As a college student, you might feel like saving money’s something you’ll only be able to do way down the road.

But you never know when you’ll need emergency funds, and having access to a chunk of cash can make a huge difference in your life.

So where do you start? It’s actually pretty simple. You need:

• a no-risk place to put any money you can save. This is not where you play the stock market or buy cryptocurrency. You just want a bank (or credit union) to serve as a glorified piggy bank. Bonus points for earning some interest.
• a plan that you can follow for getting money into that place—and not taking it out until you really need it!

You might be thinking “I’ll just save in my regular account.” But it’s a LOT easier to maintain boundaries between money for saving and money available to spend if you create separate accounts. (Some people even recommend using different banks!) 

You have 2 basic options for where to keep your savings. 

Savings accounts are more likely to earn at least some interest, and they often limit withdrawals, which helps you avoid spending the money you put there. 

You can also just get a second checking account and use it for saving. Keep yourself from withdrawing money out of it by leaving the debit card at home. 

Generally, use the guidelines we offer in banking 101—watch out for fees, look for user-friendly apps, etc.—but also look for accounts that are easy to put money into and (at least kind of) hard to take it out of.

Bonus tip: if you’re saving for something special, name it something special in your banking app. It’ll make saving more attractive by reminding you of your goal.

A great way to save money is to stash it before you can even touch it. Look for these automation options: 

• Most employers can divert a portion of your paycheck to another account. This is a great way to build an emergency fund. 
• You may be able set up automatic transfers between accounts—for example, send $25 to your savings account on the 15th of every month.
• Some banks allow you to round up your purchases and divert “extra change” to savings.

Find ways to “automate” your own decision-making, too, so you don’t have to think too hard about saving. For example, you could tell yourself “if I can afford a latte, I can afford to put $1 into savings.” Then each time you buy a latte, you have to transfer $1 to your saving account. 

Saving money a little at a time can feel like an uphill climb. Make it sweeter by finding ways to remind yourself why it’s worth it. If you want to travel, make time to research your destination and plan your trip.

And don’t forget to set aside money for emergencies.  

It’s also important to celebrate steps along the way. Break up big goals into smaller milestones—even tiny ones!—and make sure to reward yourself each time you hit one.