It might be a distant memory, but the dawning of a new year would have been an ideal time to reflect on the changes we wanted - or needed - in our lives, and make the resolution to follow through on them. With each New Year many people promise to change and improve their lifestyle in any manner of ways. This can include everything from losing weight, to keeping better relations with the in-laws and improving their financial standing.
The most common resolution to be made each New Year is to lose weight, with a large proportion of people vowing that this is the year they will beat the bulge, while others resolve to undertake the next most popular resolution of doing more exercise. Some even combine the two! However, of those who undertake the promise to fight the flab and spend more time at the gym, a sizeable number will have ditched their new health regime by the end of January despite studies which show the benefits of regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.
For others, New Years resolutions might have included giving up smoking and/or drinking. However, this can be started at any time of the year, not just as a New Years resoulution! For those wishing to give up smoking, there are many over-the-counter remedies available to help battle the cravings when you do decide to go without the 'weed'; even if you've tried - and perhaps failed - to give up smoking, studies have suggested that smokers, on average, make the attempt four times before they finally manage to quit. Drinking however, can be just as difficult to give up on and many people who make this resolution are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change by completely cutting out alcohol. Most people find that reducing their drinking gradually or learning to drink in moderation is a much better solution.
After health, financial resolutions are the most-commonly made promises with around 1 in 5 people making the pledge to accrue savings or reduce debt levels; unlike resolutions based around health or other areas, people might be surprised to learn that financial resolutions actually have a greater chance of succeeding.
One of the ways in which people are trying to meet their financial resolutions is by obtaining a loan; according to one High Street bank, January is traditionally the most popular month of the year for people to arrange an unsecured personal loan or debt consolidation loan as they seek to get their finances back on track after the festive season splurge. Using a personal loan or debt consolidation loan to attempt to clear off the plastic, or other lines of credit can help make managing finances a little easier, due to only having a single payment to make.
Finding a loan has been made a lot simpler in recent years; no longer do potential applicants need to go cap-in-hand to their bank manager, but instead can source, compare and apply for a wide array of loans and other financial products online. Most of the major banks and building societies have websites where people can manage their finances, apply for loans and credit cards, and even pay bills; but there are also a large range of loan brokers and specialist lenders which cater to individuals across a broad spectrum of financial circumstances, so with so many financial services available online, its never been easier to get the financial ball rolling.
As for other resolutions, such as the promise to keep in better touch with friends and family, the internet can help there too! With instant messengers, email and VoIP technology now in abundance along with the humble telephone, there's really no excuse for not keeping this resolution! But, regardless of the type of resolution you made as the New Year bells chimed, remember that there's plenty of online help to make sure you keep it!
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