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A couple of years ago, I needed to save around $10,000 so I could leave my job and start freelancing full-time. I’d already saved $5,000 but still needed the remaining $5,000 and didn’t want to continue working two jobs for another year.
So, I drew my own mini-version of a fundraising thermometer posted by a local community center on a sign that I drove past every day. Then I stuck it on my refrigerator as a constant reminder of how much I’d saved and could continue to save.
This time, it took me only six months instead of a year to save the additional $5,000. That’s because I had visual motivation. Why not add a little visual encouragement to your savings or debt payoff goals? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Customize your savings thermometer
I sketched my own version, with the bottom bulb representing the first $500 of my $5,000 goal. Then I delineated $500 increments and colored those sections in little by little with red until I attained each milestone. That way, even a $200 gain was obvious before I reached the next mark.
