4 helpful money-saving New Year's resolutions

The start of a new year is a great time to wipe the slate clean of bad habits, like the tendency to overspend. Here are 4 money-saving resolutions you can do in the new year to help put more money in your wallet and reduce the stress of credit card debt.

Instead of carrying around a debit card and using it for unnecessary purchases or cash withdrawals, simply stop carrying your card with you altogether.

• Withdraw as much cash as you'd like to budget for at the beginning of the week. Then use that allotment as the finite amount of cash available to you for the balance of the week.
• The act of being able to physically see your cash dwindling is a good psychological tip to cut spending.
• It also eliminates your ability to spontaneously withdraw cash for hasty – and often unnecessary – purchases.

Bad habits often cost people a lot of money – and their health.  An example?  Whether you buy a pack of cigarettes each day, a six-pack after work, or drive through the fast food window regularly, these habits take a bite out of your savings and put you at risk for disease.

• Pick a bad habit you have and commit to giving it up.
• While breaking bad habits is hard, the effect on your bank account is a great motivator. If you have a family and children, they're also an excellent reason to break these unhealthy behaviours.

Credit card debt payments are one of the biggest fiscal frustrations out there and a small debt can grow alarmingly large in no time. The reason? The interest rates on credit cards has skyrocketed in recent years.

• The best solution is to re-budget your finances and set more money aside to paying off debts and less to lifestyle expenditures.
• It might be a shock at first, but in the long run you can save thousands of dollars in interest by simply paying off credit cards faster.

One good habit to start with is to allocate any unexpected income to debt payments rather than using it for shopping, dining or entertainment purposes.

Rather than waiting until the last minute to pay bills or sending checks right when they're due, rework your schedule to pay them off early.

• Late fees and overdraft fees add up quickly, and are expenses that people forget to factor in with bills.
• You can avoid these fees entirely by being deliberate about when you pay.
• Many credit card companies will even allow you to adjust your payment due date online or over the phone, so your payment schedule makes more sense. This small, logical step can help save you large amounts of money over time.

After the excitement of the holidays and buying all those gifts comes the pain of the credit card bills that come due. With a bit of discipline and some common sense advice, getting back on track financially is easier than you might think.