Morningstar says these 4 ‘good enough’ money moves can deliver wealth-building results like the rich — fast. Will they work for you in 2026?

Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement at Morningstar, told CNBC Make It that the financial industry has an “optimizing mindset,” so you may start thinking “that you’re doing it wrong if you cut corners (1)."

Some people — which Benz refers to as portfolio optimizers — love the nitty-gritty details of financial planning. But that takes time and a high level of financial literacy, not to mention an interest. And “not everyone is cut out for it,” she wrote in a recent article for Morningstar (2).

Then there are those who want an acceptable option even if it’s not the best. Benz says that taking a “good enough” approach can help you manage your finances with “much less time and hassle,” and you’ll get similar results to a portfolio optimizer (3).

Here are four ways she suggests everyday earners can build wealth without the time or expertise that traditional personal finance advice often demands.

4 ‘good enough’ financial strategies

Many Canadians are short on time while some are intimidated or overwhelmed by financial planning — so they do nothing. But Benz argues that a “good enough” approach can still get you most of the way there. And it beats doing nothing.

Reverse budgeting: Only about half (49%) of Canadians report having a budget, according to a survey by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (4). Of those who don’t have a budget, they cite reasons such as finding it boring or feeling overwhelmed about managing money. Benz uses a strategy called ‘reverse budgeting,’ in which a flat percentage of your income automatically goes toward savings and investments each month (5) — so you meet your financial goals while reducing the need for strict budgeting.

Index investing: Some investors try to time the market to maximize their returns. But, even for ‘optimizers,’ it’s tough to do — and Morningstar research found that a buy-and-hold equity strategy still outperforms a portfolio built to time the market (6). Benz recommends index funds, which hold all underlying securities in an index, and which aim to match the performance of a market index (like the S&P/TSX Composite Index) rather than beat it. “To me, index funds are a great intersection of optimization and the ‘good enough’ portfolio,” Benz told CNBC Make It (7).

Simplification: Many high-interest savings accounts have fluctuating rates, so it can be tempting to move your money around in an effort to get the highest rate possible. But that can be a time-consuming process. Instead, Benz recommends sticking with a “low-cost provider that will deliver a persistently competitive yield,” (8) which makes money management less of a hassle (9).

Work with a pro: If you don’t have the time or inclination to manage your portfolio, a qualified financial advisor can do the heavy lifting for you. They also have access to modelling tools not available to the general public. Benz prefers fee-only planners who charge by the hour or for specific services rather than selling you specific financial products. (10)

Will these money moves work for you?

These four moves can be 'good enough' to have a meaningful impact on your finances over the long term. They’re ideal for people who don’t have the time (or the interest) to constantly monitor and adapt their portfolio.

But they typically require longer time horizons — and there’s no guarantee of higher-than-average returns. There are always risks, and any advice should be adapted to your own financial realities.

For example, if you’re a gig worker, reverse budgeting may be challenging since you don’t have a steady income or regular paycheque. The same goes for anyone with complex finances, such as high-net-worth individuals and families. In those cases, you may need to take a more hands-on approach to saving and investing.