7 popular New Year's resolutions - and the tools and tricks to help you actually keep them

You've been wanting to learn how to develop your own app but it never really felt like the right time. Maybe you want to brush up on your Spanish language skills that you haven't exercised since college. Whatever the case, picking up a new skill or hobby is a rewarding way to start the New Year.

With an abundance of online classes in pretty much any category you could think of, right now learning something new is easier than ever. Take the leap and enroll in an online course. Udemy is one of our favorite e-learning platforms for the sheer variety of offerings — there are more than 80,000 online courses. With categories ranging from business and fitness, to design and personal development, there's no limit to what you can learn.

If kick-starting a workout routine is your goal, but you're not really sure where to start ClassPass is a great way to find out what kind of fitness works for you. A membership gives you the ability to try out a variety of boutique fitness classes in your area. So, you can do some yoga, kickboxing, or that new, trendy workout class everyone's been talking about. The ability to constantly mix up your workout routine will hopefully keep you motivated and excited.

ClassPass monthly memberships begin at $19 a month (and note that pricing varies by location), but right now you can get an entire month for free. This New Year's deal is the perfect excuse to get up and moving.

A great book can capture your imagination, but science says there are also health benefits to reading. A good read can improve our memory, make us more empathetic, help us de-stress, and help keep our brains active as we age. Sounds like a pretty good habit to get on board with.

If you're a traditionalist, Book of the Month is a great way to get your hardcover fix each month. They curate a selection of the best books each month and you can choose which one you'd like to read, then have it delivered right to your door. If you'd rather read on an e-reader, we're partial to the Kindle Paperwhite. It's thin enough to bring with you just about anywhere, plus you can now pair it with Audible, so you have the additional option of listening to your favorite books.

Whatever your spending habits, most people would like to save more money. Staying on top of your finances can seem intimidating, and it can be difficult to know where and how to begin. Luckily, nowadays all you need is your smartphone to help you manage your spending. There are plenty of free, reliable apps that can help you manage your finances and ultimately, save money.

Empower is a free app that connects all of your accounts, helps you track your spending habits and even finds you hidden savings. It helped one of our reporters discover and take advantage of $4,500 in hidden savings.

Paribus is another great app that helps you save money by tracking your purchases and identifying price drops, so you can easily claim rebates. It's an easy way to get money back on things you were going to buy anyways with very little effort on your end.

As we continually accumulate more and more things, organizing our spaces can become a daunting task. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, take a few small steps, one at a time. Start by decluttering the mess.

A professional organizer shared her tidying secrets with us and suggests you sort everything into four categories: trash, give away, keep and relocate. Once you've minimized the mess, make it your mission to give all of your items a place. Keep similar items stored together so you're less likely to misplace anything.

This one is different for everyone, but in the new year, one of the best resolutions we can all make is to take better care of ourselves. Whether that means turning off the computer a little earlier and lighting a nice candle before bed or regularly journaling to help clear your mind, treating yourself to these little comforts is a sure way to keep you feeling good all year long, so you can accomplish all of that other stuff.