6 Financial Blog Ideas for December 2022

What should financial marketers and advisors talk about this month? Our monthly roundup has you covered with timely topics for blog posts, social media campaigns, and other marketing ideas. 

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Topic #1: Holiday spending in full swing 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be losing their appeal. Online sales actually dipped on Black Friday last year. With sales now lasting from October through December, shoppers are shopping earlier—and later—in the year. 

They’re also spending more. This year, consumers plan to spend $1,430 on average on gifts, entertainment, and travel this holiday season a 20 percent increase over 2020.

The Angle

• Holiday spending can sometimes be a bit of a blur, and many consumers end up taking on more debt than they intended. According to NerdWallet’s annual survey, gift purchases in 2021 cost consumers $2.8 billion in interest fees alone.
• Buy now, pay later is also back in a big way. Last year, 36 percent of millennials planned to defer payments. 
• No one actually wants to go into debt over the holidays. This year, help those last-minute shoppers with ideas on how they can save money, cut back on impulse gift buys, and avoid debt traps. 

Blog Inspiration

• 10 Ways to Save Money During the Holidays (Bankrate) 
• How to Build a Holiday Budget (Fortune)
• 7 Easy Ways to Save Money, Even While Planning for the Holidays (Yahoo!)

Topic #2: ‘Tis the season for charitable giving 

December is the season of giving to charity, and while many people do so out of the goodness of their hearts, it doesn’t hurt that there may be a tax deduction involved.

When it comes to charitable giving, there is no generational divide. A NonProfitPro study found:

• Baby boomers represent 51 million donors, giving $1,212 on average
• Gen X represent 40 million donors, giving $732 on average
• Millennials represent 33 million donors, giving $481 on average

The Angle

• While most people are in a giving spirit this time of year, your audience will appreciate tips on how to maximize tax deductions from those donations. 
• Be sure they’re aware of the year-end donation cut off for tax season. 
• Describe potential pitfalls to avoid as well as ways to maximize donation deductions. Many givers, especially younger generations, may not realize that popular online donation platforms don’t always result in a tax break. 

Blog Inspiration

• Tax Deductible Donations: Rules for Giving to Charity, How to Get a Deduction (NerdWallet)
• Donations: 5 Ways to Maximize Your Tax Deduction (Investopedia) 
• 7 Feel-Good Tax Breaks: Ways to Get Back When You Give (TurboTax)

Topic #3: Retirement contribution deadlines 

December is always a good time to take stock of investments — particularly retirement accounts, which come with a few important year-end deadlines.

While IRA contributions are permitted until April 18th, 2023, IRA holders who turned 70.5 in 2020 must take required minimum distributions (RMDs) by April 1st of the year they turn 72. RMDs aren’t only for older investors — inherited IRAs come with their own set of distribution rules that can be complex and confusing for the beneficiary.

The Angle

• Explain to your audience how to make key moves before year-end to maximize their retirement contributions. 
• Tax rules can be complicated. Show off your know-how with an explainer on how to navigate it all. 
• And don’t forget to use your blog, email blasts, and social media accounts to make your audience aware of upcoming deadlines — they’ll appreciate it. 

Blog inspiration

• IRA Contribution Limits for 2022 and 2023 (Forbes) 
• Didn’t Max Out Your IRA This Year? There’s Still Time in 2022 (CNBC)
• 6 Tips for Last-Minute IRA Contributions (Morningstar)

Topic #4: The year in review

Financial markets have been on a wild ride the past few years, and 2022 was no exception. Before we look ahead to 2023 predictions and outlooks, it’s worth taking a moment to look for learnings in the year we just had.

The Angle

• Investment companies can use this opportunity to recap some of the biggest financial stories of the year. 
• Consumer brands and advisors can encourage their audiences to conduct their own financial year-end review to see where they stand, what they still need to accomplish and plan ahead for next year. 

Blog Inspiration

• 2022 Outlook: The Great Rebalancing Begins (Morgan Stanley) 
• Financial Review and Planning Checklist (Women Who Money)
• 5 Financial Things to Review Annually (Fidelity) 

Topic #5: New Year’s resolutions

Fun fact: Nearly half of us make New Year’s resolutions, but only 9 percent actually see it through. Despite that sobering statistic, New Year’s resolutions are a great way to set goals — especially financial ones. 

The Angle

• New Year’s resolutions largely fail because the goals we set for ourselves are too broad or too large. Consumer brands and advisors can help their audience create manageable money goals they can actually achieve. 
• Consider breaking down larger goals — like building an emergency fund or maximizing 401(k) contributions — into smaller, manageable chunks to help keep readers motivated. 
• Some topics are perfect for quick and punchy blog posts. We love a listicle for New Year’s resolutions. 

Blog Inspiration

• Financial New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep (Investopedia)
• New Year’s Financial Resolutions: Get Your Finances in Shape for 2022 (Charles Schwab) 
• New Year Money Resolutions: 9 Tips to Reach Your Financial Goals (Debt.com)

Topic #6: Inflation vs deflation 

Inflation has been a hot topic all year for good reason—everyone is feeling the squeeze. It may be too soon to tell, but as we hit the end of the year, some price indices seem to be stabilizing. Gas-price inflation peaked at 60 percent in June and dropped to 17.5 percent in October, for example. 

That may seem like reason enough to celebrate — but there is something we’re not talking about enough: deflation, or rather the lack of it. While we all know deflation is theoretically bad for the economy, with prices soaring, consumers aren’t seeing any relief. Prices just aren’t coming down, despite inflation slowing in some areas. 

The Angle

• Rising prices are outpacing wage increases. Even with the Fed’s attempt to cool inflation and some decreases, average American families are stretched thin. 
• Inflation and deflation can be tricky topics, but your audience likely wants to understand more about how it all works. Consider an explainer breaking down the key topics. 
• Everyone wants to know what happens next. The end of the year is a great time for think pieces from economic experts. 

Blog Inspiration

• Is Deflation Such a Bad Thing? (BBC News) 
• Why Investors Need to Plan for Inflation to End (Yahoo!)
• Inflation Is Finally Slowing Down. Will Things Get Cheaper? (Vox)

Want to look further ahead?  Download our Financial Marketing Calendar to stay up-to-date on financial events and themes all year-round.