It probably comes as no surprise that Americans aren’t saving much, according to a new survey. We’re trying apparently, as the survey reports that three quarters of people say they’re stocking away something, but unfortunately, that “something” only amounts to 5 percent (or less) of income for half of the respondents.
Most of us know in a general sense that we need to save, but the financial literacy survey also indicates that many of us have no idea what we’re talking about when it comes to basic savings, interest rates and inflation. How do you think you’d fare on a financial literacy survey?
Luckily, some smart people caught on to this prevalent financial illiteracy and have posted some tips; like this practical savings cheat sheet from Yahoo Finance columnist Laura Rowley, or this list of nearly 50 savings tips from the nonprofit organization that commissioned the survey, America Saves, or some ideas from people who are successfully saving their money on Bankrate.
My number one savings tip: make it automatic. I have a set amount (16 percent of my net income, to be exact) directly deposited into my savings from every paycheck. It didn’t take long to pretty much forget about it and adjust to the remaining paycheck amount being deposited into my checking account. And it feels pretty good to have a cushion just in case (dad would be proud).
What’s your savings IQ? Are you saving enough for a rainy day? If you’re not sure where your emergency savings fund stands, sign up for Quizzle and we’ll do the calculations for you. We’ll even throw in some tips and tricks to help you protect yourself from life’s little storms.
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