SoFi Blog

The holidays are over. You’re back at work, the pecan pie leftovers are long gone, and all the festive lights have been packed up and put away.

Now what?

The parties, travel, and extra vacation days are 12 long months away, so it’s understandable that you may feel a little drab after the holidays. All that merriness is so fun, but the next thing you know, you’re back into your normal routine.

We promise, we’re not here to make you feel down, we have a point! And that point is, we know a way to brighten up the post-holiday slump. How? Why with all those handy gift cards you were given during the holidays, of course.

The new year is the perfect time to plan and think about all of the possibilities for the upcoming year. It is a time to celebrate, as well as to set new goals for health, personal improvement…and wealth.

“Doing better with money” almost always tops the New Year’s resolutions charts , along with eating healthy and getting more exercise. It’s a great goal, in theory, but there’s a problem—it isn’t specific and action-oriented.

Someone who wants to be better about managing their money can start with small, actionable goals that they can work toward in increments. One great way to start is to get your debt organized.

While you may or may not be the type to enjoy New Year’s resolutions, setting financial goals for the new year is a very different kind of ambition than losing weight or making your bed every day.

Yes, it may be important to cut down on carbohydrates or increase the number of trips you make to the gym each week (of course, you can still do those things), but harnessing the power of focused financial discipline can provide you with practical habits that can serve you for a lifetime. Here are eight straightforward and achievable practices for helping to improve your financial future.

The smooth lines, sumptuous curves and oh, that unmistakable purr. If you’re a classic car enthusiast, these tantalizing traits are just part of the equation. Because besides the obvious attributes—timeless design, intricate details and craftsmanship—there’s a sense of gratification that comes along with classic cars that’s hard to surpass.

If you’re the restorer then you feel an immense sense of pride in a job well done. If you’re the buyer, you’ve instantly made a statement of impeccable taste. And if that’s a perk for you, you’re definitely not alone.

In fact, the value of classic cars has increased 334% over the past decade, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index. That growth far outpaces the growth in the value of art, wine, coins, or almost any other collector item. And while that’s gratifying to hear as a classic car collector, it’s still not why you got into the classic car game. You see the value beyond just thinking of your car as an “asset.”

You think you have everything squared away. Your rent is paid. Your student loans are covered for the month. You even have some extra cash to try out the new craft brewery with your friends this weekend.

Then, suddenly a financial disaster strikes. Maybe your beloved dog gets sick or maybe your faithful old clunker of a car suddenly breaks down. All you know is that you need money and you need it quickly.

Of course, there are a number of reasons you might need a sudden infusion of cold hard cash that don’t involve trips to the pet ER or the mechanic. Maybe you want to refinance your credit card debt. It doesn’t matter as much why you need money as it matters where you’re going to get it.