Saving isn’t the easiest thing to do but it is always the smart thing to do especially if you’re saving for something important. We may all have different dreams and goals in life but there are some things that no matter who we are and what we want we need to make an effort to save for.
What Everyone Should Be Saving For!
Clearing Debt
If you have debts then it’s makes sense to use any spare cash you have to start paying it off. After all having debt costs money just by its very existence so using any spare cash you have to clear it should be your first consideration.
Pet Emergencies
If you have a pet, then it’s a good idea to insure them so that should they get into an accident or develop an illness you’ll be able to take good care of them. However, if you have an older pet or a pet with an existing condition you may find that you struggle to find a pet insurance company to cover them or there will be limitations with the cover available. With this in mind it’s one of the things us pet owners need to allow for and have money put aside for our little furry friends in case the unthinkable should happen and our fur babies get ill.
Retirement
It doesn’t matter whether you’re 18 or 60 if you are working you should be paying into a pension pot. Saving for your future is so much more important now that it has ever been what with the future being so uncertain due to a whole range of factors. If you want to live comfortably when you’re older I would suggest you start saving as early as possible.
Funeral Expenses
Not something anyone wants to think about but the one thing that is guaranteed for us all is that we will all die some day. I have seen on numerous occasions the expense involved. When that happens it can really be a shock firstly of course by loosing someone but also the actually cost of a funeral – it’s extortionate! This is something that I really need to set money aside for as you never know what’s around the corner and the burdened with the cost of a funeral isn’t something I would want my family to have to deal with. Although cheap funerals are becoming more widely available, you should probably still be saving for yours. If nothing else, it’ll be one less thing for your family to worry about.
University Expenses
If you have children, or you’re planning to start a family in the future, saving for university fees and expenses is the sensible thing to do. The average student’s debt is approximately £50,000 according to the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies). Unless there’s a radical change in policy this is only going to continue to rise. If you don’t want your children to be carrying around such a huge burden when they start their adult life then start saving today for their future.
Home and Vehicle Emergencies
Something that I know about all too well. The last thing most of us want or need is to have a car or home emergency and not have the necessary funds to pay for repair. An emergency fund is of vital importance and can make a big difference. That way we will always have funds available to fix such situations without having to wait or resort to expensive credit options.
If you aren’t already saving for any of these now is as good a time as any to start. No one knows what the future will hold but those that are prepared find them that little bit easier when they have the funds in place to help them.
Which of these would you start saving for first?
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I agree that it’s good to have savings. I’ve already started thinking about my kids at university
That’s great. It’s so expensive now to send children to university.
I’m very glad I started a Pension when I did. The earlier you can start one, the better, even if you can only pay a small amount in!
Exactly, something is always better than nothing.
Theres just me living solo – its always wise to have an emergency fund . Just this year my freezer gave up, my hoover had to go and now I have a window seal to repair.
Oh wow that’s a lot to need replacing, I do hope you had something set aside for this.
I would love to start saving for my children’s university fees now, I don’t want them to have to deal with that debt.
Tell me about it the costs are ridiculous.
Really all of these need to be saved for. We do try to put a bit away each month but it’s hard juggling saving with running a home – and kids!
I know it can be extremely difficult but then if it’s in your mind to try it’s a start and little bits can help get you started.
I do agree with you that’s important to save for all of those items. But, sometimes you can’t save what you don’t have.
That’s very true. Even little bits can make a difference and you need to start somewhere.
I love your rabbits! And kudos to you for posting a savings entry when everyone is out SPENDING for Christmas and often going overboard doing so. Good job,Melanie!!
They are super cute aren’t they. I know so much spending and the thought of saving goes out of the window. It’s always good to save in case of an emergency even at Christmas – a boiler going for example over the festive period can’t be paid for with presents.
I’ve recently succeeded in clearing my debts, and have started to be able to save a little, I feel much more relaxed knowing I have some money for emergencies!
It can be a great relief to know you have something set aside.
I agree with this, there is always a way to save, even if you do it little by little, in the end it will count.
It sure does and you have to start somewhere.
We’ve just finished saving for a mortgage, and now we’re saving as much as we can for our daughter’s future 🙂
Good to hear, hope you save loads for her 😉
its always so so important to save money in case of pet emergencies!! I always allocate a certain amount to save for the ‘just in case’
Always a good thing just in case 😉
I am finding it really hard to save at the moment and I know I need to tighten my belt a bit. I am going to try much harder from the new year x
Good luck Tanya. It can be very hard to save at this time of year. If you start early in the year it can really help 😉
Having your own savings is so important but also so hard to keep! Especially when everything decides to break at the same time!
Yeah, I’m pretty much fudge for retirement as I don’t really have much saved up. I keep hoping I win the lottery. I am trying to think of a way to save more for retirement as it stands, I will be out on the street at 65!
I definitely know all too well about university expenses, I am currently in a lovely sum of university debt after my BA degree haha but luckily it gets written off after 30 years! Funeral expenses is not something I had thought of much before but its true everyone dies one day so its important to be prepared.
These are great tips, I really wish I had enough money to be able to save any!
We’ve just nearly paid off all our debt so once that is done we can start saving for holidays!
I have no savings and can’t really think about it right now. I must get a plan together in the new year. Kaz
Definitely agree with this! We have just ocme up with a plan to pay off those debts because as you said, the interest alone is making it worse. We always try to save up for car and house insurance etc so we aren’t lumbered with another monthly payment but something usually comes up and the money gets spent. This year we have a new strategy so hopefully it will actually work!
I am a saver. I save for health emergencies. I always freak out even thinking about health emergency and not having enough money in savings. Great post.
Thanks, I like to be prepared and it’s good to make sure others are too. You never know when you might need extra funds.
All of these points are pretty important (depending on your circumstances). Luckily because I rent, if anything goes wrong with my home it’s my landlord who has to pay for it. I put a little away out my salary each month and I have a direct debit set up to pay my debt off each month. Knowing you have it sorted takes such a load off your mind.
V <3
It really does especially if something does come up that you need a bit of extra money for.