Ask the Readers: Do You Feel Optimistic About Your Finances in 2015?
Editor's Note: Congratulations to Holly, Bethany, and Liz for winning this week's contest!
The last recession was a bad time for pretty much everyone, but it seems that things are looking up! According to the American Express Spending & Savings Tracker, 35% of surveyed consumers were optimistic about their finances in 2013. In 2014, that number went up to 40%, and 43% feel good about their money situation this year.
Do you feel optimistic about your finances in 2015? What do you think are the biggest factors for this? What will you do to make sure your financial situation is on track this year?
Tell us whether you feel optimistic about your finances in 2015 and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
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Yes, I feel optimistic about our finances this year. Only two more semesters in college for DS!
I feel optimistic about my finances going into the new year. In fact, I feel like I am getting to the point where I can start adding new goals like buying a house or paying off my student loans.
I feel optimistic about my finances this year. What will I do to make sure my financial situation is on track this year? I am going to work hard
I'm on a good route right now. As long as I don't divert from this route, then I should be good by the end of 2015 to be debt free!
Good for you! May you be blessed with no detours and no potholes! :)
I'm optimistic. I'm finally out of debt so I can start saving.
I do feel fairly optimistic about my finances this year. If I can stay motivated and stay on track I believe I can accomplish my goals of paying off debt and saving more for the future. Hoping my willpower keeps going!
I am more optimistic now than I was last week. I found out I owe a ton in taxes and will have to start making the quarterly estimated tax payments (thanks grad school for not telling us this in advance). So, I was looking at having a ton less money, but after redoing my budget and looking at areas I can cut back, I am more optimistic. However, I am still disappointed because I can't save as much as I was hoping.
It's hard to answer how optimistic I am since I haven't received all my tax info yet LOL... Other than that I do feel optimistic. I have a good plan for saving money and I am finally at a point where I no longer live paycheck to paycheck (far from it).
I do feel more optimistic about my finances this year - but only because I finally took a hard look at them. Mostly, I'm optimistic about paying off student loan debt. I still worry about retirement savings.
I fill cautiously optimistic. I'm trying to save right now for an upcoming vacation and for some work on our house.
I'm definitely optimistic. I do need to save more though, since my daughter is going to college in two years!
No. Although I seem to be getting better control of my finances, out go is still larger than income even with taking as much OT as possible, side jobs whenever I can, etc. plus reducing as much as I can handle and stay sane.
Yes, we are confident with a promotion my husband got at work and earning his second pension.
I am optimistic about my finances in general but will still have to monitor the spending as have 3 rents to pay for children in college and 4 car insurances. It's a good thing the house and cars are paid off!
I'm feeling more optimistic about my finances this year for several reasons. I'm in my second semester at community college, so I'm starting to see the goal of a medical tech certificate getting closer. The price of gas has dropped significantly. I had to move last year, but will not be doing so for at least another couple of years, so the stress and expense is behind me. My dog sitting sideline is picking up and I'm so happy about that. Also, I just need to feel optimistic, otherwise, I'll get too depressed. Who needs that?
We just hit the half-way point (per the current value) on paying off our house--five more years to go!
Financially 2015 will be a good year, I expect. But even if we still have unexpected expenses, there will still be blessings to count.
I'm feeling optimistic.
I am hopeful for our finances in 2015. My husband and I are hoping to save a lot of money to do home improvements that are needed to our house.
Yes, I do!
Yes, I do feel optimistic.
I am optimistic. I have a new source of month to month income that looks to be steady, and a whole new year to try to work harder and keep my budgets in order.
I feel very optimistic about my finances this year, it was actually my new years resolution! I've spent the last few years learning as much as I can about personal finance and I'm finally beginning to take my own advice. This year is the year of acquiring a great savings account and to begin investing!
I think it will be a good year, I would like it a lot better if I wasn't starting it off paying the government taxes, but you know.
I desire to 2015 the world economy will prosper more. and we will have life more pleasant.
So far the year hasn't started well. Increase in property taxes, increase in homeowners insurance, increase in water and sewer rates. If the year continues with rate hikes it won't be helping us to save more and payoff our mortgage.
Call me an optimistic, because here it is month 2 and I am still sticking to my resolution to drastically cut down on discretionary/impulse spending. I am really enjoying "shopping my home" and exercising my creativity gene by making "knock-offs" using the inventory I already own. Net worth ascending. Yay me!
(P.S. Plus it's a beautiful day.)
Yes, because my husband got a new job last year that pays very well, offers good benefits and plenty of overtime, and no winter layoff, so this will allow us to pay extra towards paying down our debt and also to save some money.
Feeling optimistic about 2015! It's early days but we have good financial habits and good prospects for the year.
Yes because I'm going to pay down my student loans in a major way!
I feel cautiously optimistic. Our family will be growing again, but we should both be getting "promotions" at work.
I would say Yes, I feel optimistic about 2015. I think this is the 1st year in a long time I can say that! I have all my budgets in line and organised and should have my major debts paid off by the end of this year! Finally!!!
I am generally optimistic. I'm a freelance writer, so that portion of our family income can be highly variable depending the budgets and plans of my regular clients. At the start of this year, I have lots of work, which bodes well. Our house is paid for, we have very little debt left (we plan to pay it off this year), we have emergency savings, our IRA accounts are doing well, and we have a little bit of cushion in our spending that we could cut back further if necessary (Getting rid of our second car and cutting cable are in our Plan B.). I reach my full retirement age this year, but it looks as though I can defer taking my Social Security benefit. However, I may take a spousal benefit and switch to my own closer to age 70. At our age, the greatest uncertainty is a medical crisis.
I am extremely positive about our financial situation in 20 15. We bought our home at the bottom of the market and are currently seeing a consistent rise in its value. We have also implemented many frugal lifestyle changes to our spending habits. Our finances are getting blessed with a steady increase in income thanks to a boom in my husband's industry. Things are looking great!
Salary the same. Costs rising. But with the kids out of the house we are able to save more.
I keep track of everything and invest 144a
I am always optimistic! But the realist in me knows better.
I'm optimistic because I'm tracking expenses even more closely which is helping with increasing savings. My hope is that my income will increase slightly too which would help even more.
Not only do I NOT feel optimistic about my finances in 2015, I am actually terrified about them. My oldest son has turned 18 and will be graduating high school and I will be losing the Social Security funds we have received for his care/expenses since my husband died years ago. Unfortunately, Social Security cuts off at 18 now, not taking into consideration that his expenses as a college student will continue and probably increase. I am scrambling to come up with ways to offset this $900 a month decrease.
I do feel optimistic about my finances this year. My goal for the last two years has been to pay down my debt and I'm starting to get to the point where it's having a noticeable impact. My credit score has been going up every few months!
Absolutely! My husband and I have resolved to pay off all debt besides the mortgage and by end of this month we will have paid off $10,000 of $30,000 (including remainder of a car loan, a private student loan, and 2 credit cards).
yes i do i think i can save more money!
I am trying to remain optimistic about my finances this year, but its going to be another tough year I believe.
Yes! Super motivated to keep earning high and expenses low so we can pay off debt...
I'm a little worried because I NEED to find a job - it's hard to feel optimistic about my finances when I'm only watching money go out instead of in!
I feel somewhat optimistic. Job is decent, trying to keep spending down, investments going well...hopefully!
Yes, I do. I think I have a strong plan in place based on my new year's resolutions and have built a reasonable budget based on all of the data I collected from mint last year. I know it is early in the year, but I'm feeling pretty confident that I can stick to my budget and achieve my financial goals. Maybe you should have an 'ask the readers' check in in a few months :)
Yes, I do. Hoping for a great 2015!
Thanks for the opportunity.
YES! I am so fired up about 2015. I am taking time to work on me and making sure that I have the ability to give to others without feeling like I am being taken advantage.
I am taking full responsibility for my business and am so passionate about helping as many people as possible.
Thanks,
Matt Sullivan
I feel pretty good about my finances for this year
Definitely
I do optimistic about my finances in 2015
I feel very optimistic about my finances in 2015, keeping track and staying within a budget.