12 Achievable Finance Goals You Can Make in 2024

Many of us kickstart a new year with lofty and exciting goals - whether they be goals about our health and fitness, career, personal life, or finances! These goals start from a positive place, but a few months later (or just weeks! There is a reason ‘National Quitter’s Day’ is the Second Friday of January…) many are disappointed in their progress or are too stressed to continue. But fear not! Here at Tally, we’ve uncovered the secret to not just setting goals but achieving them.  We firmly believe that making, and celebrating, small, attainable, goals is the best way to make sustained progress. So, why not join us in making 2024 your most financially triumphant  year yet? We’re talking about trackable goals - ones you can measure and conquer - just one per month! Ready to turn those financial aspirations into tangible accomplishments? Let’s dive in together! 🚀💰

January: Pay the minimums from holiday shopping

Great news - If you’re a Tally member… you’re already making strides towards achieving January’s goal! Avoid additional fees from holiday shopping by paying ALL of your credit card minimums… above and beyond if you can! 

February: Challenge yourself to a no-spend weekend

What’s the opposite of a prixe-fixe Valentine's Day menu where the dinner portion is so small that a second meal is necessary? Treating your wallet to a creative, no spend weekend! Clean out your freezer, bundle up for a long walk outside, have a video call date with a long distance friend, play games in the comfort of your own home, and be proud that you’ve saved some cash in a month when Hallmark is telling you to spend lots of it! 

March: Spring clean your finances

Before you clean out your sock drawer, examine your credit card statements over the past few months. Mark any recurring subscriptions you could cut, and pinpoint categories where you might have exceeded your budget, and determine areas where you can trim expenses moving forward. Try picking one category to test cutting back on during spring.

April: Make subscription services cry April showers

Is that month title a stretch? Oh, yes. Do you have a subscription you can cut to save some money, even for a month or two? Also yes! Try subscription cycling… where you only have Hulu for 2 months, then switch to Netflix, followed by only Max… you’ll surprise yourself with how much money you can save, and how much time you spared deciding what to watch! 

May: Make this your smartest summer

Taking a weekend getaway this summer? Or do you have multiple cross-country weddings to attend? Travel smart! Set flight alerts on your trips to make sure you are getting the best deals possible, and check sites like NerdWallet or The PointsGuy to see how you can maximize your credit card points on hotels and flights (sometimes opting for one hotel over another can make a substantial difference) and utilize other money-saving travel tips.

June: Play the 48 hour cart rule

Use your cart like never before this June. Before you make a non-essential purchase, challenge yourself to let the item(s) sit in your cart for 48 hours. This cooling-off period may help quell overspending on impulse buys. And in many cases, a retailer will send you a coupon incentive to help you move forward! 

July: Plan for Christmas in July

The holidays may seem impossibly far away while you’re watching fireworks go off on July 4th… but this year you’re in your best financial planning space and they won’t sneak up on you at the end of November! Challenge yourself to save $60 a month from July on - you will have accumulated up to $300 by December. You can save more or less through the year, and spend more or less come holiday season, but starting early ensures less stress at the end of the year.

August: Automate all you can

Automation can help make financial day-to-day decisions less stressful and more intuitive. Take a look at the bills you pay each month, and importantly, any bills that seem to almost slip through the cracks, and set up automatic payments to pay them. Next, automate a monthly transfer from checking to savings. Even a very small automated transfer adds up month over month, and will help build a valuable savings habit! 

September: Back to school

Pick one financial book to read or listen to this month! (Pro tip - check the book out from your local library, or from an app like Libby, to make sure your reading habit does not affect your budget.) Check out a classic like “The Intelligent Investor” or “Think and Grow Rich”, or a new(ish) kid on the block, Ramit Sethi’s “I Will Teach You To Be Rich”. These books contain practical advice and relevant information - and help continue the positive money mindset you’ve been building all year.

October: Don’t let credit spook you

It’s time to check your credit score. It could be daunting if you haven’t checked your score in a while, but knowing where you stand is important if you plan to make major purchases or life changes in the future. You can request one free copy of your credit report each year from each of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. Use this as an opportunity to check for errors in your report and understand how your report works.

November: Stack the savings

November is a month of enticing sales… but make sure to get the most bang for your buck! Make a strategy before you shop - download your favorite stores apps and put them in a folder on your phone. Then before you leave the house, take 5 minutes to look through your list and check if any coupons are active for the items you need, and shop the stores that match the most coupons. Additionally, add extensions like Rakuten or Fetch to your browser - these can give you money back for purchases you make!  

December: Celebrate a successful financial year

You did it! You made a smart financial decision every month this year and are on track to many more. As you close out this year, try to continue to prioritize what is most important to you in your finances - maybe that means saying no to the holiday party you didn’t want to attend anyway, opting for homemade gifts with your best friends, or another cost-savings choice. And be sure to relax with friends and family and celebrate all of your accomplishments this past year. Next year you’ll hit the ground running making your financial goals a priority… and continuing to pay off your credit card debt using Tally! 

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