Q&A with Ramie – GYG $100 winner, November
Posted by marketing on December 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Ramie proudly shows off her granddaughter, Kara, who was born in October. Ramie is saving for Kara's future.
What are you saving for?
I have a brand new granddaughter, Kara, who was born on Oct. 14, 2009, so I am saving for her. Her parents can give her the necessities but I want to be able to provide her with the “fun” stuff: field trips, gifts, money for college.
She’s my first grandchild so I am excited about saving for her future.
What steps are you taking to save each month?
Luckily, I have developed a pretty good habit of saving over the years.
Whenever I get a tax refund or a bonus, I immediately put it into a savings account so I can earn interest on it. This also helps to keep me from the temptation of spending it. For example, when Tech CU offered the one-day Celebration CD with a 4.00% APY, I immediately took $2,500 to open the account.
What is your biggest obstacle when you’re trying to keep a consistent savings plan?
This real estate market has been a challenge for us. We have some big expenses on our rental properties. I don’t normally dip into my savings but I may need to from time to time for miscellaneous expenses like home repairs and insurance. Otherwise, I am trying to grow my balances.
Has the current economy affected your savings plan at all?
Again, it’s our rental properties. We’re upside down on them but I am optimistic that things will slowly turn around.
Do you have any savings tips for other ‘Grow Your Green’ savers?
My co-worker is a single mother of three. I told her to put away $25 for each child each month. In fact, I told her to open a Tech CU ‘Grow Your Green’ Savings Challenge account. She won’t even miss it and at the end of the year, each child will have some extra money for the holidays.
I think the main thing I’d stress is that you have to stay consistent–even if it’s just a few dollars a week. It really does add up and before you know it, you’ll have a nice chunk for when you really need it.
Also, I wanted to say that you called me on my birthday, so thank you so much for the drawing award! This was a great birthday gift for me!
