Dec 28, 2025
If you were to give 2026 a financial slogan, it might just be “Save, baby, save!”
That’s because, according to two new surveys, after the ball has dropped to ring in the new year, the vast majority of Americans plan to make saving money their top financial priority.
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One of the surveys, by Ipsos for Wells Fargo, polled adults aged 25 and olders with an annual household income under $100,000 (1). Of those who planned to make a New Year’s resolution, 70% said that increasing their savings would rank first among financial goals.
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A second survey, by investment firm Vanguard, revealed that, while 75% of Americans overall didn’t accomplish their 2025 “saving and spending” resolutions (2), a whopping 84% said saving money and building an emergency fund remained their main financial targets for the coming year.
Couple that with the rising cost of living and an economy teetering on recession, and it’s easy to understand why most folks want to put more money away in 2026.
So from savings strategies to budget building and debt reduction, these six financial resolutions could help increase your cash reserve and make 2026 your most financially productive year yet.
1. Save more, obviously
While this one’s a no-brainer, there are various ways to approach saving depending on your end goal. For example, if you’re saving for health care related reasons, a health savings account (HSA) could be a good option. If retirement is more your concern, you’d want to consider an individual retirement account (IRA) or Roth IRA.
If you’re simply looking to build a general savings nest egg, however, a high-yield savings account is a solid strategy. Fortune notes that “the best rates are often found with online-only accounts,” so you’ll have to be fine with online banking. That said, you’ll earn higher interest rates and, without the added temptation to spend the money — Fortune points out that these accounts are usually not accessible via debit card or check — your cash is left to accumulate interest.
You could also opt for other types of savings accounts — money market, certificates of deposit, a traditional savings account — or build savings through investments, but a high-yield account may be your best bet for steady, nonvolatile growth.
Whatever strategy you choose, writing your savings goals down and tracking them regularly — or using apps to do so — will help keep you focussed on your goal, excited about your progress and less inclined to interrupt it by skipping a deposit or dipping into the money.
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2. Create an emergency fund
Another top goal for many Americans, it’s critical to ensure that your emergency fund is easily accessible, secure and not subject to volatility. Or, as experts told USA Today (4), avoid “a retirement account, the stock market or a risky investment.”
Ramsey Solutions notes (5) that whether you use a high-yield savings account, traditional savings account or money market account, you’ll want to ensure it’s an account from which you can easily transfer the money to another debit or check-enabled account in the case of emergency. From there, you should aim to save roughly enough to cover you for 3 to 6 months of living expenses.
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And, like with a savings account, you can help accelerate its growth by contributing any extra cash, from a work bonus to a birthday gift, that you happen to come into this year. Remember, in a financial jam, every little bit helps.
3. Build a budget … and stick to it
One tool that will help support the continued growth of both your savings and emergency funds, as well as any other financial goals, is a budget.
There are many different approaches to structuring your spending and cutting out unnecessary expenses, including the 50/30/20 rule. Using that rule, you divide your after-tax funds so that 50% goes to living expenses, 30% toward things you want and 20% toward savings. And if you’re able, you could take some of that 30% and boost your savings even more.
That said, building a budget can take time and patience, so it’s good to search out resources through a financial institution or advisor, or even apps, that can provide an effective blueprint.
As well, telling friends or loved ones about your budget is another good way to stay on track — especially if they hold you accountable when an impulse buy threatens to pull you off course.
4. Eliminate debt
Like with budgets, there are different approaches to debt repayment — be it credit cards, loans or other amounts owed — and it’s best to choose the one that works for you. Some swear by paying off the smallest debts first and building to the bigger ones — the snowball method. By contrast, the avalanche method pays off the biggest debts first to eliminate potentially higher interest costs. Both have their pros and cons.
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Others swear by the SMART strategy — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. This, for example, means choosing a debt, picking a realistic dollar amount to put toward it, and then giving yourself a deadline by which to do so. Still, others prefer to simply set automatic payments so the money comes out of their accounts regularly and without delay.
Debt consolidation is another alternative by which multiple debts are combined into one, manageable loan repayment.
However you do it, don’t forget to pat yourself on the back as you watch that debt dwindle. It’s hard work, and you deserve recognition for getting it done.
5. Streamline your finances
Think of this as financial spring-cleaning. Delete unused subscriptions and pare down expenses (this is especially true for couples, who can combine resources), close or consolidate excess bank, credit or retirement accounts, organize your charitable giving and even declutter your investment portfolio — pruning out underperforming holdings or rolling over old 401(k)s into a single IRA, for example.
It’s much easier to get a handle on your finances when they’re in order, and without redundant accounts taking up your time, space or, most importantly, money.
6. Start dreaming of the future you want to save for
This is a fun one. General savings or emergency funds aside, imagine your long-term financial dreams for 2027 and beyond.
Perhaps it’s buying a house, starting a business or embarking on a dream vacation. Whatever it is, taking financial steps toward that goal now — even investing just a little bit of money each month — adds up over time. And that means you could add “enjoy my financial dream” to your New Year’s resolutions list sooner than you think.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Ipsos (1); Vanguard (2); Fortune (3); USA Today (4); Ramsey Solutions (5)
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Mike Crisolago is a Sr. Staff Reporter at Moneywise with nearly 20 years of experience working as a journalist, editor, content strategist and podcast host. He specializes in personal finance writing related to the 50-plus demographic and retirement, as well as politics and lifestyle content.
