Promotions aren’t the only way.
THE SCIENCE
Researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, found that the brain values earning money more than saving it. Because of that bias, people spend more mental energy trying to make money (think: getting yet another raise) than on putting it away, the new research shows.
EXPERT INSIGHT
“Because we need to earn before we can save, we believe the brain has over-learned this horse-before-the-cart rule,” explains study co-author Adam Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor of human development at Cornell. In other words, people prioritize their paycheck because without it, they’ll have nothing to set aside in the first place.
But that commitment could mean you never get around to actually saving, he adds, which is the only way you can gain wealth. This applies to everyone regardless of pay grade, since on average, people only put away about three percent of their disposable income, Anderson says.
But that commitment could mean you never get around to actually saving, he adds, which is the only way you can gain wealth. This applies to everyone regardless of pay grade, since on average, people only put away about three percent of their disposable income, Anderson says.
THE BOTTOM LINE
You need to exercise the skill of saving like a muscle. Anderson suggests manually transferring some money into a savings account every day to rebalance your brain’s priorities.
Also try mindfulness training, which research shows can increase your sense of self. People are better at saving when they feel more connected to their present and future selves, Anderson says.
Also try mindfulness training, which research shows can increase your sense of self. People are better at saving when they feel more connected to their present and future selves, Anderson says.