Happy Sunday,

Angelo here! Welcome to New Money, where we go over weekly tips to help you build your wealth, one dollar at a time.

Today’s edition:

• The 6-month money makeover for 2026

• A simple order for saving, debt, and investing

• Lennar slides, gold hits highs, and more

Read time: 3 min 10 seconds

💰 Wealth Tip of the Week

For a long time, my finances felt stuck. 

I was obsessed with the “Next Big Thing”: the next job, the next raise, the next way to make more money.

I kept telling myself I’d get serious about my finances after that.

Everything felt important at the same time: saving, paying debt, investing, earning more.

Then it hit me: I wasn't stuck because I wasn't trying hard enough. I was stuck because I had no clear order for what mattered first.

Financial progress doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in stages.

Six months later, I had money set aside, debt actually shrinking, and investments running in the background.

This is the 6-month money makeover to help you walk into 2026 with a clear plan for your finances.

Month 1. The Clarity Audit

Before you change habits, cut spending, or open new accounts, you need clarity.

There’s an old principle from Socrates that says “Know thyself.” Before action comes awareness. 👉More on that here

Most people skip this step because looking closely at their finances feels uncomfortable. 

But here's the truth: guessing is more stressful than knowing.

Write down four key numbers:

What matters this month:

Seeing your money as it actually is, not how you hope it is.

Month 2. Create Breathing Room

A lot of money stress doesn’t come from spending too much.

It comes from having no margin.

When every unexpected expense becomes an emergency, it’s almost impossible to think long term.

This month is about creating space.

Start an emergency fund that fits your life:

• 3 months if your income is stable

• 6 months if your income varies

• 9 months if you want extra peace of mind

Keep this money somewhere safe and accessible. I’m keeping mine in a High-Yield Savings Account, so it’s not just sitting there losing value, but still easy to reach when I need it. 

I spent time comparing the top high-yield savings accounts so you don’t have to! 👉 Check my current picks are here.

What matters this month:

Building a buffer so life doesn’t immediately knock you off course.

Month 3. Stop The Leaks

Not all debt is equal.

High-interest debt quietly works against you every single month, even when you’re trying to do the right things.

Economists often describe this as negative compounding when interest works against you instead of for you.  👉See here to know more!

Here’s what you can do:

• List ALL your debts.

• Write the interest rate for each.

• Circle the highest rate.

• Focus on that first. Pay minimums on the rest.

What matters this month:

Removing the biggest drag on your progress.

Month 4. Start Growing Early

A lot of people think investing is something you do after everything is perfect.

But waiting is often what costs the most.

You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need to be aggressive. You just need to start.

Most long-term returns don’t come from perfect timing — they come from staying invested long enough.

To keep things simple at the beginning, focus on three things:

• Simple, diversified investments - Open a low-cost Index Fund (like VOO or VTI). It spreads your money, lowers risk, and grows with the market

• Automatic contributions - Choose $50, $500, whatever you can stick with for the next 90 days. Set the transfer for right after payday so it happens on autopilot. No willpower required.

• Staying consistent - Time in the market matters more than jumping in and out.

I created here a 👉Beginner Investing Checklist for you to get started, and 👉check out here my latest YouTube video where I break it down step-by-step so you can follow along.

What matters this month:

Time and consistency beat complexity.

Month 5. Increase Your Capacity

You can only save so much by cutting but improving your income gives you more flexibility.

But waiting is often what costs the most.

You don’t need to do everything. You just need to pull one lever.

Pick one move:

• Negotiate pay — even a small raise compounds over years

• Build a skill — something that increases your value, not just your workload

• Explore a side hustle — something flexible, not draining. If you need inspiration, 👉 check out my YouTube video here!

• Position yourself better — for a role, opportunity, or future jump

What matters this month:

Small increases here speed up everything else.

Month 6. Put Your Money On Autopilot

Motivation comes and goes when life gets busy.

That’s why relying on willpower rarely works long term.

Set things up so progress happens even when you’re tired, distracted, or not thinking about money at all. 

The Default System:

1. Automate your paycheck so a portion flows straight into your investment accounts

2. Automatically deposit a fixed percentage into dedicated savings (like your emergency fund)

3. Turn on autopay for all bills and subscriptions

What’s left is what you can spend — guilt-free.

With this setup, I spend just a couple of minutes a month managing my money and never have to “decide” whether to do the right thing. 

If you want a step-by-step walkthrough, I break down exactly how I set this up in my YouTube video, 👉 you can check it out here.

What matters this month:

Consistency built into your system.

Six months won’t magically solve everything. But it will move you from reacting to planning, from stress to clarity, from guessing to intention.

Everything starts with Month 1. That’s where we’ll go next.

👉 Reply to this email with “I’m in” if you’re ready to start this 2026. Let’s go!

📉 Market Recap

Check out some of the biggest stories shaking up money, markets, and momentum this week.

• Lennar Shares Fall after earnings miss despite higher revenue

• Inflation dipped to 2.7%, but officials urge caution

• S&P 500 optimism is very high, could a pullback come next?

• Gold hit a record high as global tensions and uncertainty grow

👀 In Case You Missed It

If you’re unsure whether investing is worth it, this video breaks down my 6-year results.

See y’all next week 🫡

- Angelo Castillo

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice or investment recommendations. The content is for informational purposes only, and it should not be considered as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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