Savings & SMART Goals | Financial Literacy (2024)

Save Now, Enjoy Later: Every Little Bit Counts

Did you know that just 60% of people could cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash or savings?

Types of Savings

  • Emergency Fund: An emergency fund is a sum of money that you set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies which can include things like unexpected medical bills, car repairs, or job loss.

  • Short-term savings: Short-term savings are for expenses that you plan to make in the near future, such as a new laptop, textbooks, or a spring break trip. Having a separate savings account for short-term goals can help you avoid dipping into your emergency fund or using credit cards.

  • Long-term savings: Long-term savings are for big-picture goals, such as buying a house, starting a business, or *saving for retirement. It's important to start saving for these goals early and consistently to take advantage of compounding interest.
    *Retirement savings can include contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), or other types of investment accounts.

Where Can I Put My Savings?

Stashing your savings in your home is always an option, making it easy to get to. However, the money could be easily stolen, lost, or be temping to use for impulse purchases.

Using a bank is an essential aspect of managing personal finances and achieving financial goals. Banks serve as a trusted financial institution that offers a wide range of services. For most people, that starting point of working with a bank is to open a savings account, and there are few types to consider.

AccountFunctionProsCons

BASIC Savings Account

amongst the safest places to put money

  • low minimum balance
  • Earn a guarantee rate of interest
  • government insured
  • easy to withdraw money
  • lowest interest rate
  • (online banks typically offer a slightly higher interest rate)

Money market Account (MMA)

similar to a checking account
  • take out money anytime (usually without penalty)
  • higher interest rate than saving
  • may require a high minimum monthly ($1k-$10k) to avoid fees
  • limited number of checks during each statement cycle
Certificate of Deposit (CD)enables you to loan your money to a bank/credit union for a set amount of time
  • bank pays set interest rate on your money
  • when CD “matures” the bank returns the full amount plus accumulated interest
  • interest can be higher than saving
  • in order to earn high interest you have to agree to a longer maturity date (6 months to over a year)
  • if you take out before the maturity date, you’ll get a penalty

Questions to ask a bank before opening an account:

  • What types of accounts do you offer?
  • What are the fees, minimum balance requirements, and interest rates associated with each account?
  • What is the bank's policy on overdraft and what are the fees associated with them?
  • What types of online banking services are available?
  • Where are the ATM and branch locations? What are the fees associated with out of network ATM usage?
  • Are you FDIC insured and what security measures does the bank take to protect personal information?

SMART Goal Setting

The SMART goal is a framework for setting goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This helps individuals create goals that are well-defined and have a clear path to success.
Specific: Define exactly what you want to achieve.
Measurable: You can track your progress and determine whether or not you have achieved it.
Achievable: You should have the ability and resources to accomplish it.
Relevant: It should align with your personal or professional values.
Time-bound: It should have a specific deadline or timeframe for completion

Example SMART Goal:

I want to save $500 in the next 5 months to build my emergency fund. I will save $50 from each paycheck. I will record my progress every payday on my chart.

Want to learn more about savings and setting goals on your own time? Sign up for a FREE CashCourse account and start learning today.

Savings & SMART Goals | Financial Literacy (2024)

FAQs

Savings & SMART Goals | Financial Literacy? ›

That's why it's important to set SMART financial goals – goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Setting specific and measurable financial goals makes it easier for you to track your progress and take corrective steps when necessary.

What are smart goals in financial literacy? ›

That's why it's important to set SMART financial goals – goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Setting specific and measurable financial goals makes it easier for you to track your progress and take corrective steps when necessary.

What are the goals of financial literacy? ›

A strong foundation of financial literacy can help support various life goals, such as saving for education or retirement, using debt responsibly, and running a business. Key aspects of financial literacy include knowing how to create a budget, plan for retirement, manage debt, and track personal spending.

Which is an example of a SMART financial goal responses? ›

The first step in creating SMART financial goals is to make them specific. A vague goal like "save money" lacks direction and purpose. Instead, strive to define your goal with precision. For example, "Save $5,000 over the next year for a down payment on a new car" provides a clear target to work towards.

What is a SMART savings plan? ›

The SMART Savings Plan™ is a tax saving solution that allows clients to substantially reduce their annual income tax burden over the course of a 10 year period. Clients of the SMART Savings Plan™ are required to contribute a fixed amount to their Plan each year.

How do you write a SMART goal for saving money? ›

SMART is an acronym that means: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound. Setting targets helps to make sure your SMART goal is attainable and timebound. Identifying specific action steps may help you meet your SMART goal targets.

What are 5 smart goals? ›

The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Defining these parameters as they pertain to your goal helps ensure that your objectives are attainable within a certain time frame.

What is saving in financial literacy? ›

Saving excess money/cash to use for future purchases, emergency savings, or life expenses. This excess money can be saved in various places, financial institutions, credit unions, investment plans, or at home under lock and key. Investing.

What are the 5 key components of financial literacy? ›

The U.S. FLEC highlights five principles as the building blocks of financial literacy, known as the MyMoney Five.
  • EARN.
  • SPEND.
  • SAVE & INVEST.
  • BORROW.
  • PROTECT.
Apr 17, 2024

What are the four main financial goals? ›

The four primary financial objectives of firms are; stability, liquidity, profitability, and efficiency. The profitability objective focuses on generating enough revenue to meet the firms' expenses and the desired profit margin.

How to write a SMART goal example? ›

Make sure the goal is relevant to your broader life or career ambitions. Finally, add a timeframe to create a sense of urgency. A well-crafted SMART goal might look like this: "I want to increase my LinkedIn network by 200 connections within the next three months."

What are SMART financial goals short-term? ›

Short-term financial goals are things you want to achieve within the next couple of years, such as paying off credit card debt or saving for a vacation or wedding. Building an emergency fund is an important short-term financial goal to cover unexpected expenses and avoid relying on high-interest credit cards.

Which of the following is a SMART financial goal? ›

It's important to plan goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, commonly known as S.M.A.R.T financial goals.

What is a SMART goal in financial literacy? ›

Image credit: Jernej F. on Flickr, CC BY 2.0. A better way to write financial goals is to use the SMART method. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. These are five criteria that can help you make your goals clear, realistic, and trackable.

What is a savings goal? ›

A savings goal is something that you are saving to have in the future. People have lots of savings goals—they save for emergencies like fixing a broken car, or for big items, like a new refrigerator.

How does SMART savings work? ›

Smart Savings automatically transfers money from one Fifth Third checking account to your Fifth Third Momentum® Savings account, and you can set limits and restrictions on how much can be transferred every week. (We'll never transfer more than $80 a week.)

What are smart goals in finance industry? ›

SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, a framework used to set clear and attainable goals. Setting SMART financial goals enhances focus, accountability, and performance by providing clear and structured objectives that align with overall business strategies.

What is an example of a SMART goal in accounting? ›

Get new clients. Growing the number of clients may be a good example of goals for staff accountant within your firm. The purpose of increasing client numbers is to grow the revenue of the firm. You can make this goal smart by defining the number of clients you would like to increase and the period of execution.

What is the SMART approach for financial planning? ›

SMART Goals for Your Financial Plan. Building financial goals that follow the SMART goal methodology (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) can help you focus your financial objectives. Do you have clear retirement goals, and are they achievable? Unfortunately, many people don't, and it's understandable.

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