Happy "America Saves Week!"Guest: Shikha Narula, Head of Consumer Deposit Products at Bank of AmericaKey Takeaways from the InterviewSaving remains a priority—but it’s challenging:~52% of Americans say saving is a top priority~72% say inflation and cost of living are impacting financesAutomation is one of the easiest wins:Tools like debit round-ups (e.g., “Keep the Change”)Recurring automatic transfers to “pay yourself first”Balance saving with lifestyle (don’t eliminate joy spending):Cut back—not cut out—small treatsIdentify “joy spending” categories and prioritize intentionallyUse the 50/30/20 framework:50% needs30% wants20% savingsMake big goals more achievable:Break savings goals into smaller milestonesSet deadlines and celebrate progressUse separate accounts for specific goals (reduces temptation)Free up extra cash with small adjustments:Review subscriptionsReduce unnecessary spending (rideshare, etc.)Small changes can compound over timeHelpful resources mentioned:America Saves WeekBetterMoneyHabits.comBank of America Life Plan toolsSchedule your free financial consultation at TakePrideInRetirement.com or call 855-246-9211.--Request your free RSSA Roadmap for Social Security optimizationWatch full episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TakePrideinRetirementShowFollow on BlueSky, Threads, Facebook, Instagram — just search Take Pride in Retirement-- Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcastsAbout Take Pride in Retirement:Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth.Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance.Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.