What we'll cover
Tips to visualize your savings goals
Reasons why visualization works
How to make a plan to reach your savings goals
Visualization is creating images or scenarios in your mind to bring ideas and goals to life. For instance, some athletes use visualization to improve performance and boost their confidence. Using visualization for your savings goals is a similar concept.
How does visualization work?
When used in goal setting, visualization helps create a clear mental image of your desired outcome, increasing motivation and focus toward achieving that goal. When you visualize, use all your senses to make it as realistic as possible and avoid setting limitations on your goals. Write them down — and, crucially, be very specific about the steps required to achieve them.
Read more: How does a savings account work?
Start visualizing
While you don’t need much to envision your goals, here are some more tangible ways you can incorporate visualizing into your savings strategies.
1. Get inspired and imagine how it looks to save
Dig up any pictures that represent your savings goals on the Internet or in magazines and place them where you’ll see them frequently — for instance, on a Pinterest board or an actual bulletin board. Repeatedly seeing these images will trigger you to visualize and maintain motivation for saving.
2. Separate your saving goals
Save for multiple goals efficiently without tracking issues or account complexities with our buckets tool. Create custom “envelopes” for each goal directly in your Ally Bank Savings Account — think emergency fund, vacation fund or a down payment fund. As you contribute to each bucket, you can see the progress toward each individual goal, giving you a clear picture of your savings journey.
Learn more: See how an Ally Bank Savings Account can help you reach your goal.
3. Monitor your progress
Create a visual representation of your savings goal, such as a progress chart or savings thermometer. As you consistently contribute to your savings, update the milestones on the chart or color in the thermometer to track your progress. This visual reminder serves as a motivating factor, allowing you to see how far you’ve come and how close you are to achieving your goal.
4. Understand the aftereffect of buying
One of the key visual techniques to effectively grow your savings is to understand the aftereffect of buying. Visualize the long-term impact of your purchasing decisions by creating a visual reminder of the potential savings lost. When you’re tempted to make an impulse purchase, visualize the amount of money you could be adding to your savings or the progress you would be making toward your goals instead. By incorporating visual techniques to understand the aftereffect of buying, you can make better financial choices and optimize your savings.
5. Make visualization a family affair
Involving family in visualization techniques can be beneficial. It can foster a sense of shared goals and collective motivation. Discussing your visualizations with your family allows them to understand your financial goals better. It can also help them provide the necessary encouragement, understanding and assistance to help you stay focused and committed to your savings objectives.
The sky’s the limit.
Visualization is an easy-to-implement strategy that helps you bring your goals to life and strengthen your everyday saving habits. Saving money helps you reach your dreams — and no dream is too big! Start envisioning your financial goals today and how you will get there.
