How to save and save money: the main rules of financial behavior

The expert assessed the results of the VTsIOM survey on how Russians manage “free” money, and named the optimal strategy for financial behavior.

According to the results of the VTsIOM poll conducted at the end of August, 22% of respondents keep “free” money in cash rubles, 19% make term deposits in rubles or other currencies, and 12% transfer them to a current account or a “demand” deposit. Only about 10% of respondents use modern methods of saving and increasing funds, such as investing in their own business, buying securities, making contributions to NPFs, and the like.

At the same time, 44% save money after they make all the necessary expenses, and only 14% save money first, and then plan how to spend what is left.

Meanwhile, according to TeleTrade chief analyst Mark Goykhman, directing about 10% of income immediately after receiving it into savings and investments is the most rational savings behavior.

“The principle of “pay yourself first” should work here. To do this, you need to plan in advance income and their use in expenses. In other words, the family budget. It is known in practice that even a simple “scribing” on paper or in special computer programs of current and future costs in areas can save up to 5 – 10% of costs. Due to the fact that they are not made spontaneously, expenses that can be avoided are initially visible. And if, first of all, you send funds to your “box”, then in many cases, with planned spending, you can meet the remaining amount of income, the expert believes.

However, many Russians are still not used to planning their budget. This, according to the economist, is one of the manifestations of insufficient financial literacy of the population. At the same time, according to the VTsIOM survey, 39% of respondents do not save money at all. And the main point here is not that there are no funds left for savings: 60% of Russians have “free money”. By the way, there have been more such people in 10 years: in 2012 there were 56% of them.

– Obviously, the remaining approximately 40% are people who do not save anything. But in many cases, not because they can’t, but because of their irrational financial behavior, notes Mark Goykhman.

The expert advises dividing your savings, whatever their amounts, even small ones, into different directions, instruments and currencies – depending on the purpose of savings, their estimated time horizon and on the person’s propensity to take risks.

– It is better to have a “safety cushion” in the form of funds sufficient for the current life for six months or more. In case of loss of work or income, illness, other unexpected urgent expenses, the expert notes. – And the ways of saving should be such that a certain minimum required amount can be quickly withdrawn from savings in case of acute sudden need. This is a small supply of cash, including in foreign currency, funds on current accounts in banks with interest on the balance.

“Strategic” savings for future major expenses (car, apartment, education of children, pensions, etc.), according to Mark Goykhman, should be better separated from “tactical” money. To do this, you can use long-term deposits in banks, bonds of the state or reliable companies, shares, shares of investment funds with the expectation of an increase in their price in the long term and receipt of current dividends.

Investment strategies are very diverse, and in order to choose them, taking into account individual characteristics and requirements, it makes sense to turn to professional consultants. Especially if you are not particularly strong in this area.

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo by Moscow Agency