New Year’s Resolutions That You Can Stick To - And They’re Free!

When January 1st rolls around, many of us take it as an opportunity to make a fresh start and either start or stop doing something in the search for self-improvement. But, did you know that 80% of people fail their New Year’s resolutions by February? That’s often because we have a habit of setting our sights far too high or we realise they’re a little too expensive. Plus, things like cold-turkey attempts to eat healthily or stop smoking are a heck of a lot to take on. We also have a habit of setting the exact same resolution year after year, which can get frustrating. And January is already a notoriously tricky month that just so happens to be the home of Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year, which definitely doesn't help with getting into a positive headspace.

Christine Schneider, founder of the Cambridge Therapy Centre, says,

"The start of a new year often feels like a symbolic fresh start, but this can lead to overly ambitious resolutions that are difficult to sustain. Many people try to make sweeping changes all at once, which can feel overwhelming when the excitement of January fades. Others set vague goals like 'be healthier' or 'save more money', which lack the structure needed to guide meaningful progress."

If you’re someone who likes to set yourself a New Year’s resolution, what sort of promise can you make to yourself that you can stick to because money doesn’t get in the way? Below, we’ll run through some low-cost and free New Year’s resolutions you could actually stick to, so you start your new year off with a winner.

9 New Year’s resolutions you can keep this year

Fed up with setting yourself a New Year’s resolution only to stumble at the first hurdle? It doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sometimes feels, especially if money isn’t a worry! Here are 9 cheap and free New Year’s resolution suggestions that you can keep this year.

1. Create a routine that works for you

A lot of New Year's resolutions fail because we struggle to fit them into our existing routines. But, a simple and effective New Year’s resolution you can keep can relate to your routine itself. It doesn’t have to be a big, grand gesture. It could just be something small, like incorporating a couple of new habits into your day. This could be starting your day by setting your alarm 15 minutes sooner so you can eat a healthy breakfast or a short mindfulness session to try and ease stress and anxiety. The smaller the changes you make to your routine, the easier you’ll find it to stick to. And the beautiful thing is, it doesn’t cost you a penny to make these changes, which definitely helps.

2. Create a New Year’s Resolution micro-goal

It can be tempting to give yourself a major, life-changing New Year’s resolution, but these big, vague goals can be extra hard to achieve. Instead of broad New Year’s resolutions, like ‘walk 10,000 steps a day’, which is hard for many with busy lives to stick to, why not set micro-goals, like ‘walk for 10 minutes every day’ or ‘drink an extra glass of water every day’? Yes, it’s not quite as ambitious or impressive, but it’s achievable and is something you shouldn’t have quite as much trouble slotting into your daily routine.

If your goal is to lose weight, don't set a huge target. Set smaller targets that aren't quite as daunting, and definitely don't set such an ambiguous goal as 'lose weight', which could mean anything.

Sam Coombes, founder of TwinFit PT explains how small steps lead to big results,

"I always want my clients to focus on small weight adjustments, week by week. Having a laser focus on building consistent habits pays huge dividends in the long run. Forget the aim of losing 4lbs a month - focus on 1lb a week. This shift in mindset can make a huge difference."

It's also helpful if you set only one resolution at a time. But, there's no harm in changing it to further the goalposts as you progress. It's just a matter of resolution setting that makes you feel confident.

One brilliant micro-goal can be to save a little bit of money each month. On payday, why not head to a cash machine and draw out £20, then hide it in a box at the back of the cupboard so you forget it’s there? If you do that every month, BOOM – you have £240 to splurge on Christmas! There are also money-savings apps if you prefer the digital life.

3. Focus on your mental health

Taking care of your mental health is key and is possibly one of the most important resolutions you can make. You won’t be able to work on everything, but just a couple of small changes can do wonders. This could be taking 10 minutes a day to journal, taking regular breaks, going for a walk, talking to a therapist or taking time out to stroke your cat in the middle of the day. These are all free or low-cost ways to focus on your mental health, which will help build your resilience and give you a little boost of happiness. If you plan on getting active this year, learn how to save on gym memberships and fitness classes.

4. Learn something new

Your New Year’s resolution isn’t limited to changing something about yourself. One thing you might be keen to do is learn something. And it doesn’t have to be something huge, either, like a new language or how to write a book. It could be something small and achievable that makes you happy.

Something like learning to juggle can be great skills to learn that ignite a new part of your brain – and, juggling balls are super affordable and durable, so they’ll last you a long time (which you’ll need after dropping them so often). Or you might start something new with the aim of getting better at it over a long period of time, so you don’t feel the pressure to get it right straight away. Learning to paint or cook are perfect for this and give you a brilliant sense of accomplishment when you have something to show for it. Check out voucher codes for WHSmiths and HobbyCraft to save money on new supplies!

If you choose something you’re passionate about, you’re less likely to drop it. So think about something that excites you and dive in!

5. Declutter your space

This is both a hard one and an easy one at the same time. It just takes a little bit of strength.

Deciding to reorganise your life is a pretty major resolution that can easily go by the wayside. But a great starting point that is also super achievable is decluttering your space. This might be something small, like your desk or those drawers you’ve been meaning to do, something a bit bigger like the loft or that dumping ground you call a spare bedroom, or something major like… the whole house.

Start small and work your way up. Think about what you can throw away, sell or donate to free up space and make a little money. Even just a small amount of decluttering can be a big mental health boost and help keep you motivated – it’s also a nice easy one you can stick to. When you see the benefits, you may then have the drive to keep going.

6. Work on your relationships

If we’re honest, we’ve all neglected our relationships from time to time. We’ve forgotten to call someone back, left someone on read or not arranged for a dinner date in a few months. And that’s okay, because life often gets in the way, but it can make you feel a little guilty and like you want to do better.

Well, you can. And it doesn’t take much. Set a daily reminder on your phone to text someone and ask them how they’re doing. Or use it as a reminder to reply to the messages you’ve been too busy to respond to yet. Even just a small check-in every once in a while can go a long way and let people know that you’re thinking about them.

Or, you could go one better and arrange to see them. You could even use a voucher code at a restaurant like Harvester or Frankie & Benny’s to save money while you’re at it.

7. Limit your screen time

With so much entertainment right there at your fingertips, it’s easy to become engrossed in your phone. Social media doom-scrolling, games, reels, WhatsApp… there are so many things to check, it’s no wonder Brits spend almost four hours a day on their phones.

We’re reliant on our phones, so cutting out screen time altogether isn’t feasible. But, we can take steps to limit our screen time. Even if you cut your screen time by a quarter, you’ll save an hour a day. That’s loads of time that you could even use to do one of the other resolutions we mentioned above, like work on your relationships or learn something new.

At the very least, try to make sure you spend less time on your phone while in bed. To go with something small, set a rule where you don’t go on your phone once it’s plugged in for the night. And to keep yourself accountable, keep an eye on your usage and set yourself small, achievable goals. The less time you spend on your phone, the less likely you are to make an impulse purchase. Data shows that almost half of us spend money while browsing our phones at work – so if you at least limit your browsing during the day, you’ll save by limiting those impulse buys.

8. Give something back

A great way to set yourself something you can stick to and feel great is to give something back. This doesn’t have to be a monetary donation, but it could be your time. You might not have the time or energy to commit to something long-term, but even something as simple as picking up litter at your local nature reserve is a great way to do a nice thing, even if only once in a while. And if you like to take a walk there every so often anyway, what have you got to lose?

9. Be kind to yourself

Sometimes, the most simple New Year’s resolution can be to be kinder to yourself. This means prioritising you occasionally. Or forgiving yourself when you screw up. Or giving yourself a pat on the back when you do something amazing.

It’s easy to be self-critical, but it’s also not great for your mental health. Something you can do and is something you can absolutely stick to is to just be a little less hard on yourself. Yes, things won’t always go to plan, but that’s okay.

Try to practice self-compassion and acknowledge how you feel. Celebrate the wins, no matter what, and you’ll go a long way towards being kinder to yourself. And the best thing is, you don’t have to spend money to do so. Or, if you want to treat yourself to celebrate those wins, that’s fine too!

Spend less this year with help from Savoo

Sticking to a New Year’s resolution is usually tough because we have a habit of tasking ourselves with big, elaborate and expensive changes that take a long time to perfect, which means we end up getting frustrated and we give up. But, with small, low-cost or free resolutions that let you see your progress, it’s far easier to stick to them.

One positive change you can make is to make little tweaks to some of your buying habits. Here at Savoo, we have up-to-date voucher codes, which you can use at loads of your favourite retailers to help you stick to your resolutions, like Asda, Gousto, Iceland, Sports Direct, Uswitch, Ninja Kitchen and more.