The number one topic of discussion in our community over the past week has been MONEY. As we watched and waited to find out about a government shutdown (and how that would affect military families financially) many people expressed concern. That was understandable. Many military families live paycheck to paycheck for a variety of reasons. Many military families would love to have a back-up savings plan that would cover them in an emergency. But many do not know where to start. Saving money can be a daunting task when it is hard, as a spouse, to find a job despite multiple moves and many other things that can make employment a challenge. Some families have made a decision to be a one-income family while their service member is active duty. But even if they are making ends meet, it can be hard to stash away money for the future.
Listen, the military community may have dodged the bullet (once again) in regards to not receiving a paycheck mid-October. But it has become very clear, in reading your comments and concerns, that a conversation about fiscal health would be helpful. And we have to start somewhere. Saving money can start by making small changes. Saving money on small things can add up to a big reward… and that reward could be peace of mind if we find ourselves in this same position again… or if a car dies, an appliance breaks, or a family emergency requires last-minute travel.
We asked our amazing online contributors for their best money savings tips. They came up with 50 things that you can start doing TODAY to help build your emergency savings account. We want to hear from you as well… what tips do you have for saving money, even when money is really tight?
Contributors: Erin Whitehead, Kate Dolack, Rebekah Sanderlin, Rebecca Alwine, Alisha Youch, Stacy Huisman, Morgan Slade, Monica Pugh, Tia Johnson, Cyndia Rios-Myers, Libby Smith, and Ingrid Herrera-Yee.