Nineteen days into the new year and for some of us it's been a challenge keeping our New Year's resolutions. But one resolution you shouldn't give up on is getting your finances in order.
Saturday morning hundreds of people packed the cafeteria at John Muir Middle School for the 6th Annual Financial Wellness Conference hosted by the Get Smart Wausau Coalition in conjunction with Asset Builders of America. Finance experts from local banks and colleges dished out free financial advice to anyone willing to listen.
If you missed the conference, don't worry NewsChannel 7 has some tips on how you can make 2013 a financial success. First, know your income and create a budget.
"Look at where you're spending you're money. Overall, where can you cut costs? What's a need versus want?" Abby Bank Marketing Coordinator Stacy Retterath advised.
Once you've made that budget, make sure you leave room to put money in your savings.
"If you consider your own savings to be a bill that has to be paid so you put that money in savings right off the bat, just like your power bill or insurance or whatever other bill, that's a good strategy," Richard Entenmann of Asset Builders of America added.
Finally, try to pay as much as you can on some of your debts. Focus on paying the debt with the highest interest rate first. If you can afford to add a little extra to all other minimum payments, that will save you money in the long run.
