Australia’s top 5 money resolutions for 2024+how to actually make them happen
Make your goals real with these practical steps.
It's great that 83% of Australians say they have set a financial resolution for 2024.
But experience suggests that many of these goals will be abandoned well before January is over.
One reason that often happens is because the resolutions themselves aren't specific enough.
Let's look at the 5 most popular resolutions, according to Finder's ongoing Consumer Sentiment Tracker research, and see how easy it is to turn them into real actions with real financial impact.
Goal: Save more money
How many people set this as a goal: 54%
How to make it happen: Set a precise monthly savings target
Saving more money is great, but how much exactly is more? Don't just say "I'll save more". Do a proper budget, and then set aside a specific amount which immediately goes from your pay into a high-interest savings account each month.
The habit matters more than the amount. Even if you only put $100 a month into an account with 5% interest, you'll have $1,227 by the end of the year. And after 5 years, you'd have $6,800.
Goal: Spend less money
How many people set this as a goal: 34%
How to make it happen: Set up a weekly meal plan
This might seem like really obvious advice, but in the era of ubiquitous food delivery, it bears repeating. You'll waste less food and spend less money if you plan your meals and then shop based on that plan (accounting for what's already in your fridge and pantry). This doesn't have to be time-consuming - I knock over my weekly plan in 10 minutes on the weekend.
Goal: Reduce expenses
How many people set this as a goal: 21%
How to make it happen: Switch your mobile plan
Comparing and switching is a strategy that works for any regular expense. I'm highlighting mobile plans because this is an area we know many people overspend on.
The average Australians spends $50 a month on their mobile plan, and only uses 10GB of data. You can easily get a plan that covers that for $32 a month - that's the average cost of a medium data plan in Finder's database. So compare mobile plans and start saving.
Goal: Invest more
How many people set this as a goal: 18%
How to make it happen: Use dollar cost averaging as a strategy
In many ways, this is the investing equivalent of setting a fixed amount to save every month. With dollar cost averaging, you commit to investing a set amount each month, regardless of market movements. Often that investment will be in index funds or market funds, so you're not putting all your eggs in a single company basket. Check out our detailed guide to dollar cost averaging for more on the strategy.
Goal: Increase my earnings
How many people set this as a goal: 14%
How to make it happen: Keep a work diary to help make your case for a raise
Sure, side hustles are always an option, but getting a pay rise puts more money in your pocket without requiring a whole new effort. To maximise your chances of scoring that raise, keep a work diary of your major achievements. It doesn't need to be complex - a simple document with key dates, what you did and how it helped your employer is all that's needed. When that review meeting comes up, It's much easier to refer to that when your annual review meeting comes up than to try and remember what you were doing a year ago.
Get more helpful money tips to help you save.
