Every year, like clockwork, “Auld Lang Syne” stops and the New Year’s resolutions begin. And in 2026, with affordability concerns looming large, many Americans are setting out to improve their finances.
According to an annual survey by Boston-based financial services firm Fidelity Investments, 64 percent of respondents said they were mulling a financial resolution for 2026, compared to 56 percent who said they had one during 2025. As was the case last year, saving more, spending less, and paying down debt were all top goals, and strengthening an emergency fund and creating or abiding by a budget were also popular aspirations. Meanwhile, “rising everyday prices” was the top financial concern for 2026, the survey found.
With cost-of-living concerns showing no signs of going away, the Globe asked Massachusetts financial experts for specific resolutions they would recommend budget-minded people put on their list for 2026. Here’s what eight of them said.
Some responses have been edited for brevity or clarity.
2026 is the perfect time to build or refresh one’s personal finance knowledge by taking a class! Financial education is foundational for building assets, avoiding costly mistakes, and navigating day-to-day financial challenges. Sign up for free classes offered by local banks, nonprofits, and city/state offices (Boston’s Center for Working Families and the Massachusetts Office of Economic Empowerment). Now more than ever, knowledge is power. — Rose Francois, executive director and president of the Midas Collaborative
Often what trips people up and has them turning to credit cards or depleting their savings are the things that don’t come up every month but will definitely cost money at some point during the year. This includes items like travel, holiday gifts, the water bill, trips to the vet, car maintenance, and more. My suggestion is to estimate the annual cost of these non-monthly expenses and then divide by 12. Put that amount in a separate savings account every month, then pull from that account when one of these expenses arises. — Debra Jacobs, accredited financial counselor and founder of Money Smart For Life
One simple resolution I often suggest is to turn off one-click or “Buy Now” purchasing on sites like Amazon. Adding even a small amount of friction between impulse and checkout gives people time to pause, reflect, and decide whether the purchase actually fits their priorities. In practice, that pause alone can meaningfully reduce spending without requiring a formal budget. — Jay Abolofia, certified financial planner and founder of Lyon Financial Planning
Schedule ‘money dates’
The New Year is a natural moment to reset and channel fresh-start energy into habits that actually stick. In the same way you wouldn’t go to the gym once and expect lifelong results, working on your financial wellness requires regular check-ins. For your New Year’s resolution list, I recommend scheduling a recurring money date. Make it inviting by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and/or putting on a fun playlist. Try setting a timer for whatever feels manageable; anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Use this dedicated time to check in on your spending, savings goals, upcoming expenses, and whether there are places you can automate bill payments or fund transfers (automation reduces decision fatigue and makes follow-through easier). This practice isn’t about doing everything at once; it’s about tackling the next thing, then reassessing, pivoting, and adjusting as the year unfolds. End each session by naming one win, big or small, because noticing progress builds confidence. Then schedule the next money date, whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Like working out, consistency matters most, and it will feel easier each time. — Ariel Nathanson, certified financial education instructor and founder of Finances for Feminists
Simplify the number of money accounts. The more accounts you have, the harder it can be to get a handle on where your money is going. A number of fintech companies are, in a way, not making it any easier. While Venmo, PayPal, and others are making it really easy to transfer payments to friends and family, it can also make it harder to understand where your money is going. These services are making payments easier, but they still have a lot of catching up to do to make tracking and budgeting easier. — Lyman H. Jackson, certified financial planner and managing partner and cofounder at Financial Planning Solutions, LLC
Identify one thing to eliminate that will reduce clutter or complexity. Life’s important events can detract from keeping financial accounts well-organized. We end up with a collection of bank accounts, old employer 401(k) accounts, life insurance policies we don’t know why we have, physical stock certificates, savings bonds that matured years ago, an account established for a minor who is now an adult. Often these things are easy to ignore and don’t play a large part in our financial plans. But these are the same items that can cause outsized headaches down the road. — Edward Jastrem, chief planning officer and certified financial planner at Heritage Financial Services
Determine your priorities
One item that I work on with my financial coaching clients is getting in touch with your core values, the special attributes that make you you. Then when you have the opportunity to spend, save, or share, you can check in with your core values to make sure that you are in alignment. I had a client who came to me and said, “Don’t make me stop my daily iced coffee habit.” After realizing that the sense of community she found at her local coffee shop was vitally important to her, she continued getting her daily coffee without shame. — Kimberly Zimmerman Rand, principal and accredited financial counselor at Dragonfly Financial Solutions
Do not duck addressing your financial foundation. If you think you are behind in your retirement planning contributions, or are embarrassed about your financial condition, the worst thing you can do is ignore issues. Giving yourself time to make adjustments in your financial habits could help you get on the right path and would be a New Year’s gift to yourself. — Sandra Gilpatrick, wealth consultant and certified financial planner at LPL Financial
Dana Gerber can be reached at dana.gerber@globe.com. Follow her @danagerber6.