🧹 Ready to Clean Up Your Finances Before 2026?
Before you make big goals for 2026, you need to pause and look back at 2025. Not with guilt or regret — but with curiosity.
Because what your money did this year tells you everything you need to know to plan your next steps.
So if you’ve been wondering:
- “Where did all my money go?”
- “Did I actually make progress with my debt?”
- “Why does budgeting still feel so hard?”
This is for you. Here’s how to do a year-end financial review, Budget Besties–style — so you walk into 2026 clear, calm, and confident.
An annual review gives you a full picture: what worked, where money leaked out, how much debt you actually paid off, and how close you really got to your savings goals.
- According to financial‑planning experts, a regular financial review helps you “assess your current standing, plan for possible obstacles, and spot opportunities” for savings or investments. Ameriprise Financial+2Guardian Life+2
- It’s like your money’s version of a yearly physical — it helps you catch small issues before they turn into big ones. Guardian Life+1
✨ Step 1: Review Your Monthly Budgets (All 12 of Them)
Grab your Simplified Budget System (or whatever tool you used this year), and scroll through each month from January to now.
Ask yourself:
- What changed over time? (Spending, income, habits, stress levels?)
- Where did I overspend regularly? Where did I improve?
- Were there patterns — like “I always spend more in September” or “Every third month I forget this bill”?
📌 Pro Tip: Don’t judge it. Just observe it. This is not about shame. This is about data.
💸 Step 2: Look at Your Debt Progress (Even If It’s Just Minimums)
Pull out your debt tracker or statements, and record:
- What your balances were in January
- What your balances are now
- How much total you paid this year (including interest)
- Whether your monthly minimum payments have changed
Celebrate even the “small” wins:
- Made every minimum payment? That counts.
- Lowered a balance? That counts.
- Had a conversation with a creditor to reduce interest? That counts.
➡️ Remember: Progress isn’t just the number. It’s the momentum you created.
🪙 Step 3: Assess Your Savings Buckets
Now it’s time to look at your life money — the money you saved for:
- Vacations
- Sports fees
- Emergencies
- Christmas
- Random kid things that Target surprised you with
Ask:
- What did I intend to save this year?
- What did I actually save?
- What did I use that savings for — and was it worth it?
👀 You might notice that “overflowing Amazon cart” months line up with “forgot to plan” months. That’s insight–use it for next year!
📊 Step 4: Update Your Asset Tracker (See the Big Picture)
List out:
- All your accounts
- Balances (checking, savings, investments, etc.)
- Any increase in net worth
Even if the numbers don’t “wow” you, seeing them all in one place builds awareness — and that’s half the battle with money.
🧾 Step 5: Prep for Taxes, Credit Reports, and Clean-Up
Before the calendar flips:
- Collect and label any tax documents you already have
- Check your credit at annualcreditreport.com
- Re-quote your insurance if rates seem high
- Cancel subscriptions you forgot about
📌 This part doesn’t have to take hours — but it will save future-you a headache.
🍼 Step 6: Factor In Life Events and Changes
Money doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it follows your life.
So ask:
- Did we move, change jobs, grow our family, or go through a big medical thing?
- How did that affect our money this year?
- What’s coming in 2026 that I want to be prepared for?
This helps you make a realistic plan instead of one that gets derailed by life in February.
💛 Step 7: Reflect, Celebrate, and Give Credit Where It’s Due
This might be the most important part.
- What did your money do for you this year?
- What did you learn about yourself?
- What financial decision are you proud of — even if it’s just “I didn’t ignore it completely”?
Take a moment to thank yourself for showing up. For trying. For growing. Because you did.
BONUS: Want Help Doing This? We’re Offering a One-Time Session 🎉
If you’ve bought the Simplified Budget System, we’re offering a special, one-time-only session to help you do your annual review (and plan for 2026).
This is something we normally only do with private coaching clients — but we’re opening up spots just this once.
🗓 Book your session here: budgetbesties.com/annualplanning
📋 And grab your free Year-End Review checklist here: budgetbesties.com/yearinreview
The Bottom Line:
Doing a year-end financial review helps you stop guessing and start planning. You can look at your numbers — your real numbers — and say:
“Okay. Now I know. Now I can decide. And now I can move forward.”
2026 is coming — but let’s finish 2025 with clarity, peace, and maybe even a little sparkle. ✨