Fresh Start

It's a new year and a new you! Fresh Start is a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, quitting caffeine, and making a call to lower your bills. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

For those of you who have never really thought about your retirement accounts, this year would be a good time to start padding it up. Although the past few years have been rocky, experts still recommend adding money to your 401(k) or IRA and riding out the slump. Here are some things you can start doing:

• Check if your company matches: If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, you should take advantage of it immediately — especially if your company matches. Most large company plans match 50 percent of your contributions and up to six percent of your salary. If your match is less than the norm, it's still beneficial to participate, because any type of match means free money.
• Figure out how much you need: A simple trick to figuring out how much you need is to look at your life right now and estimate your expenditures. You'll need about the same amount of income in retirement that you need right now. Although there will surely be more medical expenses to pay, there will also be less expenditures in other areas such as student loans, saving for retirement, and paying for your children. If you need hard statistics, you can play around with Bloomberg's 401(k) savings calculator that estimates how much you'll need to contribute each year to reach a certain amount. It even factors in things like salary increase rate, employer contribution match, and the investment rate of return.
• Don't be down about the down economy: Although you might feel disheartened about your dwindling 401(k) account, keep in mind that you're not really playing around with stocks. You're going to be in it for the long haul with your 401(k), so you'll be riding out all the rockiness of a stock market. Look at it this way: stocks will be cheaper to buy when their value has lowered. One more thing to consider: you might want to limit your monitoring of your retirement accounts (maybe to once a quarter) so you won't be swayed by the roller-coaster numbers.

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It's a new year and a new you! We're highlighting 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, from quitting your caffeine addiction to mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Americans are currently facing credit card debt worth $798 billion, according to November statistics from the Federal Reserve. Don't be another statistic — for a fresh start this year, resolve to pay off your credit card debt. To get started, follow these tips:

• Negotiate a lower rate with lenders. Call your lenders and ask them for a lower rate. Make it clear to them that you are ready to switch to another lender who's willing to offer a lower rate. Talk to the supervisor if the representative is not budging.
• Consider transferring balances. You can opt to move your balance to a credit card that offers zero percent interest, but this is a tricky move because the zero percent APY may only last for a brief promo period. Check the details of the credit card offer to make sure you'll be able to keep on top of your payments.
• Don't add charges. Now that you have a lower rate (hopefully down to zero!), make sure you're not tacking on additional charges just because you saved money by lowering your interest rate. Practice discipline and live within your means.
• Pick your card. Eenie meenie miney mo . . . which card should you pay off? There are a couple of ways to do it. You can pick the card based on the balance or interest rate. Although it seems the most efficient to pay off debt with the highest interest rate, it may be better for you psychologically if you pay off the lowest balance. That's because you'll feel like you're making some leeway when you're done paying off each debt. Another method is to pay off the debts that bother you the most, such as debt owed to family or friends.

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Having an organized workspace will streamline your schedule and boost your productivity, so take some time to assess your desk situation and sort your supplies. Whether you're in need of a major overhaul or just a mini makeover, you can follow these six easy steps to create a clean, clutter-free desk space.

1. Clear it all out. Before you can arrange your things or add new supplies, you'll need to take stock of what you already have at your desk. Begin by emptying any drawers and pulling folders from the shelves. As you remove the items, sort them into categories: keep, toss, and undecided. Set the undecided pieces aside to deal with later.
2. Sort by type. Divide the keep pile into loose papers, folders, tools, and personal items. Designate specific drawers or shelves for each category before moving forward, and remember to arrange them in a way that's tailored to your work habits.
3. Deal with the paper situation. Every piece of paper should be put into a folder or file, even if it's just a "deal with later" folder that you check at the end of each day. Loose items can get lost, so it's important to create a space for every document.

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It's a New Year and a new you! We're offering 12 tips to start off the year right. We've already given you advice on mastering time management and improving your public speaking, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Make this the year that you finally give yourself a break. It's easy to get caught up in stress and to be hard on yourself when it comes to work, finance, and relationships, but the best way to stay happy and healthy is to lighten up a little bit. Here are four ways to cut yourself some slack in the upcoming year:

• Schedule time for yourself. In between work commitments and everyday errands, it can be tough to find time for the things that fulfill you. Still, it's crucial to step back and let yourself indulge. Whether it's exercise, spa treatments, lunch dates, or just 10 minutes to sit and breathe, give yourself the gift of leisure. Even tiny moments of joy will have an impact on your mind-set.
• Use your vacation days. Companies want eager, enthusiastic employees, so take advantage of your benefits package and schedule a vacation early in the year. With a trip to look forward to, you'll find yourself energized and more satisfied with your workplace. After your break, you'll return to the office with a calmer spirit and the drive to do better — especially since greater success usually means extra days off.

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It's a new year and a new you! We're highlighting 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, from quitting your caffeine addiction tp mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Public speaking is a regular — and regularly feared — part of life, so it's important to refine your skills. This year, challenge yourself by learning to lecture like a pro. Here are four tips to help you polish your public speaking.

• Assess yourself. What part of public speaking makes you nervous? Where have you slipped up in the past? One reason public speaking is so nerve-racking is because there's so much to manage — your presence, your words, your delivery, and your reaction. Determine your weakest points, from stuttering to stiff hands, in order to tailor your speech improvement.
• Find opportunities to practice. It's hard to feel confident about speaking if it's something you rarely do, so look for the chance to polish your technique in everyday life. At a dinner party? Offer to give the toast. Working on a new project at the office? Present it at the weekly staff meeting. Public speaking is like anything else: the more you do it, the better you'll become, and the more comfortable you'll feel when the moment arises.

Keep reading for more public speaking tips

It's a New Year and a new you! We're detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, quitting your caffeine addiction, and reassessing your savings account; here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Managing your time not only allows you to be more productive but also frees up precious minutes for you to spend however you'd like. To make 2012 your most organized, exciting year yet, adopt these five helpful habits.

1. Consider your to-do list a schedule. A simple checklist is a great start, but it's important to gauge the time frame for each item, too. Mark each of your tasks with an estimated start and finish time, taking into account any variables that may slow you down. Next, think of ways to make your schedule more exciting. Drawn to color? Use highlighters to create categories. Need some incentives? Brainstorm a mini reward for each task completed, like a phone date with your best friend or a new song download.
2. Plan ahead and be thorough. It's smart to lay out your exercise gear the night before a morning workout, but take it one step further by filling your water bottle, charging your iPod, packing your purse, and leaving your gym shoes by the door. Other ideas: fill out forms online before appointments and use your phone to snap screenshots of maps or directions. Small steps like these will have a huge payoff, adding several minutes for you to fill as you please.

Read on for more time management tips .

It's a new year and a new you! Fresh Start is a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, quitting caffeine, and making a call to lower your bills. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

An important to-do on your financial list is to have a savings account. In a SavvySugar survey, the majority of readers said their biggest money worry of 2011 was not having any savings. One of the first things you need to do is to establish a savings account where you can start putting your money in. If you don't have one, it's time to get one. If you already have one, you might want to reassess the one you currently have. Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision:

• Do some research: First, do some research to see which one will be the right savings vehicle for you. There are plenty of low-risk accounts to put your money in. Some institutions include online banks, community banks, and credit unions. You can also go to savingsaccount.com to find an account with the best interest rate. For other alternatives, check out these 10 low-risk ways to earn more on your savings.
• Consider a checking account: Interest rates on savings accounts are pretty low right now and the rates seem to keep dipping. Some checking accounts offer better deals, although there are more stipulations such as the number of times you have to use your debit card. Bankrate did a study of the best high yield checking accounts a few months ago and there was one credit union that even offered a 6.7 percent interest rate. However, keep in mind that checking accounts are more liquid and it may be easier to spend the money in those types of accounts.
• Before you pick: Make sure you read the fine print and know the restrictions of your account. For example in the case of savings accounts, there is usually a limit on how much money you can leave in the account and limits on how often you can withdraw or transfer money. Ask yourself these are restrictions you can deal with.
• Leaving your bank: If you decide to leave your bank instead of moving your money around, there are several steps to take. You need to do some prep before you close your account such as opening a new account, making a list of your direct deposits and automatic withdrawals, printing out important records, checking to see if your bank will match your outstanding loans or give you a better deal, canceling your account, and asking the bank for what's left in your bank in the form of a check or cash. Get some form of confirmation (preferably a letter) that you have closed your account.
• Wait it out: The process will take a while and it may even take up to about a few months for everything to clear, so be patient!

It's a new year and a new you! Fresh Start is a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, quitting caffeine, and making a call to lower your bills. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Many people include software skills on their resume, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and HTML, but not all of them have a good grasp of those programs. It's good to learn how to use various software because this knowledge can boost your résumé or even help you advance in your job.

A good way to learn these programs is through the online software training site, Lynda.com. If you pay a subscription fee, you get access to over 70,000 instructional videos for programs like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and even Facebook. But if you're not keen on spending the money, you can even test out the service with a seven-day free trial. You might not even need a month's access because there's plenty you can learn in seven days. Remember to cancel before the trial ends or you'll be charged with a paid membership.

It's a new year and a new you! We're kicking off a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit and quitting caffeine, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

If you've been putting off calling your provider to negotiate lower rates, stop procrastinating and pick up your phone! Remember, the worst thing that will happen is just hearing the answer "no." Consider calling these companies to negotiate with:

• Cell phone provider
• Credit card companies
• Cable and internet providers

Apart from negotiating better rates and plans, also consider asking to waive any fees or penalties that you've recently been charged with. Now that you're ready to make the call with a list of companies in mind, here are tips on how you should approach the call:

• Do your research. Do your research of what their competitors offer so you'll have more ammunition for your phone call. You'll also have more of a gauge of what's considered a good rate.
• Be nice but assertive. Don't dance around the issue but be nice when you're explaining the situation to them. Don't get upset if you can't seem to be getting the response you're looking for. You can always try your luck with the manager or call back again.
• Ask for options. Tell the provider that you can't afford the current prices and ask them what can they offer to you to help with the situation. Asking an open-ended question is always better than a "yes" or "no" because it'll be harder for the rep to refuse you.
• Threaten to cancel. And of course, you can always threaten to leave the service. They'll probably transfer you to a retentions department when you bring up the topic of leaving and those representatives have more authority to offer better rates.