
The Advantages of Saving Money
Written by R. A. Stewart
“It is not how much you receive but rather what you do with it after you receive it.”
The benefits of saving a portion of whatever you receive cannot be understated. We all have a choice in what we do with our money and unless you are being controlled by someone else then your choice of what happens to your money is the major influencer of your long term financial wealth.
It is the choices you make in life which will have a major influence on your financial outcome. That is the choice of entering into a relationship, the choice to purchase a car, and so forth. In many instances there are people who bleat about the cost of living crisis but at the end of the day their situation is often their own making.
It is all about priorities.
It can be said that stupidity is one reason for poor financial outcomes. I mean how else do you explain why there are people who are subscribed to Netflix and satellite TV, but have not joined Kiwisaver, New Zealand’s retirement scheme.
Saving for something and not just for the sake of it will give your life some purpose.
If you are wondering what to save for, here are several ideas:
- Your retirement
- An emergency fund
- An education fund
- Travel
- Major Purchases
- Your Hobbies
- Your Wedding
- Home repairs
- Start a business
There is a stark difference between saving to build up your wealth and saving to spend. When you are saving to build up your asset base you are increasing your resilience to life’s financial shocks. Saving to spend means that you are back to square one once your money is gone. This is particularly so when it comes to travel.

Other expenses such as further education can be a good investment but you have to be sure that it is what you really want to do otherwise it will be just a waste of time and money.
Setting up an emergency fund is an excellent way of having money available for unexpected expenses which may crop up from time to time.
Home repairs may add value to your home but it all depends on your priorities. Retired people may prefer to spend that money on travel.
Here is something to think about:
Having your assets in the share market means that your assets can be quickly turned back into cash when you need it. This is not the case with property which may take months to sell.
Another thing to consider with property is that many of the home improvements may not even increase the valuation of the property which means that it is money which is spent with no return.
Saving and investing money is a good habit to get into, it leads to a more prosperous future. Borrowing money and getting into debt is a bad habit which can lead to a poor financial outcome. Even if you do manage to pay everything by the due date, you have to consider whether you are making the right choices in your choice of lifestyle.
Paying interest on borrowed money over a lifetime is an expensive way to purchase stuff. It is better to save up for things rather than borrow, that way you will pay the retail price of whatever it is you are purchasing.
The bottom line is that living within your means is the key to managing your money successfully and that requires discipline.
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