Rather than starting 2019 with another financial resolution, there's still time to make 2018 a little more lucrative. Alternatively, you can take a proactive approach and reel in your finances before this year ends. About 40 percent of adults said that if faced with a $400 unexpected expense , they would either not be able to pay it or would do so by selling something or borrowing money, according to the Federal Reserve's Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households .