first job? jump-start your savings
Sure, saving money doesn’t sound very enticing, but the sooner you begin developing real saving habits, the better off your financial future will be.
Establish Goals
One of the best ways to save money is to set detailed goals. You can do this by determining a specific dollar amount to save and by what date. When you have clearly outlined goals, you’ll be more likely to work towards them.
Your first goal should be to set up an Emergency Savings. This is money you put aside in case of an emergency or any unexpected expenses. Depending on your specific situation, this may be saving for a down payment on a new car or trip.
Once you define your goals, make sure you’re committed to saving. It shouldn’t be something you do whenever you have extra money. Instead, treat your savings plan just as you would a bill – it’s a payment that needs to be made each month.
Automate Your Savings
Perhaps the most powerful way to ensure you’re saving is to make it automatic. After a while, you may not even notice or miss the money coming out of your paycheck. At Reliant, you’ll find three tools to make this all possible – and they’re quick and easy to set up!
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- Direct Deposit: Your first step is to enroll in direct deposit. This service is free and allows your employer to deposit your paycheck directly into your account. No waiting in line to cash your check or worrying about possible check fraud. Even if you’re out of town or on vacation, your paycheck will instantly be deposited into your account on payday.
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- Scheduled Transfer: Next, you can automate your savings. With scheduled transfers, you can designate a specific amount from each of your paychecks to be instantly transferred to your savings account. For example, you could set $20 from each paycheck to transfer directly into your savings on payday.
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- Round-Up Savings: With your Reliant checking account, you can enroll in our Round-Up Savings program. With the program, every purchase you make with your eligible Reliant debit card will be rounded up to the nearest dollar and the difference will be funded by your own checking account and transferred into your Round-Up Savings account, so you can save money seamlessly, just by making everyday transactions.