Saving money so you can save for retirement

November 29, 2012

By Sheryl Smolkin

Over the last year, the focus of savewithspp.com has been to make sure the Saskatchewan Pension Plan is no longer “Canada’s best kept secret.” We have discussed key elements of the program and why it is a great pension plan for both individuals and employers across the country who want to help their employees save for retirement.

In a series of podcasts we’ve also introduced you to the people behind the SPP and a well known group of financial experts.

But we know that one reason many people don’t save for life after work is that they don’t believe they can afford it. After paying the rent, putting food on the table and dealing with a pile of other family bills each month, there is nothing left to save.

Yet most of us can easily save a dollar or two every day, and over time it all adds up. Whether you make coffee at work instead of buying fancy lattes, take better advantage of discount coupons or comparative shop online there are hundreds of ways to be more frugal and still enjoy life.

So beginning this week I will be blogging for savewithspp.com about ways to save money in your everyday life. And I need your help. I have lots of ideas, but you have even more.

In every blog, I will list the “themes” for the next two weeks.

1. Send your money saving ideas related to this theme to so*********@sa*********.com.
2. Pictures illustrating your suggestions are welcome.
3. Reader suggestions relating to the weekly topic will be posted on the Saskatchewan Pension Plan Facebook page.
4. If your idea is selected for posting, your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

Every week I will also link to “the best of” blogs written by other personal finance bloggers. And from time to time, I will post podcast interviews with interesting people who can suggest more terrific ways to make your pay cheque go further.

New blogs will be posted each Thursday. One way to make sure you don’t miss any of them is to enter your email address on the right hand sidebar of savewithspp.com to receive notifications of new posts by email. You and your friends can also follow the Saskatchewan Pension Plan on Facebook.

Furthermore, we challenge you to put a dollar in a “retirement savings jar” every time you take advantage of a money saving idea on savewithspp.com. You’ll be amazed at how fast it adds up.

To get you started, here are the themes for the rest of December:

6-Dec	Entertaining	Holiday entertaining on a budget
13-Dec	Christmas shopping	10 frugal last-minute Christmas gift ideas
20-Dec	Boxing Day	How to beat the Boxing Day blues

I can’t wait to hear all of your fantastic suggestions.

Wishing you and yours, a happy and healthy holiday season!

financial planning, Holiday Savings, Money saving tips, Sheryl Smolkin

---

---