Would you like to do this year? his year. It’s time to get your mind, your body and your money in order. While you can download a meditation app or stream exercise videos online, you may still feel insecure about one of your biggest goals: building wealth. Nobody taught you how to manage money when you were a child. So, should you abandon your New Year’s resolution before the ball even drops?
At all.
According to Lea Landaverde, Latina wealth activist and founder of RQZA, there is no time like the present to give yourself the gift of financial independence, even if you’re starting from scratch. GOBankingRates sat down with Landaverde to learn what wealth-building habits are most important to people at the beginning of their financial journeys and how small, consistent steps can add up once the confetti from your New Year’s parties has disappeared.
If you decided to start running in the new year, you wouldn’t expect to suddenly run a six-minute mile. You’d start with the basics: learning proper form, pacing yourself, and building endurance over time. The same principle applies to wealth creation.
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Landaverde wants you to clearly understand your exact financial situation, including how much money you have in major accounts, such as checking, savings, and any employer-sponsored retirement accounts.
From there, focus on building an emergency fund. Even a small cushion, like a few hundred dollars, can help you get out of crisis mode when an unexpected expense arises. With this foundation established, you can begin to address debt. Review your credit card statements or any loans you have to identify what you owe and where the interest costs you the most.
“Look at high-interest debt honestly, not with shame, and make a simple plan for it,” Landaverde said.
That plan might include exploring popular repayment strategies, such as snowball or avalanche methods, or working with a financial planner or credit counselor.
Another basic task that Landaverde recommends from the beginning is to automate whenever possible.
“Automate one thing, whether it’s saving or investing,” he said. “These small steps create real momentum when starting from scratch.”
When you’re first learning how to manage and grow your money, it’s easy to feel behind, especially when you compare yourself to peers who may have grown up with more financial guidance. But shame and self-doubt won’t help you build wealth faster.
Landaverde encourages you to remember that you are developing skills that no one taught you. Your willingness to learn, even when it feels uncomfortable, is powerful and something to be proud of.
“Wealth is a learned skill, not something you are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at,” he said. “Focus on being consistent, not perfect.”
He also emphasizes that first-generation Americans often underestimate their strengths.
“Give yourself credit: First-generation people are some of the most resourceful people out there,” he said. “That resilience absolutely translates into wealth creation.”
Before you can grow your wealth over time, you need a financial safety net. That includes a starter emergency fund, insurance appropriate for your life stage and responsibilities, and healthy credit habits.
Once you have these pieces in place, you can become more strategically adventurous, such as investing even a small amount each month.
“It builds trust and time does the heavy lifting,” Landaverde said.
You’ve probably heard the saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In personal finance, those steps are clearer when you know where you’re going. Landaverde recommends setting long-term goals to provide direction while also creating short-term milestones that keep you motivated.
“Set long-term goals so you have direction, not just vibes,” he said. “And refer to your plan every year. Life changes and your money plan should evolve with you.”
For people who were never taught how to manage money, the idea of building wealth can feel uncomfortable, as if they were rejecting their families or communities of origin. But Landaverde wants readers to give themselves permission to generate wealth on their own terms.
“Many of us take on responsibilities that others never had to think about, and that doesn’t make us ‘behind,’” he said. “It makes us strong, intentional and deeply aware of why this work is important. Wealth is not just money: it is peace, choice and rewriting history for the next generation. And you are already on that path.”
Growing your wealth can be insurmountably difficult if you haven’t been taught how to manage money. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By starting with the basics, protecting yourself, setting clear goals, and adjusting your thinking, you can start building a more secure financial future, one wealth-building habit at a time.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Wealth-Building Habits to Start in 2026, Even if No One Taught You About Money
