So I will be the first to admit I'm not great with money, well perhaps it depends the way you look at it. I am blooming great at spending it, there's nothing like a new season drop in Zara to make me think 'let's live for the moment' and 'sure I work hard'. But as the years creep on I've actually began to see that I'm more like Carrie Bradshaw than ever before, not the fact I sit typing my thoughts on my laptop but I also keep my money where I can see it, hanging in my girls and my wardrobe.

Image Credit - Pinterest.

I got contacted by Progressive to come in and chat about NI Savings Week, focusing particularly on the importance of saving for kids. I have to admit, I wanted to know more but I was scared I would be asked questions and judged...

'What's the girls' savings like at the minute?'

'Umm, well it's 4 walls and a roof on top....'

Up until January last year that was close to the truth but then I (finally) got around to opening a savings account for them, it was always one of those things I was meaning to do though the saving still hasn't been regular.

Hopefully in the future I will have two girls come to us for help with a car (and never mind a car, the insurance!), help with funding education and dare I say it.... a wedding! These things seem like a lifetime away but the last 5 years have been a blink and I hear that when they start school it goes even quicker.

Anyway I nervously agreed to have a meeting with Progressive and popped into the Ballymena branch, and am so glad I did. It was the complete opposite of how I had it built up in my head. There was no judging or hard sell. I simply got some information and answered to some questions I had.

I hope to apply for a regular savings account because I decided that having a savings account that I could regularly deposit money into that we could regularly dip into in case of anything unexpected was the best for us. I know the small amounts can quickly build up and prove to be a huge benefit. By reviewing our Sky package and removing channels we don't even watch means we'll be able to save some money into an account and won't even miss it.

I think that sometimes when we think of savings it feels like it only applies to those who have surplus cash left at the end of the month but it may be, through making those small changes and saving what we would have spent. I have been more conscious about my own choices after counting up the cost of 2 take out coffees in the one day. I will be saving into the girls' accounts every month and hopefully it will help with that pinch when they are starting to drive and look for a car. I know the pinch I'll feel in my heart will be sore enough never mind on the purse too.

I also want to help my girls grow up with a savings culture by encouraging them to save, watch it grow but also make it fun too. This way I hope that they will make wise choices in the future and have financial responsibility. I want to encourage them to save a proportion of any cash gifts they get and watch it grow as if I just did it all for them it wouldn't help to educate. Though like everything, a little balance is best. It may be the toy shop now but I have no doubt judging by the current interests it will be shoes in the later years.

I would definitely encourage going in and chatting to a member of staff about savings and top tips to suit everyone. Progressive have launched the first NI Savings Week to support the saving culture across local communities and also to help educate on the benefits of saving. It's never too late to start.

From my meeting last week, the team in Progressive are ready and waiting to chat to new and existing customers on how they can help.

Anna xx

This post is kindly sponsored by Progressive Building Society as they aim to support and educate our local communities to create healthy savings habits.