JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Even as prices climb, many Americans are entering 2026 feeling more confident about their finances, a NerdWallet survey found.
The study shows 63 percent of Americans expect 2026 to be financially better than 2025, and that optimism comes with an appetite for big moves: nearly 57 percent, or three in five Americans, say they plan at least one risky financial step this year, from investing in cryptocurrency and starting a business to buying a home.
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Experts say confidence should be paired with careful money management.
“People feel confident going into 2026 because there’s a lot more out there than there was in 2025,” Keith Manze, senior community relations specialist at First Florida Credit Union, said.
He emphasized that credit scores matter for major purchases such as homes and cars and urged people to make payments on time.
“The number-one thing I say to build your credit that I tell from young people to old people: make your payments on time,” Manze said.
On the other side of the optimism, the study found 51 percent of Americans expect consumer prices for goods and services to get worse this year. That makes budgeting important, Manze said, including tracking subscriptions, rent and groceries so people can see what is helping or hurting their finances.
He also said credit cards can be useful but should be managed carefully: if you cannot keep track of multiple due dates, automation can help.
“You have too many credit cards. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re sitting there and can’t manage all of the due dates, that’s another thing that’s why automation is so important,” Manze said.
Click here to read the full NerdWallet report.