My neighbor walked out of her house exasperated. “I need a beer,” she said. Three hot, sweaty days of packing boxes was all she could handle. Enough was enough.
Then she took a deep breath and said, “I need to go back inside and keep my eye on the prize because the shipping container will be here tomorrow.”
Her “prize” is an oceanfront home in the Bahamas, and it's the motivation she needs to keep on packing. So…what does an oceanfront home in the Bahamas have to do with saving money? It's all about setting a goal and staying focused. When it comes to saving money, you need a “prize” to stay motivated, and you need to remind yourself of that prize every single day. It's your money saving motivation.
It's like the grown-up version of behavior rewards at school. I remember when my son was in kindergarten, he would tell me every morning…I'm not going to get a yellow light this week because I want that bouncy ball in Mrs. D's treasure chest. He was focused, he was determined and he got that bouncy ball.
Why do you want to save money? What's your money saving motivation? Maybe you're saving money to take a cruise, buy a new car or put a down payment on a house. Tape pictures of the cruise ship (or new car or new house) everywhere as a reminder of why you're pinching pennies. Even better…tape a tiny picture inside your wallet and maybe you'll think twice before indulging in your afternoon frappuccino. Think about it…$5 for your daily frappe equals $35 a week, $150 a month and $1820 a year. Hey – that's plenty of money for a cruise!
When you're on a mission to save money, keep your eye on the prize and pay attention to every little expense because they add up quickly. Ask yourself if there's something you're willing to give up in order to reach your goal. Would you be willing to brown bag it to work everyday in order to make a down payment on a car in 12 months? How about forgoing your gym membership and opting for running outside or working out to YouTube videos at home?
Keep your eye on the prize because if there's a will, there's a way.
Please leave a comment to share how you stay motivated to save money.
P.S. – I hope my neighbor Patsy is enjoying her new home in the Bahamas and is relaxing with that beer.
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image courtesy of artur84, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
