What inspires you to save money?

[crosses]

I find that I am much more motivated to save money after I have found a really good deal on something. Whether it is a fleamarket find or something discounted at the store, I am always more motivated to save after getting a good deal.

I have problems when I can't find good deals for awhile. If a week goes by and I don't find any good deals, I start to get lazy and don't work as hard. I'm not sure why, but I run by this cycle.

I guess I just need to find good deals on a consistent basis and then there won't be any problems. What things inspire you to save money?

[terry1156]

The challenge of finding new ways to save money. I love it when I discover a new way to save money on something. It's a great feeling.

[emily1067]

I put all the money I save towards getting a new car! I calculate everything I've saved from buying what's on sale and put it straight into my car savings account. My current car is slowly falling apart...so I am very motivated!

[Tree0164]

My main thing is getting our credit card debt paid off! We should be there soon-hopefully by the end of the year. Anything extra goes towards the snowball.

Hubby and I would like to take the kids to disney world in about 2 years. So once the debt get paid off we are going to start really saving for that. $20 a week so we don't need to get the credit cards back up.

Also, once the debt is paid off the majority of our payments (about $300-$500 a month) will go towards a car fund. I would like to be able to put a huge down payment on our next car. We tend to keep our cars for awhile so buying fairly new (think in the 1-2 yr old range) and would like a keep the payments under $250. We currently have a 1996 Dodge Caravan plus a 1997 Oldsmobile 88- both with about 85k miles on it.

[Sara]

I set goals for myself and as I reach those goals, I'm even more motivated to keep working toward more goals.

I also spend time with other like-minded people and find it encouraging and inspiring.

If I feel the need to splurge, I go to the thrift store to do cheap damages. lol I have a great time there and just $10 is like a small fortune there.

Nothing beats having solid goals and knowing what I want and working toward those goals though. Any foolish spending is just sabotaging what I KNOW I want.

I feel empowered when I save money in small ways and know that it's the combination of many small ways that allows my family to enjoy other things, as well as saving.

[seaar2000]

To pay off my car and to get my mortgage as low as I can before my child support is not longer there. Renee

[rabbitfoot]

To not have the same financial problems that my parents currently have. Part of my tight finances is helping them out. I don't want to end up having my children face the same problem. my finances aren't great right now, but by the time I retire, I'm determined they will be in good shape. Hopefully long before then.

[amomof4]

What motivates me to save money is this forum and the simple living forum. I'm a tightwad by nature. Although at times I have been/am an obsessive/complusive person.

[terry1156]

Having a place where you can share ideas and get support is an important part of the process of saving money. It's great that places like this exist where you can talk about the challenges and ask questions. Although you must find what inspires you, having a place to share that inspiration and keep it hot is important.

[amomof4]

I got to say that I think the journal is a wonderful tool to save money. If you chart your progress every day, you don't really want to blow it and it encourages you to find ways to save money so that you can brag about it without sounding like your bragging.

[Ima saver]

I always make up canisters with pictures of things I am saving for. I try and put any extra money in those canisters. Right now I have a corvette canister and a mountain view land canister! I have seperate entries in my savings account journal and all the extra money I save go to those catagories.

[PrincessPerky]

My kids

DS says we should not take 25 more years to pay off the house. So I feel obligated to be good with money for him (and his sister and brother)

[contrary1]

I agree, this site has been a huge inspiration to me. I have always been frugal...........but now I'm out to beat me at my own game!!! Too much fun!
Each bill has become this great challenge, every expense is fine tuned so it is as low as it can go............

Reading the blogs & the forums here has caused me to re think some old ideas here............as well as try new things. I've made lots of little changes and a few big ones! I'm expecting to see differences in my financial situation by this time next year!

[nanamom]

Looking ahead to retirement does more than inspire me, it terrifies me! I hate being in debt. I want to take vacations with our kids and grandkids without incurring any more debt. I don't think I have been a very good steward of all the Lord has given me up to this point and I want to change that.

[jodi]

- Seeing our student loan balances go down - from over $30 when we graduated in 1999 - to about $12k now - not counting what we have just added on from DH going back to school though
- Being able to put the max into our retirement accounts

[Lostsoul33]

Right now I'm trying to get credit cards paid off, establish an EF and then I'll work on retirement and saving.

[Lemony]

Watching my debts disappear inspires me to save more/spend less whenever possible.

[Ima saver]

The thoughts of becoming a bag lady inspire me to save more and spend less. I know that I could not make enough to support myself if something happened to my husband.

[flash]

Watching the savings grow! I'll admit, I was IRRITATED with DH when he screwed up our budget last October, but it is GREAT to get back to saving and seeing how low we can get the grocery bill, where we can find "lost" money, areas we are wasting. The bigger the savings, the more I want to save.

This site is excellent. You all inspire me too!

[katwoman]

Too many things to list motivates me, but the real biggie is finding out I'm making utility companies and insurance companies richer than they already are!

There is NO END to my happiness than when I can cut those down to the bone.