4 ways to end 2019 on a good financial note

It isn't uncommon for a financial plan to not shape up as you might have wanted it to. There are several factors that can contribute to the failure of a financial plan, and there are more than a handful of articles that speak about how you can create a solid financial plan, so let's set that aside for now.

What we're going to do is tell you what you can do to improve your financial situation by the end of Dec 2019. Yes, these will be short-term tips that can help you enter 2020 with minimal financial baggage. Ready? Let's go.

PART WAYS WITH YOUR DEBT (AS MUCH AS YOU CAN)

Nothing can dampen your finances as much as debt. Now, having debt is not always a problem, but not knowing how to manage it will surely introduce you to a world of issues. If you have a considerable amount of debt currently, consider paying off as much as you can and enter year 2020 with as little debt as possible; you'll thank us later.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT SCORE

Find out what your current Credit Score is, and do whatever you can in the short term to get it to a better level by Dec 31st, 2019.

Since the timeline is short, keep in mind that you can't expect any miracles to happen, so set a realistic, modest goal.

For instance, if your Credit Score is 700 now, you could easily bring it up by, say, 20-30 points in a month or so by either repaying more of your debt or by diversifying your credit portfolio by getting a new Home Loan, Credit Card or Personal Loan - the choice depends on what you don't have yet.

Let's say you have 2 Credit Cards and no loans. Here, it would make sense to go in for a Personal Loan and add variety to your credit history.

DITCH PEAK-SEASON VACATIONS 

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While December is certainly a lovely time to travel and go on a holiday, transport and accommodation rates are generally at their peak during this month, so if you can wait, push your vacation plans to, say, the beginning of February - you're sure to save a good amount of money on flight, hotels and what not.

Plus, you'll have way less tourists to deal with when you go on holiday - double win!

DON'T BUY ANYTHING NEW, JUST YET

With holiday seasons come shopping discounts and limited-period sales offers. Stay strong and try not to get carried away by the festive vibe. After all the hullabaloo dies down, you can always shop in peace with your newly-allocated spending budget for 2020. Sounds good, eh?

This article was first published on BankBazaar.