How to get financially fit in six months with a plan that works

This article was originally published in The Times on 25th February 2026. It explores how you can take the first step to ensuring you're making active, fully informed decisions about your finances.

You don’t need to know everything before you start getting your finances into shape. You just need to take the first step.

Getting our finances in order can feel deceptively difficult. It’s not that we don’t want to do it, but that getting started forces us to confront what we’ve been trying to avoid: scattered pensions, poorly performing savings, unknown costs, and — if we’re approaching that time of life — retirement planning.

I see this often. Intelligent, capable people who have delayed sorting out their finances. Not out of carelessness, but out of fear that they will feel too overwhelmed if they do.

To get over this initial hump, you’ll want to build some momentum. Financial fitness isn’t so different from physical training. No sane person wakes up and runs a marathon on a whim.

Similarly, you are unlikely to transform your finances in a single day. That’s not to say you need to understand every nuance of tax law or investment theory. But what you do need is a structure and a defined period of focus. Six months, the time it typically takes to train for a marathon, is enough.

Below is a tried-and-tested six-month framework that will help you to take that first step and lay the foundations for a more structured — and, most importantly, less overwhelming — approach to managing your finances.

Month 1: know what’s coming in

As we’ve established, training starts with a baseline. In financial terms, this means knowing what your overall income is and where it comes from. You can start by listing every source of your money. This might include:

• Salary, or dividends/profits if you’re a business owner.
• Bonuses or consulting income.
• Rental income.
• Investment income.

For each one note down how reliable it is. How frequently is it paid? Does it fluctuate?

Month 2: understand your cash position

Next, assess your short-term resilience. How much accessible cash do you hold and where? Map out where this money sits — for example, current accounts, cash Isas, Premium Bonds, fixed-term savings — then:

• Check the interest rates on these accounts. Compare them. Consider whether your cash is working hard enough for you, or whether it’s simply sitting still and losing value to inflation.
• Ask yourself whether you are consistently saving each month.
• Does surplus cash drift away unnoticed?

Financial fitness isn’t about hoarding cash, but you do need a sensible buffer to free up money to invest for the long term.

Month 3: take stock of your investments

Now you’ve identified your short-term position, it’s time to turn to longer-term capital.

First stop, your pension pots. Start by:

• Listing every workplace pension (many people have more pension pots than they realise).
• Note down the pension firms and pot values so you can understand your total balance across all schemes.
• Check your employer’s contributions and whether you are maximising any available match funding.
• Review the asset allocation (how the pension is invested) and the investment performance of your employer’s pension. If you are still some way off retirement, check that you are taking enough risk.

Then turn to your Isas and other investments. These investments may also include rental property, taxable portfolios and alternative holdings such as venture capital trusts, fine wine or cryptocurrencies.

• List your stocks and shares Isas, where they are held, what investments they contain and what they are worth.
• Do the same for any taxable portfolios and review their investment performance.
• If you’re a landlord, assess your rental yields and house-price gains against your buy-to-let mortgage payments and other costs
• Across all investments, identify the fees you are paying. Look to understand underlying fund charges, investment management charges, platform fees, advisory fees, transaction costs and any upfront charges.
• Don’t be scared to ask for a full fee breakdown, from top to bottom. If anything is unclear, or you feel uncomfortable, ask again. Don’t be fobbed off — it’s your money after all.

Month 4: map your outgoings and obligations

Even those with above average incomes can feel stretched without a clear view of their commitments. Like you did with your income sources, make a list of your outgoings. This might include:

• Mortgage payments.
• School or university fees.
• Care costs.
• Insurance premiums.
• Direct debits and standing orders.
• Family support.

Then consider how much of your monthly income is required to cover these. How long is each expense expected to last? And which costs are likely to rise and by how much (for example, school fees or care)?

This exercise often highlights where the pressure points lie and where planning could really help to reduce stress later down the line.

Month 5: define what you’re working towards

Training only works when you know where the finish line is and how to get there. Be specific about what you want your money to achieve. Your goals might include:

• Paying more off the mortgage.
• Retiring at a certain time and with a desired income level.
• Funding children or grandchildren’s education.
• Making some home improvements.
• Travel, philanthropy or legacy planning.

Vague goals lead to vague decisions. Clear goals will help you to allocate your money with more purpose.

Month 6: align your finances with your goals

Now you have the full picture, you can step back and assess what actions may need to be taken. This is where overwhelm turns into structure. Consider:

• Are you holding excessive cash that inflation is quietly eroding?
• Do you have enough exposure to long-term growth assets, such as stocks and funds?
• Can you improve returns by reducing fees or switching investment or savings firm?
• Are you fully using tax allowances — Isas, pensions, capital gains allowances?
• Could you take a whole-family approach to maximise tax benefits using Isas, Junior Isas or pension allowances across your spouse and children?

Very few marathon runners would attempt 26 miles without preparation. Yet many smart and capable people delay thorough financial planning for years and, without preparation, end up with a leaky, scattergun approach. The first step can simply be a decision to engage. You don’t need to know everything before you begin, you just need to begin.

If, after working through this framework, you still feel uncertain about some things, that is the moment to seek some guidance, or potentially advice. A good adviser should help you to refine your plan, not replace your understanding of it.

There may be no medal at the end of six months. But you should be equipped with something far more valuable: clarity, momentum and the quiet confidence that your money is working to service you and not the other way around.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.