Stern advice: Financial to-do list for 2013

Vowing never again to waste money, or to lower one’s debt sound like good New Year’s resolutions, but they never last without a solid plan to guide such wishful thinking into reality. Financial columnist Linda Stern offers several concrete things people can do to improve their financial health in the coming year. Among them are putting one savings vehicle on auto-pilot, refinancing one’s mortgage, and most importantly, buying life insurance. If you don’t have six times your income in life coverage, now is the time to buy.