--- title: "Follow the Money: 8 Small Money Moves to Make Before the Year Turns" description: Bank Rate is 4%, inflation 3.5% and energy bills may rise in January. Eight small money moves to make before the end of 2026, from savings to bills. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2026-11-08T11:32:31.060Z updated: 2026-11-08T11:32:31.072Z canonical: https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/follow-the-money-8-small-money-moves-to-make-before-the-year-turns image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-3943714.webp categories: Money content_type: Guide publication: Rich Man Magazine schema_type: Article --- The money backdrop changed this autumn. On Thursday 5th November, the Bank of England raised Bank Rate from 3.75% to 4%, its first rise since 2023. Inflation reached 3.5% in September, up from 3.1% in August. Suppliers expect the energy price cap to rise again in January, and Christmas is seven weeks away. None of this calls for drastic action. It calls for a handful of small checks that take an evening each and protect you from the biggest costs. Here are the dates to watch this month, and eight moves to make before 1st January. ## The Dates That Matter This Month On Wednesday 18th November, the Office for National Statistics publishes October's inflation figure. By Wednesday 25th November, Ofgem announces the energy price cap for January to March 2027. On Thursday 17th December, the Bank of England makes its last rate decision of the year. Each of these dates can change what you pay or earn, so put them in your calendar now. ## Savings Moved to a Better Rate When Bank Rate rises, the best savings accounts usually raise their rates quickly, while many existing accounts lag behind. Check the rate on every savings account you hold, including old accounts you rarely look at. If your money earns well below the best easy-access rates on offer, move it. On £20,000, a gap of two percentage points costs you £400 a year. ## Your Mortgage Before the Fixed Rate Ends If your fixed-rate mortgage ends in the next six months, you can usually lock in a new deal now. Most lenders hold an offer for around six months, which protects you if rates rise again in December or early next year. Speak to your lender or a broker this month. Fixed rates are priced from markets that had already expected the November rise, so waiting does not guarantee a better rate. ## The Energy Bill Before January The current price cap for a typical household paying by direct debit is £1,723 a year. Supplier forecasts for January to March 2027 range up to about £2,185, although the final figure depends on wholesale prices this month. Take a meter reading this week and submit it to your supplier, so you are not billed on an estimate when prices change. When Ofgem announces the new cap, compare it with any fixed deals on offer before you decide whether to fix. ## A Christmas Budget Written Down Spending creeps up when nobody sets a limit. Write down one total for Christmas this week: presents, food, travel, decorations and going out. Divide it into the seven weeks ahead and track what you spend each week. A written number gives you permission to say no, and a weekly check stops a January credit card bill from catching you by surprise. ## Subscriptions You No Longer Use Streaming services, apps, memberships and free trials that turned into payments drain money without you noticing. Go through your last two bank statements and list every regular payment. Cancel the ones you have not used in the past month. You may find two or three you had forgotten about. ## Your ISA Allowance You can save or invest up to £20,000 a year in ISAs without paying tax on the interest or growth, and the allowance resets on 6th April. The Budget in October kept the full allowance for cash savers. If you have money building up in an ordinary savings account, moving it into an ISA before the tax year ends shelters future interest from tax. With Bank Rate at 4%, the interest on larger balances can push you over your personal savings allowance. ## Your Tax Return Before January If you file a Self Assessment tax return, the online deadline is 31st January, and the same day is the deadline to pay any tax you owe. Filing in November is far easier than in the final days of January. Gather your income figures, pension contributions and charitable donations this month. If you are owed a refund, filing early means you receive it sooner. ## One Money Conversation at Home Money stress grows in silence. Choose one evening this week to talk through the household budget with your partner or family: what is coming in, what is going out, and what matters most this Christmas. Agree on one shared goal for the new year, such as an emergency fund of three months' spending, so the year begins with a plan rather than a resolution. ## At a Glance - **Bank Rate:** 4% from 5th November; next decision 17th December - **Inflation:** 3.5% in September; October's figure out 18th November - **Energy price cap:** £1,723 now; the January figure is announced by 25th November - **ISA allowance:** £20,000 a year, resets 6th April - **Self Assessment:** file and pay by 31st January