The best tip I can offer for anyone looking to join the community or old community members looking to save for their next item is to get a money bank. Some girls prefer the classic "piggy bank" while others decorate an old soup can. The best thing I can suggest is that you find a place to put your spare change that makes you smile. I used to be terrible with budgeting, and I will admit that I still fall victim to a spontaneous splurge because "it was just so cute," but having a place that I looked forward to placing any spare change I had on me really really helped.
I know the thought of a money bank seems old fashion, especially with debit cards and credit cards. (I usually run around with my debit card and rarely have spare cash on me.) However getting into a habit of withdrawing a little cash every once and a while and placing the change away is a healthy habit to start. You would be surprised by how much you can save up.
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR OWN DESIGN
This is my money bank. I labeled it "Rainy Day Fund" because I don't always use it to fund my Lolita and Fairy Kei obsession. Sometimes I use it to see a movie with a friend or go out for Baskin and Robbins Tuesday Ice Cream Deal. (Does it date me by saying that I remember One Scoop for One Dollar Tuesdays at B&R?) Now I look back thinking that calling it a "Rainy Day Fund" is rather silly because almost every day in Oregon is a rainy day.
Admittedly it's not that cute. Pink deco tape with a makeup print, a hello kitty memo pad, a hot pink pen, and some ribbon and stickers created this jar. Now I could have gotten fancy and used wrapping paper, lace, hot glued rhinestones, glitter, flimo designs, fabric paint, and so the list goes on. I just made it cute enough that I smile when I see it and drop my change inside.
I think personalizing your own bank better motivates you to place your change inside. If you can become excited about how cute your bank looks than I think it helps you want to place your change inside when you have it on hand. It's similar to the feeling when I see a Santa Claus ringing a bell with a red bucket asking for spare change for the Salvation Army (something we see in the States very often at Christmastime.) My sister and I used to always beg our parents for spare change to drop the coins in the shiny red bucket. Because these people and the shiny red bucket got us excited when we were young, my sister and I always wanted to give them our spare change (upon both entering and exiting the stores).
THE REASON WHY YOU SPENT HOURS PAINTING A JAR
So now that you have a place for your change that you think is adorable you need to focus on actually putting money inside of it. If you are young and live with your family then place spare change from spending your allowance. Ask your parents if you can have all of the change that falls underneath the seat cushions in the couch. Or perhaps your mother will let you have all of the coins found inside pant pockets when she does the laundry. Alternatively, become excited when you see Santa Claus ringing his bell asking for Salvation Army donations. Beg your parents for change since it is such a good cause. Place some of the change into the shiny red bucket but keep some of the change and pocket it to place in your bank. If your parents catch you remind them that you are a good cause too.
If you live on your own it becomes a little less rewarding if you look under the couch cushions to find your own change. (Although it's a good idea to check under there every once and a while. I have found many of my DS styluses and hair pins suffocating under there.) However, if you live on your own chances are that you carry cash on you every so often because not every place takes credit and debit cards. This results in spare change since there are very few times that transactions leave you with an even number. Instead of counting out pennies to a cashier (that is clearly getting nervous about counting the ridiculous amount of change you are about to hand over since you don't want change back) SAVE YOUR CHANGE FOR YOUR JAR. Unless you have used all of your bills, don't spend your time counting out change to pay for your item(s). Use bills because it will result in more change for you to place away.
EXTRA TIPS
1) Location, location, lolication. Place the jar somewhere you will actually see it and in a place where it is convenient for you. For a while I had mine by the front door so I could drop my change off when I came in but I soon found it was a poor spot for me. I rarely stopped to take my shoes off and empty my purse right inside the door. Plus my sister often enjoyed trying to snag a few coins for the jar she started. Then it was in my bedroom on my nightstand and now it has worked it's way to my desk. Whenever I switch purses, lose something in my purse, or freak out because I misplaced my phone, all of the contents of my purse are emptied onto my desk. I figured it was the best place for me to have my coin bank. If you look above you can see her new home where she can happily chat to all of my wonderful friends I have sitting around.
2) Don't count your change every day. Better yet, don't count your change every week. I noticed the more I counted my change the more likely I was to feel disappointed that I wasn't saving up fast enough. I always felt more accomplished when I checked a month later and have saved up a large sum more so than when I checked it every day to track how much I saved. Plus you won't be saving the same amount every day. Sometimes you do a lot of shopping and therefore you have more to place in the jar where as some days you might have done little to no shopping and don't have anything to place inside.
3) Place one dollar in your jar every week. I know it sounds silly since a dollar a week only ears $52.00 a YEAR. However this can help you feel like you are saving up rapidly and can encourage further savings. So many people start saving and then give up because it is such a little amount. Yet if you put in a dollar it takes up a lot of space until it gets crushed by coins. Forming a habit to keep a money bank revolves around staying motivated and good progress may just help you do this.
If you cannot afford one dollar per week then do one dollar per month or one dollar every paydal. Perhaps you can budget putting in a dollar a day! Some people put in five dollars each month. Do whatever works for you and your budget.
If you have your own money bank or create one after reading it yourself I would LOVE to see pictures. Perhaps all of you will make me want to redecorate my jar!! ^^ <3
