A survey conducted by Datafolha reveals that Brazilians' main goal for 2026 is to save money, followed by spending more time with family and friends. According to a report by "O Estado de São Paulo," this survey conducted by Datafolha is the first of its kind, making it impossible to compare with previous years' data. In an interview, 23-year-old HR assistant Isabella Ribeiro mentioned that she started saving money in a digital bank account in September 2025, planning to travel to Japan with friends in five years. Her goal for 2026 is to continue saving, aiming to save around 500 Brazilian reais per month, with the hope of reaching a target of 6,000 reais by the end of the year.

Datafolha listed 14 New Year goals, and each respondent had to choose three. The survey showed that 44% of respondents chose saving money, significantly higher than other goals. Following saving money, the next popular goals were spending more time with family and friends (37%), improving diet (25%), starting physical exercise (25%), and entrepreneurship (23%).

Another respondent is 26-year-old artist Bruna Lemberg, who took out a loan in 2025 to buy an apartment and plans to pay off 4 to 6 installments of the mortgage in advance. Due to the instability of an artist's income, she sees the need to save money. "I am an artist, and income is not stable. Sometimes I earn a lot, sometimes very little."

Lemberg also plans to enhance her artistic skills by taking vocal, dance, and acting lessons, with plans to travel abroad in 2026. Regarding her financial planning, she intends to create a savings plan.

Financial planner Larissa Frias from C6 Bank stated that due to the high benchmark interest rate (Selic), 2026 will be a "year of saving money." She emphasized that the current interest rate levels are particularly favorable for fixed-income investments.

In December, the Brazilian Central Bank's Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep the Selic rate unchanged at 15% per year, reaching the highest level in nearly 20 years by the end of 2025. Frias noted, "For investors without sufficient emergency funds, this year is a good time to develop good financial habits. Establishing a solid financial plan, saving gradually. Starting with building an emergency fund, then planning for retirement funds and long-term goals."