| When you have young children, chances are your days feel like a blur. Mornings start early. Evenings are packed. Weekdays move at 90 miles an hour, and weekends, despite our best intentions, often move even faster. Soccer practice, birthday parties, grocery runs, laundry that never quite ends… it’s a lot. |  |
If Saving Is So Important, Why Is It So Hard?
Most families don’t struggle with saving because they’re irresponsible or don’t care. They struggle because of some very human reasons:
- Today always feels more urgent than tomorrow: From diapers and activities to school expenses and meals on the go, today’s costs are loud and immediate, often leading to spending in the moment. By contrast, future goals, no matter how meaningful, are quieter and easier to push off.
- We assume we’ll “catch up later”: We tell ourselves that once life slows down, once childcare costs drop, once we get that raise, we’ll save more. But life has a funny way of filling any extra space with new expenses.
- Family life is fast and demanding: When you’re constantly moving from one responsibility to the next, saving becomes just one more thing on an already overwhelming list.
As a result, saving—and especially the dreaded budgeting—often falls to the bottom of the priority list. In fact, saving and budgeting (a word that connotes limits, scarcity and deprivation) are actually very different from one another. Think of it this way: how many times have you considered having a line item in your budget for savings? Chances are slim to none since most of us are more focused on where we’re spending our money. As a result, saving becomes whatever is “left over” at the end of the month. And when life is busy and expensive, there’s often nothing left.
The Hidden Problem With Checking Accounts
Here’s another issue most families don’t realize they have: the checking account itself.
A checking account is designed for spending. Money that sits there almost always gets used, and often quickly. With so many transactions flowing in and out, it becomes nearly impossible to see patterns, trends, or opportunities.
Money sits there doing nothing for your future… until it disappears.
A Simpler, More Family-Friendly Approach: Cash Flow Coordination
If you wish to save, lack time, or dislike budgeting, the solution isn’t more discipline. It’s a better system.
In our planning process, we introduce families to a cash flow coordination strategy built around a central account we call a Wealth Building Account (WBA). Think of it as the hub of your financial life. Instead of money bouncing randomly between accounts, everything flows through one place, making saving more automatic, visible, and intentional.
How the Wealth Building Account Works
- All money flows in: Paychecks, business income, bonuses, tax refunds, gifts, interest—everything is deposited into the WBA.
- You “pay yourself” for spending: Rather than spending directly from inflows, you decide in advance how much you need for monthly living expenses. That amount is transferred to your checking account, and you continue paying bills and living life as usual.
- Saving happens automatically: From the WBA, money is directed toward savings and investment goals automatically, just like a 401(k). And that’s not by accident. It’s designed that way so that the money doesn’t have to fight with the other things happening in our checking accounts.
Why This Works So Well
Over time, we see clients using this approach naturally become better savers. We wind up capturing savings opportunities, including bonuses or commissions, a “third paycheck” in bi-weekly pay months, and increased take-home pay after reaching social security wage limits and/or hitting the maximum 401(k) contribution.
Perhaps the most important benefit is this: saving becomes a conscious choice, not a sacrifice. The WBA provides real data about how your money is working, enabling productive discussions and real-time adjustments.
When saving is visible and intentional, families can ask better questions:
- Is this purchase really important to us right now?
- Would these dollars bring more long-term joy if saved for something bigger?
There’s no guilt. No shame. Just clarity
Finding Balance and Support
At the end of the day, financial freedom isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about creating systems that work with your family’s busy life, not against it. And it’s about having someone in your corner to help you adjust as life inevitably changes.
Because when your cash flow is working intentionally, saving stops feeling stressful… and starts feeling empowering. And for families juggling a million responsibilities, that clarity is worth everything.
If you’re interested in learning more about maximizing your cash flow, please reach out to me at Gary_Blum@strategiesforwealth.com, call me at 914-288-8862, or complete this web form. I’d love for our team to help you achieve financial confidence and security.
Download our free Wealth Building Worksheet
Gary Blum is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Strategies for Wealth is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Not practicing CPA for Guardian or its subsidiaries or affiliates. CA Insurance License # 0M10186.
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