The importance of saving money is rarely disputed. Saving is one of the most basic (and most repeated) bits of financial advice out there. Despite the importance of saving money, many of us aren’t following through on that tip. When it comes to doing the right thing financially, just knowing you should save isn’t enough.
And that makes sense. It’s tough to do something consistently without understanding why you should save money and put in all that effort in the first place. After all, saving money takes discipline and a certain amount of sacrifice. Knowing the reasons to save money can be critical if you want to stick with a savings plan for the long term. If you need help understanding the importance of saving money, consider these key reasons why you should save money now:
Saving can give you freedom
It can be tough to allocate some of your cash to a savings account if you don’t have a set goal for that money. Why save for later when you can spend on what you want today, right? But among the many reasons to save money is that even if you don’t know exactly what you’re saving for right now, you’ll likely find something you want to save for in the future. A new car, a new home, a child’s education… the possibilities are endless. Plus, it’s critical to have some cash set aside for emergencies and unexpected expenses as they come up.
How much you should save depends on your financial goals. You may have a tangible goal you want to pursue, like taking a year off work to travel. In that case, you want to estimate how much you’ll need not only to cover the cost of travel, but also to cover regular living expenses if you don’t plan to make an income during this period.
If one of your reasons to save money is to gain flexibility, you can set a specific amount aside each month (hint: automate your savings) based on what you can afford to save after things like retirement savings and emergency fund contributions.
Saving means you can take calculated risks
Part of the importance of saving money is to build cash reserves so you can take calculated risks with less worry. If you don’t have any savings, it may be harder to pursue certain passions. Take starting a business, for example. To be a small business owner, you’ll need financial backing to get it off the ground.
Why you should save money
The importance of saving money is simple: It allows you to enjoy greater security in your life. If you have cash set aside for emergencies, you have a fallback should something unexpected happen. And, if you have savings set aside for discretionary expenses, you may be able to take risks or try new things. Pretty good reasons to save money, right?
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