How to Start Investing Again in January After the Holidays

If your portfolio has been sitting quietly while you tackled year-end deadlines, dodged December spending, or just needed a break, you’re not alone. But January is where things get real. Let’s talk about what a proper comeback looks like, with the tools (and time) you already have.

1. Reconnect with the Basics

Log in. Look around. How does your portfolio feel?

You don’t need a big reveal or spreadsheet sprint. Just carve out half an hour to scan your EasyEquities account and ask:

• Does this still match my goals?

• Am I investing on autopilot or with intention?

• What’s missing a cushion? A new sector? A long-term goal?

From there, small moves go far:

• Set or update recurring buys (start with ETFs or Crypto).

• Tap into EasyAcademy if you’re feeling rusty.
  
  

2. Skipped the Year-End Review? No Problem.

Here’s the good news: January is actually a better time to reflect.

There’s less pressure, no gifting hangover, and more headspace to ask what you really want out of the next 12 months. Whether you’re planning for a new bond, saving for study, or just want to feel more in control, now’s the time to align your investments with your real life.

Rebalance. Refresh your goals. Rename that one ETF you bought on a whim and don’t remember why. You’re restarting better.

And if you’re building towards property? Open the EasyMortgages calculators. Get a sense of where you stand, what’s possible, and what it would take.

3. Don’t Let Janu-Worry Hijack Your Momentum

We all feel the squeeze after festive spending. The trick isn’t to deny it. it’s to budget for it next time.

This year, set up systems that don’t rely on your motivation showing up every month:

• Automate your recurring investments.

• Choose baskets that match your risk and your runway.

• Keep your short-term savings somewhere accessible (not all cash has to sit in a silo).

Tools You’re Probably Not Using (Yet)

Here’s the thing...most investors use only a fraction of the EasyEquities platform. That’s like buying a Swiss Army knife and only using the bottle opener. Let’s fix that.

• Watchlists
  Keep track of shares, ETFs, themes, or sectors, even if you’re not ready to invest. Watchlists aren’t just bookmarks, they’re a signal of where your curiosity is leaning.
  
  
• Top Buys & Top Movers
  Ever wonder what other investors are watching? These lists show you what’s trending, not as advice, but as insight into investor behaviour.
  
  
• Screeners
  If you’ve ever wished you could filter for “dividend-paying ETFs under R500” or “tech stocks with positive momentum,” good news: you can. Check out the new and improved screener,  built because you asked for better filters. Read more here.
  
  
• Themes & AI Baskets
  You don’t have to pick individual stocks to build a smart portfolio. Explore pre-built baskets designed around real-world trends, from sustainability to AI, or even use the AI basket builder to design your own.

Your January Setup Checklist

• Start or top up your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)

• Set a recurring buy on your favorite shares or ETFs.

• Refresh your watchlist with themes that feel aligned.

• Use the new stock screeners Filter by dividend yield, price, sector or performance.

• Add EasyCredit for extra flexibility.
• Explore your Global Wallets.
• Contribute to your Retirement Annuity (RA).

These are some moves that have the potential to build real momentum.

Just take the next smart step that fits your plan, and keep showing up.

The Mom-Me vs Career-Me Balancing Act

What Does a Well-Rounded Portfolio Look Like?

 

Unretirement: Why Life Doesn’t Stop at 65

Your Job Might Be Your Best Retirement Plan

Any opinions, news, research, reports, analyses, prices, or other information contained within this research is provided by an employee of EasyEquities an authorised FSP (FSP no 22588) as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice for the purposes of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002. First World Trader (Pty) Ltd t/a EasyEquities (“EasyEquities”) does not warrant the correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or completeness of any information (i) contained within this research and (ii) received from third party data providers. You must rely solely upon your own judgment in all aspects of your investment and/or trading decisions and all investments and/or trades are made at your own risk. EasyEquities (including any of their employees) will not accept any liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage, including without limitation, any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance on the market commentary. The content contained within is subject to change at any time without notice.