Key Takeaways
\nImpulse spending and social pressure can drain your finances, but small changes\u2014like making it harder to online shop and setting clear boundaries with loved ones\u2014can help you stay on track.It\u2019s never too late to kick-start retirement savings: take advantage of employer 401(k) match and increase your contributions after you receive raises.<\/p>\n
Last year, did you splurge on a pair of shoes you couldn’t afford or fail to open an IRA even though you told yourself you would? If so, you’re not alone.\n<\/p>\n
A Credit Karma survey of more than 1,000 Americans found that the top financial regrets for 2025 were not saving enough money<\/a> (38%), making impulse purchases<\/a> (28%), not saving for retirement<\/a> (14%), and overspending due to pressure from a romantic partner or friends (14%).\n<\/p>\n Here’s what you can do to avoid some of these common money regrets.\n<\/p>\n Avoiding Impulse Purchases Based On Emotion <\/p>\n Many of us have found ourselves shopping out of boredom or stress\u2014buying new clothes or other things we don’t need to cope with a tough day or stave off monotony. While it might work temporarily, it can do real damage to your finances if you’re not careful.\n<\/p>\n Kelly Reddy-Heffner, a certified financial therapist and owner of Steel City Wealth Collaborative, suggests that people put some “friction” in the shopping process to make it harder to buy things.\n<\/p>\n What This Means For You<\/p>\n Last year’s financial regrets don’t have to plague you this year, too. Find activities that go beyond shopping, propose more affordable social plans with your loved ones, and check the details of your workplace retirement plan<\/a> to make sure you’re not missing out on free money.<\/p>\n This could mean not saving your payment info online or limiting yourself to in-person purchases only.\n<\/p>\n Reddy-Heffner also recommends building a go-to list of free mood boosters to reach for before resorting to your credit card.\n<\/p>\n “What’s an alternative to get that feeling of a dopamine rush?” Reddy-Heffner said.\n<\/p>\n Tackling Overspending Due to Social Pressures <\/p>\n Maintaining friendships and relationships can involve spending a lot of money, whether it’s going on a cabin trip with your college buddies or having a date night with your partner.\n<\/p>\n But you don’t have to torch your budget to maintain a social life.\n<\/p>\n If you find yourself in a social situation where you’ll need to spend money you don’t have, Reddy-Heffner suggests that you come up with an alternative and be honest about how much you can spend.\n<\/p>\n “If it’s someone [you know] casually, you could be succinct, ‘Hey, I’m not available to do that, but I could do this on whatever date’,” Reddy-Heffner said. “As the relationship becomes more substantial, hopefully, it becomes more comfortable to have those conversations.”<\/p>\n With a romantic partner, she emphasized the importance of being fully transparent.\n<\/p>\n “It is an act of bravery to have these conversations, but the more you have them, it helps cut down on friction in the long term,” Reddy-Heffner said.<\/p>\n Kick-Start Your Retirement Saving <\/p>\n