement or other aspects in our life, we always hope and aim for a much better year this year than the last. How and if we are able to fulfill and maintain all our New Year resolutions is a personal mission and achievement depending on how serious we are in changing and bettering ourselves.

While most of our New Year resolutions revolve around dieting and exercising more, traveling, spending more time with family, etc., achieving financial security and other money matters may be at the bottom of the list, not so much because it’s the least of one’s priorities when it comes to New Year resolutions, but more because financial issues are the most difficult to attain, New Year or otherwise. So to greet 2012 with a better financial status that will hopefully carry on the whole year and the next and the years to come, here are a few New Year resolution ideas for more financial stability and freedom for 2012 and beyond:

1. Save more money. How many times have we told ourselves this only to end up spending more than we can afford? This 2012, make a more conscious effort to really save money. To give you more determination and motivation to do so, think about that dream house, car or vacation of yours. You don’t have to save so much that your everyday needs and expenses are sacrificed in return. Just save whatever extra, no matter how little, you have and as long as you do it everyday or least constantly, you’ll be surprised at the amount of money you have accumulated at the end of the month, several months, or at year-end. Before you know it, you can afford to buy that one thing you have always set your eyes on.

2. Pay off your debt. I bet you no one would want to start the new year with a debt/ debts hanging off their heads. As the new year signals a fresh start and better life, so do we want to spend the new year debt-free to have more financial freedom and mobility especially when we have vacations, shopping, and other important expenses planned for the new year. Pay off all of your debts before planning your budget for the new year and you’ll breath a sigh of relief worthy of all the financial pinching you may have to sacrifice at the start of the year.

3. Be more frugal. As the saying goes, “If I can afford it, why pinch?” But believe it or not, even the financially well-off people find ways and try to be more careful with their money as much as they can. We’ll never know when a financial emergency comes up and if we don’t have enough money saved for such situations, we may find ourselves bankrupted even at the beginning of 2012.

4. Financial mobility/ stability. In the end, this is everyone’s ultimate goal, whether it’s for New Year’s resolution or not. Though it’s harder to achieve in reality than in concept, we can ultimately achieve financial freedom through small but consistent steps in managing our money matters. The steps above can help us attain this ultimate financial goal along with our own personal strategies and determination to achieve financial freedom.

5. Be specific. Whether it be financial goals or otherwise, always be specific with what you want to achieve. Vague goals will just give you an excuse to delay or even forget your resolutions altogether. For example, instead of saying you want to have a six-pack, aim instead to go to the gym two-three times a week and maintain it. Instead of just saying you want to save money, target on how much exactly you can afford to put in the bank from your monthly salary. This way, setting more specific and realistic goals will help you more in achieving your financial New Year resolutions for 2012 .

Good luck and keep it up!