Every year, usually in the last week of December or the first days of January, I follow a simple tradition.

I write down five major things I am grateful for from the year that’s ending. Then I list five major things I hope to achieve in the new year.

Like many people, I feel excited and motivated. The gym gets crowded. The yearly calendar planners sell out. Everyone feels like this year will finally be “the year.”

But somewhere between February and March, motivation fades.

Over the years, I’ve noticed something interesting. When I talk with friends, former students, working parents, and business owners, the same word always comes up: consistency.

Not big promises. Not dramatic changes. Just small, intentional steps that last.

That idea reminds me of something funny in my house—what my family calls “Mommy’s Toolbox—Do Not Touch.” For my daughters, that label is serious business…or Mommy Bear will come out.

I have one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom, and one in storage. Inside are simple things: tape, rubber bands, scissors, coins, receipts, Band-Aids and a screwdriver set.

It may look messy, but everything is there for a reason.

Money works the same way.

I also keep a vision board—sometimes paper cutouts, sometimes saved photos on my phone. Not because it’s perfect, but because it reminds me where I’m going.

The lesson? Progress doesn’t come from wanting. It comes from using the tools you already have.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step,” as Martin Luther King Jr. said.

We all get the same 24 hours a day. What we do with them makes the difference.

Not failing but delaying

Studies on habits vary. Some say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Others say 66 days. The exact number doesn’t matter. What matters is this: habits take time and repetition.

The most common New Year’s resolutions sound familiar:

  • “I’ll start exercising.”
  • “I’ll eat healthier.”
  • “I’ll study for the exam.”
  • “I’ll save more money.”

The truth? Many of us are not failing—we’re delaying.

We wait for January 1 again…then next Monday…then next month…then the next.

As author James Clear writes in Atomic Habits, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

Money stress often shows up as avoiding bank statements, feeling anxious when bills arrive, saying “I’ll budget later,” and knowing you should save, but not knowing how.

This isn’t about laziness. It’s about lack of clarity.

One simple step can change everything. Write down just three numbers:

  • Your monthly income
  • Your fixed expenses
  • What’s left

That’s it. Not an app. Not perfection. Just awareness.

According to research from the Cognitive Behavioral Finance Board and behavioral finance studies, people who track their money regularly feel more confident, even if they earn less.

Useful ideas and habits

Money resolutions don’t need to be dramatic. They need to be useful.

Think of your money like a mother’s toolbox:

  • Band-Aids are the emergency fund. Save a little at a time. Even $25 matters.
  • The measuring cup is budgeting. Not “no spending.” Just “this much spending.”
  • Rubber bands equal flexibility. Plans bend. They don’t break.
  • Safety pins are temporary fixes. Side income. Payment plans. Survival is not failure.
  • Tape is consistency. Automate savings. Automate bills. Small, steady steps win.
  • Coins in the drawer are small wins. Loose change adds up. So do small habits.
  • Old receipts are awareness. Know your numbers—especially during tax season.
  • A screwdriver set is fixing problems the right way. Different money problems need different tools. One rule does not fit every situation.

Credit cards, cash, savings, side income, and payment plans are all tools. Trouble starts when we use the wrong tool—or avoid fixing the problem at all.

Here are a few simple money habits you can start today:

  • Have one “no-spend day” each week
  • Keep a running wish list
  • Wait 24 hours before buying
  • Delete stored credit cards from shopping apps
  • Automate savings—even small amounts

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out,” Robert Collier stated.

Wanting something and doing something are not the same.

It’s not too late. This is your chance to fine-tune your resolutions—and turn wishes into plans.

Josephine “Josie” Guico-Villanueva, MBA, CPA, CGMA, CGFM, CSAF, CDFM, SHRM-CP, PMP, is a finance leader, educator, and community advocate with more than 20 years of experience across the private sector, government, nonprofit, federal contracting, and academia. Email her at moneytoolboxguam@gmail.com for questions.