2012 arrived with a bang!! I for one am glad that it is here as 2011 for myself as for many was an OK year but still far from the financial glory days of years past.  Granted there were some wonderful things that happened I still had a heavy heart last year because so many of us were struggling.

Luckily from a very young age my Dad taught me a few things about finances and I believe that if it were not for those lessons I too would have been caught up in the credit / financial crisis that so many people are in.

Here are a few things that I learned very early and many things that he taught me as I got older.

Pay Cash… My Dad never had a credit card in his pocket if he could not pay for something right then and there he did not buy it.  Of course that did not apply for big ticket items like cars or the house.   I really stick to that today, while I don’t carry around a wad of cash with me I make sure there is enough in the bank to to cover the purchase.

Pay yourself first.  Dad was a big fan of this one.  He told me to try to take the first 10% and sock it away in a savings account.  It is not always easy I must say but I do try to put something away for a rainy day every month.  Sure makes the unexpected expenses that always come up much easier to deal with.

Try to kick the daily habits and make them a treat.  Dad is a big big coffee guy so what he did is well simple make it yourself (hehe) believe it or not as simple as that sounds the $$ you can save over the course of the year will buy you one helluva treat!!  This holds true with whatever your personal poison is!!

Pay off The Credit Cards right away… In the few instances I do use my credit card that is not attached to my bank account I make sure that I can cover the expense right when the statement comes in.  I never never never carry a balance as I do not want what was a simple purchase to end of costing a lot more than it should.

Ask for discounts or specials…  Every January I call some of the utility companies to see if over the past year they changed or revised some of their plans.  Sometimes Yes sometimes No but it never hurts to ask.  Even a few bucks a month can add up and it never hurts to ask and believe me these days they are used to it and DO NOT want to lose you as a customer.

Some have suggested shopping your home or auto… I am happy to do that then go back to my agent with what I have found but this is one area at least to me where the relationship matters.  If there is a claim I want my agent to go to bat for me.

Contribute more to your 401K…If you are one of the lucky ones that still has a 401K try to boost the contribution as far as you are comfortable doing.  There is nothing better than putting away those Pre-tax $$!!  Of course get some advice from a certified financial person…

Take Care of YOU!!!!  My Dad was a big fan of this one! He always told me to find a balance between being responsible and being extreme.  He always felt is was so important to take care of YOU!  Pay your bills and take care of your financial obligations but you cannot take it with you so enjoy (with in reason).

What other advice can you share!! We would love to hear your Financial Fit tips for 2012