Why is saving so important?  Is it just because that’s what we’ve always done?  Or is there another reason?

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8).

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20

Here we see two different verses on wise = saving and foolish = not saving.  Saving allows us to be prepared for both the expected and unexpected.  There are a multitude of different reasons to save such as:

• Emergency Savings (unexpected needs and repairs)
• Medical Needs
• Car Replacement
• Home Repairs and Maintenance
• Children’s Education or Yours
• Retirement
• And So Much More…

But how do you start saving?  If you realize this is important, you will place a priority on it, but here are some tips to get you started…

1. Every time you get home from shopping, put the change in a change jar.  That change will begin to mount up!  You might be surprised to find out that you can easily save $20 a month especially if you get the whole family involved.
2. From each paycheck, have $10 or $20 automatically put aside into your savings account.  This way you do not even have a chance to “touch it.”
3. Get a credit card that gives you percentage of cash back.  Put that cash back into your savings account.
4. If you are part of a shopper’s saving program such as the grocery store rewards program where you earn cents off of your gas or some other reward, take that money you save on gas and put it into your savings.  So let’s say, you saved 10 cents off per gallon and bought 25 gallons, put that $2.50 into your savings envelope.
5. Shop around on your insurance.  You might be surprised to find that you can get a rate reduction.  Use that extra money to either pay off debt or save!
6. Pick up an odd job and use that money for your savings.  Maybe your family could do a paper-route together.  That could earn you $50 or $75 a week that you could put into savings.
7. If you normally eat out for your lunch at work, decide that you are going to pack your lunch at least twice a week.  See how much money that saves you and put that into your savings account.
8. Instead of going to the movies, choose to borrow one from the library.  Put that money you saved by doing so into your savings account!
9. Instead of getting your specialty coffee at your favorite coffee shop each morning, go online, find the clone recipe, and begin making it at home.  If you spend an average of $4 a day on your morning drink five days a week, you have now just started saving $20 a week or $87 a month!
10. And while this is listed last, it is really the most important.  Pray and ask the Lord for ideas specific to your family and your needs.

As you can see, savings does not have to be difficult or complicated.  It just needs to be something you make a conscious choice about and stick to.  So how about seeing how much you can save this week?  Start with one lifestyle change and begin to watch the money add up!