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The SmartyPig Blog
September 23, 2010 • Posted by Sarah FossDate a Saver
What qualities interest you in a significant other? Do you prefer tall, dark, and handsome? Witty and intelligent? What about Frugal? While many associate frugal with “stingy” more than “sexy,” this term is making its way into many first-date conversations. Money is one of the biggest areas of conflict in most relationships, and the reason many relationships fail. This begs the question: Should we focus on one’s financial mentality first and attractiveness second?
ING recently polled 1,000 people on the words that come to mind when describing a potential blind date as “frugal.” 42% chose “boring” and “stingy,” while only 3.7% selected “sexy.” In a recent article on the topic, NY Times columnist Ron Lieber asks: “If your frugality has the potential to turn off nearly half of the mating pool, it raises a question: How best to broadcast your financial values and seek significant others who share your approach without coming off as a tightwad or a gold digger?” Lieber further suggests spinning your frugality: “I love a great bargain” and “I enjoy finding new, tasty, cheap eats.” These statements show a love of quality and a great deal.
And although a first date might not be the best place to discuss your financial portfolio, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move toward discussing money, as things get serious. When the time does come to get into finances, keep in mind the fantastic addition SmartyPig goals are to any financial plan. While frugality might not top everyone’s list of attractive traits, saving for an exotic vacation, a new car, or a down payment on a home, are exciting aspirations – and dreams that can be shared. Add to it 1.75% APY and cash back of up to 14% from many popular merchants, and you’re displaying a level of common sense absolutely worth lusting after.
Wishing you successful saving!
Sarah Foss, SmartyPig’s Media Mad Woman
SFoss@SmartyPig.com
December 2009 Twitter Contest
Tweet! Tweet! Let the savings begin! SmartyPig will be giving away three $100 gift cards through our monthly Twitter contest – Tuesday, December 22nd at 11 CST. We will tweet a question and give our followers 15 minutes to reply to us.
The format:
- After 15 minutes, we will be picking 20 random people with a number generator from the pool of correct answers.
- We’ll use an old favorite to help in selecting three gift card winners.
- We’ll post the process here on our blog, so everyone can follow along!
Make sure:
- You’re following us on Twitter.
- We’ll ask the $100 question on Tuesday, December 22nd at 11am CST.
- Answer the question correctly for your chance to win!
Remember: if you don’t already have a SmartyPig account, it’s free to set one up! Winner must be in the US.
Good Luck!
Smart Indulgences: How to Splurge Without Consequence
I’m not going to get holier-than-thou. We’ve all bought things that we didn’t plan for – big-ticket items that we just had to have. (Right there! Right now! Gotta have it!)
And while the sticker shock is always tough to digest, the remorse of monthly credit card payments can be even harder. Long after the shine has faded on a new purchase, it’s easy to find yourself still making minimum monthly payments plus 15% interest. “Was it really worth it?” we wonder. It’s enough to take the joy out of splurging.
But it doesn’t have to be so painful – or 15% more costly. Buyer’s remorse can be a thing of the past. With a little forethought and setting money aside these kinds of big expenditures can be easy, fun, and even empowering. You’re buying something outright, with cash that you set aside for just that purpose… How’s that for being responsible and autonomous?
At SmartyPig we want you to break the vicious cycle of credit card debt. We want you to enjoy the empowerment that comes from managing your money, and making big purchases without fear of crushing credit card consequences. And we want you to benefit from that process. While you save for your item at SmartyPig, you’re earning an APY of 2.01%, one of the best rates around. Once you’ve met your goal and are ready for that new item, you’re able to redeem your goal to one of our retail partners including Amazon.com, Best Buy and Overstock.com offering boosts of up to 6% – giving you the most money for your money.
So when a purchase seems overwhelming, sit down and think about how much it costs and how long you want to be paying for it. Then, go ahead and buck the trend. Set your plastic aside. Figure out how much you want to save, when you want to save it by and how much you’re able to save each month. Before you know it, you can be watching the big game on your new flat screen or soaking up the rays next to azure waters. Your indulgences can be guilt free and SmartyPig can make that happen.
The Road Ahead
As the economy continues to hopefully stabilize, it’s critical that we do not fall back on old habits – spend more than we earn, abuse plastic, etc. Researching and reading up on websites and tools for your best options are a ticket to financial success. Following personal finance bloggers helps to establish a strong understanding of your own personal finance interests and needs. Blogs like The Simple Dollar and Wise Bread share insight and tips for creating fiscal fitness. They also let you know that primarily many of us are in the same boat. The times have been scary, yes. And the damage has been fierce. But we at SmartyPig share in the belief that with a renewed interest in saving, and an overall attitude adjustment toward money, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
These experts implore their readers to create a plan and stick to it. SmartyPig was built on this exact way of thinking. We offer a competitive APY, the option to make your goal public so friends and family can help and cash boosts from top retailers to help you get the most money for your money. And from beginning to end the process could not be simpler for people who want to crate a plan and stick to it.
We have even added the latest and greatest in Web 2.0 technology and created partnerships with terrifically innovative companies to help you even more. By using SmartyPig’s Visualizer, you can see how much you’ve saved and your total progress. To contemplate the bigger picture of your finances and how SmartyPig positively affects them, we offer integration with sites like Mint, Thrive and Wesabe.
Your personal finances are a journey. And there is a lot of help available out there to make it a more pleasant one. SmartyPig is just a small part of it. But we feel strongly that if you implement the idea of saving up first, of owning what you have, that getting from here to there will be a lot easier and more rewarding. Good luck with your goals!
A Right Way to Save
Silicon Valley Blogger at Wise Bread recently wrote, “We all have our own ways of handling our finances – and that’s why it’s called ‘personal’ finance. What works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else…” She poses questions about budgeting, about paying yourself first or last, and the debate about paying down debt versus funding an emergency account. Then she gave us this to chew on: “Is there a right way to save?’
If you’re looking to save for something specific, if you have a goal, we think SmartyPig is for you. We don’t want you to stop paying down debt, stop funding your emergency account, or even leave your current bank. But if you want to take a vacation or need a down payment for a new car or have to replace your refrigerator, SmartyPig gives you the most money for your money.
SmartyPig offers one of the most competitive APY’s on the market (2.75%); you can get a boost from top retailers when you’ve reach your goal; your friends and family can help get you there faster; and, to make it as simple as possible, you can set it and forget it. After a while, you won’t even miss the money being automatically deposited into your SmartyPig account. And, most importantly, when you reach your goal, you will own whatever it is you purchase – not your high-interest credit card company.
In the end, deciding to save, creating a goal and sticking to it is one of the best moves you can make for your wallet. It is the “right way” to save. The long-term benefits of saving are obvious, but the habits it will help form are potentially even more valuable. “Do whatever works for you, whatever’s comfortable for you,” Silicon Valley Blogger writes. What’s most important is that no matter which way you choose to start saving, getting started is a huge step forward toward getting you on the road to fiscal fitness. We could not agree more. Click here to get started today!
