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This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Seems like every year we make resolutions only to break them, but could it be that in the end we are saving money by not sticking to them? Below I calculate the amount of money spent on meeting New Year’s resolutions and share tips to getting them done on a budget.

I will get fit.

A gym membership costs about $40 a month (if not a lot more). In a year, you’ll spend $480! Can’t afford the gym? Get in shape on a budget with our tips. Heck, you can even make money while you exercise. How about taking up a part-time job as a dog walker?

I will read more.

New books cost $10 – $20 at bookstores. If you buy one every month you’ll spend between $120 – $240 a year. The solution? Head to the library for classics and new books for free – as long as you return them on time. You can also download the classics for free on your iPad, iTouch, or iPhone. I recently downloaded Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice for free! Have a Kindle? Here’s how to get free ebooks for your Kindle.

I will quit smoking.

Not only is this good for your health and those around you, but it will cost you. I did a search online for Nicorette Gum and found it for $68. NicoDerm Patches cost $156. Together it cost $224 and depending on how long it takes you to quit it will keep adding up! Don’t make this a reason not to quit. Smoking costs you lots, too. Bobbi shared a while ago how quitting smoking can save thousand of dollars a year. To lessen the cost of quitting smoking, keep in mind that some health care providers will cover some of the costs of quitting.

I will work on my finances.

Getting your finances in order can be a daunting task that’s why many rely on the expertise of financial advisers. Working with a CPA can cost up to $1,500 a year. Though this may seems like a hefty price to pay, keep in mind that professional advice can save you money. Planning for the future? Here are six cheap ways to stay on top of your finances and financial management tools to track where your money is going.

Although many of these resolutions carry a high price, look at the long-term benefits. To make it easier on your wallet, tackle one resolution at a time. What do you want to accomplish this year?

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robleto / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

In the beginning of the year I shared three financial resolutions that I was going to tackle for the new year. Now that we are more than half way through the year, I want to share my progress along with tips that have helped me save money, pay down debt and stop using plastic.

Goal No. 1 – Save more money

I had to cut down my entertainment budget this year from $40 to

$20 per month so I could put away more money and pay off debt. If you follow us on Bargain Babe’s Facebook page, you know I still catch a movie now and then, but I mostly take advantage of free entertainment near me. My eating out budget has drastically dropped now that I’m no longer in school and I’m able to work and cook at home. I was spending about $150 a month on food during my jam-packed senior year. Now that’s down to about $35 a month. I’m saving 25% of my earnings each month by having my bank automatically transfer the money when I deposit my check. I also keep track of my budget on the Mint iPhone app. If I go over my budget, Mint notifies me.

Goal No. 2 – Stop using plastic

I used to charge my morning coffee on my credit card and ended up paying the price — big time! I called the credit card company in the beginning of the year to lower my APR, but eventually walked away after I got the run around and my credit limit was lowered. I didn’t want to close the account because I’m trying to build my credit. I read in one of Suze Orman’s books that closing a credit card does not affect your credit unless it’s the one with the longest history. My retail credit card that recently saved me more than 50% off on back to school shopping is the one with the longest history. So I paid my final credit card balance and gave it the boot! I’ve been using my debit card ever since without a problem. If I don’t have money then I don’t make purchases!

Goal No. 3 – Paying off debt

All my college expenses where paid out of pocket so my main goal this year was to continue paying off the debt without defaulting. Till now, I’ve also managed to reserve 10% of my income to pay off my debt by having it automatically deducted from my paychecks. Meeting my budget has been hard at times, but I’ve found that sitting down every week to plan where I can cut down expenses really helps. I haven’t seen a Mint notification letting me know that I’m over my budget in a while.

Identity Photogr@phy / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Coming up with resolutions for the new year was difficult. I easily added the No. 1 resolution to lose weight onto my list, but when it came time to think of my financial future, I was paralyzed. While I’ve always saved my pennies, this year is different. In the spring I’ll be graduating into a less than idea economy and assuming the adult reality of earning, managing, and spending money wisely. I would be lying if I said I was not anxious about my future.

My three financial goals, which may be similar to yours, are simple so I can stick to them.

3. Save more money – I’ve been putting aside 20 percent of all my earnings and will start putting away 25 percent this year. To meet my goal, I’ve set up my bank account to deduct 25 percent automatically from my paychecks and transfer the money to my savings account. Since I’ll be saving more, I’ll be cutting down on my entertainment budget. There will be less movie nights and dinners out.

2. Stop using plastic – A while back I wrote about an addiction that cost me a lot of money. I was using my credit card to pay for coffee when I didn’t have cash on me. Since then, I’ve stopped using it to pay for food or coffee, but there are still times when I pull the darn thing out. My credit card debt is low because my credit card company has given me a major incentive to pay off my bill in full every month, a high APR. I’ve actually thought of canceling the card and opening up another with a lower APR, but this would be a big mistake because I’m trying to build my credit and my student credit card has a long history. Instead, I’m giving the credit card company a call to ask them to lower my APR. I will also put it away this year because I’ll be tempted to charge movie tickets. Bargain Babe went without a credit card for a month, which drastically changed her mind about using cash.

1. Pay off debt – I want to start living life debt-free and paying off my hefty student loan on time is my main priority. I did not receive financial aid so all expenses where out of pocket. Aside from the 25 percent I’ll be saving, my plan is to take 10 percent of my income each month to pay down my loan. The 2 percent interest rate is fixed, but if I default it will balloon up. I can afford to save money instead of putting it towards my loan as long as I pay the minimum on time. I’ve set up my checking account to automatically pay my bill each month, leaving no chance for me to waste the money on frivolous things or default.

Anthrocopy/Flickr

Reader Diane sent me a darn good question via a comment on my post about approaching the end of my credit card ban. “When the experiment is over, will you go back to spending as before or will you make some changes,” Diane asked. “Either way, why?” My month-long cash-only spending experiment definitely changed the way I will spend money. Going forward I’m going to make three changes.

• I’m no longer going to rely strictly on credit cards because I scrutinize purchases more with cash. My goal is to use cash for everything under $50, which are the purchases that have the most wiggle room. Think I’m giving up a ton of credit cards perks? During the past seven months I earned an average of $16 in cash-back rewards each month. With cash I spent $200 less. That’s a much bigger perk!
• I’m going to strictly use cash for groceries because I spend so much more carefully with greenbacks. My dollars are finite no matter how I pay, but using cash makes my limits feel more apparent.
• I’m going to leave my credit card at home unless I specifically plan to use it. The more I pre-think about purchases before I leave home, the more likely I am to spend less.

Before the experiment I used to use cash for about 10% of my purchases and credit for the other 90%. Now I think my ratio is going to be closer to 60/40. What’s your ratio?