Behavioral Finance Insights - Fresh start moments, like New Year's or Mondays, provide increased motivation for setting financial goals [2][3][4] - These moments create a disconnect from the past, fostering optimism about future achievements [2] - Fresh start dates can trigger an openness to making positive financial changes [6] - The fleeting motivation from fresh starts is best utilized for "set it and forget it" decisions, such as recurring transfers to savings or retirement program enrollment [6] Practical Applications - Individuals are encouraged to align financial plans with fresh start moments to leverage temporary motivation [6] - Setting up recurring savings or retirement contributions during these times can help maintain long-term financial habits [6] - While fresh starts can initiate change, they are generally insufficient for repeated decisions without a "set it and forget it" mechanism [5]