The new year is well under way. Don’t worry if you haven’t set a goal or have already broken a resolution. I can’t wait to share my favorite resources to help transform your year! Without further ado, here are my 18 favorite resources for your New Year Goals!
Finances
You know I could go on and on about the number of great resources you could use to pay off debt, save more money, and live life to the fullest. Here are a few of my favorite books to help you kick start your financial goals this year.
- Slaying the Debt Dragon by Cherie Lowe (that’s me): I always describe this book as what I would say to you if we could sit down together at my kitchen table and share a cup of coffee. From the ups and downs of our own debt slaying journey to what it really looks like to effectively manage your money and still live in the real world of what are we eating for dinner tonight and how in the world are we going to pay for that unexpected expense, this book speaks to the practical of day to day life.
- Faithful Finance by Emily G. Stroud: If you’ve felt overwhelmed by the complexity of money management, this book provides a comprehensive and clear guide to nearly every aspect. With down to earth language, Emily G. Stroud holds your hand while clearly explaining investing, insurance, debt repayment, and more all through the lens of what counts most in life (Spoiler alert: it’s not money!).
- The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey: I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve given this gift away to people. When we launched into our journey of paying off over $127k in debt, it was our guide and encouragement. Through his radio show, Financial Peace University course, and a number of books, Dave Ramsey has coached countless others out of debt, too. If you’ve never read one of his books before, this is the place to begin.
- FREE Printable Budget Forms You Can Edit: Last week, I released all new free printable budget forms in PDF that you can edit! I’ve brainstormed every category of spending I could think of and organized the form in a way that you can see your money work all month long. Print yours today!
- Your Money Life Series by Peter Dunn (a.k.a. Pete the Planner): Every decade of your life carries with it important financial decisions. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not you’re doing what you need to be doing during your current season, this series is right on the money. Personal finance expert Pete the Planner hands out wisdom for what you should be doing with your money during your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. Each volume is packed with age specific advice targeted to your current stage of life.
Fitness
Set a goal to work out this year? There are so many awesome FREE and affordable resources to help you work it out.
- FitnessBlender: This is one of my favorite websites of all time. You can navigate hundreds (maybe even thousands) of workouts. Find all levels of skills and types of workouts. Search by the amount of time you have. On their YouTube channel, the delightful husband wife team of Daniel and Kelly encourage your personal best. From HIIT to Kettlebells, from Strength Training to Barre – you are going to LOVE the way you can search the website to look for the perfect workout for you.
- Yoga with Adriene: A wonderful new discovery for me, Adriene is your yoga-loving friend who wants to help you find what feels good! I’m currently working my way through the 30 Days of Yoga Series and I LOVE it. Again, it’s totally FREE. And you really don’t even need equipment.
- Cor44: While not a free resource, these personal training decks of cards cost less than a trainer or a gym membership for sure. They’re one of the best investments I’ve made in the past couple of years. You can do the exercises at home, traveling, or take the cards to the gym with you. They cost $35 but you can find a free sample workout on the Cor44 website.
Food
Want to eat more meals at home to save money? Thinking about eating more healthfully? Need some help planning? These resources can help!
- Recipes that Crock: Husband/wife duo Mikey and Cris Goode run a website, YouTube channel, podcast, and amazing social media channels to help you use your crockpot, Instant Pot, and SO much more.
- ALDI $50 Meal Plans: I now have 10 $50 ALDI Meals on Queen of Free to help you save money and get ideas for dinner! Healthy meals, freezer meals, crockpot meals, and more – I tell you what to buy and how to put things together for a week’s worth (sometimes more) of dinners.
- FREE Printable Meal Planner: Surprise! I have an all new printable meal planner you can edit as a PDF too. Whether you fill in your meal plan online or print it out and use pencil and paper, you can manage your family’s meals AND your grocery list.
- The Grocery Budget Makeover: Want to revamp the entire way you grocery shop? You need to check out the Grocery Budget Makeover from the $5 Dinner Mom, Erin Chase. The 10 week course only opens a handful of times a year and registration is open right now. It will cost you $49 ($5/week) but includes videos, printables, cooking demos, and a host of special bonuses. If you don’t have the dollars to budget toward the investment, check out a few of Erin’s fantastic meal plans that come in around $2.49-$5 and show you how to make 20 meals for $150.
- Emeals: Emeals provides plans for almost every grocery store and every specialized eating requirement. Get great ideas, including the shopping list, recipes, and more. Plus you can use a free 14 day trial to see if you like it before you commit to buying a subscription. After that it’s 3 months for $39, 6 for $59, or 12 for $69.
Household Organization
You know you need to put away the Christmas decorations, you may as well get organized throughout your entire house this month, too. This resources will rock your world.
- Household Management 101’s 52 Week Organized Home Challenge is just what you need. My friend Taylor sends you weekly assignments to break the mammoth task into bite sized pieces. The entire schedule can be found (and printed) here, but I highly recommend signing up for the e-mail notifications with tips and tricks for each specific area you’re organizing.
- Daily Action Planner: I have been using this simple little free printable sheet for YEARS. It simply helps you break down daily tasks into attainable micro goals. Print yours here.
- The Simple Elephant Planner: This handy planner is $20 but I’ll take spending $1.67/month to stay organized. I love this planner because you fill in the dates on your own so you can start it at any point of the year (or skip a month) and still get your money’s worth. There’s an area for a month at a glance, a week at a glance, and space for note taking, too – each divided with a separate ribbon. It’s the only planner I use. 🙂
- Living Well Spending Less: Author and blogger Ruth Soukup wrote the book on decluttering (and I endorsed it). I love Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind and Soul. And then check out Living Well Spending Less’ best tips for decluttering.
- Bob Vila: I’ve been watching Bob for years, but just discovered his website. He has a fantastic round up of what you should do in January to get organized and save money when it comes to your home.
Make this year your best yet! Achieve your goals with these helpful resources.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional on Kindle.
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission.
Brian says
Great resources! Thank you! Under finance, do you recommend any cashback services like MoneyBackPlus.com?