This NJ city ranks near the bottom in keeping a New Year’s Resolution

Many of us try to set goals to make a new year better than the last. Our intentions are great, but something happens between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1 that squashes are lofty goals.

According to a new WalletHub.com study, Americans top financial resolution in 2025 is to “save more money”. That is a given, but in this ever-changing economy and current inflation that is a very tough goal. The more money we make the more we spend, especially if we have been living paycheck to paycheck.

A friend of mine who was unemployed and struggling found a job, and swiftly climbed the ladder as his income grew substantially. Years later he had the same job making triple the amount of money and declaring bankruptcy. When I inquired how this could happen, he said his bills got larger as he spent more. Savings for him, even at his substantial income, was not on his radar.

That is the reality for many of us.

In the WalletHub study to determine what city keeps their New Year financial resolutions they used factors in their survey which included financial resolutions, better health resolutions, school and work resolutions and bad habit resolutions.

The study found that Seattle was the best city to keep New Year’s resolutions. They scored the highest in all the categories, ranking them at the top.

Our own Newark ranked 181st on the list as one of the worst cities in the country to keep New Year’s resolutions. Health, working long hours and low income were major factors in branding Newark as one of the worst.

The fact that Newark ranks so low makes sense, too many of the residents work hard and long hours, pay exorbitant insurance fees and barely make ends meet. I am sure there are great intentions to make a change, but the environment prohibits the success of achieving those resolutions.

I stopped making resolutions years ago. I try every day to be better in health, mind and achieving my goals. That is all I can do. Good luck with your resolutions.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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