Let’s remix this tradition, shall we? Because turtle doves, golden rings, pear trees and drummers drumming simply won’t pay the bills or ease your financial stress. Here are 12 smart financial moves to carry you confidently into 2026.
One month of expense tracking
This isn’t about guilt, it’s about financial and personal awareness. You can’t optimize what you can’t see. You can’t get “better” at money management without looking at your spending habits. Track every dollar that’s coming into, and out of, your accounts, for at least one month. This includes transactions happening in your banking accounts that are pre-authorized, e-transfers, ATM withdrawals, and every cent spent on credit cards. This tracking effort is across the entire household.
Of course, there will be some irregularities over December as you incorporate additional spending on gifts, but even those purchases can tell you a lot about your spending habits, generosity, who and what you value. Apps, spreadsheets, or even handwritten notes will all work.
Two clear financial goals
Pause all spending for two days to clear your mind. Now, pick two money goals for 2026. Some great money goals worth going after are things like paying off debt completely, or consolidating it to lower the cost of borrowing, following a budget, saving for a home — perhaps opening a First Home Savings Account (FHSA) — building an emergency fund, or investing consistently in low-cost ETFs for retirement.
Clear goals give every dollar a job going into the new year. Anything more than two goals could be too much to focus on.
Three financial leaks plugged
When you track your spending, you’re bound to find a few financial leaks; things like subscriptions you forgot about, impulse spending, fees for services you hardly use that you’ve been ignoring, or an opportunity to cut an aspect of spending completely (like daily coffee orders). The goal is to identify three money leaks and close them. Cutting $20 here and $40 there adds up to hundreds of dollars saved in a year, and sometimes thousands.
Four-week emergency buffer
Yes, it’s nice to have four months’ worth of essential costs if something goes awry, but a full emergency fund can feel overwhelming. Start small. Aim first for four weeks of essential expenses. Use a no-fee, high-interest savings account. If you’re purging and selling items from your home, or can take on a bit of extra work, use this money to give your fund a boost. An emergency fund is the difference between panic and peace when life happens.
Five-minute money check-in
Once a week, schedule five minutes to review balances, bills and upcoming expenses. If you’ve got a partner, and need to sort something out about upcoming spending, use this time to talk it through. Short, regular check-ins beat yearly financial “oh no” moments you didn’t see coming every time. They also allow you to get on top of issues sooner, so they don’t balloon out of proportion.
Six per cent toward investing
If possible, commit at least six per cent of your gross income toward investing specifically for retirement. If your employer offers a matching program on any of their retirement savings plans, ensure you’re getting that free top-up, which might bring you closer to 10 per cent toward investing. Ten per cent is what you’ll want to grow your contributions to over time. Compounding interest and reinvested returns doesn’t need perfection, just consistency and time … and low fees on a risk-appropriate portfolio for your age.
Seven days before purchases
Create a one-week rule for non-essential spending. If you want something, wait seven days … and try to avoid looking at the product online or in the store during that time. Most impulse buys lose their sparkle when you insert a powerful pause, reflect on your needs, and appreciate how your savings keeps growing.
Eight financial ‘wins’ celebrated
Money goals are hard enough on their own, and celebrating small milestones — “wins” — as you get closer to the goals is how you’ll keep motivated. I like to encourage jotting down at least eight financial wins from the past year, or even the past few months. It matters not how small these are; just acknowledge the progress. You’ll experience pride and gratitude, which provides positive reinforcement, not shame.
Nine bills reviewed and automated
Dig really deep into each bill and service. Can the bill be negotiated to a lower rate? Can you scale back the services? Is the bill automated so you won’t forget (especially your life, critical illness and disability insurance! You don’t want this to lapse because you forgot to pay it). Can you implement and automate savings and investing contributions? Automation removes emotion and decision fatigue. And negotiating something like insurance, internet, phone plans or even your salary can have a very strong return on investment.
10 per cent raise or windfall … that you don’t spend
Plan to automatically set aside at least 10 per cent of any raises, bonuses, windfall money or side income in 2026. By hiving this money off and toward savings right away, you’ll save yourself from lifestyle creep.
11 meals-a-making
To maintain your budget and financial goals, especially with anticipated higher grocery prices expected through 2026 (how is this even possible!?), implement simple meal planning. Select 11 budget-friendly meals that your family genuinely enjoys and incorporate them into your monthly rotation of meals and snacks — it’s OK to repeat them, especially if you enjoyed the flavours. Rotate in new recipes, and cycle out the ones that ended up being too expensive or that no one liked.
12 extra payments toward debt
If you have high-interest debt, aim for 12 extra payments each month on the most expensive debt first until it’s wiped out, then move on to the next one. Even small extra payments dramatically reduce interest over time. This approach can be amplified by negotiating the debts to a lower interest rate.
Better money habits can be built over 12 days. My advice is to try them all. Adopt three or four on a permanent basis, and you’ll start 2026 with more control, confidence and calm around your finances. That beats a partridge in a pear tree any day.
