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2012 Military Saves Campaign

Military Saves is an ongoing campaign supported by the DoD to persuade, motivate, and encourage military families to save money every month. We actively support this effort, and know that with the right information to create a saving plan and encouragement to stick to it, saving can be easy. Here are some steps to get you started on making your own plan.

Take the Saver Pledge

The Military Saves Pledge is a great way to formalize your commitment to save. When you take the pledge, you join a community of like-minded Service members, who are working to build financial security for themselves and their families. Take the pledge on the MilitarySaves.org site.

Make a Budget and Identify Goals

Making a household budget and identifying your financial goals go hand in hand and are important parts of any savings plan. Budgeting helps you spend less than what you earn each month, so that you have money left over to apply toward your savings; identifying your financial goals helps you determine how much you need to be saving each month.

View a short video on the basics of budgeting.

Open a Savings Account

Opening a Savings Account is the safest and easiest way to begin saving for the short term and an important first step toward putting a savings plan into action. A Savings Account allows you to set money aside from your primary checking, so you're less likely to spend it, while keeping it easily accessible for when you need it. Find out more here or visit your local Community Bank to open one.

Pay Down Debt

Living within a budget and saving money is a lot more difficult when a significant portion of your paycheck goes to debt payments. At its worst, it can become a downward financial spiral in which you must continue to borrow more to make ends meet. Read more here.

Establish an Emergency Fund

Let's face it, life is full of surprises. Emergencies and unexpected expenses can leave you in debt, if you don't have money set aside to deal with them. An emergency fund should keep your money safe, yet accessible on short notice. A Savings Account from Community Bank is a great vehicle for this, and Automatic Transfers are the perfect way to fund it. If you're using Online Banking, why not set up an Automatic Transfer right now?

Follow Military Saves

Taking the Military Saves Pledge gives you the opportunity to receive the American Saver and Military Saves newsletters, which are full of practical information, advice, and encouragement that will help you save, but you can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and become part of the conversation that builds a stronger community of Service members who are committed to saving.

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