3 Financial Changes I'm Planning to Make in 2023

Are any of these on your list of goals?

Many people use the start of a new year as an opportunity to assess their finances and figure out if they need to do better. Now thankfully, I'm closing out 2022 in a decent place financially. This year, I added some money to my savings account and also maxed out my retirement account. And I didn't accrue any debt on my credit cards or pay any of those bills late. 

But still, there are certain spending habits I can definitely improve on. And with that in mind, here are three changes I'm hoping to make in the new year.

1. Being more mindful of what I buy at the supermarket

At several points this year, I purchased groceries that ended up going bad on me because my family didn't consume them on time, or because I had the intention to cook but got lazy and ordered takeout instead. Next year, I hope to not be as wasteful. If I buy ingredients for a meal that are perishable, I intend to actually use them, even if I'm feeling tired and don't want to spend the time in the kitchen. 

2. Not paying for services I don't get good use out of

My family uses a few different streaming services, and for the most part, these have provided good value for us. But I realized a short while ago that my family wasn't really watching HBO Max, so I made the decision to cancel it. The only problem is, I paid for that service for a solid couple of months during which no one really watched anything on it. 

Next year, I hope to have a better pulse on whether we're getting good value for the services we pay for. I don't have a problem with paying for multiple streaming services, for example, if they're actually being watched. But it's silly to spend money on things my family isn't getting much out of.

3. Getting better about carpooling so I spend less on gas

Even though gas prices aren't as high these days as they were earlier on in the year, carpooling could save me a bunch of money in 2023. It could also save me time during those jam-packed after-school hours. And so I'm hoping I'll get better about being proactive and arranging carpools in the new year. 

All I really need to do is put in the time to reach out to some fellow parents and set up a schedule. And if I make that effort, it could pay off in a big way. 

What changes do you have in mind?

These specific changes of mine might seem minimal individually. But collectively, they have the potential to add up to a lot of savings. 

As you gear up to ring in the new year, it pays to think about your financial habits and whether they're serving you well. You may find that a few small changes put you in a much better place financially by the time 2023 comes to an end.