At the start of each year, many people aim to save more money, increase their savings, or feel more financially secure. However, these intentions often get overwhelmed by continuous expenses soon after. The reality is that the problem may not be insufficient income.
Instead, it lies in the small daily financial behaviors we overlook. The good news is that improving financial health does not require drastic changes. Just small, targeted habit adjustments can gradually grow your savings without you even noticing.
1. Save before spending: The 15-minute rule after income arrives
As soon as your salary or income is deposited, don’t wait to save what’s left over—because there usually isn’t any left. The most effective method is to set up an automatic transfer within 15 minutes after the money arrives, moving funds directly to a savings or investment account. For example, transferring 10% of your income monthly. This removes decision-making, allowing saving to happen automatically without requiring strong discipline, and lets you live on the money that’s left after saving without realizing it.
2. Separate accounts by goals to track progress
Saving becomes more powerful when your money has clear purposes. Separating accounts by objectives—such as emergency funds, travel savings, or long-term goals—helps you see tangible progress for each amount. Watching balances grow makes you hesitate before using that money for other purposes, because your brain recognizes it has a specific "duty" rather than being free funds to spend at will.
3. Flexible saving: amounts need not be equal every month
Many stop saving because they think they must save the same amount every month, but life has months that are heavier or lighter financially. Flexible saving helps sustain long-term commitment. In months with high expenses, save less; when you have extra income, save more. The key is to never stop saving entirely, because consistency—even in small amounts—yields better results than sporadic large deposits over a short time.
4. Plug financial leaks once a month
A large portion of savings often disappears not due to big expenses but recurring small costs, like unused app subscriptions, frequent food delivery, or convenience fees. Scheduling a monthly review of these expenses helps identify "leaks" where money unnecessarily flows out. Closing just one or two leaks can free enough money to boost your savings without needing to increase income.
5. Save the change whenever you spend less than planned
A small habit that grows savings without strain is to save the difference whenever you spend less than intended. For example, if you planned to spend 100 baht but only spent 70, immediately transfer the 30-baht difference into your savings. Similarly, if you skip certain expenses like buying coffee or cook at home, the money saved should go into savings. This transforms spare change or seemingly lost money into quietly accumulating savings.
6. Don’t let money sit in the wrong place
Each sum of money has a specific role. Leaving money in the wrong place can cause missed financial opportunities without realizing it. Emergency funds should be in easily accessible, safe accounts; spending money should not be invested in risky assets; and long-term savings should not remain idle in low-interest accounts. Allocating money appropriately according to goals and timelines helps maximize its efficiency without additional effort.
7. Review your accounts monthly to gain clarity
Your finances won’t improve if you don’t know where your money goes. A monthly account review provides a comprehensive view of your real financial life—how much money comes in, what it’s spent on, and whether you are saving as planned. Simply seeing the actual numbers often leads to better behavior changes automatically, as clarity is the starting point for sustainable improvement.
Source: Siam Commercial Bank
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