As 2013 nears, many people are setting New Year’s resolutions related to their finances.

We asked Sharon Wiley, the operations manager for Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Dayton, to give you 10 financial tips that will help you save, spend and budget your money wisely this year.

1. “Set a reasonable budget. Working up a budget is the first cornerstone to putting your financial house in order. Remember, ‘budget’ isn’t a bad word. Having a budget helps you track how much money you’re bringing in and how much you’re spending. Remember the three expense categories: fixed expenses, (such as) mortgage, auto loans and rent; variable expenses (such as) credit cards, groceries, entertainment, clothes and gasoline; and periodic expenses, (such as) property taxes, insurance premiums, home repair and car maintenance. It’s OK to budget for fun, too. A budget that’s too rigid is a budget that’s impossible to keep.”

2. “Pay yourself first. Sign up with your employer for automatic payroll deduction into a personal savings account at a credit union or bank. You can’t spend money you don’t have, so set aside your allotted savings right off the top. While you’re at it, make sure you’re not paying for bank administration fees. If you are paying administration fees, switch to a different bank or credit union.”

3. “Pay with cash. It’s time to stop leaning on plastic to get you through to the next paycheck. Go ahead and keep a credit card for a really big emergency, but lock it up or freeze it in a block of ice so you’re not tempted to touch it unless it’s really necessary. Once you’re out of cash, you’re done spending.”

4. “Pay off your credit card debt. Consumer debt should be a line item in your budget. Start with the smallest balance first, and work to pay it off. Then roll that amount of money you were paying onto the next highest balance card for a snowball effect, and continue this payment routine until all credit card balances are paid off. Once your debts are paid off, save the amount of money you were sending to creditors each month.”

5. “Make your payments on time. Paying debts on time helps keep your credit score healthy. A high credit score means better interest rates on big purchases like homes and vehicles.”

6. “Shop with a list. One of the biggest pieces of your budget will likely be related to food. Make sure you shop with a list each time you go to the grocery. People who shop with lists and buy only what they’ve planned in advance spend way less than those who go into a store and just grab items on the fly. You can even plan a week’s worth of meals around your favorite grocery store’s weekly sales flier.”

7. “Remove your credit card numbers from your online accounts. Do you have ‘one-click shopping’ setup for websites like Amazon.com? That makes shopping super quick and easy, and that also means not thinking about spending money. If you have to take out your credit card each time you want to buy something, you’ll at least slow down the shopping process and think twice about your purchase.”

8. “Bundle insurance. You will save premium dollars by bundling several policies with one insurance company. Check with an independent insurance agent for combinations which may include vehicles, homeowners, life, disability, long-term care and so forth.”

9. “Save coins and cash. At the end of the day, put all the coins from your purse or pocket into a savings jar. Save every $5 bill from your wallet, and stash it in a savings envelope. Deposit those $5 bills in your savings account every month.”

10. “Master the 30 day rule, and cut down on impulse shopping. If you’re considering an unnecessary purchase, wait 30 days before actually buying the item. If you can’t remember the item in a month, you probably didn’t really want the item in the first place.”