Good Habits for the New Year
We’re at that familiar point in the year where New Year’s resolutions may have lost a little momentum. The good news is there is always the opportunity to reboot and carry the original intention forward. Below is a small list of to-dos that if done regularly, can create a few new habits that will pay off in the long run.
- Transfer cash held in digital wallets like Venmo, PayPal and Cash App to your bank account monthly.
- Benefit: Funds held in these apps are not FDIC insured. Moving them protects your money—and allows it to earn interest.
- Vacuum out your dryer vent at least annually.
- Benefit: Your dryer runs more efficiently, and more importantly, you significantly reduce the risk of a house fire.
- Make a credit card payment twice a month.
- Benefit: Your credit score could increase by lowering your credit utilization rate before the lender reports your balance to the credit bureaus.
- Take photos of your ID, passport, and credit cards and store them in a hidden folder on your phone.
- Benefit: If items are lost or stolen, you’ll have quick access to important details and customer service numbers securely stored in a password-protected Hidden/Locked/Secure folder.
- Write a postcard to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. A stamp for the standard domestic postcard (4 ¼” high by 6” long) costs $0.61.
- Benefit: Staying socially connected can reduce loneliness and positively impact your long-term health and happiness!
At the end of the day, progress doesn’t come from grand resets—it comes from small, repeatable choices that quietly stack in your favor. Whether it’s reconnecting with someone you care about, protecting your money, improving your safety, or strengthening your financial footing, these simple to-dos are easy to overlook but powerful when practiced consistently. If your New Year’s intentions wobbled a bit, that’s okay—consider this your reminder that a reboot is always available, and even the smallest habits can make a meaningful difference over time.
Related reading:
Good Habits Need Good Techniques — a practical look at how to build habits that actually last.
