Piggy Bank Account (PBA) for small financial wins/losses

Apologies in advance if this concept has been covered extensively on someone’s podcast or YT channel 😆

I use a simple method to help with unexpectedly found or lost money: a piggy bank account (PBA)

I opened a separate high-interest account, and whenever I save or receive more than $20 on a purchase (such as via a coupon or sale), I transfer that “found money” to my PBA. If only the discounted amount hits my credit card, I transfer the amount saved (from my main account) to my PBA as my credit card is paid off in full every month regardless.

Because I never counted on that money to begin with, not seeing those savings reflected in my main account doesn’t feel like a loss.

Watching the balance on my PBA grow is satisfying, and I use it to pay for annoying expenses (ie. parking ticket), small indulgences (a guilt-free weekly/monthly meal out), or even a larger-ticket item/experience.

When my PBA reaches a comfortable amount, I decide whether to invest some, spend some, or just let it continue to grow with a bit of interest. You can adjust the savings threshold ($50, $100, $1000) based on whatever feels worth it for you.

For me it’s a simple way to track unexpected financial wins, while softening the blow of little financial losses.