By Sarah Kaufman, manilla.com
 
Sarah Kaufman is the managing editor of the Manilla Blog and money-saving contributor from Manilla.com, the free and secure service that lets consumers take control of their finances. Enter Manilla’s Get It Together Challenge for the chance to win $2,500 and shopping sprees to Ann Taylor, Pottery Barn, and Sports Authority.
 
The start of every New Year brings people together from all over the world who vow to lose weight, organize their finances, sit up straighter, and become better people. There’s something about the end of the holidays and the first day of January that makes us feel like anything is possible and that this year, we will stick to our goals.
 
Now, it is mid-January, which means many of you Aunties may be regretting the goals you’ve set for yourself, or you’re starting to realize that completing them is harder than you thought.
 
But I’ve got a few tips that will not only help you re-evaluate the goals you’ve set for yourself but will also help you strategize how you’re going to achieve them. These goals are perfect for aunties who are looking to get their lives together in 2013 so that they can make more time for their little ones, have more money to spend come birthdays and graduations, and turn the dread of getting fit into a way to bond with their nieces and nephews.
 
1. Take small steps to stellar time management.
This year, you can make more time for your little ones by making basic improvements to your time management and productivity skills. Rather than declaring to become the most productive and prompt person you know, consider making a minor change to your daily routine. Keep a calendar of appointments and events, and update it regularly. Choose a special color for the occasions you spend with your nieces and nephews, so you know when they’re coming up. To ensure that you spend quality time with them on a regular basis, consider scheduling multiple specific events—like a ballet performance or a sporting event—far in advance.
 
The benefits of doing this are multifold: you and the little ones have something to look forward to, you’re ensuring that you’re spending time with them on a regular basis, and their parents know when it’s coming up so that they get some quality time off. Plus, you’re improving your time management skills, which can only make you more productive at work and at home.
 
2. Get your finances together.
The first step to conquering the world of the budget-friendly is by making a small change in the way you manage your money. For starters, sign up for a free account management tool that lets you manage all of your bills and accounts in one place online or on mobile apps. Once you feel confident in your money management strategy, think about how you could make wallet-friendly changes to the activities you and your little ones experience together. (Remember, there are ways to work around the cost.) Introduce them to cultural and unique activities that they may not usually experience with their parents. A great way to do this on a budget is to sign up for daily deals sites like Groupon or LivingSocial so that you know what’s going on in your area.
 
3. Combine exercise and playtime.
One of the best parts of combining exercise and the time you spend with your nieces and nephews is that this activity can turn into a weekly—or even semi-weekly—activity, giving you tons of free, quality time with your little ones that will get everyone’s heart pumping. The best part? You’ll be sticking to a New Year’s resolution (even if that means exercising for just an hour a day) and letting your nieces and nephews get qual-Auntie time. Schedule a semi-weekly game of basketball or tennis. Or schedule time on the playground and run a few laps around it while they’re in the jungle gyms.
 
The key to truly getting your life organized in 2013 is to understand how they can improve your life and the lives of your nieces and nephews. Combining your New Year’s resolutions and your qual-Auntie time will not only help you meet your time management, financial, and fitness goals, but it will also enhance the time you spend with the little ones you love.

Published: January 22, 2013