Bizarre Money Habits

During difficult times, as well as in other times, saving money is difficult. While high-tech and app methods may work, traditional actions can result in quickly increasing your wealth. These weird-sounding saving habits suggested by millennials include:

• Save a certain denomination of money. People who get paid in cash or receive change suggest saving every five-dollar bill, for example, in an envelope. This money can be used for fun activities, a special dinner, or to add to your long-term savings.
• Use a jar to control spending. Put a set amount of cash in a decorated jar for lunches, eating out, or other budget item. Having to actually pull money out of the jar will make you more cautious of your spending habits.
• Skip buying certain items. Avoid coffee, soft drinks, snacks, or other impulse items, and save that amount. These small amounts can add up to larger sums saved. 
• Make use of recurring payments. If you are paying each month for a car payment, when the vehicle is paid off, keep sending that amount into a savings account.
• Save in short sprints. For one month, avoid eating away from home and bring lunch to work. This reduced spending can make you more aware of your spending habits and increase amounts saved.
• Pay for your drinks (or snacks) at home. Every time you have a soft drink, other drink, or snack, “pay” for it be setting aside the “price,” such as $1 for a soft drink or $2 for a bag of chips. These funds will add up for your savings.
• Visualize your savings goal. Display a photo or other visual as a reminder of items you plan to buy or when saving for holiday gifts or a vacation.
• Actually, freeze your credit card. Place your credit card in a bag or container of water and place it in the freezer.  This action can help avoid impulse purchases, and you can easily defrost it under warm water when you need to pay for an emergency.

For additional information on unusual money actions, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

• Have students talk with others to obtain other ideas that they use to save money.
• Have students create a video or other visual that might be used to encourage people to spend less and save more.

Discussion Questions 

1. Why do most people have a difficult time saving money?
2. Describe personal action that you have used to spend less and save more.