() — As we move into the new year, financial experts are offering smart money tips.

Investment advisor and Burke County native Prince Dykes has a simple piece of advice: know your goals. Whether you’re trying to pay off debt or grow a business, figure out where you want to go first. “If I’m trying to get downtown, I don’t care if it’s a bike, an Uber, a bus, or a friend taking me. I’m just trying to get downtown,” he said. “Once you know where you’re going, then you can choose the method of transportation. It’s the same with investing. Once you know where you’re going, we can pick out the best path—maybe it’s stocks, real estate, a business, or paying off debt.”

Dykes also warns against the temptation of spending tax returns on non-essential items. “Look for ways that you could potentially put it somewhere that can grow over time. It might be buying a piece of land, it might be buying, starting an investment account for a child, or look at things that could potentially grow over time and make you money.”

Even if you only have a small amount to start with, he says, it’s a step in the right direction. “So many times in life, a lot of us look at where someone is and we are trying to get there and you have to take baby steps to get there,” he said. “Don’t worry about what everybody else is doing.”

He stresses the importance of keeping your budget tight, including with budget apps. People should also look at their monthly subscriptions and find where they’re overspending. “That Netflix, Hulu Plus—those are the $5, $10 fees, even on your phone apps. Look at those apps on your phone. You don’t even know some of those apps are charging you $5 a week, $5 a month, or a yearly fee. So, look at those small things. Those are things that cost you more problems.”

Looking ahead, Prince says there’s a lot of hype in the market, thanks to President-elect Trump. Cryptocurrencies are hitting all-time highs, and the Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates. “The Nasdaq, the Dow Jones, and the S&P 500 are hitting their highs because everybody has this sense of euphoria,” he said. “I’ve never seen a time when this sense of euphoria really paid off. It’s always been a peak. So right now, I think the economy is expanding and about to hit its peak, but that’s something you would never really know.”

He recommends investing consistently over time. “Start with the S&P 500. That’s the top 500 companies in America. Then, slowly expand from there. If you’re not comfortable doing it or don’t know how to, find someone who is licensed and registered. You can go to BrokerCheck.com to find someone licensed and registered near you, with whom you could explore that opportunity.”

For more, find Prince on social media and his podcast. He’s on Instagram @THEInvestorShow, Facebook under ‘Prince, The Investor Show,’ LinkedIn as ‘The Investor Show,’ and YouTube, too.