Tackle two New Year’s goals at once with this simple tip

Michael Timmermann | January 4th, 2018

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If you’re the type of person who likes to make New Year’s resolutions, you probably already have a list of your goals for 2018 — and hopefully you’re off to a great start.

This year, one of my goals is to set aside money for some home improvement projects down the road.

But I also have a few things that I want to accomplish in other areas of my life — not related to personal finance — so I’m one of those people with more than one New Year’s resolution.

Is there a way to tackle multiple goals at the same time? Here’s the strategy I came up with…

2018 goals: Use this simple trick to keep two New Year’s resolutions at once

My two New Year’s resolutions have to do with health and money. I want to exercise at least four days a week and save an extra $2,000 for the home projects.

Most people would work toward achieving these goals separately, but I’ve decided to bring them together.

Here’s how: For every week that I exercise at least four times, I plan to transfer $50 to a savings account for my upcoming home renovations.

If I meet my workout goal every week this year, that means I’ll have to transfer a total of $2,600 to my bank account.

By linking my health and money goals through this rewards system, my hope is that I’ll be motivated to stay with the program and reach both of them.

This strategy can work for other New Year’s resolutions as well. Here are some examples:

If your goal is to avoid fast food, set aside $25 for every week that you don’t visit the drive-thru.
Ready to quit smoking? Figure out how much you spend on cigarettes every week and transfer that amount to a savings account as you kick the habit.
If your goal is to organize your home, stash away $100 for every room that you declutter.

One of the reasons that people give up on their goals is that they lose interest quickly. Maybe this trick is just what you need to make your New Year’s resolutions stick this year!

What are your money goals for 2018? Share them on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below.