I just read in a financial help type book that it's important not just to save money but to have a goal... a set objective you are working towards ie, new kitchen table or whatever. This can really help keep you motivated- half way there, two more months, etc.

Obvious goals are paying off credit cards, putting X amount in the bank... but what are you are saving for personally?

I want to use my savings for a trip somewhere with the kids; also I would love to pay off my mortgage early.

What about you?

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them

We have a savings started in a separate bank for a trip to Disney World

Once one of our vehicles is paid off early next year I plan on taking that monthly payment and start a savings designated for car maintenance or down payment on another one in the future. Car problems tend to be my downfall for needing to charge on credit card.

Just Conors school fees right now and for the next six years They took a right hike upwards since Tadhg started!

Ive paid this years, and have next years saved but Im aiming to have three years in the bank ahead of him then I can relax and start saving for an emergency fund.

Right now he is my emergency fund!!

Anne

I'm saving to pay my car off - guess I'm 'living frugally' so I can pay extra on the loan every month, not 'saving' money in the bank for that. I also am saving in the bank to set up laddered CDs as my Emergency Fund so that I'm always within a couple of months of having a chunk of money available if something comes up.

I made a chart of financial goals for myself and put in on the bathroom mirror. That way, I can't avoid my finances, they are staring right back in my face. I did this first a year ago and it was really exciting to check off goals as I achieved them. I have revamped my goals now and look forward to checking them off again and seeing my progress every day when I look in the mirror.

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Better to give your kids the values you have
than the valuables you can't afford.

We usually save for specific goals, i.e. new car or new furniture, etc. We always save and may decide on the spur-of0the-moment what the reward is, but we usually get something. You need to reward yourself or you start feeling like a hamster on a wheel that just keeps going around.

Hmph, what am I NOT saving for would be easier to answer. Here's a list of what I am saving for:

- Braces for dd (ugh)
- New roof for my house (will probably have to have a new roof within the next year)
- New heat and air central unit for my house (we're nursing along the current one for as long as possible -- it's 14 years old)
- Replacement car for dh's beaten and battered pickup (we're also nursing that thing for as long as possible)

And people wonder why I don't spend money and have fun. It's not like I can ignore these issues and hope they'll go away or take care of themselves.

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"Anybody who believes the pen is mightier than the sword hasn't been inside a maximum security prison." ~ Lisa Scottoline

We have several things that we are saving for. Most are wants though.

Property taxes due in October

Mini vacation (more like a weekend trip) for some much needed family time since dh is now working 7 days a week.

Newer/larger car/suv just something w/ more room so when we travel its not quite so scrunched together.

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SAHM to Elias 3/00, Camdyn 7/03 and Teagan 5/08

A new kitchen floor. When we build, we decided to get the flooring we liked 'best' of the least expensive grade because dh was going to put in a hardwod floor himself. The floor is ok but is very light and shows every speck of dirt. Well when we went to go get the wood we decided we were Not going to do the hardwood as our ideas of how we were going to decorate the kitchen changed.

So we want to put in a Travertine like floor - it looks like ceramic tile - but is laminate and you can install it yourself like a 'floating' hardwood floor. But for such a purchase - for pure decorating choices only I don't want to finance it. I want to save for it, and when we have the cash we'll buy it. Makes me want to go back and do that the first time around, but we had to jump when we bought our house, and we saved 30K by doing so. But a lot of decisions were made very quickly and now we regret some of them.

We are savings to adopt another baby. Once I get my car paid off all of our money will go into that account. I am trying to save REALLY hard so I can have another baby in my arms ASAP!!!

Right now I am saving for things for my new house that will be done being built in December. I am saving for:
fridge
washer/dryer
fence
paint
decorating my kids rooms