4 Signs You Should Take The Pledge

It's America and Military Saves Week. It may not be on your radar, but maybe it should be.

The Saver's Pledge seems fairly innocuous:

“I will help myself by saving money, reducing debt, and building wealth over time. I will help my family and my country by encouraging other Americans to Build Wealth, Not Debt.”

However, if those words become a guide to how you manage your finances they have the potential to be a powerful motivator. And who doesn't occasionally need a little kick in the tail or a helping hand?

Here are four signs that taking the pledge could be a very good thing:

1. You’ve got no cushion. Forget having that ideal three to six months’ worth of expenses in a savings account. You don’t even have a few hundred dollars to spare for an emergency. Any financial mishap could have you begging, borrowing or selling your stuff.

2. There's more month than money. If you find yourself glancing at the calendar daily, trying to will the next payday to get here sooner, you might have a budgeting problem and that's a major hindrance to knocking down debt and building wealth.

3. You’re living too much in the moment. I get it's a bit of a balancing act, but if all of your income (and then some) is dedicated to surviving — or maybe even putting on the appearance of thriving — in the here and now and nothing is being set aside for the future, you could be in some trouble.

4. Tempers are flaring. If you and your significant other avoid money conversations because they erupt into arguments, you may be stretched too thin. Without open communication about spending, you can forget having shared long-term financial goals, getting on the same page or celebrating your joint financial achievements.

In each of these cases, the way forward requires a commitment to change and the dedication to move forward. Taking the pledge could be the first step. Visit AmericaSaves.org or MilitarySaves.org today and consider taking the pledge.

239547-0217