{"id":23013,"date":"2026-01-23T02:53:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T02:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budgetadirect.com\/?p=23013"},"modified":"2026-01-23T02:53:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T02:53:45","slug":"how-to-start-saving-even-if-youre-starting-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/budgetadirect.com\/?p=23013","title":{"rendered":"How To Start Saving, Even If You&#8217;re Starting From Scratch"},"content":{"rendered":"<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<div id=\"block_ab8f4bba0b4a0d71c8a17fdb7113463d\" class=\"key-takeaways sm:border-l-4 border-(--accent) sm:pl-8 my-8 relative\" style=\"--accent: var(--color-blue-medium)\">\n    <!-- htmlmin:ignore --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-4 mt-0 mb-4 text-crop-none max-sm:flex max-sm:items-center max-sm:gap-4\" id=\"key-takeaways\" data-position=\"0\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-0-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Key takeaways\" data-outcome=\"\">\n    <span class=\"shrink-0\">Key takeaways<\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"max-sm:h-0.5 max-sm:w-full max-sm:w-full max-sm:bg-(--accent) max-sm:rounded-full max-sm:block\"\/><br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<p>    <!-- htmlmin:ignore --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col text-gray-700 mb-0 gap-2 list-disc\">\n<li class=\"pl-4 relative marker:text-(--accent)\">\n                                                            The first step to saving is setting specific, achievable goals and tracking your progress using a digital budgeting tool, spreadsheet or pen and paper.\n                                                <\/li>\n<li class=\"pl-4 relative marker:text-(--accent)\">\n                                                            Following a budget can help you identify ways you can add to savings as well as pay down debt.\n                                                <\/li>\n<li class=\"pl-4 relative marker:text-(--accent)\">\n                                                            Ways to help you save more consistently include keeping your spending money separate from your savings, as well as automatically transferring money to savings each paycheck.\n                                                <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>The thought of saving money may feel overwhelming, especially if you have nothing saved and struggle to afford necessities like rent and groceries.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t have a healthy emergency fund, you\u2019re not alone. In fact, only 30% of Americans would pay a $1,000 emergency expense from savings, a recent Bankrate survey found. Other survey respondents said they\u2019d go into debt to afford such an expense through credit cards or personal loans.<\/p>\n<p>Saving certainly isn\u2019t easy and we won\u2019t pretend it is \u2014 but here are some practical steps you can take to get started.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"1\" data-position=\"1\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-1-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"1. Set clear savings goals\" data-outcome=\"\">1. Set clear savings goals<\/h2>\n<p>The key to successful saving is knowing what you\u2019re saving for. Whether it\u2019s an emergency fund, a down payment on a house or a dream vacation, having specific goals can keep you motivated and on track.<\/p>\n<p>Start by deciding upon your savings goals, giving them names (like \u201cnew car\u201d or \u201cwedding\u201d), and setting deadlines for when you want to achieve them. Then, calculate how much you need to save each month to reach your target amount by your deadline.<\/p>\n<section class=\"editorial-insight-box --insight-box +mg-vertical-md\" data-template=\"insight_box\">\n<div class=\"card-body border-l-4 border-blue-800\">\n<div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<p>\n                    Your first goal should probably be to save for emergencies\n                <\/p>\n<div class=\"content wysiwyg wysiwyg--flush\">\n<p>Whether you\u2019re hit with a curveball in the form of a car repair, medical bill or a job loss, having an emergency fund \u2014 with three to six months of living expenses \u2014 can help you weather financial storms without going into costly debt.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 id=\"2\" data-position=\"2\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-2-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"2. Create a budget that works for you\" data-outcome=\"\">2. Create a budget that works for you<\/h2>\n<p>At its core, a budget is simply a plan for making sure you\u2019re spending less than you earn. In addition to helping you pay your bills on time and cover essential expenses, a budget can help you accomplish things like saving money and paying down debt.\u00a0The key is finding a budgeting method that works for your lifestyle and personality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Popular budget methods include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n50\/30\/20 budget: To make this budget, you set aside 50% of your income to needs, 30% to wants and 20% to savings.<\/li>\n<li>\nZero-based budget: This budget method assigns a purpose to every dollar of your take-home pay \u2014 which can include a category for savings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Whatever budgeting strategy you choose to follow, it\u2019ll involve tracking where your money goes each month. This gives you the chance to find areas to cut spending. A digital budgeting app \u2014 such as YNAB or Rocket Money \u2014 can come in handy by tracking your spending and saving automatically.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3\" data-position=\"3\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-3-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"3. Tackle high-interest debt\" data-outcome=\"\">3. Tackle high-interest debt<\/h2>\n<p>While it might not feel like paying off debt is helping you save, eliminating costly interest charges from carrying a balance can free up money to put toward your goals.<\/p>\n<p>According to a recent Bankrate survey, nearly half of American credit cardholders carry a balance from month to month, with the average APR just under 20%.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you have a $5,000 credit card balance with a 20% APR. Even if you pay $300 per month, you\u2019ll end up paying an extra $906 in interest before reaching a zero balance. That\u2019s money that could be going into your savings instead.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"4\" data-position=\"4\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-4-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"4. Automate your savings\" data-outcome=\"\">4. Automate your savings<\/h2>\n<p>One of the easiest ways to save more consistently? Make it automatic. Set up recurring transfers from your checking account to your savings account each payday, so you\u2019re saving without even thinking about it.<\/p>\n<p>Many banks also offer tools like round-up programs, which automatically round your debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfer the spare change to your savings. Over time, those small amounts can really add up.<\/p>\n<p>You can also take advantage of money-saving apps like Oportun or Qapital, which can analyze your spending habits and automatically move small amounts of money into your savings when you can afford it.<\/p>\n<section class=\"editorial-insight-box --insight-box +mg-vertical-md\" data-template=\"insight_box\">\n<div class=\"card-body border-l-4 border-blue-800\">\n<div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<p>\n                    Pro tip: Use multiple savings accounts\n                <\/p>\n<div class=\"content wysiwyg wysiwyg--flush\">\n<p>\u201cOpening separate savings accounts for each of your goals can help you track your progress and stay organized. Plus, you can easily shift your money to the account with the higher interest rate to maximize your earnings,\u201d says Hanna Horvath, CFP and Bankrate Managing Editor. You can also find a savings account that lets you divvy up your savings into goals or buckets, so you can keep one savings account but track your savings goal separately. Ally Bank and SoFi Bank are two online banks that offer this feature.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 id=\"5\" data-position=\"5\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-5-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"5. Separate your spending and saving\" data-outcome=\"\">5. Separate your spending and saving<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re just getting started with saving money, consider opening up a savings account at a different bank from where you keep your checking account. This may help to create a psychological barrier between the money you have set aside for spending versus savings, making it less likely you\u2019ll raid your savings on a whim.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you open your bank account app and your checking and savings numbers are in there, you kind of add those numbers together, and you\u2019re like, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s how much money I have to spend,\u2019\u201d says Pamela Capalad, a certified financial planner and owner of Get Shameless Inc. \u201cBut if your bank accounts are at separate institutions \u2014 and better yet if your savings account is a high yield savings account \u2014 it\u2019s out of sight, out of mind and your savings will grow.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 data-position=\"6\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-6-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"The bottom line\" data-outcome=\"\">The bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Starting to save can feel daunting, but the most important thing is to just start. No amount is too small, and no goal is too insignificant. Ways to begin include setting clear goals, creating a budget, tackling debt and automating your savings. Keeping your checking and savings accounts at different banks can also help eliminate the temptation to dip into savings for nonessentials.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone\u2019s financial journey is different. Stay open to trying new savings strategies and tools until you find the ones that work best for your situation and personality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA mx-auto flex flex-col items-center gap-6 my-6 py-12 text-base border-y border-gray-200\" data-helpful-cta=\"\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" id=\"did-you-find-this-helpful\" data-type=\"cta\" data-location=\"article-bottom\" data-position=\"banner\" data-text=\"Did you find this page helpful?\">\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA-initial w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-4\" data-cta-initial=\"\">\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA-question text-lg font-bold text-center text-gray-900\">\n            Did you find this page helpful?<\/p>\n<div id=\"U8gjlBaY32\" class=\"hidden\">\n<div class=\"wysiwyg wysiwyg--sm wysiwyg--flush max-w-xs\">\n<p class=\"mb-6 text-base\">\n                            <strong class=\"block font-bold text-gray-900\">Why we ask for feedback<\/strong><br \/>\n                            Your feedback helps us improve our content and services. 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href=\"https:\/\/www.bankrate.com\/banking\/savings\/start-saving-from-scratch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" rel=\"nofollow\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways The first step to saving is setting specific, achievable goals and tracking your progress using a digital budgeting tool, spreadsheet or pen and paper. Following a budget can help you identify ways you can add to savings as well as pay down debt. Ways to help you save more consistently include keeping your<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23013","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-homes"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How To Start Saving, Even If You&#039;re Starting From Scratch | BudgetADirect<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Key takeaways The first step to saving is setting specific, achievable goals and tracking your progress using a digital budgeting tool, spreadsheet or pen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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