WHAT THE DATA SAY: 42% of Americans making 2026 New Year’s resolutions

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS COST $4,700

Americans will spend an average of $4,700 to achieve their 2026 resolutions, according to our Harris Poll report with CIT Bank.

• 42% of Americans are making 2026 New Year's resolutions.
• 55% of those making resolutions are committed to financial resolutions like budgeting, saving, investing, paying off debt or building credit.
• Men are expected to spend more to achieve their resolutions than women ($5,360 compared with $4,000).
• Women (65%) are more likely to reduce spending to reach their goals than men (55%).
• The top goals: saving for are travel (40%), purchasing a car (25%) and buying a house (21%).
• See also: The Holiday Budget Break: How Brands Can Help Consumers Avoid Debt

MIXED FEELINGS FOR 2026

While more than half of Americans predict higher prices going into 2026, more than a third feel financially confident going into the new year, according to our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 63% of Americans say 2026 will be financially better for them than 2025.
• 35% feel optimistic or confident about their finances going into 2026, 32% feel anxious, and 30% feel stressed.
• Gen Z and Millennials (33%) are more likely to feel excited about their finances going into the new year than Gen X (20%) and Boomers (7%).
• 51% think consumers prices for goods and services will get worse in 2026.
• 33% are not confident in their ability to withstand a 2026 recession if it occurred.
• 57% plan to take at least one risky financial action in 2026, like investing in crypto (20%) or AI-related stocks or funds (18%).
• 30% plan to pay off their debts in full.

GEN Z SAY WORK TRIPS = VACATIONS

Gen Z business travelers are more likely than other generations to extend a work trip for pleasure, according to our Harris Poll research in Business Insider.

• Nearly two thirds of Gen Z workers bundle business and personal travel.
• 9 in 10 Gen Z members see work trips as a chance to upgrade their lifestyles (7 in 10 Millennials).
• Younger professionals are more than twice as likely to pay out of pocket to upgrade a flight.
• Two thirds have paid to switch to a nicer hotel - compared with half of those from older generations.
• Gen Z and Millennials post three to five times more per day on social media than their colleagues while on work trips.
• 75% splurge on high-end dinners and entertainment.

COST ISSUES MEAN DEFERRED HEALTH CARE

41% of insured Americans have skipped healthcare appointments due to rising costs, according to our Harris Poll report with the Nationwide Retirement Institute.

• 37% of U.S. insured adults avoid medical care when sick due to cost concerns.
• Americans have cancelled dental cleanings (23%), vision tests (20%) and mental health care (16%).
• 18% have turned to medical debt or credit cards to cover out-of-pocket expenses.
• 73% cite health care expenses going out of control as a top retirement fear.
• 59% say they are not confident in their ability to budget for health care expenses in retirement.

AGE OF DISSONANCE

The Harris Poll's The Age of Dissonance Report explores how tensions of AI, culture and success are shaping consumer behavior.

• AI is widely adopted among young professional but also a major source of distress: 65% of Gen Z report a fear of being obsolete, and 45% say AI has made their college education irrelevant.
• The desire to be efficient and adhere to digital algorithms has resulted in a sea of sameness across brands: 79% say high-end experiences have lost their soul due to the copy-and-paste treatment.
• Inflation, inequality and institutional distrust have disrupted the traditional paths to success: 64% say the only realistic way to build wealth today is through alternative methods like crypto, meme stocks or gambling.

ICYMI: In case you missed it, check out the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news: