SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — With Christmas days away and the new year right around the corner, many families are already thinking ahead to their financial goals.
Financial expert Jenny Groberg says a few intentional moves now can help set the tone for a calmer, more confident year ahead.
Groberg says the end of the year is an ideal time to pause and take stock, especially before holiday spending rolls into a new calendar year.
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With Christmas days away and the new year right around the corner, many families are already thinking ahead to their financial goals. Financial expert Jenny Groberg says a few intentional moves now can help set the tone for a calmer, more confident year ahead. (KUTV)
While many people wait until January to focus on financial resolutions, she says small adjustments made now can have a meaningful impact later.
With year-end expenses and holiday costs in full swing, financial stress can feel unavoidable.
Groberg says the goal isn’t perfection, but awareness and intention — understanding where money is going and making deliberate choices before the calendar flips.
FILE – In this June 15, 2018, file photo, cash is fanned out from a wallet in North Andover, Mass. A personal loan can be a good option when you need money, but it typically requires strong credit and high income to qualify. What if you don’t meet the requirements for a personal loan? Consider several alternative ways to get money, such as family loans and cash advances. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
As families juggle holiday expenses and look ahead to new year goals, Groberg encourages households to evaluate financial habits that often go overlooked. She notes that many financial challenges come down to planning, not income alone.
From understanding monthly cash flow to planning ahead for taxes and charitable giving, Groberg shared five practical financial tips designed to help households start the new year with clarity and confidence.
1. Focus on cash flow, not just income
It’s easy to assume a higher income automatically means financial stability, but Groberg says what really matters is how much money is left after monthly bills and expenses. Even high-earning households can feel stuck living paycheck to paycheck without a clear picture of their cash flow.
“I had a client reach out to me and he’s sitting on four rental properties, he’s taken out a home equity line of credit, and he’s asking me, ‘Should I cash out my 401K to pay for a line of credit,” Groberg says. “I can see a lot of households feeling this pinch because expenses are going up.”
Understanding what comes in and what goes out each month lays the groundwork for financial peace.
“Don’t make it even worse by going out and getting a car loan or putting extra on your credit card for Christmas,” she says. “You’ve got to be really careful and you’ve got to make sure that your cash flow stays intact.”
2. Save first instead of saving what’s left
Groberg recommends flipping the usual approach to saving. Rather than waiting to see what’s left over, she suggests setting savings up automatically. That includes building emergency savings, contributing to retirement accounts, and planning charitable giving. Automating savings removes guesswork and helps ensure long-term goals don’t get pushed aside.
“Saving should happen automatically – it cannot be based on will power, because we all know at the end of the month there will be nothing left,” she says. “That’s just how it goes.”
3. Give with intention
Charitable giving works best when it’s planned, not rushed at the last minute. Groberg says intentional giving removes guilt, aligns money with personal values, and makes it easier to track donations for tax purposes. Planning generosity ahead of time also creates consistency and can bring more meaning and joy to giving.
4. Know your numbers — even if they’re uncomfortable
Avoiding bank statements or credit card balances can actually increase stress. A simple monthly financial check-in helps catch overspending early, identify forgotten subscriptions, and prevent debt from quietly growing. Groberg says awareness creates control, and control builds confidence.
5. Be proactive about taxes and year-end planning
Groberg warns against assuming someone else is catching every financial detail. She encourages families to double-check retirement contribution limits, charitable donation totals, and tax withholding or estimated payments. Small adjustments before year-end can help avoid costly surprises when tax season arrives.
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