A Lesson from Childhood
I vividly remember clipping and saving KoolAid rewards tabs back in my primitive years. If you don’t know what KoolAid tabs are, then I’m definitely showing my age! Back before we had the world wide web, shopping catalogs and purchased products came through the physical mail. The KoolAid catalog was one of those spectacles; full of wonderful, eye-catching memorabilia to fulfill any child’s curiosity. The goal was to collect as many KoolAid rewards tabs as needed for the special prize you’d like. The most sought-after prize was the KoolAid pitcher and cup set. The plastic pitcher and cup set were worth 500 tabs. There was only ONE rewards tab on each packet of KoolAid, so you can guess how much KoolAid was consumed to reach such a lofty goal.
My mother shopped once a month at the commissary on our military base. Only so many KoolAid packets came home each trip. I knew saving these tabs would take time and patience. As a child who loved receiving prizes in the mail, this would be even better since I’d “worked” so hard to save up for it. I can remember trading out a small, letter sized envelope for a large, manilla envelope once my tab collection grew in size. Visualizing my savings growth was a lot of fun. In the end, 500 KoolAid tabs looked impressive. The day that KoolAid pitcher and cup set arrived was one of the best days of my summer (and made my KoolAid even sweeter). My kiddos use this beloved KoolAid man and cups for picnics, and I never grow tired of reiterating the savings lesson.
A Lesson from Scripture
Learning to save, no matter what the savings may be, requires determination and sacrifice. The Scripture above describes the work ethic of a tiny, most commonly overlooked creature: the ant. Ants are voracious workers, and they understand the value of saving. In their case, they work to store up enough provision during the warm months for the cold months that inevitably follow. The ant takes into account the need for excess so during a season of minimal resources, they will be able to survive. The ants know why they are saving and are willing to take on the challenge to meet their goals.
Scripture is clear: we must understand and utilize the principle of saving.
There are multiple reasons to save financially and just as many methods for saving successfully. An emergency fund is a key component to a successful financial plan and a great place to start. Saving 3 to 6 months’ worth of expenses is recommended. This can cover unforeseeable costs or unemployment situations. From vacations funds to retirement funds, and everything else in between, savings accounts are necessary. It doesn’t matter how small the goal or how little the amount, start saving a portion of your income each month.
Next Steps helpful links to get started on a savings plan
