Five Ways Everyone Can Learn the Power of Saving

Inspired by Bull & Bear Learn Piggy Banks’ Golden Rule

America Saves Week is the perfect time to revisit one of the most important financial lessons we can teach our children: the power of saving. In my book Bull & Bear Learn Piggy Bank’s Golden Rule, Bull and Bear learn that saving money isn’t just a good idea — it’s a smart habit that helps build strong futures.

This week, let’s look at five key saving habits—and how you can explain them to kids using stories, examples, and practical tools.

1. Saving Automatically: Make It a Habit, Not a Hassle

In Bull & Bear Learn Piggy Banks’ Golden Rule, Piggy Banks teaches our favorite friends that saving doesn’t have to be hard — it just needs to be consistent.

Piggy Banks’ Golden Rule is: “When you make a dollar, you break a dollar into spending, saving, investing and giving too.”

You can tell kids:

“Imagine if every time you got an allowance or birthday money, you put a small part into your savings jar without even thinking. Soon, that jar would be full!”

Parents can set up automatic transfers in real life, and kids can do the same by using jars or apps that divide money into spend, save, invest, and give categories.

2. Saving for the Unexpected: Prepare for Rainy Days

Piggy Banks explains that sometimes things break, or surprises come up. Saving isn’t just for fun — it’s for life’s curveballs too.

Try this example with kids:

“What if your bike tire popped, or your game controller stopped working? If you had some savings, you could help fix the problem—without borrowing or feeling stuck.”

Even young children can grasp the idea of an “uh-oh fund” — a jar or envelope set aside just in case.

3. Saving for Major Milestones: Dream Big, Plan Ahead

One of my favorite scenes in Bull & Bear Learn Piggy Banks’ Golden Rule is when Bear dreams of buying a shiny new red bike, Piggy Banks shows them how saving over time turns big dreams into real possibilities.

Talk to your child about their own goals:

• A special toy
• A school trip
• Even college (for older kids)

“Saving a little each week can help you reach your big goal down the road.”

This helps kids build patience, planning, and pride.

4. Paying Down Debt Is Saving: Don’t Borrow from Tomorrow

This one is for grown-ups as much as kids — but it’s never too early to teach children that borrowing costs money, and paying off debt means more freedom later.

You might say:

“Imagine if you borrowed a toy and had to give two back next week. That’s kind of what happens when we borrow money—we have to pay more later. So saving now helps us avoid borrowing later!”

As children get older, they can start to understand the idea of credit and how paying down debt is just another smart form of saving.

5. Saving at Any Age: It’s Never Too Early (or Too Late!)

Bull & Bear learned from Piggy Banks that whether you’re 5 or 55, saving is always in style. Even a dollar saved is a step toward security and independence.

Encourage children by celebrating every saving success, no matter how small:

“You saved $2 this week? That’s amazing! That’s how investors get started!”

And remind yourself as a parent or teacher that modeling saving behavior and talking about money at home is one of the best gifts you can give a child.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Grow Big

America Saves Week is about action — not perfection. Whether you start with a single jar, a piggy bank, or an automatic deposit, what matters most is starting.

So this week, let’s follow Piggy Banks’ Golden Rule:

“When you make a dollar you break a dollar spending, saving, investing and giving the charity to.”