I believe the answer is more important than the question.

If you are not happy with your saving account, then continue to read this article. These 4 steps may help you smile when you think of your savings account.

 But before I get into turning a frown into a smile, here some questions I have asked myself a million times: Why is saving money so difficult? How much can I save? And what is the purpose of my savings?

 Saving is like paying your light bill, rent, water bill, mortgage, phone bill or any other regularly occurring cost. It must be done with faithfulness on a regular basis.

I had to learn how to save because I realized that I could not borrow my way through life and I would need extra money from time to time because life happens. One of the first lessons about how to be a successful saver is to have a good strategy. A prior article explores ways to slash your spending and build a nest egg.

 You must have a plan that works for you. Here are a few steps that I used to achieve my savings account goals. I encourage you to use these steps to fit your life so that you too can become a successful saver. Be persistent, know your saving limits and be disciplined.

Be a consistent saver – repeating the same process over and over makes a habit. So make it a habit to save a portion of your income on a regular basis i.e. weekly, monthly, and quarterly. For me, I save a portion of my income each pay period.

Have a place to store your savings – The best place to store your savings is a bank or credit union. If you don’t use these facilities I suggest that you get familiar with them. Opening a saving account is very easy and you don’t need a lot of money. For some banks and credit unions, five dollars is all that you need to open an account. Banks and credit unions offer many benefits for savings accounts. Your money is easily accessible 24/7 and you can have more than one account. Banks and credit unions are federally insured up to certain dollar limits. I like to have a separate account for my emergency savings.

Determine how much you can comfortable save –You do not need to save more than you can afford each saving period (start small). If you try to save too much per period you will find yourself using your savings to get to the next saving period. You will soon realize that you are not making any progress with your savings plan and you run the risk of abandoning your saving plan.

Have a purpose for the money – You may want to save for a later purchase big or small, or to have money for unexpected emergencies. In any event, having a purpose for your savings drives your determination to save. Once you have achieved your purpose continue to save.

Bankrate.com published an article stating Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and daughter Amelia Warren Tyagi, co-authors of “All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan.” advocates this financial formula for success: Spend 50% of your paycheck on the “must-haves,” 30% of wants” and use the remaining 20% to service debt and save money.

So remember to be consistent, have a place to store your savings, determine how much you can comfortably save and have a purpose for the money. Following these steps will make it much easier to answer the question, “Is your savings account a wreck?” with a smile on your face.

 These steps have helped me to create successful saving habits. I hope they will help and lead to your saving goals. I would love to read comments about your saving challenges. Just post them in the box below.