Simple Ways to Prepare for the New Year Now

As the year comes to a close (let’s not discuss the fact that Christmas is next week and I’ve been too exhausted to finish shopping as yet) it’s time to prepare yourself for next year. It’s hard to believe that 2014 will be here in two short weeks, but it will. If you want to start the New Year in a good place – and I know you do because you’re already talking about resolutions you’re going to make on New Year’s Eve – go ahead and get started now. Here are three things you can do now to prepare for next year.

Gather Your Tax Information

Okay, okay, so it’s not the most fun thing you can do this time of year – or any time of year – but if you start preparing for your income tax filing now, you won’t be scrambling at the last minute to prepare all your paperwork. Even though you have four months to file, you don’t want to wait to the last possible minute. Start preparing the things you have at the moment and immediately file your tax information in the appropriate areas once it begins arriving in the mail come January. It’ll make you feel more accomplished.

Create a Budget

So many people feel that they can’t start something new until a certain day; the first, or the first day of the week or the first of something. What day is better to essentially start over than the first day of the year? Exactly; so let’s get started making a budget that will take you through each week and each month this year. You’ll never have to wonder what you have left, if you’re saving enough or if you’re spending too much if you start your budget now and implement it beginning January 1.

Create a Goal List

Perhaps you’re a freelancer who works from home and you want to make 6 figures in 2014. Now’s the time to make that a goal and break it down into doable items; for example, if you want to make 6 figures throughout the year, you need to know what you have to earn each day. To earn a minimum of 100k, you need to bring in $8333.33 per month. That’s $2083.33 per week. That’s $297.62 per day. If you work 8 hours per day that’s $37.20 per hour. Once you make a goal and break it down into a daily to-do list, things become much easier for you come the New Year.

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