Just My Two Cents.....

So I was thinking....if I was out and about and someone asked me for a few pennies, I can't imagine saying "no" to them.  When we talk about "saving a few cents out of every dollar for a rainy day", it can become overwhelming.  However, taking any big issue and "chunking it down" into smaller pieces makes it easier. When I think about pennies, I'm like, yeah, no prob, Bob.  But if I think in terms of yearly totals of 37 cents multiplied by 365 days in a year, my mind says "Stop, are you crazy?  I could use that money now for more groceries!"

That is what we call (in the business) "resistance".  "Resistance" makes us resistant to change.  So we need to trick our minds into reducing that resistance so change is easier.  If you have a savings plan at work that your company matches, please use it.  If you have a bank that offers you the ability to "round up" every dollar and save the pennies, you won't miss the short-term pennies.  

Bank of America has a "Keep the Change" program...
"How Keep the Change works
Enroll in our Keep the Change savings program and when you make everyday purchases with your Bank of America debit card, we'll:
Round up your purchase to the nearest dollar amount
Transfer the difference from your checking account to your savings account
Track your savings in Online Banking"  (there is some fine print to read...)

If you remember Christmas Clubs at the bank, they offered a way to save a few dollars every week to have enough for presents in December (after Santa's presents, of course).  Many other people have thought of clever ways to save a bit at a time adding up to a lot later.  

If it's not a new concept, why don't we have 100% participation yet?  You have your own answers to that question if you are a non-participant.  The saddest answer is some people believe they won't live until retirement so it doesn't matter.  Not cool, dude!  We are all worthy and deserving of saving for a better future.

Saving can be doable and easy-peasy.  We just have to reduce "resistance" to change.  If you know what's holding you back, do your best to try to release those reasons.  It's easy to say, "of course I have an extra 37 cents", but the long-term outcome of what you do with it can become either overwhelming or exciting, based on your point of view.  Realizing it adds up will work in our favor after we reduce resistance to change.

Have a great day!

xo
Conni