There is nothing more wonderful than to hear exciting announcements like this:
“Mom, I’m getting married!”
or
“Goyers, guess what? You’ve been chosen to adopt a wonderful sibling group!”
We’ve heard both within the last six months, which means that our family is growing in wonderful ways! (And more information about this new sibling group will be coming through my blog in future weeks … I promise!)
Of course, there’s nothing worse than hearing wonderful news and the first thought being, “Great, but how am I going to pay for this?!”
For most of our married life, John and I have spent whatever we’ve had in the bank, living check to check. Some years were very lean, and some years were abundant. But it’s been in the last few years that we’ve been better at savings … and aren’t we glad. Now we can look to expand our family with excitement, not huge worries about costs.
But that’s just one benefit.
Having a happy piggy bank also:
- Helps guard against credit debt.
- Helps to teach kids the value of money.
- Reminds us that we are in control of our money.
- Allows us to share our abundance and give to others.
Happy Piggy Banks Guard Against Credit Debt
Having a savings account is a buffer than helps you to guard against credit card debt. When you have money put aside, you can celebrate life’s events with a joyful heart, and without the worries of having to scale back on family celebrations. You are also prepared when those surprise expenses come up like medical bills or new tires.
Happy Piggy Banks Teach Kids the Value of Money
For children (well, sometimes adults too) the concept of money is vague. To help children understand better, show them an example of your family budget with savings, giving, and expenses laid out. Let your kids watch you as you write checks or put money into your savings account. Provide your children a small, weekly allowance and help them to do the same with their money.
Happy Piggy Banks Reminds Us We Are In Control of Our Money
When we spend using credit cards, money slips away every month with fees. When we have a budget and a savings account, we can happily decide between our wants, our needs, and how to spend and give. Instead of $50 or $100 (or more) going to interest every month, we can give to worthy organizations that supporting teenage moms or who fight against human trafficking around the world. We decide where every penny goes, and who it can help.
Happy Piggy Banks Allow Us to Share From Our Abundance And Give To Others
Having a savings account prepares us for life’s challenges, and life’s celebrations, but it also helps us to give with compassion. There have been times I’ve wanted to give to causes, but I’ve had little to give. When we save well, we can give well.
Saving Can Be Giving, Too
Most people already know the benefits of credit unions, such as customer ownership, fewer fees and higher savings rates. An added benefit is affinity-based banking—the intersection of faith and financial planning. These are financial institutions that offer business and consumer banking services while also investing profits in social causes. Using a credit union like this doubles your giving. You not only have more to give with few fees and higher savings rates, the credit union is using their profits to give to worthy causes, too!
If you’re looking to start making your piggy bank happy I’d like to help! (Actually ECCU wants to help and I’m excited about them helping YOU!)
Simple Math: Your savings + ECCU = More Ministry
With ECCU, your money does more than earn a good interest rate for you. It helps fuel Christ-centered ministry worldwide by providing loans to churches and low-cost banking services to missionaries and Christian organizations. Together, you + ECCU = supporting and resourcing more ministry. Plus, if you open a Money Market Savings today, ECCU will donate $50 to International Princess Project to help fight human trafficking in India.
“SAVE WITH ECCU” $1,000 GIVEAWAY!
Enter below for a chance to win $1,000. The contest runs from March 5 – April 10, 2015. The qualified winner must open an ECCU Money Market Savings account where the $1,000 will be deposited. Click here for official rules.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I have an interesting savings program I started years ago. I save pocket change. I have a bank that counts separates the change and puts it in the correct wrappers .I saved this way for years so we could do something nice when we retired. Retirement came and I still was saving and waiting for my husband to retire. At 72 he retired and a year later we took the vacation we wanted and you might say that we paid for it all with pocket change and there’s still money in our savings account. Who knows? Maybe well live long enough to take another trip on pocket change.
Blessings
Shirley
I LOVE that Shirley!! I might use that in a blog! 🙂
Tricia, I knew you were looking at adopting multiple kids again! I just had one of those feelings. So happy for you guys! And, of course, I can’t wait to hear more news and see pictures when they become available.
Hugs,
Andrea
I’ve been dropping a few hints, haven’t I?!
My husband and I have been working really hard to teach our kids to save this year. We’re making them put a percentage of their weekly allowance into savings (as well as to tithe) and have some rules for how they can spend it:
1) They have to make requests to spend their savings in writing
2) They have to wait 4 days after submitting their request to spend it to think and pray
3) The item has to be something they would otherwise have been unable to get
This is helping them to a) consider their purchases and b) to realize that by saving, they can afford bigger/better things. My daughter invested her savings into bead making supplies to start a jewelry shop that she is starting with her cousin. They are (naturally) raising money to buy American Girl dolls for girls in need. 🙂
We are currently saving to purchase a farm/home in full. Our children went through losing our last house due to debt and now they are witnessing the blessing of saving up for what you want/need. Hopefully this will teach them a life long lesson in sacrifice and patience.
We know what it is like to get into debt because of a lack of savings, and it was not easy to get out. Good post!
Having a savings means that you are spending less than you earn . . . which, to me, is the necessary foundation for a successful budget.
Needing to build my emergency fund, thank you.
When our kids get money for birthdays or Christmas, they must tithe 10% (we let them chose between church and a couple of missionaries), they get to keep dollars that equal their age (ie. If Clare was 9, she got to keep $9 to spend) the balance went into their savings account. We started when our kids were young so they just accepted this as what our family does.
My husband and I are working Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps to become debt-free. My kids do chores for money and are learning to give, save and spend.
I’m trying to reverse the money situation that has been passed down with my family and teach my daughter about saving up for things instead of buying non-essentials on credit and paying interest rather that earing interest on saving. It’s hard sometimese to wait, but, usually makes me feel so much better!! 🙂 So important to have a savings account!!
I have tried to teach my kids how important saving is, and how all the material things don’t matter..to go and see the world and give back.
I wish someone had told me about saving, and now I am very careful with spending ! I’d rather save, then go out to eat or buy items.
What a great giveaway! We also just had our son announce his engagement and as fun as a trip abroad will be, his wedding will be in the same state. A little easier on the budget!
Love this – and it is something important that I teach my kids. We try to stay out of debt, not always easy with a large family. This is a great reminder to us all that savings is so important for those rainy days. [On a side note I’m beyond delighted to hear about the upcoming adoptions and will keep YOU and your growing family in our prayers!]
I believe it is so important to teach our children from a very young age how to save. I have learned over the years how
credit card debt can wittle away at self esteem and happiness. We are working at rebuilding our savings in our family and living without credit cards. Our thoughts and prayers are going out to all those struggling and working forward to peaceful times without debt.
I would say please don’t make the same mistakes that I did, always putting it off, thinking there was plenty of time.
Wow, I didn’t know there was a credit union like this. Very cool!