It’s tax season so it is time for a personal finance post.

Every year, it amazes me to hear young people get excited about a big tax refund. No one should give the government an interest-free loan.

If you’re not disciplined enough to save on your own, open an account that allows automatic savings and SAVE YOUR OWN money. See a tax advisor who can help you adjust your withholding so that you receive that money each paycheck rather than giving it to the government who will only give it back a year later, interest-free. Then, instead of spending your extra money each paycheck, you will pay yourself by putting it into a savings account.

I’ve had my checking and savings with ING Direct since before I started this blog five years ago and while the interest rates have dipped, they are still better than the local options. My paycheck is directly deposited to my checking account and then I have several savings accounts, which are automatically funded based on amounts and a schedule I created.

Remember, pay yourself first whether it is retirement, building an emergency fund or saving for vacation. Just don’t give the government an interest free loan! If you are ready to start saving and have $250, I highly encourage you to use a referral link below to open a savings account at ING. Then, set up an automatic savings plan.

I’m not going to lie, I love my year-end statements and seeing how much interest I’ve earned, plus, ING will tell you how much you’ve earned over the lifetime of your account(s) – keeps me motivated!

ING Direct Orange Savings – referral 1
ING Direct Orange Savings – referral 2
ING Direct Orange Savings – referral 3
ING Direct Orange Savings – referral 4
ING Direct Orange Savings – referral 5