A Savings Thermometer

Draw a picture of a giant thermometer. Put a picture or write your family savings goal at the top. One family we know used an outline of Mickey Mouse ears as their thermometer for a trip to Disney! Consider putting small milestones on the chart if your goal is large. Tack it up somewhere that the whole house can see it – perhaps on the refrigerator or in the living room. Each week, color the thermometer according to how much you saved.

The top of the thermometer should represent some prize that everyone in your family wants. This could be as simple as a trip to the mall or as big as a new tv or even a family summer vacation!

Remember: the prize for filling the thermometer doesn’t need to eat away the entire savings goal. You might decide to launch a family savings goal of $1,000, but spend only a portion on your family goal, putting the rest in savings.