6 Key Figures to Focus On in 2026

Whether you made new year resolutions to improve your finances or not, there are some useful areas to focus on that can improve your financial position in 2026. Following are six practical actions and focus points that can improve your financial life. Some will have small individual impact, with potential for a larger collective impact over time, and others are more central to ensuring you remain on track. Read through the list and see how many you can use to set you up in 2026.

Subscriptions

A useful starting point is to take the time to go through all the items in your bank statement and credit cards for the last 3 months. It is always good time to take stock of the services you are paying a subscription for and to check if there are any redundant services you no longer use. This is increasingly an issue and may be multiplied if you have subscriptions from different countries across multiple bank accounts. If you have a home country bank account you should check that as well. Individual subscriptions may only cost €10 to €20 per month each but if you are paying for 5 or 6 that can amount to almost €1,500 across a full year. That can be a useful contribution to a vacation or some other goal.

Payment Apps

Tools like Apple pay and Google Wallet are a great convenience and can make life easier. But there is a hidden risk. As you tap your phone to pay, many people admit they do not check the purchase amount. This can lead to two problems. One, you may be overcharged and either not realise if it is a smaller amount or leave you with a personal cash flow issue if it is a larger amount, not to mention the hassle of getting your money back.

The second issue is that because many people tap and pay without looking at the amount, we do not see when prices go up. That daily coffee you recall was €3.00 when you last paid cash for it, might now be €6.00! It is easy for vendors to increase their prices as they realise the public’s price sensitivity has fallen, because we are not looking at the cost.

The action: check the amount before you tap. You can then make informed decisions and track your spending and cost of living more accurately.

Bank Interest

We always advocate the importance of cash reserves; having an emergency fund that is liquid, accessible and in cash so it is not subject to market timing risk. However, you should also check your bank interest AND your bank fees. Some banks might offer a higher interest rate but also charge a higher monthly fee. While interest rates remain low in Europe it is important to make sure your cash in the bank is working hard and at least going some way to keep up with inflation.

Money in Other Currencies

Beware the exchange rate! Arbitrage is the term used in financial services to suggest if you work across systems, or countries, or currencies, you might be able to make money. In most cases it levels out and the expected advantage evaporates. For example, you might have been able to put your cash in a US certificate of deposit at 4% pa rather than at 2% in a term deposit in Europe. That is double the return. However if you moved Euro to USD to do that last year, you would have lost over 12% on the currency movement, so you are in fact 10% worse off. If you have money across currencies make sure it aligns with your financial plan. It can prudent risk mitigation, and may support future goals. But if it is short term or opportunistic it can realise a risk where the downside loss is greater than a potential return. If you are unsure you can always speak with us at Black Swan Capital and we can guide you on how currency management fits in with your financial plan.

Savings Rate

How much of your income are you saving each month? There are many variables that can impact your ability to save in the short term. If you are not saving you may not be growing wealth and therefore not getting closer to realising your goals. We recommend in our advice to clients how they can effectively and sustainably manage their cash flow so they can save regularly. It is the alignment of cash flow management, with investment management and in the context of your goals. If you haven’t been able to save, perhaps start by setting a goal. It might be a percentage or a set amount, No matter how small, it is worth starting.

Inflation

Inflation in Europe is back in its long term average range at 2-3% per annum. Low inflation is not no inflation and there are some global economic and geopolitical risks that could lead to inflation ticking up again. Be aware of inflation. You will see it in the supermarket as prices steadily increase. Even at a steady 3% per annum, the cost of living doubles in 24 years. If your finances- income, savings, investments- are not keeping up with inflation your real wealth is actually decreasing.

Goals

If you are keeping count this is actually number 7. That is because we believe defining clear goals and structuring your financial plan and money management around your targets are central. As you take time to review your bank and credit card statements, consider your money in different currencies, and reflect on your budget, it is the perfect time to revisit your goals. Think about what you want to achieve in 2026, in 5 years, 10 years ling term to when you aspire to stop working. By what age do you want to be truly financially independent? What else is important to you?

If you have done this before, review what you wrote in the past and see if they remain applicable or if your priorities and ambitions have changed. Your financial plan and the actions you take should reflect this.

Speak with us. We always check in regarding your goals at each review meeting because it is your goals that drive the decisions on where and how to manage your money and allow us to see if you are on track or if we need to make any changes.

Follow these steps at the start of the year, make a clear and good start to 2026 and speak with us so we can help you on your journey.