Kick off the new year with money management resolutions with the Merriman Financial Literacy Program

Ready to kick off the new year? Here are four money management resolutions to start off strong:

With the new year now in full swing and folks thinking about the year ahead, the Merriman Financial Literacy Program at Western Washington University has your back with some simple financial resolutions for long-term results. To start off the new year strong, we encourage you to consider the four following financial New Year's resolutions:

1. Schedule an appointment with a trained peer mentor

We have a team of peer mentors who are students trained to guide and support other students on their financial journey. They are here to help you navigate the world of personal finance, via in-person or virtual one-on-one appointments. Throughout the year, they'll cover earning, budgeting, spending, saving, borrowing, investing and other areas you have financial questions about.

Book an appointment.

2. Complete an iGrad course

iGrad is a free personal finance platform available to the Western community. This resources will prepare you with the necessary tools for effective budgeting, financial planning and career development. Users can engage in longer or mini courses designed to enhance their essential money skills. The courses include videos, articles, infographics quizzes and other activities. They have a variety of topics covering career, credit and debt, education, milestones and major purchases, money management, protection and wealth building.

Access iGrad for free.

3. Build a budget

Creating a budget is an essential first step in taking control of your finances. Budgeting allows you to be in greater control of your money by making it easy to track your income and spending. By having an organized plan, achieving your short-term and long-term goals will become realistic and achievable. With a budget, it's much easier to put aside money for emergencies and unexpected expenses. As our peer mentors would say, maintaining a budget is an important life skill. Getting in the habit of managing your money early on is a great way to set yourself up for a financially secure future.

iGrad course on budget building.

4. Create or update your résumé

Career prep is a great step towards financial stability and résumés are an important part of that. They are useful tool for getting your name out there. You can use them when applying for an open position or when networking to show interest in working at an organization in the future. They are a good representation of your skills, professional experience and accomplishments. These are all attributes potential employers will look at when considering you as a candidate.

iGrad course on turning your career goals into reality.

At the Merriman Financial Literacy Program, we are dedicated to educating and equipping our Western community with useful financial knowledge, skills and resources. We are here to serve our diverse community of students, alumni, staff and faculty and provide accessible tools to decrease overall financial stress.

Nearly 80% of students reported negative impacts on their mental health from financial stress, according toEllucian's 2024 Student Voice Report. Financial stress can affect mental and physical health and performance at work, school and in relationships. Having financial stability is important in both your professional and personal life.

We hope when students graduate from Western, with the help of the Merriman Financial Literacy Program, they will find financial stability and be prepared to make sound financial decisions to reach their lifetime goals.

About The Merriman Financial Literacy Program

The Merriman Financial Literacy Program is a program at Western Washington University to educate and equip Western students with useful financial knowledge, skills and resources. Established in the winter of 2024, the Merriman Financial Literacy Program was inspired by the award-winning work of Paul Merriman, a Western alumnus and founder of the Merriman Financial Education Foundation. They provide resources available to students, alumni, staff and faculty to increase the financial literacy and wellness of its Western community and prepare them for future financial decisions.

To learn more visit https://financialliteracy.wwu.edu/