Mr. Tightwad: Top 10 financial resolutions you should make in 2012

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Mr. Tightwad

Updated: February 12, 2012 8:17AM

Oh, baby, has another year rolled by already? You know what that means: It’s time to make some resolutions.

Mr. T isn’t talking about the same ones that get broken within a few weeks, but instead some easy financial resolutions you can make — and easily keep, even if you have no will power.

It’s no secret the cost of nearly everything is going up, while at the same time you most likely didn’t get a raise at work. And that’s assuming you’re lucky enough to have a job.

Take a look at the 10 financial resolutions you should make to keep more money in your wallet.

TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT YOUR BANK STATEMENTS: When’s the last time you analyzed every transaction? Odds are there’s a gym membership or other monthly subscription you no longer need or use but still are being charged for. Cancel those suckers, stat.

STOP PAYING FULL PRICE WHEN EATING OUT: Doing so is easy, thanks to Restaurant.com. When using their promo codes (they almost always have one), you can usually get a $25 dining certificate to a local restaurant for only $2 or $3.

STEP FOOT INSIDE AN ALDI: As a kid, Mr. T remembers these stores as being dirty and filled with low-quality food. If it’s been a few years since you’ve been there, check one out. You’ll have a hard time finding cheaper food. And it actually tastes pretty good, too.

KILL THE DEBIT AND CREDIT CARDS: Even Mr. T has a hard time keeping track of what he’s spending when all he has to do is swipe some plastic. Switch over to all cash and give yourself a set amount each week. It’s an easy way to create a quick budget, while at the same time giving yourself a constant visual reminder of what you’re spending. By doing this, you’ll spend less, guaranteed.

TRACK YOUR FINANCES: Not willing to go the all-cash route? Sign up for a free Mint.com account, where you can easily track all of your expenditures. Because you can’t cut spending if you don’t know what you’re spending it on.

START THE 2012 CHRISTMAS FUND TODAY: Tuck away $5 a week in an envelope. You won’t miss it now, but it’ll ease the financial pain come December.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT: The only place to legitimately get a 100 percent free credit report is from www.annualcreditreport.com. While it won’t give you your credit score, it will give you a detailed credit history. Use this information to either dispute any inaccuracies or come up with a game plan to pay off bad debts (which will help you raise your credit score).

SIGN UP FOR EBATES: If you do any shopping online, this is a no-brainer. They’ll give you cash back on purchases you make from thousands of retailers, then send you a check four times a year as long as you have accumulated at least $5 in cash back. The Tightwads then tuck this money away in the Christmas fund.

PLAN AHEAD: Making a big purchase at a national retailer? Buy discounted gift cards from ABCGiftCards.com or PlasticJungle.com, then use those gift cards to make your purchase. Discounts on the cards vary by retailer, but is usually in the 7 to 10 percent range.

REVIEW YOUR LIFE INSURANCE: Sure, nobody wants to talk about croaking, but we all will. If you kicked it today, do you have enough insurance to provide for your family’s future?