The New Year is a time of new beginnings.  A fresh start and a renewed outlook.  Most Americans participate in the age-old tradition of making New Year’s Resolutions and not too surprisingly, we all share similar goals when it comes to improving ourselves and our lives.

Below are ten of the most common resolutions. See how many are on your list too.

1.  Lose weight and/or eat healthier
2. Quit smoking
3. Exercise more/join a gym
4. Spend more time with friends and family
5. Get out of debt
6. Enjoy life more
7. Quit drinking
8. Get organized
9. Learn something new
10. Help others/donate/volunteer

While all of these resolutions are admirable, it’s not likely that the average person could accomplish all of them in one year if it that was their goal.  It’s actually best to choose one resolution—the one most important to you and make that your top priority.  Or maybe choose your top three but work on only one at a time in order to be successful.  The key to achieving your goal is to make it realistic.  Saying something like I’m going to lose 50 lbs by Valentine’s Day is only setting yourself up for failure (and frustration).

Statistically most Americans have given up on their resolutions by early spring and don’t revisit them again until the next year but by breaking it down to just fixing one thing in your life; you have a much better chance of being successful.

If getting out of debt is high on your list, First Rate Debt Solutions is here to help.  With millions of dollars in debt settled in 2009 and a wide range of programs we can tailor to fit your needs, 2010 can finally be your year to become DEBT FREE!

Happy New Year!

This is the time of year that everyone tries to make a fresh start.  Renew your goals and make your resolutions.  What will 2009 hold for you?   Do you want to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more, or maybe get out of debt?

Last year, TransUnion's TrueCredit.com commissioned GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media to assess Americans' thoughts about their finances at the turn of the New Year.  The survey found that in 2007, one if four (25%) of all Americans missed making one or more on-time bill payments, with the bulk of those delinquencies occurring on Utilities (12%), Credit Cards (12%) and Medical Services (11%).  Meanwhile, only 17 percent chose paying down debt as their top resolution for 2008, down notably from 22 percent in the previous year's survey.

Will all that change for 2009 or will it get even worse?  Americans don't want to be in debt but many don't have a choice.  With the economy in a slump and unemployment on the rise, millions of Americans have seen their debt grow so much over the last year that paying it off seems "impossible".  As the economy continues to struggle and people are forced to pay more for food, gas, and rent, folks are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet.  That's when they turn to their credit cards to start to bridge the gap between expenses and income.  This only makes the situation worse as the minimum payments increase with higher balances making it impossible to do more than make the minimum payments each month.

You can break this cycle and get your financial house in order and now is the time!  Debt settlement or debt negotiation is the answer for those who are struggling with debt and see no way out.  If 2009 is your year to get our of debt, then First Rate Debt Solutions is here to help.