Review Your 2025 Financial Reality

Break your money year into four simple categories:

Spending

• Did your expenses increase or decrease?

• Which categories took the most money?

• Where did you save unintentionally (good habits)?

Saving & Investing

• Did you save at all this year?

• Did your investments grow?

• Did you contribute to TFSA, RRSP, or FHSA or your tax-efficient investment vehicle?

Debt & Credit

• Is your debt higher or lower than January?

• Any missed or late payments?

• Did your credit score move up or down?

Income

• Did your income grow in 2025?

• Did you add a second income stream?

• Did your expenses outpace your income?

This creates a honest snapshot of your financial year — goals or not.

Identify Three Money Wins From 2025

Even if 2025 felt rough, you had wins. Examples:

• Paid down debt

• Improved your credit score

• Started investing

• Built up an emergency fund

• Cut unnecessary expenses

Remember: wins build momentum.

Identify Three Money Leaks From 2025

These are areas that quietly drained your money:

• High-interest credit card debt

• Subscription creep

• Impulse purchases

• Inconsistent saving

• Paying bills late

Money leaks turn into money lessons when acknowledged.

Set Three Clear Financial Goals for 2026 (3–3–3 Rule)

Set goals in three tiers:

Short-Term Goal (Jan–Mar)

Example: Create a realistic monthly budget.

Medium-Term Goal (Apr–Sep)

Example: Build a $1,200 emergency fund.

Long-Term Goal (Full Year)

Example: Start a monthly automatic investment into TFSA/RRSP.

Simple goals → real progress.

Speak With a Licensed Financial Advisor Before January

If 2025 wasn’t your strongest year, don’t repeat the same pattern.

A licensed financial advisor can help you:

• Build a plan based on your income

• Choose the right investment accounts

• Avoid tax inefficiencies

• Build long-term financial habits

• Start 2026 with clarity, not confusion

Different actions = different results.

Start 2026 With Systems, Not Motivation

Motivation fades by mid-January. Systems last all year.

Automatic Savings

Set it and forget it.

Automatic Investing

Monthly contributions into TFSA/RRSP/FHSA or any other tax-efficient investments in your place of residence.

Automatic Bill Payments

Avoid late fees and protect your credit.

Systems build wealth on autopilot.

Track Just ONE Number in 2026

Track one of these:

• Total savings

• Total invested

• Total debt

• Credit score

Tracking too many numbers leads to burnout.
Tracking one number leads to progress.

Create Quarterly Checkpoints

Review your finances every:

• March

• June

• September

• December

Quarterly reviews prevent drifting.

Start 2026 Differently — and See Different Results

Your financial life changes the moment you introduce clarity, structure, and consistency.

If you want a simple, practical, newcomer-friendly guide to Canada’s financial system:

👉 📘 Starting Right: A Newcomer’s Guide to Canada’s Financial System
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0G2XHD1ZF

This book breaks down banking, saving, investing, taxes, credit, RRSPs, TFSAs, FHSAs, and more — in language everyone can understand.

Follow on Twitter/X and Instagram: @startrightcan