Today is the last day of 2008.  We are slowly creeping into the last hours.  Pretty soon, you will be starting fresh with your new resolutions, and we hope that you will be able to keep them.

It’s always a good idea to look back and see how you did this year, so that you won’t make the same mistakes next year.  Here’s what a few of the personal finance bloggers have to say about how they did with their goals for 2008.

A look back at BeingFrugal.net – Lynnae gives us a look into their goals, and how well they did or did not do in meeting those expectations.  The important thing is setting the goals, making a plan, and trying hard.

Looking Back : Resolutions on Perspective – Northern Cheapskate was able to keep the majority of her resolutions.  Great job!

Reviewing 2008’s Financial Goals – Pants in a Can didn’t accomplish all of the goals set, however, was able to take care of the bigger ones.  Yay!

My 2008 Personal Finance Report Card – Money and Such gives a quick summary of some of the highlights and closing positions for the year.

A Look Bank at Our 2008 Goals – Blogging Away Debt did really well and was able to exceed the goals set.  Hopefully paying off the credit card debt by May 2009 will be attainable!

Do you have your resolutions in place?  The New Year starts in just over 5 hours.  Let Geezeo help you get started on the right path.  You could win $6,000 to put towards your bills!  Win this or other great prizes in the Great Geezeo Bailout! Collect points every day.

By Stacy Baker | MainStreet.com

Not all those gifts were on your wish list. In fact some might already be on a different list, the regift list.

But before you feel guilty, keep in mind that six in 10 gift exchangers find it perfectly acceptable to give an unwanted gift to someone else, at least according to a 2007 Money Management International survey. After all, regifting can save you money (and storage space).

The key to regifting is to have good intentions – and not get caught! Here are some tips that will keep you in good graces while you simultaneously rid your closet of unwanted gifts.

Keep records.
Avoid disaster by keeping track of your regifts—put a note on the outside of the packaging reminding you who sent the gift and when. Odds are high that the person gave it to you because it’s her taste or style, which means she’ll likely spring to mind when you think of who to regift to.

Check dates.
Cosmetics, fragrances and food have expiration dates. Double-check before you surprise someone with a present past its prime.

Keep it clean.
If it’s damaged, worn or dirty from sitting in your closet or under your bed, donate to a local charity, rather than pass off to your pals.

Avoid intersecting social circles.
Regift outside your circle of friends and family to avoid hurt feelings. A set of candlesticks from mom can go to a neighbor or colleague.

Thoughtfulness still counts.
Put the same amount of thought into re-gifting as you would in original giving. If your best friend collects light-up holiday sweaters, then she’s sure to love the one your Aunt Alice sent you, but if she finds them as unappealing as you do, consider saving the re-gift for someone who will truly love it.

Donate.
If no one you know wants the beer bottle lamp your husband’s college roommate sent you both, donate it so it can connect with someone who appreciates its value.

Take homemade gifts off the list.
Never regift homemade or handmade items. Sorry, but that’s just asking for bad karma. Someone put thought and love into creating it for you, so learn to love it.

Don’t leave a trace.
This rule eliminates items that might have inscriptions (books, photo albums), monograms (sweaters, towels, sheets). Remove the original wrapping paper and perform a once-over to make sure the person who gave it to you didn’t write a nice message on the box or a hidden tag.

Keep the original packaging on.
Breaking the seal or packaging signals that you’ve opened or used what’s inside. If the giver insists you look at what she’s gotten you, remove the item carefully without damaging the box.

Don’t try to upgrade.
A mass-market gift doesn’t become couture just because you put it in a Saks Fifth Avenue (SKS) box. Your cover will be broken once the new recipient attempts to return a polyester tie at a fancy boutique—and can’t.

Stick to easy re-gifts.
The easiest items to pass along are bottles of wine, boxes of candy and candles, because they’re fairly common and not likely to be anyone’s “signature gift.”

Marek Fuchs tackles coverage of Kirk Kerkorian’s Ford sale that does not mention his margin troubles.

On New Year’s Eve most of us are planning something special to pay tribute to the passing year and welcome in the new one. What changes are you planning to make? How many involve the money in your life?

According to USA.gov, here are the top 13 New Year’s Resolutions. The ones in bold directly tie to managing your money or your ability to earn money.

Lose Weight
Manage Debt
Save Money
Get a Better Job
Get Fit
Eat Right
Get a Better Education
Drink Less Alcohol
Quit Smoking
Reduce Overall Stress
Reduce Stress at Work
Take a Trip
Volunteer and/or Help Others

So what’s the opportunity here? If you’re reading this you probably desire change in some areas of your financial life. The good news is that you can make small changes every day that will really add up. I know, because I’m doing it myself!

One of the best ways is to set your goals and get involved here at Geezeo. We have a vibrant community of Experts and regular folks from whom you can ask questions and get answers. Geezeo also has a diverse set of tools ranging from cash flow management to evaluating potential products and investments.

And…starting tomorrow you can earn chances to win $6000 to help you pay down your debt! CLICK HERE TO JOIN “The Great Geezeo Bailout” NOW!

With 2009 just around the corner, people are frantically trying to figure out what they want their New Year’s resolution to be this year. It is definitely not an easy accomplishment to think of something and often times there is more than one thing you would like to change or modify about your life.

Here are some suggestions on how to make your New Year’s resolution work for you:

Plan – A plan isn’t necessary for your resolution but it will make things progress much more smoothly and ensure that you are staying on track with your resolution. This could mean setting weekly or monthly goals for yourself or keeping track of your resolution day by day (this is a little bit more complex obviously).

Personalize It – Anyone can think up a generic New Year’s resolution and call it their own, but when you personalize it then it is geared towards you and what you want to do. Making your resolution more personal will hopefully make you more willing to participate in reaching this resolution. When it is generic you think it is just something you threw out there when someone asked what your resolution was, but when it is personal it makes you want to complete your resolution in order to have something to be proud of or to celebrate.

Get Specific – The more specific you get with your resolution the more likely you are to be able to keep track of what is going on and if you are even close to reaching your resolution goals. For instance, if you want to lose a certain amount of weight each month, be specific in each month how much you would like to lose or what ideal weight you would like to be at. This way you know if you need to work harder at it or if you are right on track.

Stick to One Resolution – Although there are many things that you would love to change in your life, it is typically best to stick to one resolution. The reason behind this is that if you have too many resolutions then you will lose track of the specifics within each one and eventually many people end up giving up on all the resolutions. Having one resolution allows you to focus your energy towards that and keep everything else in the back of your mind for next year or once you accomplish this first resolution.

Giving up on New Year’s resolutions is one of the easiest things to do and also one of the most disappointing. Keep up with your resolution and at the end of 2009 you will be surprised and have a great sense of accomplishment by what you did. If you are going to take the time to make the resolution, then you might as well stick it out until it is 100% accomplished!

Check out our Geezeo Groups on New Year’s Resolutions to get ideas or advice from others!

Photo: Sam

There are two more days before the New Year, and if you haven’t yet, it may be a good time to start thinking about any Resolutions you may want to make.

It’s best to start small with some short term goals, such as paying off one credit card at a time (instead of paying them ALL off – as that could be an intimidating task).  While creating big goals for some is not a bad idea, for most of us, it’s easiest if we just start small (especially if in the past we had a hard time sticking with our resolutions, and just did not do them at all).

What are the other personal finance bloggers talking about today regarding their New Years Resolutions?  Well, we have a handy list right here to help  you see how some are planning out their year in 2009.  Hopefully it will give you some ideas on how to get started.

Money Under Thirty gives us 5 easy financial resolutions reminding us that “some small changes can yield amazing results.”  Number 5 on the list is a really good reminder that while right away, you may not be able to budget well enough to know where every bit of your money goes, you have to start somewhere.  “Even having a vague idea of how much you can spend without going over budget is better than no idea at all.”  Geezeo Budgets can help you with just that!

DebtFree4Ever gives us his list of resolutions which include paying off car loans as well as continuing to let love blossom.  Do you have a list of resolutions that you are wanting to tackle in 2009?  Please, tell us about them!

FrugalDad talks about their desire to downsize their home.  Why is this important to them?  Well, for a variety of reasons.  Some include paying less in mortage payments, paying less in utilities, and being closer to financial independence.  What are your reasons for the resolutions that you choose?  Be sure to have a clear goal in mind, and map out the steps to achieve that goal.  It will make things so much easier to accomplish if you keep these in a place that you will constantly see them.

Good luck on achieving your goals to a better you in 2009.  Let Geezeo help and you could qualify to have your bills paid for 3 months!

By Isobella Jade | MainStreet.com

You don’t need a fabulous publicist to promote yourself. It might seem impossible to run a business and get press attention at the same time, but all it takes is a savvy hands-on approach and the confidence to take a chance.

Here are five ways to build buzz for your small business:

1. Write Your Story Up
Create an electronic press release. Ask yourself “What is special about my business?” Try to put out a press release every month. Share current events involving your brand: Did you just sponsor an event? Or open a showroom? Write it up! Check out these free press release distribution outlets: prlog.com, prleap.com and pressabout.com.

2. Be Your Own Walking Billboard
Many of the most well respected brands and companies started by self promotion. According to Axel Madsen’s book Chanel: A Woman of Her Own, Coco Chanel was once a hustling seamstress who wore her own hat designs to the Longchamp horse races. By doing so she gained a client base of women who adored her hats.

3. Give Back
Jacquelyn LaCroix, a fashion designer in New York, gives her handbags to charity events at least twice a year. Her donations make her more intriguing to editors at magazines. This year she was involved with Kelly Ripa’s Electrolux Ovarian Cancer Campaign and her bags were picked by Kelly’s team as a prize winner.

4. Use Social Media
Having just a blog or website is not enough. Eric Rogell, the founder of TheBachelorGuy.com, a consumer guide for men, gets publicity by social networking. “When I first started the site, I opened a Twitter account,” he says. “I posted some links to articles on Twitter and at the end of the month, I noticed a huge spike in traffic. One of the readers began posting my articles to news aggregation sites like Digg. This drove traffic. That traffic got me noticed by PR firms and large companies like General Motors (GM).”

5. Pay Attention
Being perceptive and taking notice of those in the media who might like your product can lead to big marketing advantages for your small business. It worked for Elizabeth Dutra, the founder of Sweet Petites Apparel, a sportswear line for woman who are 5’4” and shorter. Ms. Dutra’s attentive eye helped get her line on the Today Show: “I happened to see Jenn Falik, a style specialist, on The Today Show. I was sure she was under 5’4”, so I found her website and emailed her. After Jenn received the first shipment of active wear she showcased it on The Today Show. She was a fan from the beginning because she had such a problem finding the right style and fit. We were virtually an unknown brand one day and it was much different the next. It was just an awesome opportunity from taking a chance.”

With Treasury bonds yielding at 0%, Debra Borchardt thinks it might be better just to put your money under a mattress.

The person who gave you a gift certificate this year knew you’d appreciate the card’s spending flexibility. But what if you’re not a fan of the gift card store? For example, a friend of mine received a Wal-Mart gift card from her employer. Nice gesture, but, my friend personally disagrees with the company’s record on a number of social issues. What to do?

Here are four more ways you can cash in your gift certificates:

1. Donate Your Gift Card
Miss Manners never forbade anyone from giving. Find a person or organization that could use or appreciate your gift card. You continue the cycle of giving and another person enjoys the original gift-giver’s gift. Well done.

2. Sell Your Gift Card
The company that sold the gift card doesn’t really care who redeems it. You won’t get full value for the card but you might still be able to profit from it. The opening chapter FutureShop: How the New Auction Culture Will Revolutionize the Way We Buy, Sell, and Get the Things We Really Want by Daniel Nissanoff uses the example of a newly married couple with a lot of gift cards to a certain home store. They sold the gift cards and used the cash for something they truly wanted.

Some places to sell your cards (some for a small fee):

* Cardavenue.com
* Swapagift.com
* Plasticjungle.com
* Craigslist.org
* EBay.com
* GiftCardBuyBack.com

Buyer Beware: Resold gift cards can be a scam — one that leaves you with just a worthless plastic card. If you’re in the market make sure you know the person selling it to you or trust their online rating.

3. Mystery Gift It
You can play the role of mysterious Santa and leave the gift card where someone who would like it would appreciate it. Fun.

4. Use to Buy Something Useful — and Donate the Useful Item(s)
Here’s something one family member did: She used her unwanted gift card at a popular clothing store to buy sets of mittens and hats. Then she donated these items to a local children’s charity that collects warm winter clothing. I’d say that was a good use of an unwanted gift card!

Going into the New Year with the economy in a recession does not give a positive outlook to the 2009 year. However, you can make your own financial resolutions to give more of a positive look on the year ahead. It might not be the easiest year to meet your financial goals, but it is worth a try! Financial resolutions can be anything from saving, budgeting, cutting back on spending, etc.

Here are some reasons that a financial resolution may be beneficial for you this year…

1.) A Goal to Reach – Having a financial resolution in mind will help you strive towards this goal. Even if there are ups and downs along the way, it will give you something to look forward to when the year is over and something to celebrate if you reach this goal.

2.) Creates a Buffer – If your goal is to save, the extra money will give you a buffer against the ups and downs of the economy that 2009 is predicted to bring with it. Having some extra money that you have put away can help you out when times are tough or give you something to do on a rainy day!

3.) Better Organization – Any financial resolution can help you keep your finances in line. From saving to budgeting to paying off your credit cards, financial resolutions can help you gain a better understanding of your credit cards and what money you have to spend/save.

4.) You are in Charge – If you are straight out of college and either looking for a job or just got your first job, financial resolutions can be beneficial in many ways. Often times you are finally dealing with all your own finances (without the help of your parents or someone else) and you are out on your own. Setting goals for yourself and understanding your finances better can help you move forward in your life. This can include anything from paying bills to doing your own taxes.

5.) Geezeo is Here to Help! – Using the features on Geezeo such as setting goals, getting advice from other users in various groups, or making a confession can really help you stick to your goals. Geezeo also allows you to organize all of your bank accounts and credit cards in one location so you can keep track of your spending and savings all in one places. Let us help you with your financial resolutions (or any other resolutions) heading into the New Year.

Don’t count financial resolutions out of 2009 just because the year doesn’t seem to look so promising right now. Things can change very quickly (either for the better or for the worse) and you want to be prepared for anything. If you set yourself a financial resolution and things start to look up, you might find yourself with some extra money that you can spend throughout the year. Or if things get worse, you may be prepared for anything that comes your way.

Photo: Jane M. Sawyer