The Money Playbook: 4 Money Moves to Make Before the Year Ends

It’s September. That means there are just 4 months left in the year.

And here’s the truth: if you want financial freedom, you can’t wait until January to start.

The time to act is today.

The good news is you don’t need to flip your whole life upside down to see results.
The smallest shifts you make right now can create massive changes over time.

4 Steps to Financial Freedom

1. Audit Your Spending

Go through your last 30 days of bank or credit card statements. Spot the “money leaks”… unused subscriptions, impulse buys, late-night Uber Eats.

Redirecting even $50–$100/month into savings or debt repayment adds up quickly.

2. Automate Your Savings

Set up an automatic transfer from your chequing to a high-interest savings account or TFSA. Treat it like a bill you pay yourself. When you automate, you remove the temptation to spend first and save later.

3. Create a Debt Strategy

If you’re carrying credit card debt, focus on either:

• The avalanche method (pay off the highest interest first), or

• The snowball method (pay off the smallest balance first for quick wins).

Both work! The key is choosing one and sticking to it.

4. Build an Emergency Buffer

Start small: aim for $500–$1,000 set aside. It might not sound like much, but it’s enough to cover life’s small surprises (like car repairs or a vet bill) without going into debt.

Once you hit that milestone, slowly grow it into 3–6 months of living expenses. That’s your full safety net.

Final Thought…

Financial freedom isn’t about getting rich overnight.

It’s about building habits today that make your future self thankful.

So ask yourself: what’s one small money move you can make before the week ends?