How A Freedom Fund Can Unlock Your Happiness

You can name it “My Freedom Fund” or be even more specific and name it something like “No more 9-5s Fund” or “Travel Around the World Fund”. It’s important to have an idea of what freedom means to you and what scenarios you would use this money for. What equates to freedom for me may not be the same for you.

This is all about carving a path for your freedom, your life choices — not anyone else’s.

When it comes down to choosing a savings account for your freedom fund, consider the following:

• The current interest rate on the savings account. If possible, your freedom fund should be in a high-yield savings account that can help you earn more money.
• Any fees associated with the account. It’s best to avoid savings accounts that may have management fees or account minimums that can cost you money.
• How accessible your money is. You want to be able to transfer money when you need it, but you also don’t want it too accessible. It could be better to start fresh and open a new savings account at a different bank than your checking.

Once you create a separate savings account for your Freedom Fund, it’s time to start saving! Start by putting an initial $20 deposit in there to commit to your freedom. Then you can set up automatic transfers so your freedom is always a priority.

One easy way to do that is to set up automatic transfers right after payday to ensure you always have money in your account. For example, let’s say you get paid on the 15th and the 30th. You can set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account on the 16th and the 1st day of the month for a set amount.

This ensures you are “paying yourself first” and setting aside money for your freedom fund.

How Much Should You Save for Your Freedom Fund?

You may wonder how much you should save each month for your freedom fund. There’s no easy, cookie-cutter answer, as it depends on your situation.

When figuring out how much to save, assess the following:

• Your income
• Your expenses
• Your debt
• Your goals

If your finances feel a bit squeezed right now, you may not be able to put a ton of money toward your freedom fund each month. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t save. To create habits is half the battle when it comes to saving money, so just setting even $20 aside per month can create a longer-term positive impact for you.

If you're on a tight budget, start slow at saving 1% of your income. So if you make $3,000 per month, you’d save $30 each month for your freedom fund. If you have a bit more room for savings, try opening up your savings percentage to at least 10-20% of your income.

There’s no right or wrong amount to save - these are simply guidelines to get started. You can always adapt and modify given your current financial situation. The key is to get started and to be consistent.

Once you set up a freedom fund and automatic transfers after payday, you’ll be on your way to saving and hardly notice it.

Why Everyone Should Have a Freedom Fund

A freedom fund sounds great in theory, but you may wonder, “Do I really need one?” The answer? Yes. Yes, you do.

Life is full of situations in which money can be the catalyst for freedom or change. Without a freedom fund, you may be limiting your choices without even realizing it.

A few years ago, I thought I finally got what I wanted and secured a full-time job. After a few months, I started to feel that it wasn’t the right place for me, personally or professionally. I found myself at the mercy of office politics and constrained in my job.

I knew I wanted to quit, but I was deep in student loan debt. How could I ever quit a full-time job if I had debt?

So I started to save more money so that I could make my dream possible. I put money away in a freedom fund, so I could kiss that job goodbye and strike out on my own. I ended up saving $3,000, which at the time equated to several months worth of expenses. That and my income from freelancing gave me the confidence to leave my job when I saw that things were only going to get worse.

Quitting my job was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and it helped me earn more money to pay off debt.

Now that I’m debt-free, my freedom fund has given me the opportunity to say yes to last minute trips and opportunities. I’m no longer stuck with one choice - I can do what's best for me.

Having choices is the ultimate form of freedom. I remember a few years ago when I was deep in debt, with little savings left, I felt stuck. My answers were always “no.” Because of that, I ended up being in situations longer than I should have been and doing things that didn’t make me happy or serve my purpose. To be honest, it sucked.

It’s not fun feeling helpless or stuck because of money. With a freedom fund, you can fuel your independence and create your own choices and opportunities in life, instead of sticking to the choices that are solely decided on because of money.

Just like it was for me, a freedom fund can be your ticket out of a bad situation or allow you to say yes to an opportunity you never thought would come your way. So, while it’s important to save for emergencies and pay off debt, it’s also important to save for your freedom. At the end of the day, money should be used as a tool to enhance your life, not limit it.