You CAN stick to money resolutions, says our money psychotherapist

Every year I see clients who have made New Year resolutions, in their words, 'to be better' with money. Remember, the more energy the new system takes to keep up, the less likely you are to sustain it..UNREALISTIC SAVINGS TARGETS If you try to change too much, too soon, this might lead you to give up on your resolution because it feels too hard, whether you are trying to scale back expensive lifestyle creep, or aiming to organise your future by addressing your pension and other investments. Set gradual objectives that feel manageable instead of rushing into drastic solutions like cutting all non-essential expenses on day one or overly ambitious targets like wanting to sort your Isa, pension, and investments in the first few weeks. Failure fuels shame – which fuels inaction or a desire to give up, so making goals realistic is crucial..DOESN'T DEAL WITH UNDERLYING PROBLEM Even the best budgeting app won't stop you from overspending if you tend to use 'retail therapy' to deal with anxiety or boredom, loneliness or sadness.