For a rainy day

Do you remember your first savings account? Mine was with the Britannia Building Society; my parents took me and my brothers to open one when we were young. I’ll always remember the bank book sleeve that showed a very 80’s family posing around a lion. I also had a blue piggy bank that I was obsessed with putting money in (although I was totally jealous of my friends with high street bank accounts where you got a series of china character pigs if you hit certain savings targets).

I’ve always had a pretty sensible attitude towards money, which is probably due to my parents. While I’ll buy things I need and want – within reason – I’ve never spent it just because it’s there. And we actually used the money from my childhood savings account towards the deposit on our first flat.

We opened an ISA for Eliza when she was born. She also has a couple of money boxes, and she’s just discovered that there are coins inside it and likes taking them out and counting them. One of her favourite games is the ‘shopkeepers shop’, where she’ll chart anything from £1 to £800 for invisible goods. I’m hoping she inherits a healthy attitude towards money; and we’re doing what we can to encourage this.

Fearne Cotton has been talking about her savings story, both as a teenager and now she’s a mum, and you can watch a video about it here:

What’s your attitude towards saving?

This post is is collaboration with the FSCS.