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New year, new financial habits can put you in a better position this year and into 2024

For many, January is a lean month financially, with the holidays in the rearview mirror. That could lead some to try and cut corners, leading to more trouble than it’s worth. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Whether it’s higher prices due to inflation or just repaying credit cards from holiday purchases, scammers are looking for your pressure point to access your personal information, credit card, and bank accounts. It’s also a time of year when many of us want to right the financial ship, so to speak, in the new year.

Pamela Hernandez of the Better Business Bureau in Springfield, Missouri,says that if you start with a list of resolutions and follow through with them, you can put yourself in a better position later this year and into 2024.

“A lot of people start out with the best intentions, and then they hit a roadblock, and then it’s all over. So if you start smart and we kind of want consumers to sort of make some commitments about being about smart. It will prevent that roadblock and keep people on track just a little bit longer.”

One suggestion is to check the more than 400,000 businesses verified by the Better Business Bureau before you sign a contract or make a purchase. For 89 9 KRPS News, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro

Since 2017 Fred Fletcher-Fierro has driven up Highway 171 through thunderstorms, downpours, snow, and ice storms to host KRPS’s Morning Edition. He’s also a daily reporter for the station, covering city government, elections, public safety, arts, entertainment, culture, sports and more. Fred has also spearheaded and overseen a sea change in programming for KRPS from a legacy classical station to one that airs a balance of classical, news, jazz, and cultural programming that better reflects the diverse audience of the Four States. For over two months in the fall of 2022 he worked remotely with NPR staff to relaunch krps.org to an NPR style news and information website.