In the past, Americans were encouraged to pay for big, one-time purchases like vacations or new furniture or a boat, on credit. You got to enjoy your purchase right away but were left to pay for it much longer. A smarter way to is plan ahead to save the money you’ll need.

Begin by setting your savings goal. How much will you need and by when? Then make the goal real. One of our customers made a poster of a Disneyland vacation and stuck it to their refrigerator at home to remind them of what they were saving for.

Next, identify how much you’ll need to save every month to reach your goal. Our Banking Specialists can help with this or you can (use this calculator/find a savings app online.) Review your budget and confirm that you can find the money to save. In the short term, you may decide to cut something out of the budget to find the extra savings.
Make your savings automatic. One way is to have a set amount transferred automatically from your checking account to savings. Then watch your money grow.