If you are like millions of Americans across the country, meeting your financial goals this year is a top priority. In a recent study, more than half of respondents ranked saving money as their number one New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, another study shows that only 9 percent of these people will achieve their goals.

The good news is that you can be part of the 9 percent and see your goals become a reality. Here are some easy financial tips and tools that can help you stay motivated all year long and finally move closer to meeting your financial goals in 2018.

Set Long- and Short-Term Goals

This may sound redundant but it’s important to take the time to write down your long- and short-term goals. Try to be as concise and specific as possible. For example, instead of stating that you want to save money, think about what you are saving money for. Are you creating an emergency fund, planning a special vacation or saving for a down payment on a house or car? Having specific goals will help to motivate you and make it easier to track your success.

Track Your Expenses

You will never get a handle on your finances if you fail to understand where you are spending your money. Start tracking every single purchase or payment you make, and divide these credits into budgetary categories, such as food, entertainment, transportation, housing and healthcare. After three to four weeks, take a close look at your tracked expenses, and identify areas where you may be spending too much money.

Create a Budget

Now that you have a better understanding of where you are spending your money, you can create a realistic budget. After you set up an initial budget, look at every budgetary category and see if there are ways you can cut back your spending. For example, can you do more cooking at home to save money on food? Once your budget is set, make a strong commitment to stick with it.

Review Your Credit Report

A study showed that 54 percent of adults in the United States have not checked their credit report in over a year. This can be dangerous. You always want to request your credit report every year to make sure everything on it is accurate; you also want to stay alert to anything negative on your report. Even if you have late payments or outstanding debt on your credit report, know that there are ways to fix it. The sooner you start the process, the faster your credit score will go up.

Repairing Negative Credit Report

If there is any inaccurate information on your credit report, you should contact the credit reporting agency immediately and request a modification. If you have negative statements on your report, now is the time to start repairing the damage. Credit repair companies can help you with this process. A credit repair service will work directly with your lenders to create a payment plan that works for you and them. As you start to make payments, you will see your credit report improving.

Use Financial Tools

Financial tools, such as Lex on Track, can help keep you motivated thanks to technology-based, financial-tracking solutions. Just for signing up for Lex on Track’s online solutions you’ll have access to credit repair services, monthly FICO scores updates and score analysis, an array of personal finance tools and $1 million of identity insurance. Just this one solution can help you track your finances, repair your credit and protection your identity.

Meeting your 2018 financial goals is not as hard as you think. All you need are the right financial tools and the commitment to make your goals a reality. Learn more about Lex on Track and how it can help you meet your financial goals this year.

This post was powered by Lexington Law Firm.