{"id":890,"date":"2009-06-08T09:01:55","date_gmt":"2009-06-08T17:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/motivation-savings\/"},"modified":"2013-08-20T08:36:00","modified_gmt":"2013-08-20T16:36:00","slug":"motivation-savings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/motivation-savings\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Ways To Motivate Yourself To Save"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nMany of us would like to have money in savings. Whether it\u2019s for an emergency fund, a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, quitting a job, or simply creating a bit of a buffer between paychecks, having some money set aside can make a huge difference in our ability to reach for our dreams.<\/p>\n

But when you\u2019ve got a long way to go before you meet your financial goal, and when \u2013 frankly \u2013 a dollar spent now seems to provide a lot more pleasure than a dollar saved, how can you make sure you\u2019re motivated enough to put money aside on a regular basis?<\/p>\n

Here are five things that could work for you…<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Save Little And Often<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you tell yourself that it\u2019s not worth saving if you don\u2019t have at least $100 (or $500, or $1000) to put into a savings account? This is a bit like telling yourself that it\u2019s not worth getting some exercise unless you have a whole day clear to jog.<\/p>\n

How about saving just a dollar or two each day? Most of us can cut a couple of dollars of unnecessary spending every day (how about skipping that latte, carpooling, ditching your daily newspaper..?) It\u2019s a tiny amount that you\u2019ll barely notice on a daily basis, but over the course of a year, you\u2019ll have saved several hundred dollars.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Read Personal Finance Blogs<\/strong><\/p>\n

I find that I get encouraged to save \u2013 and to adopt good financial habits in general \u2013 by reading about others\u2019 tips and success. One of my must-read blogs for this is The Simple Dollar<\/a>; Trent writes very well, and covers topics in-depth without making them too complicated. He also has an upbeat and motivating attitude towards savings and finances (some personal finance blogs can make for rather dour reading).<\/p>\n

Other good blogs on personal finance are Get Rich Slowly<\/a> and Wise Bread<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep a Savings Log<\/strong><\/p>\n

Something that\u2019s often recommended for those sorting out their finances is to keep a spending log \u2013 to write down what you spend, so that you have a clear picture of where all the money is going. I\u2019ve done this in the past, and it\u2019s always revealing (and occasionally a bit horrifying!)<\/p>\n

A twist on this, though, is to keep a savings log. Each time you make a deposit into your savings account (or each time you shove a few dollars into the jam jar hidden under your bed), write down the date and how much you saved. This can be a great way to motivate yourself to save more. You could also use your calendar or diary for this.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Save Towards A Specific Goal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having a very clear goal in mind can make it much easier to save up. If you know that you need $1,000 for that new computer, or if you\u2019re determined to reach $5,000 in your emergency fund, focusing on the end goal can keep you motivated.<\/p>\n

Your end reward might not be a tangible thing like a vacation or a new purchase: it might be peace of mind, or a sense of security or freedom. Consider visualizing how you\u2019ll feel once you have your target amount in the bank. Will it take a weight off your shoulders? Will you be proud of what you\u2019ve achieved?<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Automate Your Savings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, if you do find that your motivation waxes and wanes, simply automate your savings. Get your bank to transfer $100 (or $200 or $500 etc) from your checking account into a savings account, at the start of each month. If the money goes out without you having to lift a finger, chances are that you\u2019ll simply let it head off into the savings pot …<\/p>\n

There are plenty more ways to motivate yourself to save \u2013 so let\u2019s hear some of your best tips in the comments!<\/p>\n

Don’t forget to Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter! <\/a><\/p>\n

Related Articles: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

6 Things a 19 Year Old Has Learned About Finances <\/a><\/p>\n

How To Survive a Recession <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many of us would like to have money in savings. Whether it\u2019s for an emergency fund, a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, quitting a job, or simply creating a bit of a buffer between paychecks, having some money set aside can make a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":12765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[22,9,30,6],"tags":[158,3130,3023,236,3129,2377],"yoast_head":"\nFive Ways To Motivate Yourself To Save - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Having a very clear goal in mind can make it much easier to save up. 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