Execute a Successful Saving Strategy, Part 1
By Pam Reiss
According to a recent Gallup poll, a majority of Americans report that they prefer saving money to spending it. The poll found that 59 percent of Americans claim to prefer saving, while only 38 percent stated that they preferred to spend.
Additionally, the Gallup findings indicate that 8 out of 10 individuals are watching their spending very closely, while those who spend more claim that it is only due to temporary conditions.
The desirability of saving appears to be directly correlated with the Great Recession, as the number of American savers has continued to trend upward since 2008. However, additional research suggests that despite the best intentions of American savers, a majority are finding it difficult to actually execute a successful saving strategy.
In fact, nearly 70 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings, according to a 2016 report from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. And this isn’t just a Millennial problem. Figures from the credit bureau Experian found that 73 percent of consumers had outstanding debt when they passed away, carrying an average total balance of $61,554.
The startling difference between these figures makes one thing certain: even if you claim to be concerned with putting money into your savings account, it is likely that your follow-through leaves something to be desired.
Failing to conduct an honest self-evaluation of your saving strategy can have serious and lasting consequences. You may find yourself short on cash as you reach retirement age, or struggle to find the funds you thought you’d have when looking to buy a home, send a child to college or pay for medical care.
Of course, it can be difficult to conduct a self-evaluation and know for sure whether your financial strategy is truly working in the best interests of you and your family.
At The Milford Bank, we’ve been providing our customers in the Milford and Stratford area with sound financial advice for nearly 150 years. We’ve helped growing families and empowered local businesses to flourish. We have a broad portfolio of financial services to help you reach all your goals. Most importantly, we have dedicated and experienced personnel, ready to sit down with you to ensure that your savings strategy is fully aligned with your needs and tailored to maximize the value of your assets.
In this series, we’ll take a hard look at why Americans are struggling to put aside money, even if they think they’re doing a good job already. Be sure to check our blog again for future installments, and if you’d like to learn more about how to deploy a successful saving plan in the meantime, check out our Online Learning Center here.
