In past years, we’ve had spokesfamilies who set a savings goal and we followed them on their journey. This year instead of having new spokesfamilies, we’ve asked past spokesfamilies about how setting a savings goal as a family has changed the way their family looks and savings, goal setting and finances. We asked one of our past spokesfamilies three questions and learned that the experience of being a Family Who Saves Together has made a great impact!

The Vouk Family: Frank, Lisa, Lauren (age 13) and Morgan (age 15)

1. What lessons did you learn from your time as a Family Who Saves Together?

As a married couple we’ve always had a savings plan, but by participating in the Plaza Park Bank Family that Saves, it involved a kids in a way we had not done before. It opened a lot of conversations about money and savings and goals, wants/needs etc. It was a great experience.

2. What were you saving for and were you successful?

We saved for a summer vacation to Glacier Park, and we made our goal of $1500. It was a great time, and one of Morgan’s goals was to see a mountain goat which we did!

3. Have you set any new family goals since then?

At the beginning of this year, we sat down as a family to discuss budgets and how we could all be more efficient in savings/spending. I think overall, like I said in question #1, our participation just opened up the lines of communication among all our family members more and we can discuss just about anything now and make our plans together as a family. In the past Frank and I did most of the money stuff and didn’t really involve the kids as much. they’ve always had their give/spend/save jars, but that was about the extent of their involvement. It’s so nice now that we do all our major planning as a family and everyone gets involved.