Emily's list: New Year's resolutions edition

I don't like making New Year's resolutions. They often sound fun or motivating at first, but then I just feel guilty if -- or rather, when -- I cannot live up to them. Despite my qualms about setting lofty goals, I still appreciate the practice of it. Starting the calendar over makes many of us feel like we are wiping the slate clean and getting a new start. It's as good a time as any to start over and set goals for ourselves, though it is all too easy to give up quickly when the novelty wears off.

But as My Dollar Plan says below, perhaps the problem is that we get overly ambitious. We should instead take baby steps and create what are essentially minigoals that help us eventually fulfill larger ones. Paying an extra $15 on every credit card payment, for example, sounds like a far less intimidating goal than trying to shed $15,000 of debt.

What do you think? What is your personal finance resolution this year? Mine is, as always, to refrain from as much impulse shopping. As you ponder yours, I encourage you to read the recent posts below from some of the Web's best personal finance bloggers, nearly all of which discuss New Year's resolutions and goal-setting. Happy New Year!

1. Amanda at My Dollar Plan explains why it's important to take baby steps when trying to achieve success in your New Year's resolutions. She also offers tips for succeeding with a variety of personal finance resolutions, such as cutting down on debt.

2. Enemy of Debt outlines how you can begin working on your resolution for getting rid of debt in 2010 by increasing your debt snowball.

3. If your resolution is to climb out of debt but you don't know where to begin, Wisebread offers tips for getting a clear snapshot of the state of your finances so you can begin to map out your journey.

4. Generation X Finance offers up five simple strategies you can utilize in order to have a more financially stable year in 2010.

5. You probably have some New Year's resolutions of your own, but what about your teen? Rich Credit Debt Loan lists several signs that indicate your teenager needs some money management help. The new year is a good time to begin new habits!

6. Extinguishing all of your debt can be complicated. Mighty Bargain Hunter explains four strategies that can be used when you have multiple types of debt on your hands.

7. Uncommon Cents features a guest post that lists seven great personal finance New Year's resolutions for all of us, which include controlling spending and creating a debt repayment plan.

8. Bargaineering discusses how you can use the SMART goal-setting strategy to achieve your personal finance goals and resolutions in 2010.

9. Single Guy Money lists several popular personal finance New Year's resolutions and offers some help for getting started on each one.

10. The Digerati Life reveals how you can achieve your goal of getting rid of debt faster through debt consolidation.