Finally broke $500 in my emergency fund after 9 months
I kept dipping into my savings every time something came up - car repair in March, dentist visit in April. What finally worked was moving the money to a separate account at a different bank so I couldn't just transfer it instantly. I set up a $50 automatic transfer every payday and forgot about it. Anyone else have luck hiding money from yourself like this?
Wait wait, 9 months to save $500? That's rough but honestly impressive you stuck with it. A separate bank account was key for me too, but I took it a step further - I picked a credit union that's a 30 minute drive away. That extra effort to get cash is just annoying enough that I think twice before touching it.
The automatic transfer part is smart though. Mine goes out the day after payday so I never even see it in my checking. Do you check the balance often or just let it build up?
The credit union 30 minutes away is genius, honestly. That little bit of friction makes such a difference. I do check my balance maybe once a month just to make sure the transfers are going through, but I try not to obsess over it. How long did it take before you stopped even thinking about that account and just let it do its thing?