You’ve probably heard about the Great Lock-In of 2025 — the movement where millions are “locking in” to transform their lives before the year ends. And finances? They’re at the heart of it.

The idea is simple: from now until December 31st, you fully commit to your goals. No more waiting for January. No more “I’ll start next month.” For many, that means building emergency funds, aggressively paying down debt, and creating a bold financial plan that sets them up for 2026 and beyond.

Whether you’re joining the Lock-In movement or just want a rock-solid financial plan, you’ve hit the perfect window to make it happen. These final months of 2025 aren’t just about holiday shopping — they’re your chance to build momentum with your money that actually lasts.

See how Quicken helps you lock in your financial goals.
Continue →


How do I create a financial plan that actually works?

The best financial plans aren’t complicated — they’re clear, realistic, and built on real numbers. Here’s how to create one that you’ll actually stick to, whether you’re locking in for the rest of 2025 or planning for the long haul.

Start with a complete financial snapshot

Before you can plan where you’re going, you need to know where you are. This means gathering all your financial information in one place: every bank account, credit card, investment, and loan. Calculate your net worth (what you own minus what you owe) and track your monthly cash flow (what comes in versus what goes out).

Most people underestimate how much they spend because they’re checking different accounts in different apps. When you see everything together, patterns become clear.

How Quicken helps: Connect all your accounts to Quicken Simplifi for automatic updates and real-time net worth tracking. Your complete financial picture updates in real-time, so you always know exactly where you stand.

Set specific financial goals with deadlines

Vague goals like “save more money” don’t work. You need specific targets with real deadlines. If you’re doing the Great Lock-In, that gives you a natural deadline — December 31st. What can you realistically accomplish in that time?

Maybe it’s saving your first $1,000 for emergencies. Maybe it’s paying off that credit card that’s been haunting you. Or maybe it’s finally starting that investment account you’ve been thinking about. Pick goals that excite you enough to stay committed.

How Quicken helps: Create as many savings goals in Quicken Simplifi as you need, each with its own target and timeline. The app tracks your progress automatically and shows you exactly how much to save each month to hit your targets.

Build your monthly spending plan

A spending plan is different from a budget — it’s more flexible and realistic. Start with your income, subtract your bills and savings goals, set aside money for necessities like groceries and gas, and what’s left is yours to spend freely.

This approach means you’re not tracking every coffee or feeling guilty about small purchases. You’re just making sure the important stuff gets handled first.

How Quicken helps: Quicken Simplifi’s Spending Plan does exactly this — it shows you what you have left to spend after bills and goals, updating in real-time as transactions come in. No more guessing whether you can afford something.

Create a debt elimination strategy

If you have high-interest debt, it’s eating into every other financial goal you have. List all your debts with their balances and interest rates. Then pick a strategy: either pay minimums on everything and attack the highest rate first (saves the most money), or pay off the smallest balance first (builds momentum).

The key is picking one approach and sticking with it. Don’t bounce between strategies.

How Quicken helps: Track all your debts in one place in Quicken Simplifi and create a Savings Goal for your pay-off strategy. When you make an extra payment on a debt, add it as a contribution to your savings, then mark it spent. Watch your progress in your Savings Goal to track how much extra debt you can pay down by December 31.

Map out your investment strategy

Even if you can only invest $50 a month, starting now beats waiting for the “perfect” time. Decide how much risk you’re comfortable with based on your age and goals. If retirement is decades away, you can handle more volatility. If you need the money in five years, play it safer.

Don’t overthink this — a simple target-date fund or broad market index fund is fine for most people starting out.

How Quicken helps: Track all your investment accounts in Quicken Simplifi, monitor your holding list for asset allocation, and watch your portfolio performance over time.

Plan for taxes throughout the year

Tax planning isn’t just for April. Track deductible expenses as they happen, maximize contributions to tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, and set aside money if you have freelance income.

The Great Lock-In period is perfect for this — you can still make moves that will reduce your 2025 tax bill.

How Quicken helps: Categorize transactions in Quicken Simplifi throughout the year and run tax reports when it’s time to file. Talk about making tax prep easy!

Schedule regular plan reviews

A financial plan isn’t “set it and forget it.” Schedule monthly check-ins to review your spending, quarterly reviews for your goals and investments, and an annual deep dive into everything.

Put these on your actual calendar. Treat them like important meetings — because they are.

How Quicken helps: Set up automated reports and alerts in Quicken Simplifi to keep you on track. Get notified about unusual spending, low balances, or when bills are due.

Start your financial lock-in today with Quicken.
Continue →


What makes a financial plan successful in 2025?

The tools and strategies that worked five years ago aren’t enough anymore. Here’s what sets successful financial plans apart today.

Automation and real-time tracking

Manual spreadsheets are dead. If your financial plan requires you to log every transaction by hand, it won’t last through October, let alone through the Great Lock-In.

Modern financial plans run on automation — transactions categorize themselves, savings happen automatically, and you get alerts before problems happen, not after.

How Quicken helps: Everything in Quicken Simplifi is automated. Transactions download and categorize in real-time, recurring bills and income are detected automatically, and your spending plan updates with every paycheck, purchase, and payment.

Flexibility for changing circumstances

Life doesn’t follow a spreadsheet. Your income might vary, unexpected expenses pop up, and priorities shift. A rigid budget breaks the first time something unexpected happens.

Your plan needs to bend without breaking. That means building in cushions, having backup strategies, and being able to adjust quickly when things change.

How Quicken helps: Easily adjust your spending plan, move money between savings goals, and see how changes affect your overall picture instantly.

Integration of all financial data

You can’t plan effectively when your information is scattered across a dozen apps and websites. Everything needs to work together — your checking account needs to know about your credit cards, your investments need to align with your goals, and your spending needs to match your income.

How Quicken helps: Quicken Simplifi syncs with over 14,000 financial institutions, bringing everything into one unified dashboard. See your complete financial life in one place.

How often should I update my financial plan?

Your financial plan is a living document, but you don’t need to obsess over it daily either.

Life events that trigger updates

Certain events demand immediate plan updates: job changes, marriage or divorce, having kids, buying a home, or receiving an inheritance or windfall. Don’t wait for your regular review — adjust your plan right away when these happen.

The Great Lock-In period is also a natural trigger. Use this momentum to make updates you’ve been putting off.

Regular review schedule

For everything else, stick to a simple schedule:

  • Weekly: Quick spending check (10-15 minutes)
  • Monthly: Review goals and spending plan (20-30 minutes)
  • Quarterly: Check investments and adjust goals (30-45 minutes)
  • Annually: Complete review and tax planning (1-2 hours)

How Quicken helps: With Quicken Simplifi, everything you need is in one convenient place, making it a lot faster and easier to check on your progress and make any adjustments.

Do I need a financial planner or can I do this myself?

This is a question everyone asks eventually. The answer depends on your unique situation.

When DIY works well

You can absolutely create and manage your own financial plan if you have straightforward finances (steady W-2 income, basic investment accounts), you’re comfortable with technology and basic math, you have time to learn and stay updated, and you enjoy having direct control.

The Great Lock-In movement is proving that millions of people can take control of their finances without expensive advisors.

When to seek professional help

Consider getting help if you have complex situations (business ownership, stock options, inheritance), you’re making major decisions (retirement, estate planning), you don’t have time or interest to manage it yourself, or you need accountability and guidance.

Remember: using a financial planner doesn’t mean giving up control. It means getting expert input on your decisions.

How tools bridge the gap

Modern financial apps give you many benefits of professional planning without the cost. You get professional-grade tracking and analysis, automated reports, and clear visualizations of complex data.

How Quicken helps: Quicken Simplifi provides the same types of reports and insights that financial planners use, but at a fraction of the cost.

Join the Great Lock-In with Quicken’s financial planning tools.
Continue →


The bottom line

The Great Lock-In of 2025 isn’t just another social media trend — it’s a chance to finally take control of your financial future. Whether you have four months or four years to work with, the principles are the same: know where you are, decide where you’re going, and use the right tools to get there.

You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to give up everything you enjoy. You just need to start, stay consistent, and let automation do the heavy lifting.

The clock is ticking on 2025, but that’s not a reason to panic — it’s a reason to act. Your future self will thank you for locking in now.