Okie Life

One of the biggest misconceptions about goal setting is that it’s only for big milestones, like putting a down payment on a house or saving up for your dream wedding. 📣Newsflash: everyone’s fi nancial journey is unique, and frankly, those are some very intimidating things to start saving for right off the bat!

Financial goals come in all sizes, and don’t have to take years to achieve. Even completing a weekly or monthly goal can make you a smashing success in no time. Whether you’re new to saving or a seasoned pro, we’re here to help you start setting and smashing those fi nancial goals with confi dence and consistency.

✅ Quick Start to Savings Goals

Achieving a goal has to be one of the best feelings. If this is your fi rst time taking a stab at saving, it can be intimidating to fi gure out where to start, what to save for or even how much to save. It’s super common to feel this way, and that’s why we’ve got a three-step strategy to saving so you can start strong and keep that momentum going!

💲Know Your Limits

When setting a savings goal, self awareness can be key because we want you to start saving within your financial comfort zone. It’s tempting to aim high, but committing to saving more than you can handle each month could ultimately set you up for failure.

Are you really ready to start saving for a house? Or is it maybe more practical for you to set a goal for a weekly bubble tea allowance?

Before you start setting goals, carefully analyze your budget, monthly expenses and spending habits. Figure out how much you can realistically afford to set aside each day, each week or each month. Then, you’re ready to decide what you’re saving for.

🥇 Stay Motivated

While we know it’s fun to dream big, starting with smaller, more manageable goals can help you in the long run. Taking money out of your spending account can be a bit of a drag, especially when it’s something you’ve worked toward for years. Getting started with smaller goals helps you build momentum, stay motivated and gradually adjust your lifestyle to accommodate bigger savings goals in the future.

You can even break bigger goals into several smaller goals. For example, if you’re wanting to save $500 next year, it can be hard to stay on track for 365 days. But, if you save just $10 every week, you’ll get to smash a goal each week AND you end up with $520 by doing that for a year. The excitement of meeting these smaller goals will keep you motivated and consistent.

📈 Grow Your Goals

Once you’ve gotten into the swing of things, crushing goals will start to feel like second nature. Celebrate achieving each one of your goals and use those serotonin hits to start making even bigger money moves (as you feel comfortable).

Adjusting your lifestyle to allow for bigger savings goals won’t happen overnight, but getting started with smaller goals gives you even more room to continue growing your goals. In no time at all, you’ll be eyeing that down payment goal.

🤏 3 Ways You Can Smash Savings on a Smaller Scale

Goals can be whatever size you feel comfortable with, but starting with a smaller goal can set you up for success in the long run. Here are a few ideas for savings goals you can smash in no time:

💵 Start With $25

Where some people go wrong is thinking you need to be able to put aside a large sum of money in order to start saving. That isn’t the case! It’s easiest to start small. Try to commit to putting $25 in your savings account each month (or each paycheck).

While this may seem minor, it will begin to add up over time. Before you know it, you’ll have savings that you can use toward other goals, too. Eventually, you can even work towards increasing the amount you contribute each time.

🎁 Start a Gift Fund

Birthdays and holidays can sometimes come up out of nowhere. Scrounging up some extra cash to buy presents can be super stressful. Taking the time to build a gift fund could take away that worry and help you always feel prepared when you forget that friend’s birthday, or if you have a tight month where there aren’t a lot of extra funds to put toward Christmas gifts. Aim for a $200 gift-buying fund that can cover any last-minute presents you need to buy.

🍰 Little Treat Allowance

We’re all familiar with the need for a “little treat” to get you through the day. But, constantly dropping a little here and there on those special items can really add up fast. Try putting aside $10–$25 per week for treat trips to keep your spending in check. Then, you can treat yourself by crushing a cupcake and another goal.

💯 Become a Goal-Getter

Are you ready to start smashing goals? Whether you’re looking to complete a savings goal this year or working toward achieving one weekly, getting your fi rst goal funded will help propel your fi nancial future. Take your first win and turn it into motivation for more!

Still have some questions about setting savings goals? We’re always Happy to Help!