Have you ever diligently set aside money in a savings account for a few months only to take it out when an unexpected expense came up?
I’ve done it more than I care to admit. I don’t have trouble depositing money into savings, I have trouble keeping it there!
If you’ve been faced with the same issue, here are some ways to keep your savings in your savings account.
Keep your savings at a different bank
When I first started saving, my savings account was linked to my primary checking account so that I could transfer funds back to savings—or even withdraw them at an ATM—just as easily as I put the money in.
Therefore, if I ever found myself short on cash, I would be tempted to tap savings rather than find ways to cut costs until payday.
I recommend keeping your savings in a totally separate online account. Not only will you reduce the ease of which you can access your money (thought it will still be just two-to-three business days), you’ll also likely earn a higher rate than you could at your local bank and be able to consider a savings account promotion.
You can find a couple options below, based on where you live:
Cut up your savings debit card
Many savings banks bill a free debit card linked to your account as a perk. However, with a savings account, it’s not really a plus.
Cut up any debit card you get that is linked exclusively to your savings bank. Or—if you really must hang onto that ability to access some cash from savings—keep your debit card in a safe place at home, not in your wallet.
Set it and forget it
The best way to avoid tapping your savings too often is to forget the money even exists. Especially if you can have your savings contribution directly deposited or automatically transferred to your account, you can pretend the account doesn’t even exist.
It’s easy to automate your savings with today’s technology!
If you find yourself tapping savings often, reduce your contributions
Let’s face it, if you deposit $300 to savings each month only to take $100 out almost every month, your budget isn’t working.
I would say it’s better to put $200 into savings that you know you won’t touch than to put $300 in and constantly be so strapped that you routinely pillage your piggy bank to make ends meet.
Use a credit card instead
What? Why would I recommend paying with credit over cash? The fact is, I usually wouldn’t. But I only recommend you use a credit card in this case if you need to bridge the gap between an unexpected expense and your next paycheck.
That is, when you can and will pay the balance in full within a month. I would say it’s better to do this than to tap your savings for the expense, just because of the precedent using your savings can set.
Obviously if the expense is major, like a whopper of a car repair, you may need to use some savings. That’s better than putting the charge on your credit card and paying it offer over several months with a high interest rate.
Summary
Everyone should have a savings account. But you should only use it for the goals you have and not when you’re strapped for cash.
Have you ever found yourself tapping savings too often? How have you stopped? Let us know in the comments.