Did you reach your financial goal this year? 

Eleven months ago, many people set financial goals for the New Year. Maybe you planned to buy a new home, finance a new vehicle or start a new business. Whether you made New Year’s resolutions, pasted images on a vision board or crunched numbers on an official balance sheet, you had every intention of achieving those goals in 2024. As the year draws to a close, it’s time to look back on what worked — or where you may have gone wrong financially. Those lessons learned can help you set new goals and better manage your finances in 2025. Terri Thomas, a Community Manager with Chase in Dallas, offers six dos and don’ts about financial planning and management that can help you achieve a fresh start in 2025 and get closer to reaching your goals. DO create a budget One common financial mistake is not having a budget at all. Remaining in the dark about your spending can limit your ability to save for important goals like a car, a home or your retirement. If you don’t know what you’re spending, there’s a good chance you may be spending too much.   DON’T leave your budget up to chance  Using guesswork...