Why Fall Is Perfect for Reevaluating Financial Goals
There’s something about fall that makes you pause. The air shifts, the leaves turn, and the buzz of summer fades into routine. Farmers know this season well: it’s harvest time—a chance to reap what they planted months ago, assess what grew, and prepare the soil for next season.
Guess what? Your money works the same way.
Summer is when we let loose—trips, kids’ activities, backyard BBQs, impulse Amazon runs. By fall, reality settles in: the year is almost over, and the holidays (with their spending chaos) are knocking at the door. That makes fall the perfect time to pause, review, and reset your financial goals before the year closes.
Let’s walk through why fall matters so much and how to use it as a financial harvest season—collecting what worked, clearing out what didn’t, and planting seeds for wealth in the year ahead.
1. Harvest: Assess What You’ve Grown This Year
Farmers don’t guess at harvest time—they measure. The same goes for your finances.
Action Steps:
Review your 2025 goals. Did you hit your savings target? Pay down debt? Max out your Roth or 401(k)?
Pull up your statements. Look at your last 9 months of bank and credit card activity. Where did your money really go?
Celebrate small wins. Maybe you didn’t hit your $10K savings goal, but you saved $6K. That’s progress worth recognizing.
Resource: Use Mint or YNAB (You Need a Budget) to pull year-to-date reports on spending and saving.
2. Clear the Fields: Eliminate the Weeds
Before farmers plant again, they clear the fields. Weeds, waste, and pests get tossed. For you, the “weeds” are money drains that choke out your growth.
Action Steps:
Cancel unused subscriptions (streaming, apps, gyms).
Renegotiate bills—call your internet or insurance provider.
Audit recurring expenses—are they still serving you?
Resource: Try Rocket Money (formerly Truebill) to flag unused subscriptions and negotiate bills on your behalf.
3. Plant New Seeds: Prep for Next Year’s Harvest
Fall isn’t just about harvesting—it’s also planting cover crops, preparing soil, and setting up for spring. That’s how you should treat your financial planning.
Action Steps:
Max out retirement contributions before Dec. 31 (401k) or April 15 (IRAs).
Fund your HSA or FSA before the year closes.
Set one “seed goal” for 2026. Example: Build a $1,000 emergency fund, pay off one credit card, or save for a trip in cash.
Resource: IRS contribution limits for retirement accounts: IRS.gov.
4. Protect the Harvest: Guard Against Loss
Farmers build silos to protect their crops. You need systems to protect your money.
Action Steps:
Review insurance coverage. Life, health, auto, home—do your policies still fit your needs?
Check your beneficiaries. Make sure retirement accounts and insurance policies are up to date.
Build your emergency fund. If a storm hits (job loss, medical bill), this is your safety net.
Resource: Use Bankrate’s Insurance Calculator to estimate coverage needs.
5. Plan for Winter: Anticipate What’s Coming
Winter is lean—farmers know it, and so should you. The holidays, heating bills, and year-end expenses can wreck your budget if you’re not prepared.
Action Steps:
Create a holiday budget now. Decide how much you’ll spend on gifts, travel, and food—and stick to it.
Build a winter utility fund to cover heating spikes.
Set aside extra for year-end expenses (property taxes, insurance premiums, etc.).
Resource: The 52-Week Money Challenge worksheet (free online) helps build savings week by week—even with small amounts.
6. Rotate Crops: Diversify Your Money
Farmers don’t plant the same crop year after year—it depletes the soil. The same is true for wealth building: too much in one place leaves you vulnerable.
Action Steps:
Check your investment diversification. Are you too heavy in one stock or sector?
Add exposure to other asset classes (bonds, index funds, real estate).
Rebalance your portfolio to match your risk tolerance.
Resource: Use Morningstar’s Portfolio X-Ray tool to check diversification.
7. Share the Harvest: Align Money With Values
The best farmers know it’s not just about yield—it’s about community. The same applies to your wealth.
Action Steps:
Review your charitable giving. Can you donate money, time, or resources this season?
Talk to your kids about money—share wins, losses, and lessons.
Align spending with your values: Are you funding what matters to you—or just what advertisers tell you?
Resource: Use Charity Navigator to evaluate nonprofits before donating.
Pulling It Together: Fall Is Your Reset Button
Fall is a season of reflection and preparation. It’s a chance to gather the results of what you’ve done so far, cut out what no longer serves you, and plant seeds for the future. The question is: are you going to let this season pass, or are you going to use it to set yourself up for real financial growth?
Resources Recap
Mint / YNAB – Track and analyze spending.
Rocket Money – Cancel and renegotiate recurring expenses.
IRS.gov – Retirement contribution limits.
Bankrate – Insurance calculators.
52-Week Money Challenge – Build savings slowly.
Morningstar Portfolio X-Ray – Diversification check.
Charity Navigator – Vet nonprofits.
Your Financial Harvest Starts Here
Here’s the truth: fall is when the serious planners get ahead. Everyone else waits until January and plays catch-up. Don’t wait.
Book a Black Mammoth Power Hour today, and let’s walk through your goals, your money leaks, and your plan for the year ahead. We’ll clear the weeds, protect your harvest, and plant the seeds that matter most to your future.