By Unigo
Saving for a future goal – whether that’s someone’s college education, a new car, or a dream vacation – is easiest when the whole family is involved.
But how to get your fam on the savings bandwagon, in time for this year’s America Saves Week? Here are 10 tips on how to save as a family and to make saving as a group fun and effective.
1. Gamify It.
First tip on how to save as a family is make it as a game. Have a family competition to see who can come up with the most cost-cutting ideas, or stockpile the most cash over a period of a month. Turning saving into a game, with a prize for the best saver, makes counting pennies seem less like deprivation and more like fun.
2. Get Rid of Cable.
Have a family meeting and figure out if one or more of the streaming services on the market can satisfy everyone’s entertainment needs at a fraction of your cable bill. Can’t cut the cord? Call your cable provider and try to negotiate a deal.
3. Use Your Phones.
For saving as a family, savings apps like Digit, Acorns, and Stash can help make saving small, regular amounts both easy and fun.
4. The Good, Old-Fashioned Change Jar.
Loose change tends to get lost easily…but it can also add up fast. Have each family member empty their pockets and purses into a big jar on the regular, and watch the coinage grow!
5. Check Your Habits.
Another tip on how to save as a family is check your or your family member’s habits. From cancelling a subscription you just don’t need to taking a good, hard look at your daily convenience store run, you’re sure to find some habits worth cutting back on.
6. Maximize (But Don’t Max Out) Your Credit Cards.
As long as you don’t spend more than you can pay off in a billing period, credit cards can actually help you save. Look for cards that offer double rewards points for things you buy a lot, like gas or restaurant meals.
7. Make a Shopping List Together.
Get together as a family and, using your favorite coupon circular, figure out what you’re going to eat this week. That way, you’re less likely to splurge on extras at the supermarket.
8. Hunting Down Promo Codes.
Prefer to shop online? A quick internet search for promo codes before you head to the checkout could end up saving you quite a bit. Of course, not all codes you find online are legit, but it doesn’t hurt to try.
9. Keep Your Goals in Sight.
As part of saving as a family, remind the family of your collective progress with a colorful visual, such as a goal thermometer you can fill in as you inch closer to your savings target. Especially if your family have plans on saving for retirement.
10. Enjoy Your Rewards.
Don’t get so caught up in penny-pinching that you can’t splurge when the time is right! Once you’ve hit your savings goal, celebrate as a family. Whether you go on vacation or go out for ice cream, it’s important to reward everyone for practicing smart savings goals during America Saves Week and year-round.