如何“欺骗”自己存更多钱

通货膨胀率高企，很多人手头紧, there’s never been a better time to re-examine how we’re managing our finances and to make some moves to save more. 大约61%的美国人，也就是2.03亿人 生活是靠薪水过日子吗，而13%的人是这样 入不敷出. 这不仅在此时此地给我们带来压力, 但它也会给未来带来长久的遗憾. 近70% 很多美国人都有财务上的遗憾, 包括没有尽快为退休存钱, 有信用卡债务, 而且没有应急基金.

The easy part, of course, is recognizing that we need to change our habits. 更有挑战性的部分是做出改变，然后 实际上是坚持下去. 研究人员或许找到了答案. 提示:这与从小处着眼有关. 加州大学的一项研究表明, 洛杉矶, 和伦敦大学(发表于 通知 日报》 市场营销科学) applied a behavioral finance trick known as “mental reframing” with success. 他们对2000名顾客进行了一项研究 个人理财 app that allows users to save and invest small amounts of money. New users who signed up for a recurring deposit program were randomly offered the choice of committing to monthly deposits of $150, 每周存35美元，每天存5美元.

Here’s what happened: Savers were more likely to commit to — and stick with — a personal savings regimen focused on smaller, 每天的量大于, 令人生畏的每月目标. 事实上, quadruple the number of people chose to enroll in the recurring deposit program when given the $5-a-day option versus the $150-a-month savings 目标.

The appeal of the smaller savings option also leveled the playing field between low- and high-income consumers. 当看到每月150美元的储蓄计划时, higher-income consumers signed up at a rate of three times that of lower-income consumers. When deposits were framed as $5 a day — which also gets you to $150 after a month — the participation gap was completely eliminated.

感知和便利都很重要

It’s not a huge stretch to see why breaking down larger-dollar 目标s into bite-sized chunks is more digestible. 大数字——比如 为退休储蓄100万美元 — 会让人望而生畏, even when we fully know amassing enough money for retirement should take decades (and also depends on the investment growth of the money that you save.).

One thing that keeps a lot of us on the sidelines is how we measure the opportunity cost of those dollars we don’t have to spend now. Putting away a dollar for tomorrow means one less dollar to spend today. 然而, the study’s authors demonstrate the mental calculation of giving up $5 a day is much easier to overcome. It’s a comparatively small sacrifice (giving up a snack or magazine) than mustering up the resolve to part with $150 all at once.

重新设定你的储蓄目标

如果你面临着一个似乎无法实现的储蓄目标, cut it down to a less intimidating size with some simple math:

每天节省8美元 to wipe out a $500 credit card balance: Stop letting that lingering balance give you indigestion. You can knock it back to $0 in two months for just the cost of a daily sandwich.

每天节省11美元 积攒2000美元 应急基金把你多余的钱存起来六个月, 你会坐拥健康的2美元,000 cash cushion to soften the blow of any unexpected expenses. 需要更长的时间来凑齐这笔钱? 每天花5美元多一点，一年之后你就能到那里了.

保存17美元.80美元一天 to max out your IRA: The IRS allows you to contribute a maximum of $6,500 a year to a 罗斯或传统IRA. (50岁以上则为7500美元). 你必须每月存540美元才能在12个月内做到这一点.

拿起你所有的401(k)美元

当我们谈论退休的时候, pretty much the easiest — and most profitable — thing you can do 是 make sure you’re taking advantage of any 401(k) (or other retirement plan) dollars your employer is offering.  Many employers match 50% on the dollar up to a certain contribution limit  — that represents a guaranteed 50% return on your money.  另外，这是免费的钱.  有多少?  Well, say your employer — like many — is matching 50% of contributions up to 6% of your salary.  如果你赚75美元,1万美元一年, 你需要拿出6%(4美元),500美元)，才有资格获得3%(2美元)的补贴,250)匹配.  4500美元算起来大约是12美元.每天30美元，或者每两周挣173美元.  Just remember that if you’re contributing to a traditional 401(k) (instead of a Roth) that money comes out of your paycheck before taxes take a bite. 所以173美元感觉更少了.  和, the best part about this is that you can set it and forget it — 401(k)s and other similar retirement accounts are so effective because the money comes out of your pay before you can see it, 碰它, 或者花掉它.   PS:如果你通过工作获得了健康储蓄账户, 那里可能会有参与的奖励资金, 太.  也要注意抓住他们. 

自动化可以节省更多的钱

Finally, before you wrap — take that automatic 401(k) magic and apply it throughout your life.  Perhaps you have a credit card or car payment that’s scheduled for automatic bill pay, 你也看到了，它非常方便. 你可以用你的存款做同样的事情, 每个月(或每周), your choice) you can have a set amount of money automatically moved from your checking account into a savings account. 它不需要你手动转移资金, which means your savings will accumulate without you ever having to lift a finger.

Think about it: Wouldn’t it feel nice to ring in the new year without a balance on your credit card from purchasing holiday gifts? 你可以去那里! Figure out roughly how much you’re going to spend on the holidays, and divide the amount by the number of months (or weeks) you want to give yourself to reach the 目标. 然后, you’ll set up an automatic transfer of that exact amount to go into a dedicated savings account. 不知不觉中, 当你需要钱的时候，钱就在那里, 这都是因为你小小的储蓄目标. 和 if this sounds like something you’d like a little help with, check out the 新沙巴体育网菲克斯 小组辅导计划, where a dedicated coach and a team of accountability partners will walk you through it, 循序渐进的.