2013 Virginia Saves Piggy Bank Pageant & Photo Contest

         

Virginia Saves      2013     Piggy Bank Pageant

                      

Help us Celebrate Virginia Saves Week 2013!

Create a bank and send us your photo!

               

Youth (ages 4-12) may enter the contest and compete for prizes.   

One grand prize awarded to an organization promoting the Virginia Saves 2013 Piggy Bank Pageant.

 

It’s easy to participate!

 • Take a container (your choice) and make a bank to hold money.  

Use recycled materials to decorate your bank. • Sizes up to: 14” x 14” and banks must be able to hold coins.

·   Submit a photo to: virginiasaves@gmail.com along with your registration form and

What you are saving for (Limit 50 words). Registration forms available at www.virginiasaves.org

·   Compete for Prizes (valued at): 1^st place - $100; 2^nd place - $50; 3^rd place - $25

·   A panel of judges will select the three winners from each category.

·   Judging based on visual presentation, creativity of materials used and savings goals.

·   Eligibility:  Class A – Youth ages 4-8 • Class B – Youth ages 9-12

·   Virginia Schools, youth organizations, church groups and individual savers welcome to participate!

·  Winners notified by April 15, 2013

 

For Registration Form, Click Here!

 

For Official Flyer, Click Here

For additional information:                                                                      Contact Teresa Walker or Maron El-Khouri, Virginia Saves c/o VCC Email: Virginiasaves@gmail.com, twalker@vccva or mel-Khouri@vccva.org, or Phone:  804-344-5485 x 120 or 540-260-3126 x 102 See also: virginiasaves.org or Virginia-Saves on Facebook

SaveUp No Spending Challenge

Savings Challenge:

Commit to 30 Days of No Spending With SaveUp

 America Saves and Virginia Saves are committed to finding innovative ways to help you save successfully. That's why we have teamed up with SaveUp, a free program that rewards Americans for saving money and paying down their debts, to provide you a fun and engaging experience while you save for the future.

BONUS: Join Virginia Saves and we will send you an email with the special link to earn 100 bonus credits with SaveUp.

One of the top New Year’s resolutions is to save more and stick to a budget. Research shows if you can change your behavior for 30 days you are likely to stick to your goals. Join the SaveUp 30 Day No Spend Challenge – and kick start the New Year right. Be a champion for your personal economic recovery.

 HOW IT WORKS

·         Choose any credit card in your wallet and commit to 30 days of no spending on that card by registering it for the SaveUp No Spend challenge.

·         The more days you check-in and stick to your challenge the more chances you have to win the grand prize of $5,000 to pay down your debt.

·         BONUS: Be a champion for change – share to bring others to the SaveUp No Spending Challenge and win an additional $5,000 in rewards.

BENEFITS: SaveUp’s Financial Detox helps you in the following ways:

·         Saving real dollars. Based on compound interest, an average household would save close to $15,000 in interest over 10 years if it paid down $1,000 now in credit card debt.

·         It challenges you to NOT spend on anything but what is needed.

·         It’s a game – how many days can I go without using money?

·         It forces you to look at other more creative options than spending.

·         It makes you become more conscious of your spending habits.

·         It discourages thoughtless, throwaway purchases and allows you to discover how little you truly need to be happy.

·         It encourages planning-ahead-spending and the use of cash or debit cards. 

SaveUp is a great online tool to motivate and reward people while saving and paying down their debt. As our members save more/pay down their debt, they earn opportunities to win great prizes like a $5,000 No Spend Fund, or a $5,000 Save and Share prize. SaveUp users can also organize all their savings and debt in one place, track their progress, and learn more about making the right financial choices. 

For more savings tips, see www.VirginiaSaves.org.

 

New Year's Savings Strategies

Happy New Year Virginia Savers!

 
As 2013 begins, make sure to give your finances a checkup and discover if you need to make saving your New Year's resolution. You may discover that you have debt you need to pay down or that you are ready to take the next step in savings. Helping yourself and your family save successfully for the future should be near the top of your resolution list - and it's one resolution you can't afford to break! Remember, you don't have to make a lot of money to save successfully. Start Small. Think Big.

5 Resolutions to Get You Saving in the New Year

1. Get Out of Debt

The best investment most borrowers can make is to pay off consumer debt with double-digit interest rates. How to do it: Find places to cut your spending so that you can pay down your debts faster.

2. Save for Emergencies

Having an emergency savings fund may be the most important difference between those who manage to stay afloat and those who are sinking financially. In a recent survey, only 49% of families said they had extra funds (not including lines of credit) available to pay for an unexpected expense of $1,000. Don't find yourself unprepared in 2013. How to do it: Save a Portion of Your Tax Refund. Use the 30 - 40 - 30 plan. Designate 30% of your refund to pay off debt and catch up on outstanding bills. Earmark 40% for current use. Use 30% to jump start an emergency fund or long term savings. You can use form 8888 to split your refund into separate accounts and buy a U.S. Savings Bond. Bonds are a safe and easy way to save for the future.

3. Save for Retirement

Many employees turn down free money from their employer by not signing up for a work-related retirement program such as a 401(k) plan. If they did participate, with a dollar-for-dollar match they would likely receive an annual yield of greater than 100% on their investment. How to do it: Participate in a work-related retirement program or open up a Roth IRA. Already saving? Increase the amount you save toward retirement by 1% in 2013.

4. Make Savings Automatic

It can be hard to put aside money for savings. But there is an easy way to save money without ever missing it - Make your savings automatic in 2013.

5. Buy a Home and Pay Off the Mortgage Before You Retire

The largest asset of most middle-income families is their home equity. Once these families have made their last mortgage payment, they have far lower housing expenses. How to do it: Almost anyone can afford to own a home with proper preparation . Develop a savings plan to build up money for a down payment at purchase, for moving expenses, and for post-purchase emergency expenditures such as needed home repairs.

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