The following is a sponsored advertorial on behalf of Access Credit Union.

Whether saving short-term to reward yourself with a small home renovation, new car, or staycation or long-term for retirement, travel, or a new home, your future happiness depends on the decisions you make today.

It’s time to tuck away the past and look to the future, and the only constant in that future is you. You deserve to be happy, and that’s why you need to set goals to invest in your future happiness.

No matter how big or small your goals, everyone has to start saving sometime—and today is the best day to do it. Savings are something that grows, but nothing can grow until you plant the seed.

Every little bit counts. Even saving just $50 a paycheck adds up to $1200 annually. Add interest and before you know it, you have enough for a down payment on a car.

Need a little help getting started? Here are some quick ways to get going.

Find money to save money

Small changes can add up to big savings. Here are some ways you could find a bit of extra cash to stow away for your future investment (whatever it may be):

Bundle service fees: Many people don’t know that some service providers will allow you to bundle services for a discount. For example, some phone or internet providers will let you bundle cell and landlines with cable and internet for package savings.

Reduce expenditures: Reduce your water, heat, and electricity consumption to reduce monthly expenses. For example, put a filter on your kitchen tap instead of buying bottled water and set your thermostat lower or higher (depending on the time of year) when you’re away from the house.

Another great way to reduce fees is to make sure you’re in the right chequing account for you. Look at your monthly fees and talk to your local branch about making sure that the package you’re in makes sense for your usage.

Shop the flyers and/or go consignment: Know your prices, shop seasonally, and follow the deals. TIP: Sign up for a flyer app (like Flipp) instead of getting paper flyers—you receive flyers instantly, can add deals directly to your shopping list, and digital flyers are also more environmentally conscious.

You can also shop consignment such as garage sales, local buy-and-sell channels, and Facebook Marketplace—especially for items that you only use for a short time, such as kids’ clothes, toys, etc.

Find the right product

Short-term saving

The best short-term savings products don’t lock your funds in for a predetermined period of time. Such as:

Variable Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA): Contributions to TFSAs are not tax-deductible and any money deposited—as well as any income earned in the account—is tax-free for life, even when it is withdrawn.

Premium Savings account: Exclusive to Access Credit Union, the Premium Savings account offers the flexibility of a basic savings account plus high returns on deposits.

Long-term saving

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP): Contributions are tax-deductible, and interest earned is tax-free until you make a withdrawal from the account.

GIC (or term deposit): A Guaranteed Investment Certificate is a secure, low-risk investment product with a guaranteed rate of return over a fixed period.

Looking to get into investments? There are many options for investing today. Whether you want to manage your own portfolio with DIY investing through virtualwealth, or work with an advisor to get the most bang for your buck, your future is in your hands.  

Access Credit Union has the tools you need to start investing in you. Talk to your local branch or call our Member Solutions Centre to find out how you can start investing in you today.