5 Ways to Get Your Spender to Save More

If you’re in love,  everything probably seems right with the world… until you realize that you’ve fallen for a Spender. Mismatched financial habits can put a strain on any relationship, but this need not be your fate. Spenders and Savers can successfully blend their financial personalities; they just need to know how.

Here are 5 ways to get your Spender to save more…

1) The B word: I get it, no one likes budgeting, but having one is essential, especially if your honey is a Spender. A budget will give you both a clear picture of what your money is doing. A budget will help your Spender understand why certain decisions about money can or cannot be made.  Creating a budget is not as hard as you think.

Need help? Get The One Week Budget, this best-selling book will have you both on the same budgeting page.

I also suggest using technology to your advantage. Once you set up your budget, automate it (saving, bills, retirement… everything). Make sure to set aside money for both spending and saving, to satisfy both of your financial personalities.

2) Automate Your Saving: Automation is the new discipline and is a useful tool, especially for your Spender. Help your mate save more funds by automating monthly savings. I suggest choosing an online-only bank account with no check writing abilities or debit card access (use magnifymoney.com to help you choose the best, free account). Choosing an online-only bank means that your sweetheart will have to wait 3-5 business days to withdraw any money. Now your Spender will be forced to think twice about dipping into their savings, giving you more time to talk them out of it.

My personal & fav online only bank is Ally Bank.

Tools:

Give the Digit app a try. I love, love, love this app. Digit is free for the first 30 days, then there’s a $5/month fee.

Digit connects to your checking account to analyze your monthly income and expenses. Then it uses your spending history to locate small amounts of cash you can save. It transfers this savings automatically from your checking account to a Digit savings account every 2 to 3 days.

I use Digit in addition to my other online-only savings accounts to put away a little extra here and there with NO EFFORT.

How’s that for convenient?

Digit transfers are usually between $5 to $50. Don’t worry, Digit won’t transfer money if it’ll put you in overdraft. Your money is also safe with Digit just like the other online accounts we discussed above. Digit uses 128-bit bank-level security and funds are FDIC insured up to $250,000. You can also transfer money from your Digit account at any time.

Learn more about Digit here: http://thebudgetnistablog.com/2015/app-for-saving-digit/

[bctt tweet=”Automation is the new discipline. #LiveRicher” username=”thebudgetnista”]

3) Create a FUN Fund: Set aside money in a cookie jar, shoebox, savings account or money market fund. You and your Spender should decide how much money you want to save each month in the FUN Fund. Once the fund reaches the cap amount that the two of you have agreed upon, take turns deciding how it will be spent. You may choose a spa day on your turn and your honey may choose game tickets. The purpose of the FUN Fund is to allow you and your Spender to do what you do best, as well as enjoy a guilt-free splurge on occasion.

Again, automate this step. You can use the apps I mentioned above to make this process painless…

Digit: http://thebudgetnistablog.com/digit

Qapital: http://get.qapital.com/bzAc/hO6qCdMA6s.

[bctt tweet=”I’m going to create a FUN-fund to set aside money for entertainment! #LIVERICHER” username=”thebudgetnista”]

3) $20 Date Night: Impossible you say?! I think not… A couple times a month, challenge each other to plan the best Date Night that $20 can buy. One of my favorite frugal finds is a local chain restaurant. After 10pm on weekdays, most drinks are $5 and appetizers are ½ off. Sometimes the entire bill comes to $15 for 2 people! Not sure were to start? Try GROUPON and LivingSocial deals and save more. Make your Spender get creative with $20 dates once or twice a month.

Use one of my fav tools, Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) to help you save even more!

Learn how to use Rakuten to earn cash back when you spend, here: http://thebudgetnistablog.com/2015/cash-back-ebates/

5) Cap the Kids: Are you and your Spender married with children? If so, I’m sure much to your dismay, your kids just love when the Spender spurges on them. Unfortunately, constant splurging on unnecessary items for kids when they’re younger, not only takes from their future, but it also teaches them poor money habits. To combat this, get your children a Money Jar and have them contribute to it weekly/biweekly/monthly.

The Money Jar is where their allowance, birthday, holiday and all other bonus money should go. Teach your kids to save more by setting aside a minimum of 10% of all of the money that they receive in a savings account in the bank. Instruct them to put the 90% left over into their Jar.

The next time your child begs you to buy them some new, unnecessary item, point to their Money Jar. The beauty of this system is that you no longer have to decide whether to say yes or no to their nonessential, financial requests. How much money your child does or does not have in their Money Jar, will answer that question for both of you.

The Spender/Saver relationship can be a profitable one if you’re both willing to compromise and communicate. Your Spender can help you live in the moment and enjoy life a little more and you as the Saver can help the Spender save more, become more responsible and provide security and stability.

Live Richer,

Tiffany The Budgetnista

(dispenser of frugal, fun financial education)

Bonus tool: The LIVE RICHER Academy is a membership site that hosts a series of courses designed to help you take your finances and life to the next level. These courses are designed and taught by The Budgetnista and a number of financial experts from around the country.

Join thousands of other savers & spenders as they work toward maximizing their financial life here: www.livericheracademy.com

FYI:

My Lisa Rule: I have 4 sisters and Lisa is the baby (well she’s not a baby anymore). Of all of my sisters I’m the most protective over her. Before I share any product or service with you, it must pass my Lisa Rule.

What’s the Lisa Rule? If I would not advise Lisa to use a product or service, I won’t advise you to. YOU are my Lisa. I feel protective over you and your financial journey.

The products/services mentioned in this post pass my Lisa Rule. Yes, I’m an affiliate, but I would not recommend a product or service that I didn’t believe was helpful and useful.