3 Biggest Money Regrets of 2025 To Avoid in 2026

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A recent survey by Intuit Credit Karma revealed Americans’ top three money regrets in 2025. Based on everything that went on economically last year, from inflation to tariffs, the top regrets won’t surprise you.

If any of the answers resonate with you, don’t worry. Heading into 2026, you can work on getting rid of bad habits and create a plan to help reach your financial goals in the new year. 

Not Saving Enough: 38%

By far, the most common answer about financial regrets in 2025 was not saving enough money. It’s no surprise. With essentials like housing and groceries getting more and more expensive, people’s budgets are squeezed. You need to have extra room in your budget to set money aside for savings.

Around 19% of Americans have no savings at all, while the majority have less than $500 in a savings account, as reported in a 2025 GOBankingRates survey. Not having significant savings — ideally, three to six months’ worth of essential expenses as an emergency fund — leaves you vulnerable. If an expense like a car repair or medical bill pops up unexpectedly and you don’t have savings to cover it, you could be forced to take on high-interest debt. 

Review your income and monthly expenses. If your goal is to increase your savings in 2026, try to find ways to either increase your income or decrease your spending, even if only by a little bit. For example, maybe you could sell some things you no longer need around the house and put those earnings toward your savings. 

Emotional or Impulse Spending: 28% 

Impulse spending often goes hand in hand with not saving as much as you want to. You see something and buy it without considering whether you need it or if it fits into your budget. It’s normal. Nearly 90% of shoppers have made impulse purchases. The average consumer spends $282 monthly on these purchases — well over $3,000 per year. 

If you’ve noticed yourself making impulse or emotional purchases, you can work on this habit to gain better control of your finances. One tip is to wait at least 24 hours before buying any nonessentials. For example, if you see something online that you might want to buy, just add it to your cart for now. After at least a day, ask yourself if it’s worth buying. You may forget about it or realize the item isn’t as appealing as you thought. 

Also, try to avoid shopping, especially online shopping, while you’re upset. Buying something feels good in the moment, but other sources of comfort are often more long-lasting and less damaging to your financial goals. 

Too Much Credit Card Debt: 21%

Credit card debt is often a major obstacle when you’re trying to save and invest to grow your wealth. On average, people with credit card debt owe $6,735, which can take years to pay off, especially when only making the minimum payments. 

High credit card interest rates make this debt incredibly expensive. The average interest rate on a new credit card is 23.79%, and that adds up quickly. On the average credit card debt of $6,735, that would mean over $1,602 in interest fees alone each month. The sooner you can pay off or at least reduce your credit card debt, the better off your finances. 

Put any extra money you can toward paying off your credit cards and make a plan for eliminating that debt entirely. Strategies like the debt snowball or debt avalanche methods help you create a plan of attack on which debt accounts to tackle first. 

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