Many of us would like to have money in savings. Fankly speaking, a dollar spent now seems to provide a lot more pleasure than a dollar saved, how can you make sure you're motivated enough to put money aside on a regular basis?
Here are five things that could work for you...
1. Save Little And Often
Do you tell yourself that it's not worth saving if you don't have at least 100 (or 500, or 1000) to put into a savings account? This is a bit like telling yourself that it's not worth getting some exercise unless you have a whole day clear to jog.
How about saving just a dollar or two each day? Most of us can cut a couple of dollars of unnecessary spending every day (how about skipping that latte, carpooling, ditching your daily newspaper..?) It's a tiny amount that you'll barely notice on a daily basis, but over the course of a year, you'll have saved several hundred dollars.
2. Read Personal Finance Blogs
I find that I get encouraged to save--and to adopt good financial habits in general--by reading about others'tips and success. One of my must-read blogs for this is The Simple Dollar; Trent writes very well, and covers topics in-depth without making them too complicated. He also has an upbeat and motivating attitude towards savings and finances (some personal finance blogs can make for rather dour reading).
Other good blogs on personal finance are Get Rich Slowly and Wise Bread.
3. Keep a Savings Log
Something that's often recommended for those sorting out their finances is to keep a spending log--to write down what you spend, so that you have a clear picture of where all the money is going. I've done this in the past, and it's always revealing (and occasionally a bit horrifying!)
A twist on this, though, is to keep a savings log. Each time you make a deposit into your savings account (or each time you shove a few dollars into the jam jar hidden under your bed), write down the date and how much you saved. This can be a great way to motivate yourself to save more. You could also use your calendar or diary for this.
4. Save Towards A Specific Goal
Having a very clear goal in mind can make it much easier to save up. If you know that you need 1,000 for that new computer, or if you're determined to reach ,000 in your emergency fund, focusing on the end goal can keep you motivated.
Your end reward might not be a tangible thing like a vacation or a new purchase: it might be peace of mind, or a sense of security or freedom. Consider visualizing how you'll feel once you have your target amount in the bank. Will it take a weight off your shoulders? Will you be proud of what you've achieved?
5. Automate Your Savings
Finally, if you do find that your motivation waxes and wanes, simply automate your savings. Get your bank to transfer 100 (or 200 or 500 etc) from your checking account into a savings account, at the start of each month. If the money goes out without you having to lift a finger, chances are that you'll simply let it head off into the savings pot ...
【中文译文】：
有积蓄是许多人的梦想。坦率地讲，花一块钱比存一块钱要爽多了，那么怎样才能保证自己有足够的意志力把钱按期存起来呢？
下面是你可以考虑的五个办法……
1. 存小钱，常存钱
你是不是告诉自己，至少有 100（500 或 1000） 块钱才值得存入银行？这就有点像对自己说，只有拥有一整天的时间才值得去锻炼。
何不试试每天只存一两块钱呢？大多数人每天都能剩出几块钱来，（例如不喝咖啡，和别人合伙坐出租车，少买点报纸） 你可能很容易就忽略这些小钱，但一年后，你就可以节省数百元钱。
2. 阅读个人理财博客
我是通过阅读别人分享的小技巧和成功经验才学会了存钱和理财。我必读的一个理财博客是 The Simple Dollar，里面的文章深入浅出，对储蓄和理财的态度让人变得乐观而振奋 （一些个人的理财博客则让人昏昏欲睡）。
其他好的个人理财博客还有 Get Rich Slowly 和 Wise Bread。
3. 建立一个储蓄日志
管钱的一个好办法是建立一个花钱日志，写下你的花费，让自己清楚地知道所有的钱都花到哪里去了。我已经做到了这一点，而且我发现它的好处明显 （只是偶尔觉得结果有点可怕！）
另一个办法正好相反，即建立一个储蓄日志。每当你把钱放进银行户头 （或把几块钱放到床底下的果酱瓶里），记下日期和你存了多少钱。这是一个挺不错的可以激励存更多钱的方式。你也可以使用自己的日历或是日记本来做记录。
4. 为自己设立一个具体目标
一个非常明确的目标可以让你的省钱计划更加易行。如果你知道自己需要 1000 块去买一个新的电脑，或者决心要存下 5000 元以做应急之用，那么明确最终目标能够让你保持干劲。
你也许因为要存钱而不能去旅游或大买特买，但你因此收获了安心，安全感和自由。想象银行存折里的数字一直增加，你是不是感到自己的生活压力减少了？你会为自己实现目标而自豪吗？
5. 自动化你的储蓄
如果你发现自己省钱的激情在减弱，只要想办法让储蓄变成一个自动的流程。让你的银行在每月的第一天自动把支票帐户里的 100 元 （200 或 500） 转到储蓄帐户中。这样不需要动一根手指钱就存了起来，你轻而易举就一头扎进储蓄罐里了。
转自：每日英语