We created STOP. THINK. SAVE! as a way to help the people who have taken one of or classes or have gone through credit counseling with us stick with the goals they've made for themselves. It's so easy to have good intentions... and so hard to stick with them- especially when it comes to money. But we know that with a few useful tools, you can stick to your goals, even when you're out in the real world. So read about our STS method and order some free tools to help you take control of your spending and saving habits for good!

Order Free Stop. Think. Save! Kit

The easiest way to build your savings is cutting out small, unnecessary purchases. These expenses can add up quickly – make them add up in your savings account, rather than on your credit card bill.

A great way to start is by looking around your house and imagine that the money you spent on every item you see is sitting next to it. If you had to pick between keeping each item or taking back the money you spent, how many things would you trade in? This gives you an idea of how much you waste on things you don't really need or even really want. You can do the same thing while looking at your credit card statement or your checking account. Isn't it time that your money goes towards things you care about instead of spent carelessly on things you could be happy without?

Now that you've recognized that you want to change your spending habits, it's time to think about what you'd really like to be doing with your money and set some goals for yourself.

Every dollar is an opportunity. Once you've spent it, that opportunity is gone. So if you were able to save more money by spending smarter, what would you ultimately like to do with it? You can create big goals like saving for a house, a car or for college or you can create smaller goals like saving money for a vacation, a pet or just a fun night out. The important thing is that you're money starts going towards opportunities you want.

Now it's time to apply these ideas in the real world! You can use our STS credit/debit card saving sleeves to bring you back to the moment you made your goals. You can also ask yourself some questions every time you think about buying something you didn't plan on:

Do I need this, or do I just want it?

Is there a cheaper way I could meet this need?

Is there a better way to spend this money?

Will I be glad I made this purchase in a week?

Would I still buy this if I were counting out dollar bills?

When you continuously work on your spending mindset in this way, it will start to become second nature, and you can start putting money towards the goals that will enrich your life- versus something you buy on a whim and never think about again.

Now that you've read about the STOP. THINK. SAVE! method, order yourself some free tools to make this a reality in your financial life!

Order Free STS Kit