Financial goals for the new year: ii experts share theirs

With 2024 coming to a close, and a new year on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your savings and investments and assess whether your money is working hard enough for you. 

Last year, more than two-thirds (68%) of UK adults planned to set a new year’s resolution[1], but most of these people (57%) had given up on their resolutions by the end of February. Separately, 15% of Britons said they managed to stick to resolutions they made all year[2].

In 2025, it seems that many are putting financial fitness first, with a recent YouGov poll revealing that saving money is the most popular resolution for the new year (21%)3. It was closely followed by getting fit or exercising more (17%) and losing weight (16%).

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If you’re looking for inspiration when setting financial resolutions this year, interactive investor, the UK’s second-largest platform for private investors, outlines the financial goals and resolutions of its market-leading experts to give you some ideas of what you could prioritise with your finances. 

Kyle Caldwell, funds and investment education editor at interactive investor, says: “We’re keen to focus on Junior ISA contributions for our two children where we can. A Junior ISA is a great product to set up for children as it’s a real investment into your child’s future and you can start small, or pay in when you can.

“In 2025, we’re aiming to up what we put into the Junior ISAs. As our children are young, we invest adventurously in emerging markets and global smaller companies in an attempt to try and maximise long-term growth given they both have long-term horizons, as they cannot take money out of the Junior ISA until age 18.”

Myron Jobson, senior personal finance analyst, interactive investor, adds: “After buying a property at the start of the year, I’ve endeavoured to replenish my savings and investments and focus on wealth generation. Next year, I aim to take this a step further by boosting my pension contributions. 

“For those who can afford it, increasing pension savings can be a highly effective financial move. For example, a higher-rate taxpayer contributing £10,000 to their pension could benefit from as much as £4,000 in tax relief, effectively only costing £6,000 out of pocket. 

“Over time, these bumper contributions and the magic of compound growth could mean a significantly larger pot to support your future self in retirement. Pensions aren’t just about saving for later — they’re one of the most tax-efficient ways to build long-term wealth.”

Sam Benstead, fixed income lead, interactive investor, says:“My goal is to stick with the same monthly investment amount in my ISA for the next 12 months – and invest it the same way every time. 

“I found that this year some months I decided commit more to the market, while in others I decided to stop or reduce my regular investment. I also regularly rejigged where I was putting the money depending on what I thought the best opportunities were. So, 2025 is going to be about ‘set and forget’ – committing an equal amount in the same way each month without tinkering with anything.”

Camilla Esmund, senior manager, interactive investor, adds: “A big financial goal for me in 2025 is to spice up my investments! I am young, with plenty of time for my investments to grow, so I think I need to be a bit more adventurous with some of my fund picks. 

“Diversification over the long-term is key for any investment strategy, so as well as my ‘core’ holdings, I’d like to add a few more funds to my portfolio as ‘satellite’ holdings. Whether that’s looking at some emerging market funds or perhaps some sector specialist funds, I’ll be doing lots of research and finding a few that suit me and my investment goals.”

Craig Rickman, personal finance editor, interactive investor, says: “At the start of every year, I like to revisit my short, medium, and long-term financial goals to check if anything’s changed and to make sure they’re all on track. 

“As I’m now firmly in the midlife bracket, this task requires some extra focus, especially when planning for retirement. While I aim to work for at least another 25 years, I’m acutely aware that the money I save now will enjoy the greatest benefit from compound returns and consequently make the biggest difference to my lifestyle in old age.”

[1] Censuswide, December 2023

[2] Sunlife, December 2023

[3] YouGov, December 2024