10 expert tips to change your relationship with money in 2025

With the end of 2024 just around the corner, you may be reflecting on your financial goals for 2025.

Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or paying off your student credit, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate at Credit Karma.

“The start of a new year does not erase all of our financial challenges from the previous year,” Alev noted. “But it can really help you adopt a fresh-start mentality in the way you manage your finances.”

If you plan to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024.

Then, set specific goals and make sure they are achievable based on your lifestyle. Here are some expert tips:

Change your relationship with moneyThink about how you currently deal with finances: what is good, what is bad, and what can be improved.

“Let this be the year you change your relationship with money,” said Ashley Lapato, personal finance educator at YNAB, a budgeting app.

If you feel like money is a chore, that the topic of money is embarrassing, or like you were born “bad with money,” it’s time to change that mindset, Lapato said.

To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing monetary goals as an opportunity to imagine the lifestyle you want in the future.

He recommends asking questions like, “How do I see myself at 30?” “How do I look at 40?” and use money as a means to get there.

Liz Young Thomas, Head of Investment Strategy at SoFi, added that it is key to forgive yourself for past mistakes to start the new year with motivation.

Know your “why” When setting your 2025 financial resolutions, it’s important to determine the “why” for each one, said Matt Watson, CEO of Origin, a financial tracking app.

“If you can link the financial goal to the larger life goal, you will be much more motivated and more likely to continue on that path,” Watson said.

Whether you’re saving to buy a house, pay off credit card debt, or take a summer vacation, being clear about your goal can keep you motivated.

Watson also recommends using a tool to help you track your finances, such as an app, spreadsheet, or website.

Budget, budget, budget“After three years of inflation, your pay raises are probably still trying to catch up with your monthly expenses, making you wonder where all the money is going,” said Greg McBride, an analyst. Bankrate’s chief financial officer.

“Make that monthly budget for 2025 and aim to adjust your spending to it throughout the year.” McBride said you may need to make adjustments throughout the year as certain expenses increase, which would require cutting back in other areas.

“Adjust your spending to your income, and any month you spend less than budgeted, transfer the difference to your savings account—ideally, a high-yield savings account,” he said.