Fall Forward: Using September to Secure Your Wealth Goals

Let’s be honest — September crept up fast. One minute you’re outside all summer living your best life, and the next minute kids are back in school, work deadlines are piling up, and you realize the year is almost over.

That’s when the financial pressure hits. Holiday season is around the corner, student loan payments are back, and you’re asking yourself: Did I really stick to the money goals I set in January?

Here’s the thing: you don’t need to wait until January to “start fresh.” September is your chance to fall forward to use this shift in season to refocus, reset, and start building the kind of financial stability and wealth you actually want.

Step 1: Get Real With Where You Are

Before we can move forward, we have to be honest about where we are right now. And yes, that means facing some uncomfortable truths.

• Did you spend more than you planned this summer or even last month?

  (No shame — a lot of us did.)

• Did you let your budget slide?

• Is your credit card balance creeping up again?

This isn’t about guilt. It’s about clarity and understanding. Wealth doesn’t start with perfection, it starts with awareness. So pull up your accounts, check your balances, and write down what’s working and what’s not. And here’s the part most people skip: celebrate your wins. Maybe you paid off a bill, increased your credit score, or saved more than last year. Those things matter. Progress counts, even if it’s not perfect.

Step 2: Cut the “Money Leaks”

We all have money leaks — those small things that drain our bank accounts without us even noticing. For some of us, it’s DoorDash three nights a week. For others, it’s subscription services we forgot about. For me? It used to be Target runs that started with “I just need one item” and ended with a cart full of things I didn’t plan for. Thankfully, not shopping at Target has now become an easy decision.

September is the month to plug those leaks. Not forever, but at least for the rest of the year.

Ask yourself: if I cut back just one thing for the next three months, how much could I redirect into savings, debt, or investing? This isn’t about saying “no” to everything. It’s about saying “yes” to what matters most and that's building the wealth you deserve.

Step 3: Build a Cushion Before the Holidays

Here’s the reality: the holiday season will test your budget. Between gifts, travel, and family expectations, it’s easy to wipe out months of progress in just a few weeks. That’s why September is the time to build your cushion. If you don’t have an emergency fund, make it your goal to hit $1,000 by December. If you do, aim for one month’s worth of expenses.

Here’s a simple strategy: open a separate “holiday account.” That way, when November and December come, you already have money set aside for celebrations without touching your savings or running up credit cards. Future you will thank you.

Step 4: Think Bigger Than Bills — Think Ownership

Here’s what makes this moment unique: September isn’t just about paying bills and surviving the rest of the year. It’s about setting yourself up for bigger moves.

If homeownership is on your radar, these next few months matter. Lenders look at your credit and savings history. That means:

• Keep credit card balances under 30 percent.

• Avoid opening new accounts unless it’s strategic.

• Start saving consistently, even if it’s small.

Every move you make with your money now is positioning you for bigger opportunities later — whether that’s buying your first home, investing in property, or launching something of your own.

When I say “fall forward,” this is what I mean. Don’t just think about December. Think about the future you’re building.

Step 5: Set One Bold Goal for the Next 12 Months

Too often we wait until January to think about goals. But September is the perfect time to map out where you want to be this time next year.

Ask yourself: What’s one bold wealth goal I want to accomplish by next September?

• Buying a new car

• Paying off a major debt

• Saving your first $10,000

• Starting an investment portfolio

Write it down. Then, reverse engineer the steps you need to take. What can you start this month to get closer?

This is how the wealthy think. They don’t just think about “getting through the year.” They think about positioning themselves for long-term success.

The Bottom Line

Most people coast through the rest of the year, overspend during the holidays, and then try to “fix” everything in January. But that cycle doesn’t build wealth. You build wealth by making intentional moves now. By using September as your reset. By plugging the leaks, building a cushion, and thinking bigger than just surviving — thinking ownership, equity, and freedom.

This is your chance to fall forward, not backward. Every decision you make this month sets the tone for your financial story in the months and years ahead.

So here’s the question: will you let the rest of the year slip by, or will you take control now and set yourself up for the life you actually want?