After reaping 2010’s plethora of self-indulgent opportunities – gorging on grease, blowing Mao Zedongs on extravagant excess and, most recently, guzzling bubbly as the clock counted down to zero – it is time to sit down, detoxify and look towards the future. But how do you begin down the road to both self and community improvement with such a hedonistic track record? Never fear, this month TALK has compiled the ultimate New Year’s resolution list.

Balance Your Finances More Effectively

Last year’s weekly forays to M1NT, gorges on Sherpa’s delivery and shopping sprees for those expensive clothes and accessories you felt you needed at the time all undoubtedly took their toll on your budget, making it seem impossible to financially bounce back in the future. Luckily for you, the financial consulting agency Bamboo Money specialises in expatriate personal finance and can help you create a viable economic plan based on the internationally-recognised ‘Six Step Process’. During your first meeting with a consultant, they will provide you with a quotation tailored to your specific situation and share tips on how to prevent you from succumbing to former spending habits. With this knowledge in hand, reviving your budget and effectively managing your future finances should be a much less intimidating prospect.

Web: www.bamboomoney.net

Get Involved in the Community

Forget the “give a little to get a little” spirit of the past. This year, give a lot by volunteering for BEAN, a charitable organisation that refuses to settle for detached monetary donations, but instead offers participants ample opportunity for hands-on community involvement. Projects such as orphanage visits, caring for abandoned animals and teaching art and English to migrant students allow you to not only repent for past self-serving actions, but to build friendships, gain work experience and, most importantly, help those less fortunate all while having a great time.

Web: http://shanghai.beanonline.org