(InvestigateTV) — It’s easy to set lofty financial goals at the beginning of the year but now is the perfect time to check in with reality and see where you stand.
By fall, many people realize their budgets look different than what they envisioned in January. And with 2025 proving especially challenging for household finances, it can be difficult to stay motivated.
Kionnie Epps, a financial educator from the popular website and YouTube channel The Responsible Homegirl, said the key is not to give up, but to shift your mindset and refocus on what’s still possible.
“I don’t want anyone listening to me right now to accept defeat,” Epps said. “I know sometimes you can start off very strong in January and say, ‘I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that.’ We can have the plan’s outline. And then as the year progresses and we don’t see ourselves hitting those financial goals, or we see ourselves in a different place than what we thought of in January, we can become defeated, we can become discouraged and give up.”
To reset, she suggested a goals check-in:
- Write down how much money comes in every two weeks
- Review all financial statements to see where money is being spent each month
- Go over the numbers and get the full picture
“And then take a step back and think about what is one thing, just one – I know we want to do 60 million things before the year ends – but think about just one thing you want to accomplish before 2025 ends,” Epps encouraged. “And then the last thing I would recommend is you making a commitment to budget every single time you get paid.”
She said too many people treat budgeting as a one-time thing. Instead, she recommends reviewing your budget every pay day – a habit she calls “planning on pay day.”
This simple step helps people understand their finances better and stay on track to reach their financial goals.
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