Here at Plum, we can help you build up savings, but what you choose to do with them is completely up to you.

Whether you’ve put them towards an emergency fund or spent them on a new coffee machine, the choices are endless!

This week at The Plum Diary, we’re chatting to Lisa, who has ticked off some pretty major bucket-list items with her Plum pocket money.

When this 39-year-old office administrator from Lancashire is not doing the school run or looking after her army of pets, she’s jetting off to the Big Apple!

Let’s find out how she got there...

How Plum helped Lisa save more money by resisting the urge to dip into her savings 😇

Although Lisa is pretty good at setting money aside, once it hit her bank account, she found it difficult to leave it alone.

“My biggest challenge was dipping into my savings when it’s not necessary”.

For many of our Plumsters, this story is all too familiar. We have good intentions to save, but they usually take a backseat when a flashy new product catches our eye 🛍️

While we can take steps to regulate our spending impulses, like by setting up a dedicated treat yo’ self fund as part of your budget, it’s tough given that human nature is stacked against us.

We’re hardwired to prioritise short-term gratification over long-term satisfaction. This means that even if our end-goal is to save for a house deposit, we may still sabotage ourselves every once in a while by splashing out on a new outfit or TV.

On top of this, dipping into your savings can easily become a habit if you regularly overspend. In this situation, turning to your bank account may feel like the answer, but it could, over time, leave it looking a little worse for wear.

How Plum helped Lisa achieve her financial targets by taking a goal-oriented approach to money 🎯

In a bid to curb any further withdrawals from her savings, Lisa set herself a goal. She decided to save up for a big holiday.

Having this target meant that every time she thought about dipping into her savings, she stopped herself with the epic trips she had planned 🍎

As we’re always saying here at Plum, setting a goal is one of the best ways to build up savings. According to research by the NS&I, people who set a savings goal save faster, and up to £550 a year more, than people who don’t.

It’s the reason why we created our Pockets feature. This gives you personalised recommendations for goals, and lets you choose your own if you prefer.

How Lisa discovered the Plum money saving app 📲

When a friend heard about Lisa’s plans for a quick getaway, she suggested that she try using the Plum app to help her save.

While initially Lisa was a bit sceptical about sharing her bank details, she did her research and was “reassured that it was safe” 🔒

Safety is our top priority here at Plum, and there are several different ways we protect your money depending on where it is placed in the product.

Lisa started using our auto-saving feature to build up her holiday fund and really liked that “It’s so easy and simple and does all the work for me”.

Our smart AI analyses your income and spending patterns, and calculates a personalised amount to automatically set aside for you every week.

This means that you don’t have to remember to transfer any money, and your savings are kept out of sight...and out of mind 👀

How Plum helped Lisa save for her dream holiday 🚕

Since giving Plum a go back in 2018, Lisa has built up almost £10,000 in savings... but did she go on that all important holiday?

“Yes, I was able to take myself to New York and Toronto for my big trip, but I was also able to purchase a new kitchen, redo my garden with a new patio and fencing, and take my kids to Disneyland for Christmas”.

All that can be said here is WOW, Lisa 💥 That’s some next level saving, well done you! But there’s more...

“I’ve recently booked another holiday to New York as part of my 40th birthday treat. I would never be able to get to my goals if it wasn’t for the Plum app. It has helped me so much to build up some savings so quickly without realising!”

Lisa, our hats are well and truly off to you 👏 We’re so happy that using Plum could help you tick so many items off your bucket-list!

We hope you have a great time in New York...can we call dibs on a birthday bagel?

Do you have a Plum story to tell? Let us know by emailing us at press@withplum.com

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