Happy New Year!

Each year seems to fly by so fast, do you feel that way too?

Many people start the new year with a few resolutions, or goals as I prefer to call them. But let’s be honest, by February, many of those goals end up somewhere in the background and that’s okay. The new year doesn’t have to come with a long list of resolutions/goals. It can simply be a chance to think about what might make life feel a little better, easier, or more balanced in the months ahead.

What are you looking forward to most in 2026? Do you set goals for yourself each year? Let me know in the comment section below.

📝New Year, Simple Goals

I came across a list of goals from Real Simple magazine that seem attainable to me, I listed a few of them below. Maybe some will inspire you. Remember, no matter what goals you set or don’t set, each day is a new opportunity to start fresh.

Set Intentions, Not Resolutions – draft daily, weekly, or monthly intentions.
Discover a New Hobby – carve out time to try something new.
Pack your Bags – look for ways to get out of your routine and travel.
Break a Sweat – get some type of exercise each day or a few times a week.
Practice Gratitude – jot down your daily thoughts in a bedside journal.
Volunteer your Time – research where and when you can volunteer locally.
Put Down your Phone – spend less time on your phone.
Treat Yourself – make time for a small reward for yourself such as a manicure, haircut, meditation, new purchase, etc.
Make Time for Rest – not every new goal you set needs to be related to productivity.

✅Panel Membership Goals

When talking about goals for the new year, we can’t forget to include ones about NCP panel membership! A new year is a fresh start to make the most of your panel membership. I’d like to share some ways you can do just that.

– Make sure NCP has accurate contact information for you, especially your current and correct email address. Please ensure that your email inbox is not full and your email is not being blocked (which frequently happens with email addresses that end in .org, .gov, .edu, etc.). Since email is NCP’s main method of communication to panel members, we don’t want our members missing out on important membership news and information, sweepstakes, promotions, etc. You can check your account information at ncponline.com.

– Consistent and accurate reporting of your shopping trips every week is the key to getting the most out of your panel membership and accumulating reward points and sweepstakes entries.

– Scan purchases from all types of stores and purchases made by other household members, too.

– Scan every shopping trip, large or small. We know that large shopping trips can be challenging to scan. Check out NCP’s video for tips on scanning large shopping trips. And, don’t forget those “on-the-run” purchases, too!

– Carefully chose the correct store name from your store list when reporting a shopping trip. When you shop at a store’s online site, make sure you choose their “.com” store name from the list, not the physical store name. If you can’t find the name of a store you shopped at, then choose the generic store type (such as Food Store, Drug Store, etc.) to report the shopping trip. Click the star icon next to the stores you shop at most often to build your “Favorites” list and save time.

– If you use coupons or get special deals such as store sales or other discounts, be sure to include that information when scanning.

– Report your purchases of non-barcoded items, as well as UPC barcoded items. Refer to the Non-Barcoded Items list in the NCPMobile app, or the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner, to report the purchases.

– Participate in NCP’s special games/promotions throughout the year for chances to win prizes, bonus reward points, and more!

– Answer all the NCP surveys you receive. You’ll not only share your valuable opinions, you’ll earn extra reward points as well.

– If you can’t scan for a period of time for any reason, please contact our Panel Support Center to let them know so your membership remains in good standing.

– Visit the panel member website (ncponline.com) for additional information (sweepstakes winners, etc.) and National Consumer Panel’s YouTube channel for helpful videos.

I hope you’re enjoying panel membership and find these membership goals and tips to be helpful. We look forward to your continued participation in 2026!

Regards,
Taylor

👉Not a member and want to join NCP?

If you’re not an NCP panel member and you’re interested in joining, go to the Join NCP section of the blog for more information and the link to sign up.

More from NCP

Out With the Old, In With the New
New Year’s Resolutions – Do you make them?

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!