10-Minute Money Tune-Ups

Set a Savings Resolution for the Month

Balancing all your competing savings needs (your retirement, their college funds, a vacation someday...) is tough to begin with, but it’s even tougher when you have a family to provide for.

To accomplish this task, make a list of your top five savings goals, and how much you’re contributing to each. Then, decide to change just one habit this month to help contribute to the most fun goal on your list. For example, you might resolve to bring lunch every day for the whole month and contribute the savings to your travel fund.

To teach your kids good savings habits, get them in on the act by encouraging them to save some of their allowance money toward a goal of their own (their spending money on that vacation?).