How to set realistic New Year's resolutions according to relationship expert John Aiken

With the end of the Christmas season comes a New Year, alongside a whole lot of personal reflection.

There's nothing worse than feeling like you're letting yourself down when you don't accomplish the resolutions you set out to achieve at the beginning of the year, but if you set realistic New Year's resolutions, then you can avoid that feeling.

Relationship and dating expert John Aiken has some top tips for preparing and sticking to realistic New Year's resolutions. Watch the video above to learn more.

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The first step, Aiken advises, is to think of the key areas in your life that you may want your resolutions to revolve around, for example, family, relationships, finance, living arrangements, or health and fitness.

"With all of those, ask yourself, what area is working for me, and what's not?" Aiken says.

"Any of those areas that you think ultimately are falling down for you right now, then ask yourself, 'What am I going to do differently next year in that area to bring about a different result?'"

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Aiken suggests keeping these changes simple, and being practical with your goals and expectations — and also continuing with the actions that you have decided have been working well for you already.

If your New Year's resolution revolves around saving money, 9Honey's Jo Abi has some simple ways to save an extra $1000 a year.

The first step is to review your phone and utility bills, and don't be afraid to ring your providers to ask for a better deal, or switch providers.

The reporter also advises looking into refinancing your car and home loans, and paying down all your consumer debt as ways to save in the long-run. Watch the full report here.