6 fast ways to simplify your finances in 2026

By Tommy Tindall, NerdWallet

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Managing money doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming.

Still, about a third of Americans (32%) feel anxious about their finances going into 2026, according to a new NerdWallet survey.

You got this. If you focus on the little things and do them consistently, you’ll feel great about your financial life, says Lisa Eaton, accredited financial counselor and founder of Firm Footing Financial Planning in Seattle.

We’ll make it easier and give you six ideas to help you think less about money in 2026, in 10 minutes or less.

1. Automate your fixed expenses

The problem with adulting is there are too many decisions to make in a day. Alleviate many of those about money by automating the no-brainer expenses.

You might already have your mortgage or rent come out automatically, but what else can you set and forget?

Eaton says automate as many fixed expenses as you can to save time, thought and reduce the risk of being late. Water, electricity, trash, cable and phone are all bills better paid on autopilot. The next time you sit down to pay these, select the automatic payment option.

Use your bank’s “bill pay” feature to keep them all in one place.

2. Automate your savings, too

What about the bill to yourself? You won’t miss it if you make adding to your savings automatic.

“This takes about 10 minutes, to set up a weekly or monthly transfer from checking to savings,” Robert Finley, a certified financial planner in Chicago, said in an email interview.

The same NerdWallet study found that 46% of Americans want to save money for emergencies in 2026. Start with whatever you can spare. Make it $20, $50, $75 or whatever jibes with your budget right now.

“Even small, consistent amounts add up, and once it’s automated, it’s completely hands off,” Finley said.

3. Consider a HYSA

As you build up your nest egg, a high-yield savings account is a good place to park some of your money. The best HYSAs usually offer an interest rate higher than traditional savings accounts.

Find an institution you like and feel comfortable with, and consider opening an account. A balance of $10,000 could net you an extra $400 per year at an annual percentage yield of 4%, for example.

4. Investigate index funds

If you have money you’d like to invest, you can keep fees down and your approach simple, says Eaton.

“My baseline advice on investing is most people do really well with low-cost index funds,” she says.

Index funds mirror the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500. When you invest in index funds, you’re putting money into many companies, instead of buying stock in just one.

To get started, Eaton suggests opening a brokerage account if you don’t have one.

“Pick your first index fund and automate $10 a month from now until whenever.”

5. Sever a subscription. Or two.

All that paying yourself first may mean you need to find room in your budget.

Are the Bluey episodes your kids have watched 16 times on Disney+ still worth the monthly price? Can you cancel Peacock, Paramount+ or Fox One after you’re done watching football?

Eliminating one unused subscription is a good way to get an easy win, said Finley.

“Review your credit card statement and identify one that’s no longer adding value,” he said. Then, cancel it.

Try it for a couple months to see if you miss what you’re missing. If it feels good, cut your subs down to just one for music and another for TV.

Eaton reminds us that these services “are designed to be flexible.”

It’s not like walking out on the team in the middle of the season.

“They’ll take you back.”

One hot take to delete? DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, whatever app you use to order food. Not technically a subscription, but when a lunchtime delivery costs more than a month of Netflix Premium … maybe it’s time to make changes. Consider just deleting the app from your phone.

6. Post a thing on Facebook Marketplace

Another 10-minute task: Find a few things around the house to sell, snap some photos and create listings on Facebook Marketplace. Has your Peloton bike mostly become a place to drape stuff? Are you over the antique armoire collecting dust in the corner? Post it for sale and see what happens.

It’s quick to list, but can take a while to sell on Facebook. But when it goes, you’ll be happy to have it out and the few extra bucks in your Venmo account. We bet you’ll also get the bug to sell more stuff.

Keep it real

You don’t have to go big or go home in 2026. Finley’s advice is to set one or two simple, but strategic, goals over the next 12 months.

Actionable examples:

• Think about starting a 529 plan for your child and setting up monthly automatic transfers.
• Set a goal to cut fun money spending without sacrificing all the fun. For example, instead of budgeting $100 for movies out, stream a relatively new hit at home with a few theater-style snacks.
• Take 10 minutes to explore increasing your 401(k) contribution or opening an individual retirement account. The sooner you start, the more you could have when you retire.

The goals you set clarify your priorities, said Finley. With a plan in place, even a simple short-term goal, it’ll make it easier to keep doing the little things right.

Tommy Tindall writes for NerdWallet. Email: ttindall@nerdwallet.com.

The article 6 Fast Ways to Simplify Your Finances in 2026 originally appeared on NerdWallet.