My birthday is next week, and I have decided that since I'm a "big girl" now, I'm actually going to sit down, twice a month and work through my budget. I have one student loan that I want to pay off by the end of the year (sooner if I can) and I've been neglecting paying off my credit card every month. (I always make payments, but the balance isn't always at $0.00 at the end of the month.)

So I'm going to figure out a budget that works for me-and stick to it. I really want to save up money for emergencies/rainy days/etc., so I figured my birthday is a good date to say it's going to happen. I'm not going to go coupon crazy, but I'm going to record my receipts into a spreadsheet after each shopping trip and find ways to cut some of my costs. I know that I'm spending too much money right now, and not saving nearly enough.

So, this is my resolution as a young professional. Here's to a better me-and ultimately, a better relationship with my SO. (Yes, I'm doing this for future us as well. This way I'll go into it as a more financially responsible individual.)