Saving money is an integral part of developing strong financial habits and making smart decisions with money. There are many reasons to make saving money a regular part of your plan. It’s very important to have a rainy-day fund in case of an emergency, unexpected expense, or loss of income. Developing smart saving habits also allows you to have more disposable income. Not sure where to start? Here are five tips to start saving money today.

Adopt A Forward-Thinking Mindset

It’s hard to save money without thinking about the future. When putting money away, it’s important to give it a purpose. Maybe you’re saving for a new product, a trip, or setting aside money for an emergency. Thinking ahead gives you room to spend later.

Save A Set Amount Each Week

Setting a weekly savings goal that you hit each week is one of the best ways to build strong financial habits. You can round up your spent change through an app, automatically deduct a set amount from your account, put cash aside in an envelope, or even keep a coin jar.

Determine Needs and Wants

If you’re looking to cut unnecessary spending, take a list of recent purchases and mark each one as something you either need or want. Determining whether or not something was truly necessary to purchase is a direct and easy way to figure out where to trim spending.

When developing a habit of saving money, it is important to be patient and consistent in putting funds aside. Discretion and diligence are major keys to creating effective financial habits. How are you saving your money these days?