It may seem difficult to save money in your twenties, especially if you have a large chunk of student debt to pay off. However, saving doesn’t necessarily equal sacrifice, especially when there are many ways to manage your money wisely.
Why You Should Save
“Success in your twenties is more about setting the table than enjoying the feast,” says Paul Angone, author of 101 Secrets For Your Twenties and the creator of allgroanup.com, an advice blog for millennials. “You’re setting the foundation for success throughout your life.”
In addition to being prepared for financial emergencies, saving allows you to plan for major expenses that may pop up in the next few years. Whether you want to buy a car, plan a trip, pay for a wedding, or put a down payment on a house, having a robust savings account can help you make those goals a reality.
Also, the sooner you start saving for retirement, the larger your nest egg will be when you need it. Even starting a few years earlier than you think you need to can make a huge difference in what you’ll have once you retire.
How to Save
There are several steps you can take to save money on everyday purchases as well as minimize your debt.
1. Pay down debt
Angone recommends tackling loans or credit card debt as a first priority. While it may not feel like saving in the technical sense, paying off student loans or other debt as quickly as possible may save you a significant amount of money in interest payments in the long run. By paying off debt, you’ll have the opportunity to start making bigger contributions to your savings accounts sooner rather than later.
2. Create a budget and stick to it
Having a budget is crucial to saving money, but you have to follow it. “Not having a budget and not looking at your budget is the same thing,” says Angone. He recommends using an app that tracks your spending and sends you alerts to see how well you’re following your budget. Regions Mobile Banking can help you stay on track on the go. Make sure that contributing to your savings account is a top priority in your budget by paying yourself first.
3. Save your change
While a few cents here and there may not feel like much, every penny counts when it comes to saving. Empty your purse or pockets at the end of every day, and when your savings jars are full, deposit them into your savings account. This easy system may even help you develop a habit of not spending everything you have. By contributing to your savings on a regular basis now, you’re more likely to continue that trend when you have more to deposit down the road.
4. Round-up debit purchases
Another way to save your change is to not accumulate any at all. Some apps — like Acorns, which costs $1 per month for accounts investing less than $5,000 annually or 0.25% per year for accounts investing $5,000 or more — allow you to set up a program that rounds up every purchase you make to the nearest dollar and deposits the extra change into a diversified investment portfolio.
5. Shop smart
While you can still clip coupons, there are a lot of other ways to save now that discounts have gone digital. There are several shopping websites, such as Ebates, that offer extra discounts at popular online shops and sometimes give you a certain percentage cash back on your digital shopping trips. Your bank may even offer a similar Regions Rewards program. There are also dozens of money-saving apps , such as Ibotta, and even browser extensions, such as Honey, that can help you save money in many places you shop online.
Having a savings plan is an important part of your financial health. Find ways to take the work out of saving, so you can sit back and watch your savings account grow every month.
