New Year Resolutions Don’t Work! But there is something else you can do.
2013 is here! Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!
2012 was a challenging year for me and, I am sure, I am not the only one. But I am very optimistic about this coming year and see 2013 as a new chapter in my life with a lot of possibilities, opportunities and new beginnings.
Have you already created a list of your New Year resolutions?
I haven’t and I won’t! Simply because I just don’t believe in resolutions. Let’s face it, most people will stop doing what they resolved to do within a month.
Instead of resolutions I create a plan and I set goals. It works! Try setting goals instead of resolutions this year. If it doesn’t work, you can always go back to what you are accustomed to next year. Deal?
With that being said, why not include a goal to become more proactive about Identity Theft prevention? I know, I know, it’s not as exciting as trying to get your six pack, but Identity Theft Prevention should be a part of your financial planning goals.
Start small, make a few adjustments in your routine. Identity Theft Prevention is not a rocket science; it is nothing more than common sense, awareness and a little bit of paranoia.
Here are just a few quick suggestions to bring you up to speed with your Identity Theft Prevention goal:
A few great steps to take towards achieving your Identity Theft Prevention goal
- Get a heavy duty crosscut shredder immediately and start shredding all personal and financial documents that may contain any personal information including pre-approved offers, receipts, statements before placing them in the trash bin! Make sure to destroy your expired credit cards as well.
- Get your FREE credit reports from all three major Consumer Reporting Agencies. Just go to www.annualcreditreport.com.
- Get a P.O. Box at the nearest post office or get a mailbox with a lock.
- Sign up with an Identity Theft Prevention company. There are several good ones to choose from.
- Get an anti-virus software. Especially you, Mac users. 2013 will see more malware written specifically for Macs.
Develop a few new good habits
- Shred, shred, shred!
- Check all of your financial statements religiously. Recently, one of my best friends found a fraudulent charge in her bank account. It was still pending. She checks her online statements almost every day. That is a great habit to have and only takes 1-2 minutes.
- Consider using your bank’s Online Bill Pay feature. It is free and, as strange as it sounds, much safer than a conventional way of paying bills.
- Start reading privacy policies of all online businesses you deal with. It applies to the websites you visit and provide your information to.
- Be stingy with the amount of information you share about yourself and others.
- Time to check and adjust your Facebook privacy settings.
- Learn to recognize and not fall prey to various online scams/threats.
- Sign up for my newsletter, if you haven’t done so yet, get a free copy of my booklet called “110 Identity Theft Prevention Tips” and use it as your checklist.
Now, get off the couch and do 10 push ups!
I would like to know what some of your goals are for 2013 and I also would like to know what steps you will be taking to achieve your Identity Theft Prevention goal. You know what to do-leave a comment.
Have a blessed year!
