How to Get a Head Start on Your New Year’s Resolutions Even Before Jan. 1

Your financial health sets the tone for the rest of your life — if you're stressed about your credit card bill, it's going to be hard to achieve all your goals. So make getting your finances in a good place a priority — and start now! To give you some tips and tricks, we turned to Nicole Lapin, millennial money expert and #1 NYT bestselling author.

According to Nicole, budgeting is key when approaching your finances, and working out a monthly (or even weekly) budget should be step one. "Make lists of upcoming purchases, how much you'll need to spend, and stick to it," she said. "Approach your shopping needs just like you would approach a trip to the grocery store. Plan ahead, write a list, and know what you are searching for so you are less prone to the pitfalls of online shopping."

She also suggested using tools that help you stay on track and make managing your finances easier, like Pay It Plan It® from American Express. "You can choose to pay off smaller purchases when they hit your account and pay for bigger ones over time," Nicole said. "If you're looking at bigger purchases coming up, like gifts and travel, Pay It Plan It could provide flexibility, control, and [added] peace of mind. This tool helps you avoid that statement shock after the holidays." With Pay It Plan It, you can immediately pay off small purchase amounts of under $100 throughout the month, and combine up to 10 purchases of $100 or more and pay a fixed monthly fee on a monthly plan.

Pay It Plan It plan duration may vary. Terms apply. Learn more here.

Nicole also loves a good online shopping hack, like waiting 24 hours before checking out; the next day, more often than not, you feel "meh" about the item and decide to forego the purchase. Another trick is to clear your cookies at the end of every day. "Do you ever notice that pair of sandals you were eyeing keep following you around the internet in the form of ads?" said Nicole. "It's a smart way advertisers can follow you in hopes you'll eventually buy that item you were looking at. Go to your browser and clear your cookies so you're not leaving a trail for retailers. Indulge when you want to, not when they want you to."

If getting to the gym didn't work for you in the last year, then it might not be the right way to motivate yourself to exercise. Instead, test the fitness waters and try out different modalities — maybe yoga, pilates, or HIIT is your true calling! You never know until you try. Go to a few different studios and practice with different instructors and see what you like, because you're never going to get to class if you're not excited about the workout itself. Once you've found a class type or gym that you love, make the decision to sign up for a membership to keep yourself accountable. Another great way to motivate yourself is by enlisting a friend or coworker to be your workout buddy and to set a weekly schedule you can both stick to.

Meal prep is great both for your health and for your bank account. The biggest hurdle here is getting sick of whatever you've been cooking. So, go online and find a few different (easy) recipes and create a weekly menu. Make sure to change up your proteins and snacking options so you don't look at your lunch and decide to toss it in favor of delivery. Try new flavors and get experimental with your recipes — making meal prep fun is definitely a must! Get into a routine that makes sense for your life; maybe you do all your prep on Sundays or do half on Sunday, and a re-up on Wednesdays. Once you get into the groove, it's easy to plan your grocery shopping and evening plans accordingly.