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At the start of the new year, many of us make big, ambitious resolutions to finally get our finances in shape. We vow to slash spending, pay off debt, or double retirement contributions. However, the unwieldy timeline and scope of these New Year’s resolutions often set us up for failure. Come February, most are abandoned as life gets in the way. There is a better approach than the once-a-year push for perfection. Rather than an annual overhaul, consider taking a mini financial reset each month. The beginning or end of the month provides a natural milestone to review finances and set realistic goals for the next 30 days, and this keeps your finances on track all year long.

In 1985, atmospheric scientists in Antarctica noticed something troubling. For decades, they’d been measuring the thickness of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, the layer of gas that deflects much of the sun’s radiation. Starting in the 1970s, it had started plummeting. By the mid-1980s, they observed that it was on track to be wiped out in the next few decades.

Budgets are flexible tools that can help keep you on track for almost any financial goal. But how should you adjust your budget when the world becomes uncertain? “With the world repeatedly dropping surprise and horror upon our doorsteps over the last few years, people are understandably feeling less and less secure,” says Ryan Cicchelli, founder of Generations Insurance & Financial Services. “This growing uncertainty breeds fear in the populace, which can lead to poor decision-making and compound our problems.”

Doucefleur / Getty Images/iStockphoto When it comes to financial planning, many people don’t kWhen it comes to financial planning, many people don’t know how to go about it in a way that lets them build wealth or financial security. Because of this, a lot of people turn to financial planners to help get them on track and achieve their short- and long-term financial goals. Unfortunately, just having a financial planner isn’t always enough. Even with the best advice, a lot of people struggle to break their bad money habits and build better ones that help them gain some much-needed financial independence.now how to go about it in a way that lets them build wealth or financial security. Because of this, a l…