IT’S AMERICA SAVES WEEK!

FNB is the Bank that helps you SAVE!  Today marks the beginning of America Saves Week (ASW) and we want to help you do just that.  At FNB, we are proud to say that we’ve helped customers just like you save money, in fact, we earned the America Saves Designation of Savings Excellence Award for our achievements during ASW in 2021 and 2023!

This week we’re encouraging our community to join us to get a clear view of your finances, set financial goals, and make a plan to achieve them. Below is a helpful guide on getting your savings journey started or enhancing the one you already have.

Monday, April 8 | Saving Automatically

It’s America Saves Week! Each year we encourage our community to dedicate this week to pause and do a financial check-in, and this year is no different. Join us this week to get a clear view of where your finances are,where you want them to be, and what small steps you can take to put you on a path forward.

We all have unique circumstances that in many cases, makes it difficult, or nearly impossible for many to save at this stage of their lives. Despite this, we understand that people are still committed to doing the work, taking control of their finances, and becoming more financially stable – in every stage of life.

We kick off Day One of America Saves Week by focusing on the easiest and most effective way to save— AUTOMATICALLY.

Sometimes the smallest things have the greatest impact— like building the habit of saving, even if it’s just a little bit at a time. In fact, saving is a habit, not a destination! Check out this blog post from the America Saves Team, who breaks it all down.

Today, we encourage you to do the following (if you haven’t already):

• Set up automatic savings, either through your employer or financial institution.
• Revisit the amount you contribute, if you have already established automatic savings.
• Assess whether you have the best possible account for your savings and consider switching to a high-yield savings account to get the most out of saving.

Need some inspiration? Check out this video below from America Saves staff, Benjamin Moss.

Whether you choose to split your direct deposit or set up an auto-transfer through your financial institution, you benefit by automatic savings in two ways: first, by establishing the habit, and second by setting and reaching attainable milestones that will be incredibly useful when and if an unexpected expense arises.

Tuesday, April 9 | Saving for the Unexpected

It happens to all of us: you’re saving for something that you’re really excited about and before you know it an unexpected event occurs, causing you to dip into your designated savings.

Every day, Americans are forced to use money they were saving for something they truly value or credit to pay for an unexpected expense.

On Day 2 of America Saves Week, we want you to embrace establishing an emergency fund, along with shifting the narrative around emergency savings.

Dream with us just a bit.💭 What is the most important thing that you could be saving for right now? It may be for a new home, a car, to take a special someone out on a date, or even to be able to pay off your medical bills. No matter what your answer is, it’s completely valid.

Check out this blog post from the America Saves Team, who breaks down saving for competing priorities while establishing your savings goal(s).

Today, we encourage you to:

• Begin to understand your Money Story and Money Values.
• Identify your savings goals.
• Use automatic savings to begin or grow your emergency savings accounts. Get started today by setting up an automatic transfer through your online banking or mobile app.  Simply go to the “Move Money” tab to begin setting up your automatic transfers.  As always, we’d be happy to help you set up auto transfers at one of our convenient locations, if you need additional assistance.

Feeling alone when it comes time to emergency savings? You’re not, and it happens to the best of us! Check out this video Amanda from America Saves who gives insight into her own personal story.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take the America Saves Pledge. After making your new savings plan, you’ll receive support, reminders, and tips from America Saves that will help keep you on track towards achieving your goal.

Wednesday, April 10 | Saving For Major Milestones

How do you save for the big things, like homeownership, retirement, and education, when saving for the small things is difficult? Saving for competing priorities can feel overwhelming, but there are ways to break these big goals down into reasonable, practical steps even if you aren’t where you want to be financially.

Today is day 3 of America Saves Week and we’re focusing on saving for major life milestones while not abandoning your other financial needs or wants.

Today, we encourage you to:

• Get a clear view of your financial landscape.
• Establish or revisit your Spending and Savings Plan.
• Learn a practical approach to saving for short, mid, and long-term financial goals.

(P.S. Register for America Saves’ LIVE workshop today where they break this all down right alongside you.)

Additional Resources from our friends at America Saves to support you today:

• BLOG POST:
  Saving for Competing Priorities
• BLOG POST:
  Saving for Major Milestones When You’re Young & Just Starting Out
• PODCAST EPISODE:
  Saving for Major Life Milestones

With the current economy, it’s no doubt that setting aside funds for major life events can be challenging. Check out this video from Krystel at America Saves who breaks down her savings journey.

Today we want you to recognize that your current situation will determine when and how you are able to start saving. Identify your money story with America Saves for encouragement, accountability, and support along the way!

Thursday, April 11 | Paying Down Debt IS Saving

Just like having a plan for saving is important, so is having a plan to pay down your debt. Recent reports show that individuals have increased their usage of credit cards due to the ongoing inflation and rising costs of our basic needs like housing, food, and transportation.

Couple that with the return of student loan debt repayment and the interest rates increase, and the ability to pay down debt is exacerbating the savings crisis, hindering the ability to save for emergencies and remain financially stable for many Americans.

We want to remind you that paying down your debt is an essential component of savings.

Today, we encourage you to:

• Check your credit report.
• Grab your free credit report that is available under Federal law at annualcreditreport.com.
• As a reminder, FNB customers have access to our FREE YourCredit™ service that provides instant access to your credit report as well as financial education tips on how to improve your score or maintain an already great score! Simply login to your FNB Online or Mobile Banking and click on the YourCredit™ link.

Check out these resources from our friends at America Saves to support you today:

• BLOG POST:
  Tips to Increase Your Credit Score
• VIDEO PLAYLIST:
  Tackling Debt
• PODCAST EPISODE:
  How Do I Pay Down Debt?

If you’re struggling to prioritize your debt in the current economy, Amelia from America Saves wants you to know that you’re not alone! Check out her debt repayment story.

If your current goal is to reduce debt, we encourage you to identify your money story with America Saves for encouragement, accountability, and support along the way!

Friday, April 12 | Saving At Any Age

Talking about money has been considered taboo for too long, but this mindset could be doing us a disservice. After all, it’s not what you say but how you say it.

You’ve gained valuable insights this week, and the next step is to share those learnings and check-in with your loved ones.

On the fifth and final day of America Saves Week, we encourage you to:

• Talk to family members, whether it be your own kids to older generations, about your money story and goals, including retirement plans, the importance of saving, and responsibly using credit
• If you haven’t, open up a savings account that correlates with what matters most to you right now. Visit growwithfnb.com/apply-now/ to open a Savings account online today!

Get your kids on the right path towards becoming lifetime savers with our Kids Start Savings Account. Suitable for children ages 0-18, this account features no minimum deposit to open, no minimum balance requirements, and no monthly service charges. Visit the FNB location nearest you to get started!

Need additional support?

• Check out this blog post by America Saves, Talking About Finances as a Family to help guide you through conversations with your loved ones, no matter their age.
• Check out this video from Carolyn at America Saves on how she began choosing a savings goal from a very young age!

We hope that this week has been insightful, and you’ve been able to pause to do a financial check-in, allowing you to get clear on where your finances are, where you want them to be, and what small steps you can take now to put you on that path. If you’re ready to continue your journey, we encourage you to identify your money story with America Saves for encouragement, accountability, and support along the way!