In 2011, we learned some very valuable lessons about saving for the proverbial rainy day. Our focus was to make an effort to stay ahead of any outstanding debt - a feat that sometimes seems impossible. However, through some belt tightening and adhering to a very strict regimen of buying only what we need, we were able to make substantial headway towards being financially responsible.

We decided to get rid of several credit cards, and use only the card that we benefitted the most from. Our choice was the TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express. It earns you cash-back rewards on every purchase, payable through a rebate in January. Buying gas? You get paid. Dining out? You get paid. Grabbing groceries? You get paid. I like the pattern here, as I do all of these activities on a weekly basis. It's nice to know that with the cost of gas increasing all the time, you get accelerated rewards earlier in the program. The first $3000 spent on fuel annually qualifies for a 2% cash-back and then decreases after that. You benefit sooner, rather than later. Your nights on the town also provide a ramped up reward, 3% on all eligible restaurant purchases. Imagine accumulating a cash-back reward for simply doing your everyday shopping. I certainly like the possibilities. What's more, it's an easy way to save for that "big ticket" purchase throughout the year: A vacation away with the little ones, an opportunity to walk along the beach, or a trip to everyone's favourite theme park.

We are teaming up with Costco and American Express again this year to continue our test drive of the TrueEarnings Card, one that became very important to us last year. We will be receiving our cash-back rebate shortly. I have a mini-vacation planned in the next week to the sunny south and I will no doubt be using my cash-back then. Let the rewards continue! I like the fact that I don't have to use the cash-back at Costco alone. I can choose where and when I would like to use them.

I feel somewhat more in control knowing that I have only one credit card on the go. There are several things that we can do to prepare ourselves for the coming year and the unexpected expenses that crop up with just living a normal life. Here are some helpful tips to get your year started off on financially responsible footing:

-Pay yourself every week, for a rainy day fund or simply as a saving mechanism
-Contribute to your future through RRSP investments
-Organize your papers, T4's and investment receipts to stay ahead of the panic
-Buy in bulk to reap savings based on volume purchases (Costco rules supreme in this area)
-Pay off your holiday debt -don't let it get the better of you
-Shop within your means -don't buy emotionally and use your practical side

If you can consolidate your spending on a single credit card such as the TrueEarnings Card, you will be the beneficiary of everything it has to offer. Since switching to a single credit card, my ability to budget and track spending has become that much easier.

Many reward card programs claim a lot of things, but you must reach certain thresholds to receive any sort of reward. With the TrueEarnings Card, the rewards start to accumulate from the first purchase, and every subsequent purchase to follow. It has become my "go to" card for all of my daily purchases.