Do you show yourself respect with your money? When you pay yourself first, by contributing to your savings, you show yourself respect-that you are at least as important as all of the other people who are asking for your money.
Saving at least 10 percent of your income is a way of showing yourself love and respect. This 10 percent can be used to pay down debt, to set aside an emergency fund, for long-term goals such as buying a home or retiring-for anything that is good for your financial future. 
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| Icebreaker |
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Saving starts early. What purchase did you save up for and anticipate enjoying as a kid? Was it a dollhouse? A bike? A car? How long did you save for it? How did you get the money? How did you feel when you finally got it? Share your childhood memories of saving with the others in your Club.
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| Things to Talk About |
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There’s a lot to talk about on the subject of saving — that is, showing yourself respect with your money.
Pick the question your Club finds most interesting. If there’s still time, pick another one — or make up your own!
- How do you handle saving decisions in your family now?
- How do you “trick” yourself into saving?
- Are you good at saving? Why or why not?
- What savings goal have you achieved that makes you most proud?
AS USUAL.
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| Catch Yourself Doing Something Right |
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Share your success with your fellow Club members:
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| What Will You Do Today? |
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Choose one Small Step to do before next meeting, and pledge to the group to do it. To select that 15-minute exercise, ask yourself these questions:
- What are your money challenges before the next meeting?
- What do you need to focus on?
- What is the next step in your life — and what can you do before the next meeting to achieve it?
Don’t drive yourself crazy. Remember, you can do anything for 15 minutes! For example:
- I will contact my employer to set up an automatic deduction plan from my paycheck to my savings account — and I am setting aside a date and time to do it right now.
or
- I will take 10 percent of any windfall (a raise, a refund check, a birthday gift) and put it into my savings — and I am setting aside a date and time to do it right now.
or
- I will add up any savings I have from coupons or sales since the last meeting and deposit a check for this amount to my savings — and I am setting aside a date and time to do it right now.
You get the picture. This is like Goldilocks. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t try to do too little. Do it just right.
More Cool Ideas for Small Steps.
| Money Attraction Affirmations |
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Choose one affirmation to motivate you to achieve your goals, something like:
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| The Money Zone for Next Meeting |
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Cast your vote: Does your Money Club want to stay in this Money Zone, or do you want to move on to the next Money Zone?If your group decides to Stay in the Zone, then, future Money Star, check out these fun articles so you can discuss them at your next meeting. Even if your group decides to move to the next Zone, you still can explore these on your own.Living Rich on a BudgetDiscussion questions:
Discussion questions:
Discussion questions:
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| Just For You |
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Before the next Money Club meetings, do the Just for You Exercise called Start Your Savings Program
Don’t skip a meeting if you don’t get this done. Half of life is showing up, Money Clubs included. You can tell the group you didn’t’ get it done, and they will encourage you (not bug you) to make a date to do it soon.
Discussion questions for your Club meeting:
- Do you consider yourself to be a saver? If so, how did you get that way? If not, what can you do to hone your savings habit?
- What can you do to save more? Brainstorm some ideas such as: Bank your raises, shop sales, cut out expensive snacks, etc.
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