With costs still high and budgets stretched, getting smarter with money matters more than ever.
That’s where Wallethub’s 16 financial resolutions come in.
Wallethub writer and analyst Chip Lupo says the top financial resolution for 2026 is to create a realistic budget and stick to it.
“Budgeting is the cornerstone it is the foundation of financial health so if you’re going to start out 2026 on the right foot, make sure you have a realistic budget, stick to it,” Lupo said.
Second on the list is saving money.
“You want to start small, and an easy way to do that is to set up your bank account to do an automated transfer, maybe just like a percentage or a specific amount, $100 out of every paycheck, to transfer into a separate savings account,” Lupo said. “But you want to try to generate at least two months of income and then build on that over time.”
The third resolution: Get at least 4% return on your cash. Shop around instead of settling for a low-yield bank account.
The fourth is to explore ways to refinance high interest rates. Consider a balance card transfer or a consolidation loan. And the fifth is to use Wallethub’s “island approach” to credit cards.
“There are credit cards that will offer you rewards on specific purchases, such as gas or groceries, even utilities, some will give you cash back on every purchase. Spread those cards out and just use them for specific purposes to earn rewards, which you can accumulate for cash back,” said Lupo. “The advice that I would give if you’re going to go that route is that you must pay that balance in full every month.”
If you have existing credit card balances, look to pay at least 25% of what you owe in 2026. You can use a credit card payoff calculator to crunch the numbers in your situation, and if you can afford higher payments, make them.
The seventh resolution is to pay bills right after getting your paycheck. Taking care of monthly obligations before letting yourself indulge in any luxury expenses is a helpful budgeting strategy.
Lupo also shared some tips on fighting back against inflation.
“A lot of the things that that our parents used to do using coupons, that’s always, that’s always a smart strategy, take advantage of discounts, enroll in rewards or loyalty programs at your favorite store that would literally reward you for making purchases. Buy in bulk if you’re able to,” Lupo said.
The ninth resolution is to look for a better job.
The benefits of finding a higher-paying job could actually end up outweighing everything else on this list put together.
And finally, get an “A” in financial literacy.
“It’s surprising how many people don’t know how to set up a budget, who don’t even know how to balance a checkbook, or learn how simple interest works. Just a wide variety of, again, the fundamentals and again, once you master those, you’ll be successful,” Lupo said.