Hoping to improve your finances in 2026? Maybe there’s something specific you’re working towards, or maybe you’re just fed up of feeling skint before payday every month (it happens). Maybe you’re looking to save for a house deposit or a holiday, or perhaps you’re keen to finally get out of debt. You might just want to make life a little easier by having more expendable income and not running out of money before every payday. For most of us it’s not even one big goal, it’s more just wanting things to feel a bit less tight all the time. Either way, there are things you can do which will help you make the best use of the budget you have, and then add some to it too.
Reduce your bills
Staying loyal to the companies you pay your bills to actually costs you, rather than saves you money. A lot of providers rely on you doing nothing and rolling over, which usually means you end up paying more than you need to. Things like your internet, phone contract, insurances and other policies should all be changed at the end of the contract so you’re able to make use of new customer deals. Spend a free morning if you can just running some quotes through price comparison sites, see where you can get better deals and save yourself some money. It will all add up over the course of the year and is extra money in your pocket. That extra money can go towards debt, savings or just making day to day life a bit easier.
Put together a new budget
Once your bills have been reduced, consider changing up your budget. This isn’t something you should set once and then forget about, it needs revisiting as life changes. This is something worth looking at at least once a year, as things can change in life and you need to prioritise the way your funds are spent. See where your money is going currently and if things need to change, if you’re overspending in one area then make an effort to cut this back. You dont need to be perfect with it, it’s just about spotting where money is slipping away. Groceries are one place that many families spend too much– some simple meal planning and shopping to a list are easy ways to get this down. See if you can reduce fuel costs by walking more, or cut back on things like subscriptions like Netflix if you’re not using them that often.
Create new streams of income
Along with saving money and spending what you have wisely, to make a significant difference to your finances it’s important to make more money too. Sometimes there’s only so much you can cut back before earning a bit extra makes more sense. You could pick up more shifts at work or look into getting another job. You could freelance or start a blog. There are lots of ways you can earn extra money, and anything you do get on the side can be saved, used for debt or spent wisely. Thanks to ai and good softwares like accounting and invoicing software it’s quicker and more efficient being able to do this these days. Even a small amount of extra cash can make a noticeable difference over time. Not only does it mean more money but you could build additional skills and have fun with it as well. If you’re lucky, your side hustle might be a success and become something that you can do full time.
