There's the one about quitting smoking and the one about losing weight. And don't forget the one about paying off credit card debt and the one about saving for retirement.

Truth to tell, money management issues are the second most common subject of New Year's resolutions. They are topped only by pledges to spend more time with loved ones and family members.

In fact, personal finance beats out the usual lamentations, like losing weight and giving up bad habits. Many of those old familiar topics no doubt grow from morning-after remorse. Not surprisingly, many of them will cause more remorse later on, when we give up on them.

You'll be better off if you make for-real resolutions -- just a few -- then build ways to make them come true. Here are some tips on making your resolutions come true.

• Write them down. To paraphrase movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, an oral resolution isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Committing your goals to paper makes them palpable and perhaps more coherent. You may want to post your goals in a prominent place, on a bulletin board or on your refrigerator door.

• Take first things first. For many families, dealing with debt will be the first step. It's a basic accomplishment, because consumer debt carries high interest rates that eat up income you could otherwise use to build a better future. Asked about personal finance goals, 60 percent in a Quicken survey said "shrinking credit card debt" was their No. 1 resolution.

Most experts would say the second step is building an emergency fund, followed by saving for retirement (20 percent surveyed named this) and saving for the kids' college expenses (12 percent).

Other topics could include making and keeping to a budget, making sure your insurance coverage is adequate and writing a will.

• Keep your list short. Which would you rather have, two items that you really care about or a dozen that sound good?

• Be specific. If you have a savings goal, for example, figure out how much you can put away each payday and where you will put it.

If you are looking for places to cut expenses, go through your checkbook or credit card statements to spot frivolous expenses. Often a cost-saving action is obvious, such as cutting down on gourmet coffee or take-out dinners.

• Cut each activity up into bite-size pieces. If you need to learn about individual retirement accounts, for example, you could set aside a half-hour on a given night of the week to hunt down sources of advice and read what they have to say. Opening an account would be a separate step, after you have put yourself through school.

• Use technology. The Internet is full of advice on all areas of personal finance. You can buy comprehensive personal finance software, including Quicken from Intuit and Microsoft Money. You can find reviews of them at www.zdnet.com.

• Build in some rewards. Let's say you want to start an emergency savings account -- an especially good idea in an uncertain job market. Promise yourself something special, like a restaurant dinner, when you reach a pre-set goal. You might reserve that celebration for the day when you've actually put away enough to cover three months' expenses.

And don't forget the attaboys. Take a moment to savor your progress on your resolutions. Remember, you're building a richer and more secure life for yourself.

RESOURCES
• The federal government provides dozens of advisory publications, with links to other resources, at www.consumer.gov/yourmoney.htm
• The nonprofit Alliance for Investor Education provides a roster of 10 excellent Web sites at www.investoreducation.org. Click on the link "Resolve to Invest in 2004."
• For comprehensive information on investing and an array of financial planning issues, try www.vanguard.com (click on Planning & Advice), www.morningstar.com (Personal Finance) or www.fool.com (Personal Finance).

• Read more Bank on Hank columns