Goal Setting Strategies

Make goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound:

Use the target amount and target date fields to make your goals specific and measurable

Use the priority dropdown to rank goals:

• High: Emergency fund, debt payoff, essential purchases
• Medium: Home down payment, car replacement, major repairs
• Low: Vacation, luxury purchases, want-based items

Focus contributions on high-priority goals first, then medium, then low

Your first goal should always be an emergency fund:

• Aim for 3-6 months of essential expenses
• Set as High priority
• Make regular monthly contributions
• Don't touch it unless true emergency

Example: $15,000 emergency fund (6 months × $2,500 monthly expenses)

For big goals ($10,000+), create milestone sub-goals:

• $50,000 house down payment = Five $10,000 goals
• Each milestone feels more achievable
• Celebrate progress at each milestone
• Adjust strategy if milestones take longer than expected

Consistency matters more than contribution size:

• Set up automatic contributions on payday
• Use the Make Contribution feature after each paycheck
• Even small amounts add up ($50/month = $600/year)
• Track progress with the progress bars on Goals page

Regular $200/month contributions = $2,400/year toward goals

Check your goals page at the start of each month:

• See how much progress you made last month
• Adjust target dates if you're ahead or behind schedule
• Increase contributions if you got a raise or bonus
• Delete goals that are no longer relevant

When you achieve a goal:

• The progress bar turns green and shows “🎉 Goal Achieved!”
• Take a moment to celebrate your discipline and success
• Consider a small reward (within budget!)
• Create a new goal to maintain momentum
• Delete the achieved goal or keep it as a record