Money Smarts Blog

Hi! My name’s Evalynn, and guess what? I’m officially a savings account owner. Not a fake one. Not a piggy bank. A real one… with my own name on it and everything.

It’s called a Balance Builder Junior Savers account at IHMVCU, and it’s my first ever savings account. My grandma says it’s “a big step toward financial responsibility.” And she would know, because she’s the branch manager at IHMVCU’s DeWitt Branch (a.k.a. the boss of the credit union). I just think it’s awesome that my money lives in a cool account instead of under my bed (sorry, old shoebox).

Why I decided to start saving (and not just for slime)

Okay, here’s the thing: I like buying stuff. Squishmallows, glitter pens, milkshakes… you get it. But then my money disappears super fast. My mom said if I save instead of spend it all, it’ll “grow.” I thought she meant it would get bigger-er or something.

Turns out, it means my money earns more money just for sitting in my account. Magic!

The $50 deal that made me say “YES”

Here’s the best part. Right now, IHMVCU is doing something called Fall into Savings. If you open a Balance Builder Junior Savers account like mine and put in $50, they give you another $50*.

That’s like…

• Buying a pizza and getting another pizza FREE
• Or putting $5 bill in your piggy bank and finding another $5 bill in there the next day
• Or getting two caramel apples instead of one at the pumpkin patch (mmm… my dream)

So yeah, I was in.

What I’m saving for

Some kids save for a bike. Others save for a Nintendo Switch.

I’m saving for a giant beanbag chair so I can read my books and eat snacks like a queen. And now that I got an extra $50, I’m way closer to beanbag royalty.

Why I think you should do it too

If you’re a kid like me, or if you have a kid like me, you should totally do this. You get your own account, you get more money just for saving money, and you feel kinda grown-up.

Plus, you can brag to your friends that you’re earning interest. (They’ll either be impressed or ask if “interest” is a new Roblox game.)

P.S. Grandma says the $50 bonus deal doesn’t last forever, so you should probably do it before the leaves are all gone. I’ll be over here watching my savings grow and dreaming about my beanbag.