Maybe the article about SmartyPig has got you thinking about opening a savings account this year. Maybe you already have one, but it’s not growing as well as you’d planned. Or maybe you just hope you can stick with a budget. Whatever your financial goal for 2009, I’ve found some Web sites that can help you keep you on track. And some hints to help you reach your goals.

Take One Step at a Time
Jyl Steinback, a.k.a America’s healthiest mom, says you can increase your chances of keeping 100% of your resolutions if you turn them into self motivating goals…the key is to take it one step at a time.
It’s a bit like having 100 things to do and only a day to do them. Giving yourself too many goals and resolutions can overwhelm you. And when you’re overwhelmed you’re more likely to give up. Instead of setting huge goals, like I want to save $2,000 this year for a vacation, break it down into manageable and achievable goals. Tell yourself you’re going to save $20 or whatever from each pay check.

Write Them Down
I’ve discovered when I actually write down my goals in a book, I’m more likely to keep them. They’re a constant reminder of what I want to achieve and I can continue to see if I’m any closer to reaching them. Plus, I can monitor what is and what isn’t working. I know some people who create a ‘goal board’ where they write down what they want to achieve and even add photos that represent the goal. Maybe it’s the copy of a credit card that you want to pay off. Maybe it’s the car you’re saving to buy.

Go Public
Make sticking with your budget a team effort. If you have friends who share similar resolutions try getting a goal buddy, or maybe joining a group like the ones you can find through www.moneyclubs.com and www.wife.org. You don’t want to be all talk so if you share your goal with someone else, sometimes the embarrassment of not achieving it is enough motivation in itself.

Don’t Go with the Norm
I’ve always started my New Year resolutions on January 1st, but Dr. Lynn Cutts, life coach and founder of Change One Habit; Change Your Life, says that’s not a smart idea. Instead during the whole month of January think about what you want to achieve and set your goal on January 31st or February 1st.

Useful Web sites
I did a search of Web sites that claim to offer free budget planners etc. While some seem to be trying to sell you something and want too much personal information, I thought these might be worth checking out and using. Even if you don’t use any of them, be sure to visit them because most have articles and links for further advice on various money topics.

www.mint.com
www.geezeo.com
www.budgettracker.com
www.mymoney.gov

And I also found this site which offers free lessons on financial topics-
www.iriseducation.org/afs/