How much should I be saving? And how do I build up my savings? The answer to this question depends on your income, goals, and ambitions. Saving is easier when you have something to save towards, so first, establish your goals. Then you know how much you need to save, and can work out a time frame for achieving them.
我應該存多少錢?我要如何累積我的存款? 這個問題的答案取決於你的收入、目標、以及野心。在你有某個想要存到的東西時儲蓄會比較容易,所以首先,建立你的目標。然後你了解你需要存多少錢,就可以制訂出一個達成目標的期限。
It's also a good idea to put some of your savings aside to make an emergency fund to cover unexpected events that could put a strain on your finances. If you have a spouse and dependents, you should take them into account when working out the size of your fund. Ideally, an emergency fund will consist of three to six months of income. Taking your income into account, you can set a realistic monthly savings amount. As a rule of thumb, try to save around 10 to 25 percent of your income each month to put towards your savings goals.
把你的一些積蓄存作一筆救急基金,去負擔一些可能會對你經濟造成壓力的突發事件也是個好主意。如果你有配偶及受扶養者,你應該在計算你的基金金額大小時將他們納入考量。理想情況下,一筆救急基金會由三到六個月的收入構成。斟酌你的收入情況,你可以設定一個實際可行的每月儲蓄金額。憑經驗估計,試著存入你每月大約百分之十至二十五的收入來達到你的存款目標。
If this seems too much, start with what you feel you can afford, and work your way up to your ideal amount. The most important step of all is to actually start saving, no matter how little the amount. Just starting a savings account will set you on course to achieving your goals.
如果這金額看似太多,就從你覺得你可以負擔得起的開始,並且向上提升至你的理想金額。所有之中最重要的步驟就是實際開始儲蓄,無論金額有多小。僅是開立一個儲蓄帳戶就會使你邁向達成你的目標。
Take our friend Dave here, Dave wants to save some money. He's not sure exactly why, but he has some money left in his account at the end of each month, and thinks it's a sensible idea to put aside some for a rainy day. Sometimes there's no money left. But that's okay, Dave thinks, because he's been saving for a few months. A couple of times, he decides to make a bigger purchase and dips into his savings account, which he also thinks isn't a huge problem, because by now he's been saving for several months.
在此舉我們的朋友 Dave 為例,Dave 想要存一些錢。他不確定究竟是為什麼,但每月月終他的帳戶裡都會剩一些錢,而他認為存些錢以備不時之需是個明智的主意。有時沒有錢剩下來。但那沒差,Dave 心想,因為他已經存錢存幾個月了。有幾次,他決定要買個較貴的東西,並從他的儲蓄帳戶中拿錢,他也覺得那不是個大問題,因為至今他已經存錢存幾個月了。
One day, Dave checks his statement, and he's shocked to learn that he saved much less than he thought. Perhaps you recognize your own experiences in Dave's story. Fortunately for all of us, saving is not a skill we are necessarily born with, but it can be learned.
某一天,Dave 檢查他的存款證明,而他很驚愕的發現他存的遠比他認為的還少許多。也許你在 Dave 的故事中認出你自己的經歷。幸好對我們所有人來說,儲蓄不一定是個我們生來就有的技能,但它是可以學習來的。
Dave decides to employ a new approach. He sets himself three savings goals, so he knows how much he needs to save, and how long he has to do it. Every time he puts money aside, he knows he's getting closer to meeting his target. In fact, he's found the most effective way to save is to pay himself first, and immediately transfer a fixed amount into his savings account as soon as he is paid.
Dave 決定要用一個新的方法。他給自己設定三個儲蓄目標,所以他就知道他需要存多少錢,還有他要這樣存多久。每次他把錢存起來,他就知道他離達成他的目標更近了。事實上,他發現存錢最有效率的方法是先付錢給自己,並且在他一領薪水時就馬上轉一筆固定金額到他的儲蓄帳戶內。
Once he's saved up enough to meet one target, he sets himself another, and carries on saving. He starts off saving a small amount, giving himself a chance to get used to his new routine, but every month he increases the amount until he reaches his full monthly savings target. In the future, Dave can look at his savings balance and feel confident that he has his emergency fund to fall back on, and nearly enough money to put a down payment on that house he's been saving up for.
一旦他存到足夠的錢達成一個目標,他就給自己定下另一個目標,並且繼續儲蓄下去。他從存一小筆金額開始,給自己一個機會漸漸習慣他的新例行公事,但每個月他增加金額直到他達成他的每月儲蓄目標全額。在未來,Dave 可以看著他的存款餘額並且感到信心十足,因為他擁有他的救急基金可以依靠,且有幾乎足夠的錢來付那間他一直存錢要買的房子的頭期款。
Rather than feeling his quality of life has suffered, Dave actually feels empowered to make important financial decisions, knowing that his savings are growing steadily.
不覺得他的生活品質受到影響,Dave 實際上反而感到被賦予做重要財務決策的能力,知道他的存款正穩定地增長。
- 「累積、增加」- Build Up
And how do I build up my savings?
我要如何累積我的存款? - 「取決於某事物」- Depend On
The answer to this question depends on your income, goals, and ambitions.
這個問題的答案取決於你的收入、目標、以及野心。 - 「想出、制訂出」- Work Out
Then you know how much you need to save, and can work out a time frame for achieving them.
然後你了解你需要存多少錢,就可以制訂出一個達成目標的期限。 - 「造成壓力和負擔」- Put A Strain On
It's also a good idea to put some of your savings aside to make an emergency fund to cover unexpected events that could put a strain on your finances.
把你的一些積蓄存作一筆救急基金,去負擔一些可能會對你經濟造成壓力的突發事件也是個好主意。 - 「斟酌、考量到」- Take Into Account
If you have a spouse and dependents, you should take them into account when working out the size of your fund.
如果你有配偶及受扶養者,你應該在計算你的基金金額大小時將他們納入考量。 - 「由某事物構成」- Consist Of
Ideally, an emergency fund will consist of three to six months of income.
理想情況下,一筆救急基金會由三到六個月的收入構成。 - 「經驗法則」- Rule Of Thumb
As a rule of thumb, try to save around 10 to 25 percent of your income each month to put towards your savings goals.
憑經驗估計,試著存入你每月大約百分之十至二十五的收入來達到你的存款目標。 - 「無論」- No Matter
The most important step of all is to actually start saving, no matter how little the amount.
所有之中最重要的步驟就是實際開始儲蓄,無論金額有多小。 - 「步上軌道」- On Course
Just starting a savings account will set you on course to achieving your goals.
僅是開立一個儲蓄帳戶就會使你邁向達成你的目標。 - 「儲存」- Put Aside
...and thinks it's a sensible idea to put aside some for a rainy day.
...而他認為存些錢以備不時之需是個明智的主意。 - 「繼續下去」- Carry On
Once he's saved up enough to meet one target, he sets himself another, and carries on saving.
一旦他存到足夠的錢達成一個目標,他就給自己定下另一個目標,並且繼續儲蓄下去。 - 「開始、出發」- Start Off
He starts off saving a small amount, giving himself a chance to get used to his new routine...
他從存一小筆金額開始,給自己一個機會漸漸習慣他的新例行公事... - 「依賴、求助於」- Fall Back On
In the future, Dave can look at his savings balance and feel confident that he has his emergency fund to fall back on...
在未來,Dave 可以看著他的存款餘額並且感到信心十足,因為他擁有他的救急基金可以依靠...