My grandma used to say a penny saved is one less you’ll have to earn in the future. I was a kid at the time, so that message didn’t resonate well with me. I was more focused on using the money I earned from mowing the lawn to acquire toys and video games.
However, as an adult, that message really changed the way I approached spending and saving my money. After all, why not make your money work for you, so you don’t have to work harder in the future to earn more of it?
This is where psychology comes into play. Psychology and money choices are linked, and you can use this link to make saving easier throughout the year. Here are four tricks you can employ to save more in 2026.
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1. Break bigger goals down into smaller ones
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Wanting to save more is a lofty idea, but if you don’t have a “why” for it, you’ll find it harder to achieve. Your purpose is your roadmap, setting a course for you to achieve a specific goal. Whether you’re saving to make a down payment on a home, do home renovations without credit, establish an emergency savings fund, or just upgrade your hotel room on your next trip, write down why you’re saving and set a goal for how much you want to save.
“Define very specific financial goals and why they are important to you,” Lillian Knight, a licensed therapist and owner of Lillian Knight Financial Therapy, tells Kiplinger.
Then, she says, “Break them down into smaller goals if needed.” If you want to save $50,000 for a down payment for a home, you’re not likely to achieve that in one paycheck. However, if you set smaller, attainable goals, such as saving a certain amount each month, you gain more confidence in your ability to achieve them.
As you reach these smaller milestones, you build momentum. “You get the satisfaction and dopamine hit of achieving the short-term goals while saving for the longer-term goals,” Knight says.
2. Create healthy barriers to protect your goals
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People don’t just change their habits on a dime. If you tend to spend more than you should, willpower alone will not necessarily help you become a better saver. Often, it helps to create barriers that save you from your worst self.
For example, Knight suggests, “Make contributions to savings automatic so that you don’t have to rely on motivation to save in the moment.” You can ask your employer to send a certain percentage or dollar amount of each paycheck directly to your savings account, rather than a checking account. Set aside as much as you can, as the more you can grow your balance, the more motivated you’ll be to ride the wave of earned interest.
Putting your money automatically in an online bank savings account will also discourage you from spending it right away. In order to spend the money, you’d either need an ATM card, which not every high-yield savings account provides, or you’d need to transfer the money to your checking account. Transferring money between accounts takes time (sometimes up to three business days), so you’ll be holding yourself back from impulse purchases.
If you need help getting started, here are some of the best high-yield savings accounts:
Keep in mind, though, that while this will help fill your savings account, it won’t necessarily stop you from making impulse purchases with a credit card. To further rein in spending, consider using one of the best budgeting apps. Personally, I’m a fan of Empower.
3. Visualize your achievement
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Don’t forget that these behaviors will make things easier for you in the future. A study conducted by PubMed Central found that participants who viewed their future selves through age-progression technology were more likely to make financial decisions that benefited their future selves, such as allocating more money to retirement. Part of the psychology behind this, the researchers wrote, is that we often “fail, through a lack of belief in imagination, to identify with [our] future selves.”
This illustrates how visualization is a motivating factor. So, if you’re saving for a home, picture what it would be like to receive the keys for the first time or what life looks like in the neighborhood you want to live in. Doing this makes it real, which can help you maintain that focus.
It also reminds you that your future self and your current self are the same person, as odd as that may sound. When you choose to overspend today and let “future me” deal with the consequences, you’re just hurting yourself. On the flip side, every positive move you make today helps you, even if you won’t see the fruits of your labor until the future.
4. Have an accountability partner
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One of the best ways to stay on course with your savings goals is to share them with a trusted loved one or spouse. “If you are partnered, regular money meetings where you discuss progress toward shared financial goals can be a source of motivation and connection that helps increase patience,” remarks Knight.
When choosing an accountability partner (unless it’s your spouse), find someone who’s had success with a similar goal. Glean insights from them and have regular conversations about how you’re doing, not only with achieving goals, but also with how you remain patient and persistent throughout the process.
Having someone in your corner cheering you on can help you weather the doubts or the impatience that can creep up when trying to save for long-term goals.
Long-term rewards: Financial independence and peace of mind
Reaching your long-term savings goals feels like a tremendous accomplishment. It gives you confidence that you are on the right track with your spending and savings habits. It can provide added momentum to achieve other financial goals you have.
Furthermore, with every savings goal you reach, you’re on the road to financial independence. If a job loss or surprise bill arrives, you have the peace of mind of knowing you can use your savings to pay for them instead of relying on debt that’ll take you farther from your goals. Remember, savings isn’t just financial growth — it’s a confidence and security boost that feeds motivation.
