Of all of the things that Millennials are notorious for, being in debt may actually be the worst. The bulk of us took on an overwhelming student debt to ensure our future success. The rest of us are sure to accumulate some debt before we get out of college. One of the things that Millennials aren't always the best at is managing the little amount of money that we have so that we have some left over at the end of the month.
Having a savings account is a trademark of being "grown-up." Even though we may not be adults yet, I know every single one of us collects those "grown-up" accomplishments like gold stars. A savings account allows you to have a safety net in case you run out of money and can't pay rent or your electricity, you have nothing to eat (okay, you have half a loaf of stale bread and some questionable fruit from last week), or you got sick and don't want to ask mom and dad for more money.
When your savings account is all grown up too, you can use it to take a weekend trip or have as spending money when you want to treat yourself. Here's how to start one and grow it.
Start An Account
To start, it's pretty simple. Crack open your piggy bank and start your grown up savings account. It will cost anywhere from $25-$50 to start your account, depending on your bank, and that's your very first deposit! Congratulations!
Decide On A Savings Routine
I live my life by the 10 percent rule and it works well for me. 10 percent of all of my income goes into my savings account the minute that I get it, that way I'm not tempted to spend it.
Depending on the amount of money that you need at your disposal, you can adjust that number higher or lower. Just make sure that you never cheat and keep the money out!
I also have a leftover rule. At the end of the month, after all of my bills are paid, I cut in half all of the money that I have left over in my checking account. Half goes into savings and half goes towards buying whatever I want! Generally, it'll pay for a date!
Learn To Budget
This is the most important financial skill that you'll have. Budgeting your money weekly, then monthly, and then every three and six months will not only help you save your money, but keep you from splurging on things that you really don't need.
My favorite thing to do is check my monthly budget, see how well I did by spending under in categories, and spending it on shoes. It's really nice.
The sad thing about doing that is when you have left over money in the same category for about three months in a row, it means that you should reallocate that money to a different category or just save it. Make sure that you are reassessing your budget every three months.
Budget everything from music/entertainment, to food, to bills, to groceries, and medicine. If anything else comes up, you should have an "other" category, but that should be one of the smallest fractions of your money.
Set Up A Second Account
When you've saved up enough money in your first account that is at the same bank that you have your checking account with, set up another account at a separate bank. This may seem superfluous, but you're much less likely to take money out of this separate account in case of an "emergency." This can be your account for the future or for that big trip that you want to take.
Congratulations! You're on your way to saving money!
