Your guide to starting the new year confidently, prepared, and in control.
The start of a new year is a chance to pause, reset, and build financial habits that support the life you want. Whether your resolution is to save more, spend smarter, or reduce stress around money, the goals that stick are the ones built with intention and supported with the right tools. Keep reading to discover practical strategies for setting meaningful financial goals that stick by:
Reflect on the past year.
Before you set new goals, it’s helpful to look at where you’ve been. Download your transaction history or statements in Digital Banking and review your recent spending habits to determine a realistic starting point and choose resolutions that align with your daily life.Ask yourself:
- Which expenses made up most of my spending this year?
- What areas felt challenging?
- Did I save consistently, or only when it felt convenient?
- Was I living within, slightly above, or below my means?
This information can help you identify what worked and what didn't, to define your financial priorities for the coming year.
Choose meaningful goals.
Financial resolutions should feel meaningful, not obligatory. When setting your financial resolutions, it is good practice to state your goal and then why it is important to you. It might help even more to then prioritize the goals to help you focus on the ones that matter most. Your “why” might sound like:
- “I want to build a larger emergency fund so I can feel more financially secure.”
- “I want to save for a family trip so we can build memories together.”
- “I want to lower my credit card debt so I can improve my credit score.”
- “I want to be more intentional with my day-to-day spending, so I can build greater financial freedom.”
Turn big goals into actionable steps.
Big goals, like saving for a home or paying off debt, can feel overwhelming. Breaking them into realistic, measurable, and/or specific goals makes them feel more doable. You can set up a recurring bill pay or transfer to a savings account to help automate your goals. Example scenarios include:
- Break your yearly savings goal into manageable monthly or pay-period amounts by spreading the total across the months you plan to save.
- Choose a single debt or category to work on first, allowing you to put your energy into one clear target and build momentum.
Leverage tools to stay on track.
First Bank & Trust Digital Banking tools can help make your goals more manageable – and more achievable.Use Digital Banking to:
- Set up automatic transfers into savings.
- Set spending and transaction limits and/or alerts with debit card controls.
- Receive account alerts for low balances or large transactions.
- Simplify bill pay with scheduled payments.
- Build up your credit goals with My Credit Manager,* whether that’s preparing for your next large purchase or paying off debt.
- See all your accounts in one place – even those at other banks – so you can quickly and easily check any outstanding credit card or loan balances.
Check in on your goals regularly (monthly or quarterly) to track progress, celebrate wins, and adjust if needed. Remember to stay flexible and focused on your “why.”
Whether you’re building savings, tackling debt, or planning for big life moments, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
*Only available for consumer accounts.