Here's a great experiment to do — find a way to make your money grow! It's possible that if you save regularly you can "grow" enough money to get something special.

Maybe you'd like to get some shoes you saw in the mall or a new hockey stick or a special gift, like jewelry, for a family member. Put some money aside now, and you'll be able to get that special something (or savings goal) later. That's what saving is all about, and it's one of the most important things you can do with money.

Think About it: What Are You Saving For?
Little things	CDs, books, movie tickets, video games
Bigger items	an mp3 player, a new bike, a digital camera
Emergencies	a vase to replace the one for your mom that you broke
Sharing	a donation to an animal shelter or a food bank

You can save money at home (in a piggy bank or other container) or at a bank. When you deposit money in a bank, it’s kept safe in a savings account that belongs to you. When you want to use the money you’ve saved, you go to the bank and make a withdrawal.

Why else is it a good idea to keep your money in a savings account at a bank? It earns interest. That means the bank pays you a certain percentage of the money you deposit. They do this so they can use that money to make loans to other customers. Savings accounts usually pay interest on the money in your account plus on any interest you've already earned. That's called compound interest. VCB's savings accounts compound four times a year. The more times your interest compounds, the faster your money will grow.

Tips for Smart Saving — The American Bankers Association recommends these ways you can be a Super Saver:

1. Save Before You Spend.
When you earn money from chores or allowance or you get some as a gift, put aside some of that money in savings before you spend any.

2. Keep a Goal in Mind.
Keep your reasons for saving money top of mind. Post the goal on a mirror so you will see it often.

3. Shop for the Best Deal.
Take a look at prices for the same or similar items at a few different stores so that you're sure to getting the best value for your money.

4. Track Your Money.
Keep a list of everything you buy, even if it's as small as a piece of candy. This will help you tell where your money is going and what you could possibly stop spending money on. Also keep a list of every time you add to your savings. This encourages you to keep working towards your goal and lets you feel proud of what you've been able to save.

As you get older, you can choose to save your money in other ways besides a savings account. For example, you can put your money in certificates of deposit (or CDs). CDs have you invest money for a certain length of time and promise the same rate of return (interest) for that entire time. Advantages of a CD are that it may pay more interest than a regular savings account and that the interest rate will not change while you have the CD. The disadvantages of a CD are that your money is not available to use during the length of time you have agreed to and that you are usually charged a penalty if you take money out of a CD early. CDs also usually require a minimum deposit.

Another method that some people use to save money is investing.This is when you purchase something of value, like stocks, mutual funds or real estate, that you hope will grow even more value and earn you more money over time. Investing may make you a lot of money if you make smart decisions and are patient. However, investing can be very risky. You have no guarantee that your investments will increase in value. This means that you may not be able to save any money. And if your investments lose value, you will lose money.