If you looked at your savings account right now, how long would it last you? Will it last three to six months? The average person should have at minimum three months’ worth of income saved in an emergency fund. That’s not counting savings for retirement accounts. We get, the thought of stocking away piles of cash and saving for your future isn’t fun. It is, however, vital to making sure you get to enjoy your life. We’ve thrown together some tips that should make saving money fun and easy.
Direct Deposit – This is probably the easiest way to save money. Most people tend to have their whole check deposited into their checking account. What you could do instead is split your deposit. Have a set amount, whether its $20 or $200 from every paycheck go into a savings account and the rest into your checking. This way you never see the money and don’t have to worry about spending it.
Reward Yourself – The are several apps on the market right now that will help you save money automatically.
- Qapital is a good app for setting goals. You can add rules for when you have to “pay” yourself, like when you jog a mile or skip that fast food line. You can also set up Qapital to round up your spare change to the nearest dollar every time you use your debit or credit card. The money is then moved from your account to a Qapital account that is insured by the FDIC.
- Digit is another helpful app. It links to your bank account like most apps but this one tracks your spending habits and income to figure out your cash flow. Then it finds ways to help you save money. Its that easy! The app does all the hard work. The app will set aside extra money that you don’t use. The savings get put in your FDIC insure Digit account.
Make a budget – This one may take a little more work on your part, but there are rewards to be found. Making a solid budget and sticking to helps you cut out unnecessary spending. By eliminating frivolous purchases, you can stack up some serious savings!
These are just a few simple ways to get your savings started. Research the options out there and find out what fits your situation best. Dive in head first, create a habit and before you know you’ll be saving more money that you thought you could!