It’s a New Year and with that comes new exciting possibilities and New Year’s resolutions for 2019. Choosing what resolutions you would like to focus on in 2019 can be challenging, so we wanted to help by putting together this list of resolutions ideas. They cover a few different categories; the planet, your health, and finances. If we missed any resolutions you think are important, feel free to add a comment below!
New Year’s 2019 Eco-Friendly Resolutions:
Stop using toxic household cleaners
How safe are store-bought cleaners? And how trustworthy are cleaning supplies branded as being “green”? Cleaners that contain chemicals like ammonia, toluene, and chlorine can be harmful when absorbed through the skin or breathed in. Many “green” cleaners don’t contain these chemicals, but laws allow manufacturers to hide some of the ingredients contained in their cleaners. Instead of buying store-bought cleaners, consider making them yourself. Here are several green cleaning recipes you can easily make!
Use an Eco-friendly water bottle
Did you know that the oil used to manufacture and transport single-use plastic bottles could fuel about a million cars? Instead of picking up a single-use plastic bottled beverage, bring your own refillable water bottle with you.
Hang your clothes to dry
Here on the Central Coast, we are blessed with mild winters. So even in the wintertime, you can hang your clothes outside to dry. If you don’t want to hang them outside, try picking up an indoor drying rack and use it for one load a week. It will help save a lot of energy and reduce your carbon footprint. And a bonus is your clothes will last longer!
Go solar
Going solar in 2019 has several benefits that will help you for many years to come, and one big benefit you might miss out on. Here are some of the benefits of installing solar on your home in 2019:
- Protect the environment by generating clean, renewable energy
- Increase your home’s value
- Decrease or even eliminate your electric bill
- Protect yourself from increasing electricity rates
- Own your power
However, if you don’t install a solar energy system on your home in 2019 you will miss out on the full 30% tax credit, which drops to 26% in 2020. So take the first step to see if your home qualifies right away to take advantage of the 30% tax credit.
New Year’s 2019 Health Resolutions:
Walk at least 1,000 steps a day
If you haven’t jumped on the walking bandwagon yet, it’s time. Walking won’t just help keep your metabolism humming along, it has many other health benefits including:
- Increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
- Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
- Improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint, and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
- Stronger bones and improved balance
- Increased muscle strength and endurance
- Reduced body fat
Remove sugary foods from your diet
Everybody could use to cut back on sugar—and it’s a great idea that will help improve your overall health and can also help with weight loss. But instead of trying to ignore your sweet tooth altogether, try removing one sugary item a day for something with fewer empty calories. Try switching your typical afternoon candy bar snack for an apple with peanut butter or veggies with hummus. One of the most important things to consider when changing your sugar consumption is to do it slowly. Going from a diet full of sugar to one containing no sugar should be a gradual process.
Give yourself 30 minutes of “me time” a week
Relieving stress is a great goal, but pretty hard to grab if you don’t pinpoint how to do it. Try setting aside 30 minutes a week for some quiet time by yourself. You can use this time to meditate, journal, walk, read a book, or simply just breathe. The Central Coast has so many stunning outdoor options to help relieve stress naturally!
New Year’s 2019 Financial Resolutions:
Save $1,000
Less than 40% of Americans have one-thousand dollars in savings. Finding that much money overnight might be difficult. But if you can find $83/month to put away, you’ll complete this resolution by the end of the year and be in better financial position than 60% of the country. Here are some tips to help you reach a $1000 savings goal!
Make one extra payment (per year) on your mortgage
One extra monthly payment per year on your mortgage shortens the length of your loan by 4-5 years. You can spread this out over the course of the year or plan now to direct an expected windfall toward it.
Sell your clutter for cash
Turn your unwanted stuff into cash money. Free your home of clutter and build up savings along the way. You can utilize free online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to help you sell your unwanted items. Another bonus is starting out the New Year with a clean home and money in the bank!
As you open the chapter on a New Year, we hope this list jump starts your goal setting and helps set you on a path for success. If you are interested in learning how to save the environment and money in 2019, give us a call at 805-772-6786 or ask for a free consultation and we’ll get back to you in no time. We would love to help!
