With 2025 heading into its final stretch, now is the perfect time to make intentional changes that will carry over into the new year. Fidelity recently shared five practical money moves that can help you finish strong and set yourself up for success in 2026.
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Here’s a breakdown of five financial action steps you can take now to improve your finances and how each one can help improve your financial situation overall.
1. Give Your Spending a Year-End Tune-Up
Before the holiday rush takes over, look closely at your monthly expenses. Compare your income to how much you’re actually spending, and separate essentials from “nice-to-haves.”
If you find areas where money is slipping away like unused subscriptions, impulse purchases or high dining-out costs, redirect that cash toward savings or debt payoff. Rules of thumb, such as spending no more than half of your take-home pay on essentials, can help you keep balance in your budget.
Getting your spending under control now means you can go into 2026 with more cash flow, fewer money leaks and stronger habits.
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2. Strengthen Your Safety Net
An emergency fund isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s your personal financial shield.
If you don’t have one yet, start small with a $1,000 cushion, then work toward covering three to six months’ worth of essential expenses. Automating transfers from each paycheck or moving cash-back rewards into savings can help you build your fund faster without much effort.
When life throws an unexpected expense your way next year, you won’t have to derail your goals or rely on costly credit.
3. Tackle Your Most Expensive Debt First
High-interest credit card debt can quietly drain your finances, so prioritize getting it off your plate. List your balances from the highest to lowest interest rate and focus your extra payments on the top of that list.
You might also explore options like balance-transfer cards with an introductory 0% rate or a lower-interest consolidation loan. Just make sure to factor in any fees. Every dollar you save in interest is a dollar you can redirect to saving, investing or enjoying life in 2026.
4. Check on Your Retirement Savings
If you have a workplace plan like a 401(k) plan or 403(b) plan, double-check that you’re contributing enough to get the full employer match it’s essentially free money.
If you can, try to hit a savings rate that’s close to 15% of your pre-tax income when you combine your contributions with your employer’s. Year-end bonuses or extra cash flow this month could be a good opportunity to increase your contribution.
The earlier and more consistently you save, the more time your money has to grow tax-advantaged which gives you a head start on long-term security.
5. Make Sure Your Money Is Working Toward Your Current Goals
Life changes, and so should your financial plan. Take a moment to review your investments, savings goals and even your emergency fund. Does your mix of stocks, bonds, and cash still make sense for your time horizon and comfort with risk? Rebalancing your portfolio now can help you avoid unwanted surprises next year. Staying aligned with your current priorities keeps you on track toward milestones and protects you from unnecessary risk.
Making these changes now doesn’t just close out 2025 on a high note. It sets the tone for the year ahead. By tightening up your spending, strengthening your safety net, reducing expensive debt, maximizing retirement contributions, and keeping your investments aligned, you’re building a solid foundation that will make it easier to hit next year’s goals.
Imagine starting January with less debt, more savings and a financial plan that reflects exactly where you want to go. That’s the kind of momentum these money moves can create.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Finish the Year Strong With These 5 Money Moves, Fidelity Says
