Bad breaks, bad habits and bad information have the vast majority of us behind the 8-ball when it comes to our finances -- and that goes for individuals and families alike.

Don't believe it? Studies show that as a nation, we're lugging around more than $13 trillion in household debt, with most households holding a goose egg when it comes to savings.

While money is most certainly not everything, and is far from the most important thing in the world, your quality of life and ability to parent and hold together a household increases exponentially when you have your finances under control. If your basic needs, such as the ability to comfortably keep a roof over your head and feed your household, are constantly popping up as a nuisance, it takes away from your peace of mind and autonomy on how you'd like to raise your family.

As a resolution, make 2018 the last year that finances pose a problem in your household. Let the tips below get you started so that you can brainstorm and turn around your money, for the betterment of your whole family.

Stop the Bleeding When It Comes to Spending and Debt

It's virtually impossible to climb out of any sort of financial hole if debt is always an issue. Because of this, the first part of your resolution needs to be getting your debt under control.

Start by running all of your debt through a magnifying glass. You don't know how to knock out debt if you don't know what sort of debt you're on the hook for. One of the best ways to bring your debt to the light is to run a credit report.

When you run a credit report, you'll be able to get a clear glimpse at what money you owe, and to who. Start by getting in touch with each and every creditor in order to set up payment plans, ask for debt forgiveness, or otherwise make arrangements.

Chop away at your debt and start putting aside some money for savings. By paying yourself first and knocking out debt, it'll be far easier for you to reverse your fortune. By knocking out your debt each money and saving at least 10% of every paycheck, you'll be living a new life before you know it.

Find A Way to Grow Your Income Streams

Saving money and getting rid of debt is one thing, but you'll also need to start considering your household a business. When you and your spouse or partner put your heads together, you'll be surprised what you can come up with.

With the internet making information and the ability to execute on ideas a few searches away, there's no reason you can't grow your income streams.

Considering ideas like sourcing and selling items on Amazon and eBay, selling eBooks, creating a YouTube channel and others, you'll be well on your way toward making your money work for you. Keeping these avenues in mind will let you also get your kids in on the action to teach them valuable lessons.

For instance, if you start a Fulfillment by Amazon business, your kids can help you sort ideas for packaging. During these moments sprinkle some business and financial information to them in an age appropriate manner.

Teach and Enrich Your Kids Every Step of the Way

As you overcome financial obstacles, tell your kids about them to shape their mind so that they never go through them.

By making your child financially literate and business savvy, they'll be better able to understand the importance of their education and work on their critical thinking skills.

Never think that you need to shield your kids from the topic of money. The sooner they learn the value of a dollar and how to avoid financial mistakes, the better.

Following these tips helps your entire household, and is an excellent resolution to strive for this year.