Raise your deductibles to keep your premiums low

Make them practical, small and specific, so that you'll really follow through on them. Here are some new behaviors to adopt on January 1 that will make you wealthier and happier (I'll leave thinner to someone else) in 2009. Photocopy your wallet. Just go to your local copy shop, empty your wallet onto a copier, and make sure you've got copies of every card and ID you carry. Stick it in your files, just in case. Photograph your possessions.

Walk around your home with a videocamera or digital camera and take pictures of all of your valuables.. and your closets Tuck these photos in your safe deposit box. Here's hoping you never experience fire or theft, but if you do, you'll be prepared. Learn a money-saving skill. Choose at least one skill that interests you and learn it; it's a hobby and an activity that will eventually save cash. Re-shop your insurance. If you've had the same auto, homeowners, life and disability insurance for a long time, you should make sure you're still paying reasonable amounts for good policies. Check insurance sellers like Geico and Progressive for auto and home, and comparison sites like intelliquote for life insurance.

Raise your deductibles to keep your premiums low. Get a handle on your investment fees. Mutual fund fees don't hurt that badly when markets are booming, but when stocks and bonds are both sinking, high fees make your situation that much worse. If you can choose your own retirement plan investments, look to put large chunks of that in low-fee index funds. Actively managed funds should have below-average costs when compared to their peers. Use the fund analyzer at the website of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (here). Reduce the amount of interest you are paying on your debts. If you're not in financial trouble, you have a lot of options. Grab a low (or zero) interest credit card and transfer your balance to it.