Question

Does anyone else struggle with building up their checking account cushion? I would love to have $1000 as a cushion but I feel like it’s so hard to get there. Have any of you found how to make it easier or what mindset I should have about it? Because I see money there and I wanna swipe lol

Answer 1

I started building mine $10 or $20 at a time. And when I built it, I do not include it in my tracker. I automatically deduct it. So if I have $240 in my checking account, I actually have $140. It’s a mental shift that’s all. My checkbook cushion is only $100 bc I don’t use it much bc I’m a cash spender. My cash cushion is also at $100 but that one I will build up to be a little more.  

Comments

@malcolmmalcom So you don’t include it in your start balance at the beginning of the month on your tracker? How do you track it then if you spend from your cushion? Thanks!  

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@sisco No I don’t include it in my starting balance, my starting balance is always $100 less on paper than it is in my checkbook. I do not track it, just like I don’t track my cash once I take it from my checking account. I treat my cushion like it is not there. If I track it then to me it would seem more available and I’d be tempted to use it lol. If something so happens to use some funds from it then I make note of what I need to put back into it and make sure to replace it. I haven’t run into this issue yet because I spend cash mostly and I don’t automate my bills, so usually the only things coming out of my checking account is what I plan to come out but clearly there is always chance of error and that’s why I have the cushion in the first place.  

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@malcolmmalcom Thanks for answering! I may try that to see if it works since I have trouble building up my cushion.  

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@sisco I have to trick my thinking lol. No problem.  

Answer 2

Same girl. Following

Answer 3

Start a separate bank account! We have ours in an entirely different bank so that it’s not touched but also so that it’s never mixed in and not all of our eggs are in one basket should the card get compromised. It takes discipline to leave it alone. But start with removing it from your sight daily and that should help!  

Answer 4

I have $1, 000 as a cushion and when I budget to “0” I budget to the $1, 000. 00. I never go below my zero but the money is there should an emergency arise and I needed access to it. But I have really good discipline with the $1, 000 and I’ve never touched it.  

Answer 5

I have a seperate ER fund going so what I started with for my Checking cushion is one of those yearly challenges. It's a small amount that builds up to $30-ish by the end of the year for a total of about $640. I don't feel the need to have all that as a cushion so I'll move some out and keep about $200. I think that would be good for me. I have a current cushion of $6. 50 ;) I'm also doing a smaller change saving challenge too. also about $640 by the end of the year that I'm thinking will just roll into my "Garden" sinking fund next year. that's the plan anyway  I don't feel like I miss any of this money when it's such small amounts and I'm actually having fun looking for loose change everywhere.  

Comments

This is the "Change Jar" one.  

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This is the one I'm using for the Checking account cushion

Answer 6

I have a $500 checking account cushion. Once my account gets to that amount in my mind it means “0”. I built it up by adding $50 each week.  

Answer 7

I’ve had $1000 but never needed that much. So I just keep $200 as a cushion.  

Answer 8

My banking cushion gradually building — currently about $100. My emergency fund $1000 is in my savings.  

Answer 9

I'm struggling with the cushion too  

Answer 10

I just deduct $20 from our paycheck total (we get paid weekly) and let that sit in there. I'd like to eventually have a goal of at least a couple hundred, but its going to take some time lol.  

Answer 11

Separate account with automatic send over is you overdraw. Digit had good reviews. We're going to start using it next month.  

Answer 12

I used to always have $1500-1800 after all my bills. that was before meeting my fiancé and kids ‍♀️‍♀️ I always tell him not to spend to have a cushion after bills but he spends and then something dumb and small goes through (app, Acorn, etc) then we are negative with an OD fee ‍♀️ It kills me bc we make a lot of money and are always so broke. When I first started out as a hair stylist I was making significantly less but always was ahead, had that cushion, had money saved.  

Comments

@portaltoportal same! I tell my husband all the time I feel like I was more financially secure when I was single mom of 3 with no child support/help at all than I am since I married him and got 3 more kids, even tho he made significantly more than me! Even now with all our kids grown and me making way more, I feel like we never have enough and he thinks if it's in the bank then we have $ despite having all these things about to hit the account. Been a little better since we got separate accounts and he doesn't have access to mine

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@disabuse Smallridge Omg, the struggle is reeeeeeeal! The thing is it’s been better since we joined accounts because now all of the bills get paid and are on time. When they were separate he was so bad about paying bills on time, so the next month it would be double! So then as soon as he got paid he’d be negative. Then he’s be negative until payday so then I had my bills to pay but then I was paying for eveeeeerything extra! Hence, why then I was broke all of the time. And he’d say we don’t have to go out or whatever but I still wanted to do things. Well when we joined accts we got all of the bills caught up and month two everything was paid and caught up. Now we get a paycheck per week so now it’s just him spending everything after the bills ‍♀️‍♀️‍♀️‍♀️‍♀️ He’s just horrible with money. We both grew up poor. So he has the I make a lot of money and I’m goiNg to buy whatever I want mentality and I’m the I grew up poor so I’m going to be smart AF with my money. So it’s hard.  

Answer 13

I had a $74 cushion last month lol I'm hoping I can add to it this month. And if I keep doing a little at a time, I will eventually get to a good enough amount that would make me comfortable with.  

Answer 14

I have a $500 cushion with a $1000 emergency fund. Since we both are commission I have a hill and valley account too. I started just saving small amounts each month

Answer 15

I am starting.  

Answer 16

First my emergency fund, then the cushion. The bad habits take time to undo.