Put 2011 financial missteps behind you and start fresh for the new year. Let SAM help you take specific steps that will help you define and achieve your resolutions, instead of letting them fizzle come February.

• Get back on track with your retirement planning.

• Explore the eight areas of retirement decision making.

How did others answer GrandmaRosie? Find out in the SAM Community.

Q: I know it’s a good idea to save some money, but every time I try, something comes up. It costs me to get my emissions inspections done, to get my Internet hooked up, to keep my phone going. At the end of the month there isn’t anything left to save. It seems like a losing battle.
– GrandmaRosie

A: Here is a simple trick we use at our house. All coin change from a day goes into a jar above the stove. At the end of each month, we deposit it into our checking account. It usually is about $20+ each month, some months it is $35+. Doesn't sound like much until you add it up over a year. We “find” about $250 extra each year this way to use on those small unexpected items like field trips or movies. Simple, but it works.
– Mrowland

Locate a spending leak in your life, such as cigarettes or coffee drinks, and avoid this habit.