National/state program focuses on helping individuals and families save and build wealth

We invite New Hampshire residents to save more and reduce their debt by joining other Americans nationwide in the 5th annual New Hampshire Saves...America Saves campaign.

Your challenge: find a way to save money and then do it.

Research shows that there are "savers" and "spenders" at all income levels. While those with modest incomes can't save as much as more affluent earners, almost all have the ability to build wealth over time. The goal of the campaign is to convince all Americans that they can build wealth and help them do it.

How? Do what works!

A few ideas: Save something out of every paycheck, no matter how much or how little. Have the money automatically deposited into a savings account or your 401(k) plan at work if you have one. Save some of your tax refund or part of your next raise.

Our UNH Cooperative Extension family resource management team is dedicated to helping individuals and families increase savings, decrease debt, and increase confidence in managing their finances. Get started by browsing the informative 66 Ways to Save Money.

Commit to saving: make your decision concrete and specific

Commit to the challenge of becoming a New Hampshire Saver and receive newsletters about savings via email throughout the year. Make your decision to save concrete and specific. If you make it automatic through payroll deposit, you won't see it and are less likely to miss it.

Save a little; it all adds up

Some people think they need to win the lottery or receive an inheritance before they'll ever be able to save. Can saving $5 or $10 a week really make a difference?

Yes! Imagine a couple buying two coffees each per day. Four coffees a day, seven days a week at $1.79 each adds up to more than $2,600 a year. This represents a significant portion of their yearly electrical bill or payment towards an outstanding medical bill.

Cutting their coffee purchases in half would free up more than $1,300 in one year this couple could add to their savings. Try this coffee calculator to see how much you might save. To solve a disappearing dollar mystery in your household, download The Disappearing Dollar worksheet.

Write a savings goal; discover how to meet it

Participants in our Extension money management educational programs often comment on the value of writing a savings goal. Learning to save a little bit of money goes a long way toward helping them achieve that goal.

Do you tend to get a large refund at tax time? If so, use the IRS withholding calculator to estimate your withholding amount and complete a W-4 form with your employer to request the adjustment to your withholding. If you save this amount in a retirement plan before taxes, you'll get to keep more of what you've saved.

To learn more about how money grows over time and how little you'll need to grow an emergency fund of $5,000 or a nest egg of $100,000 or more, check out The Time Value of Money. The earlier you start the less you have to set aside out of each paycheck to build assets.

Start Small. Think Big. Commit to the challenge of becoming a New Hampshire Saver and receive newsletters about savings via email throughout the year.

Cooperative Extension has money-management information and programs for you

Our Family & Consumer Resources educators offer numerous workshops throughout the year that help individuals and families improve their money management skills. Download Maximizing Your Personal Finances for details. Then bookmark our money-management events listings for a schedule of educational workshops throughout the year in many locations around the state.

Reach Your Goals by Saving Small Amounts This brochure contains tips and a plan for reaching your personal financial goals.

Visit Managing Money for information on a variety of topics.

If you have questions about any of our money management programs, or for printed copies of any of the articles mentioned above, contact the Family & Consumer Resources educator in your county, or call our Education Center Info Line toll free at 1-877-398-4769 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.)

Governor Lynch's proclamation for New Hampshire Saves week