Financial Resolutions Boston Globe Feature Article

Finances for Feminists was featured in The Boston Globe. Here is the link to the direct article published on January 1, 2026. I have also included an excerpt of the article below.

Here’s what eight Mass. financial experts say you should put on your New Year’s resolutions list

By Dana Gerber Globe Staff,Updated January 1, 2026, 6:00 a.m.

Every year, like clockwork, “Auld Lang Syne” stops and the New Year’s resolutions begin. And in 2026, with affordability concerns looming large, many Americans are setting out to improve their finances.

According to an annual survey by Boston-based financial services firm Fidelity Investments, 64 percent of respondents said they were mulling a financial resolution for 2026, compared to 56 percent who said they had one during 2025. As was the case last year, saving more, spending less, and paying down debt were all top goals, and strengthening an emergency fund and creating or abiding by a budget were also popular aspirations. Meanwhile, “rising everyday prices” was the top financial concern for 2026, the survey found.

With cost-of-living concerns showing no signs of going away, the Globe asked Massachusetts financial experts for specific resolutions they would recommend budget-minded people put on their list for 2026. Here’s what eight of them said.

Some responses have been edited for brevity or clarity.

Schedule ‘money dates’

The New Year is a natural moment to reset and channel fresh-start energy into habits that actually stick. In the same way you wouldn’t go to the gym once and expect lifelong results, working on your financial wellness requires regular check-ins. For your New Year’s resolution list, I recommend scheduling a recurring money date. Make it inviting by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and/or putting on a fun playlist. Try setting a timer for whatever feels manageable; anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Use this dedicated time to check in on your spending, savings goals, upcoming expenses, and whether there are places you can automate bill payments or fund transfers (automation reduces decision fatigue and makes follow-through easier). This practice isn’t about doing everything at once; it’s about tackling the next thing, then reassessing, pivoting, and adjusting as the year unfolds. End each session by naming one win, big or small, because noticing progress builds confidence. Then schedule the next money date, whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Like working out, consistency matters most, and it will feel easier each time. — Ariel Nathanson, certified financial education instructor and founder of Finances for Feminists

For the full article see The Boston Globe link here.