10 TIPS FROM EXPERTS TO HELP YOU CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY IN 2025

Now that 2025 is here, you might be reflecting on your financial goals for the year.

Whether you're saving to move out of your parents' house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated, said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for Credit Karma.

“Entering a new year doesn't erase all our financial challenges from the prior year,” Alev said. “But it can really help to bring a fresh-start mentality to how you're managing your finances.” If you're planning 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're attainable for your lifestyle.

Here are some tips from experts:

CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY

Think about how you currently deal with finances — what's good, what's bad, and what can improve.

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

If you feel like money is a chore, that there's shame surrounding the topic of money, or like you were born being “bad at money,” it's time to change that mentality, Lapato said.

To adjust your approach, Lapato recommends viewing money goals as an opportunity to imagine your desired lifestyle in the future. She recommends asking questions like, “What do my 30s look like? What do my 40s look like?” and using money as a means to get there.

Liz Young Thomas, head of SoFi Investment Strategy, added that it's key you forgive yourself for past mistakes in order to move into the new year with motivation.

KNOW YOUR “WHY”

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

“If you can attach the financial goal to a bigger life goal, it’s much more motivating and more likely you’ll continue on that path,” Watson said.