Happy New Year! That was an expensive holiday season wasn’t it? Now, you’re probably taking stock of finances and trying to plan for the year ahead. Need some help? Try this simple approach.

* Calculate your net earnings for the year ahead.

* Add up all the big items of expenditure — groceries, mortgage, car payments and so on. Deduct this from income.

* Then deduct another 20% for smaller stuff and a margin of safety.

(Your insurance premiums fit in here — where they’re concerned, you know I’m already doing everything to deliver the best value for you!)

If you have a surplus, add another 10% to 20% for savings. Then you’ll know if you’ll have something left to spend, or whether you need to make cuts.Sticking to this simple formula could make 2018 a positive year for you. I hope so! And if you need an insurance review, just contact us.