Once the champagne's gone flat and you've watched enough Rose Parade reruns, perhaps there's time to set a few New Year's resolutions.

Like our promises to shed some pounds and clear out cluttered closets, we'd all like to start the new year a little less weighed down. And that applies to our finances as well.

In general, consumers did lots more shopping this holiday season than last, which could mean a January headache when those credit card bills arrive. In fact, heading into the 2011 holiday season, a Consumer Reports poll found that an estimated 14 million Americans were still paying off holiday credit card purchases from the previous year.

So if you're makin' a list of 2012 financial resolutions, here are 10 ideas to get on the right money track:

1. Get a goal

If you're bogged down by credit card debt, write a plan of attack. "Figure out a plan that pays them off within one to two years," said Kenneth Lin, CEO of CreditKarma.com in San Francisco. That could mean doubling your minimum payment or cutting back on new purchases. By law, your monthly credit card statement shows how long it takes to pay off your balance if making the minimum payment: a $20,000 balance, for instance, could take seven years and a lot of interest to pay off. To ax that debt more swiftly, calculate what your monthly payments need to be.

2. Credit card deals?

Keep an eye out for them, says Credit Karma's Lin, who expects banks to more aggressively market credit cards this year. Look for cards with lower interest rates, better terms or cash-back strategies. "There can be hundreds of dollars we're giving away because we're too set in our minds to do some research and get a better card," Lin said. Compare cards on sites like CreditCards.com, LowCards.com, NerdWallet.com or CreditKarma.com. And if you've got a card with no annual fee but a too-high interest rate, don't dump it if you find a better card. Keep the old one open but don't use it. It could help your credit score.

3. Rethink your banking

With so much change afoot, it's smart to be sure you're not paying too much for banking services you don't use, says the California Society of CPAs. Decide what's important: Free ATMs, drive-thru banking, no minimum checking fees, personal service. Talk with your bank or credit union about how you can eliminate fees, such as penalties for not keeping a high-enough minimum balance. If not satisfied, go shopping. Compare bank features at sites like Bankrate.com, FindABetterBank.com or MyBankTracker.com.

4. Use, don't lose, gift cards

Shockingly, an estimated $41 billion in gift cards issued since 2005 has never been spent, whether because the cards were lost, stolen or forgotten. Although most gift cards can't expire for five years, it's better to use them now, says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com, a credit card comparison site.

If you'd rather convert them to cash, gift cards can be sold – at a discount off face value – at sites like PlasticJungle.com or GiftCards.com. They can be donated to charities (and you can take a tax deduction). Or they can be "re-gifted" to friends or family in 2012.

5. Check that credit report

Each year, you're entitled to free copies of your credit report from each of the credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Those reports help make up your credit score – the number between 300 and 850 that affects what you'll pay on everything from credit cards and mortgages to car loans and apartment rents. Even job applications can be impacted.

To get your free reports and check them for accuracy: www.annualcreditreport.com.

"If it's an account you don't have or delinquencies you don't recognize, call the lender to dispute them," said Lin. "You can help your credit score tremendously … and protect yourself against identity theft."

6. Limit your small expenses

If money's tight, we've all got places to cut back. A family of four's sodas at restaurant meals, for instance, can mean an extra $10 every time you eat out. Same for those daily bottled waters or coffee drinks on the way to work, said Leslie Greenman, author of "Dating Your Money." The mother of two brings hot tea to work in a thermos. One box of teabags at the grocery store "is the same price as just one cup of tea from Starbucks," she notes. Cutting back on small expenses can add up to "a significant chunk … toward the family vacation fund or the new appliance you need."

7. Go green, not plastic

Studies show we spend less when we use cash instead of credit cards. Try the habit of starting each week with a set amount of spending cash. It's a way to avoid overdraft fees and credit card binging. And if you don't want to be caught short at the next holiday season, consider opening a special "Christmas Club" or savings account using direct deposit to automatically set aside a little each month.

8. Buy good stocks and sit

"Unless you're the best stock picker in the world (and none of us are), buy quality stocks – either individually or in mutual funds – and let them sit," said Scott Rhoades, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Elk Grove. Unless a company has a management shakeup or a fundamental change in its product, it's best to hold at least three to five years, he said. Otherwise, the fees you pay for churning stocks could eat up any returns.

9. Pump up your retirement

Max out your 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plans at work. "Sometimes people forget they can contribute. It's important to max that out before talking about other retirement plans, because it's pre-tax dollars," Rhoades said.

Or put tax-deductible money in an IRA account. In both cases, you can add catch-up dollars if you're over 50.

IRAs and 401(k)-type plans are "probably the best way for a person to plan their future financially. Because of tax (advantages) and with compounding over time, every little bit helps," Rhoades said.

10. Stay healthy

If you've got health insurance, quitting smoking, losing weight and drinking less can save on premiums. If you've got a flexible savings account (FSA) at work, don't forget to get reimbursed for your 2011 health-related expenses (typically by March 31). If you're not covered, contact the state Department of Managed Health Care by calling (888) 466-2219 or visiting www.dmhc.ca.gov, or go to websites such as eHealthInsurance.com to find affordable coverage.

One of our best investments is in ourselves. Stay healthy, be happy in 2012.

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Have a personal finance question? Call The Bee's Claudia Buck at (916) 321-1968.

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