New Year’s Resolutions Dwindle by February

Published

January 25, 2013

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Many Americans make one or more pledges come New Year’s Day. Some want to shed a few pounds, while others want to travel more. One of the more popular goals for consumers, though, is to get a handle on their finances.

According to a recent survey conducted by The Omnibus Company for coupon website RetailMeNot, many people across the nation make resolutions — but they also seem to break them pretty quickly.

Ninety-three percent of respondents to the poll indicated they plan to cut coupons and look for general savings when shopping in 2013 — a lofty goal, but one that may yield better personal finances and less credit card debt. This percentage marked a substantial boost from previous years, the survey shows.

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However, while resolutions such as this one are admirable, the survey also notes that nearly three in four people will break them by year’s end, while roughly half of them will decide not to go through with their plans by Valentine’s Day.

While this news may be disconcerting for some who fail to conserve cash when shopping, separate findings show a significant portion of the country is getting smarter about credit cards, which may help their personal financial situations.

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Bankcard delinquencies fell to an 18-year low in the third quarter of 2012, according to the American Bankers Association’s Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin. These late payments on bankcards diminished from 2.93 percent in the second quarter to 2.75 in the following three-month period.

“Consumers are paying close attention to their finances as they continue to pay down debt in an uncertain economy,” ABA chief economist JamesChessen said. “The conservative approach consumers have taken to credit over the last several years has allowed them to better manage their debt and better position themselves for the future.”

Fewer Americans also appeared less in trouble with personal loans, the report found — news that may be correlated to improving job market conditions.

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