5 Reasons to Start Saving Now

Saving money is like going on a diet. There is difficulty in starting it but the real challenge is keeping it going, especially when you happen to walk past that delicious figurative cake. In those times, you remind yourself of why you started in the first place. In saving money, your purpose will guide your struggle. If you’re having some difficulty starting or remembering why you started saving, here are the top five reasons everyone needs to save money.

Emergencies

Building an emergency fund is one of the best ways to mitigate damages on your financial situation when the need does come. Emergencies may come in the form of car troubles, medical bills, or unemployment. Although you do in fact save to build your emergency fund, remember that it is different from your actual savings. Your emergency fund should be as much as three to six months worth of living expenses. This amount will make sure you keep afloat in most unexpected situations.

Retirement

Even if you are planning to spend your retirement in nursing homes like Chelsea Senior Living (https://chelseaseniorliving.com/), it is prudent to start early. The earlier you plan for your retirement, the more you will be able to save and feel at ease. You’ll also be able to maximize the compounding interest of savings accounts. This means that if you save a fixed amount regularly for a number of years, earning a fixed interest, you’ll get substantially more than you saved. In this way, the longer the time you save, the more your money can earn for you. In the UK, the introduction of auto enrolment pension has welcomed an increase in the number of people saving for retirement according to the Telegraph.

Education

Aside from enrolling in traditional schools and earning degrees, education can be anything that improves your knowledge base. There are a lot of training opportunities to further your career. You can also learn new things for business ventures or even leisure. Increasing your skills and knowledge is always a good idea and a worthy cause for saving money. Sometimes, the returns can even be apparent in terms of your increased market value.

If you have a family, saving for your children’s education is also becoming increasingly necessary because of the continuously rising cost of tuition fees.

Property

Most people dream to own their own home eventually. However, according to the Independent, the percentage of people owning their home in the UK declined from 73.3 per cent in 2007 to just 63.4 per cent in 2016. One of the reasons cited for this was the sharp increase in house prices relative to people’s income. Because of this, saving money is one effective way to hold on to that lofty dream. Rent prices are also on the rise, giving people an additional push to own their homes instead.

However, before investing in a property, be aware of the rules and regulations of the real estate industry. If you are not aware of the standards and regulations, you might find yourself losing all your precious money for no good reason. Take, for instance, this case to better understand the above-mentioned words. Let’s say that you want to invest in a timeshare in an exotic location. You enter into the deal with other owners without even researching in detail how timeshare works because you are so happy that you do not have to pay for the entire property all by yourself.

Nevertheless, after entering the deal, to your disbelief, you receive upkeep and utility bills for the property when you are not using it. You get reminders for paying for the pool repair that you have not yet gotten a chance to see in real-time. Dreadful, right? Yes, this happens in timeshares, which is why many owners tend to look for timeshare exit companies to find a way to come out of this horrifying situation. Though the process of opting out may be a bit tough, with professional help it can be done quickly. But does this mean you will still opt for a timeshare after knowing all this? No, you should not! Moreover, you should learn from the above-mentioned scenario–you should first know all the rules and regulations of real estate before thinking about investing in any kind of property.

Convenience and Luxury

If you’re saving, you can’t afford to live comfortably – Yes and No. Yes, you’ll of course have to make some sacrifices to meet your financial goals. However, a vacation in Paris or a better car can motivate you as much as any other on this list. As a person, you are inherently drawn to things that will make your life feel nicer, even if you have to experience some hardships in the process. Save money to do the things you’ve always wanted to do.

Saving can be difficult but satisfying when you meet your targets. Keeping your eye on the ball when it comes to your reasons for doing it will definitely help. If you’re looking for some helpful cost-cutting tips, here are ten ways to save money. Good luck!

Author: Katie

Katie is a finance specialist with one of the biggest firms in London. From savings to investments, there’s nothing she can’t advise on and she’s here to help spread the word and help you on your way to financial freedom.