Most of us make a certain amount of money each year and have numerous bills to pay, therefore we aren’t always able to save as much money as we would like. There are always things to save up for, too. From vacations to cars to plastic surgeries, a lot of the things people want are not things they can currently afford so they require saving up for. Unfortunately there are also much less exciting things we all should be focusing on saving our money for —such as the future. Here are 3 things you should be saving up for right now, no matter how old you are.

Retirement 

Reaching retirement age might seem far away, but when you think about how much money you’ll actually need to survive after you’re retired and take into account that you will no longer be working and bringing in money, you’ll realize that it’s never too early to start saving for your retirement. You may be healthy and able to care for yourself well into your old age, but even if you are you’ll still need a hefty savings. If you end up moving into an assisted living facility, the cost will be even greater. Start preparing for your golden years now so that once you get to them you can relax and enjoy.

Emergencies

Having an emergency fund is at the top of this list because it’s extremely important. You should try to have a large amount of savings set aside for emergencies at all times. If you get ill or are injured, you’ll need this emergency savings to cover medical bills. But even if you have health insurance, you may need this savings to cover all your other bills if you have to take an extended period of time off of work. Emergency funds can also cover other things such as veterinarian bills for your pets, fixing your car if you’re in an accident, or your home if it’s damaged in a natural disaster. We all will have an emergency in our life at some point, so don’t let one hit you at the worst possible time – when you don’t have any savings. 

College For Your Kids 

If you don’t have children and don’t ever plan on having them, this one may not apply to you. But if you do or plan to, saving up a fund to cover college tuition and living expenses for each of your children is a good idea. Your kids might graduate high school and decide not to go to college, but ultimately it is still smart to have the money saved just in case. You wouldn’t want to hold them back from getting a higher education just because you needed to buy a few too many brand new cars over the years. 

Saving money isn’t always easy, but one thing is for sure— it’s always worth it! No matter what else it is you’re saving up for, just make sure you always have separate savings set aside for these 3 things.