America Saves Week 2026
America Saves Week 2026
America Saves Week is April 6 – 10, 2026
Since 2007, America Saves Week has been an annual celebration, as well as a call to action for everyday Americans to prioritize successful savings habits and reducing debt responsibly. Each year, thousands of participating organizations join together to encourage our local communities to check in on their financial mindset and behaviors – focusing on a new topic each day of the week.
Zeal Credit Union is a proud participant of America Saves Week, bringing financial education front-and-center for everyone who banks on us. Last year, the 2025 America Saves Week reached more than 28.5 million Americans, with savers depositing over $155 million dollars as a direct result of their efforts. This year, let’s aim even higher!
If you’re ready to start (or continue) your journey, we encourage you to identify your financial path with America Saves for encouragement, accountability, and support along the way! Click the “Pledge Now” button below to visit the America Saves website and pledge your savings goal now or select one of the topics below to go directly to that day’s topic.
Day 1: Building a Strong Foundation
Day 2: Expect for the Unexpected
Day 3: Dream Big, Plan with Purpose
Day 4: Rewrite the Debt Narrative
Day 5: Your Story, Your Future
Other Resources
Day 1: Building a Strong Foundation
Monday, April 6th
Every financial story starts somewhere. Maybe yours began with a paycheck, a big goal, or a simple dream for something better. No matter where you are in your story, a strong financial foundation helps you build confidence – and stability – for whatever comes next.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to save is to do so automatically. Set it and forget it to help your savings grow – without constant reminders or intervention. Even $5 or $10 a week (or paycheck) adds up faster than you might think!
Establishing your savings habit can be as easy as splitting your direct deposit between two accounts, or setting up an automatic transfer through your financial institution to move a set amount of money to a separate savings share.
Once you’ve set up automatic savings transfers, you can begin setting yourself attainable milestones that can be incredibly useful as you save for unexpected bills, the rising costs of living, or those “big moments” like a wedding, vacation, or new addition to the family. After all, building a strong foundation is the necessary first step to reaching your financial goals!
What to Do Next
Today, we encourage you to do the following (if you haven’t already!):
- Set up an automatic savings, either through your financial institution or employer.
- Revisit the amount you’re contributing if you already have automatic transfers set up (should you increase the amount to match inflation or an increase in salary?) and decide if you need to increase, decrease, or keep the amount steady.
- Assess the account you’re using to hold your savings and consider ways to boost your savings even more. Consider switching to a High-Yield Savings account to get the best bang for your buck or invest in a Certificate of Deposit (CD) if you don’t anticipate using all of the funds for a certain amount of time.
Resources to Help Your Journey
- For general savings tips, check out the “54 Ways to Save Money” blog article by the America Saves team.
- To take a step back and get a clearer view of your financial situation, check out the “Getting a Clear View of Your Finances” blog article.
- Whether you’re saving for your first home, building an emergency fund, or simply trying to stress less about money, the habits you create today will support the chapters that follow. Read the America Saves blog article, “Strong Starts: How a Solid Financial Foundation Shapes Your Story.”
Day 2: Expect the Unexpected
Tuesday, April 7th
Life is full of surprises. Sometimes they’re fun…and sometimes they’re not. A car repair, a medical bill, or an unexpected home expense – these are the moments that test our financial readiness. Emergencies aren’t if – they’re when.
The good news? Even small savings can make a big difference.
Today, we encourage you to check your emergency fund goal or set one if you haven’t yet. Even saving $5 or $10 a week adds up over time, or put a percentage of each paycheck in a separate savings share to build your safety net. The key is to make it consistent to make saving a habit and not an after-thought.
What to Do Next
Today, we encourage you to do the following:
- Use automatic savings opportunities to begin (or grow) your emergency savings accounts. Creating a separate savings share can help you to organize your emergency funds from your general savings. Some people even find it easier to create a whole new account so their emergency savings stay out of sight, out of mind – until they’re needed.
- Review the various types of unexpected expenses that may impact you and your family (the flyer below is a great starting point!) and create an approximate dollar amount that you may need if any of them were to occur.
- Begin to understand your financial limits by reviewing your emergency fund and comparing it to the list you made to see if your fund will cover you in an emergency. If your safety net won’t realistically support you for at least three to six months during financial hardship due to the unexpected, (such as a job loss) it’s time to get saving!
Resources to Help Your Journey
Day 3: Dream Big, Plan with Purpose
Wednesday, April 8th
Everyone has a dream. Whether that’s owning a home, starting a business, going back to school, or maybe even taking that once-in-a-lifetime trip… Big dreams might feel far away, but every dream becomes possible when you pair it with a plan.
Breaking big goals down into manageable, achievable steps can make all the difference! After all, it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.
For Day Three of America Saves Week, we’re shining a light on planning with purpose, emphasizing that it’s possible to work toward significant financial goals – while still meeting your everyday needs. And remember – it’s not how much you save. It’s about starting your savings journey now to help you reach those big financial goals in the future.
What to Do Next
Today, we encourage you to do the following:
- Get a clear view of your financial landscape using the Goal Setting Worksheet below.
- Establish (or revisit) your Spending and Savings Plan. How much are you currently setting aside for your emergency fund? How much of your income is already spoken for (for housing, food, and other essentials). Find the difference between what’s already being saved/spent and the amount of money your paycheck is bringing in. Once you know how much you can realistically set aside for major expenses, you’ve got a good place to start! Zeal’s Home Budget Analysis Calculator can help you figure out if you’re on the right path.
- Learn how to practically approach saving for short, mid, and long-term financial goals with America Saves Week’s FREE, On-Demand Virtual Workshop (follow the “Free Webinar” link under “Resources to Help Your Journey” to access).
- And, most importantly, make sure you have a savings account that puts your money to work! Check out Zeal’s great savings options and choose the one that makes sense for you and your financial situation.
Resources to Help Your Journey
Day 4: Rewrite the Debt Narrative
Thursday, April 9th
For Day Four of America Saves Week, we’re focusing on rewriting the debt narrative. Debt can feel heavy, like a chapter you’d rather skip, but it’s not the end of your story. It’s just one part of your journey toward financial confidence and freedom.
Every payment (no matter how small) is a win. Each step forward brings you closer to a new kind of freedom. The truth is, tackling debt isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress.
For today, we encourage you to start by taking inventory of your debts, listing balances, interest rates, and due dates. When you’re ready, choose a repayment method that fits your life – like the snowball or avalanche approach. Best yet, make an appointment to meet with a Zeal financial specialist to walk you through the options available to you! Call our team at (800) 321-8570 to start your journey.
What to Do Next
Today, we encourage you to do the following:
- To make sure you know all of your debts and their impact on your financial bottom line, check your Credit Report by visiting your local credit union branch. This will not only give you an accurate look at the current state of your credit score, but will also let you know if there’s any fraud reporting to the credit bureaus.
- Take the America Saves pledge and choose “Debt Repayment” as your goal to start creating a budget plan to pay down debt and free up more of your money to save for future goals or emergencies. Use Zeal’s Debt Consolidation Calculator to get a good look at whether or not a consolidation loan would help you get out of debt faster.
- Sit down with a financial expert to create a plan personalized to you and your finances. Visit your local Zeal Credit Union branch, or reach out to our financial education partners at GreenPath for assistance. When you’re ready to start building your nest egg back up, make sure you have a Savings Account that works for you.
Resources to Help Your Journey
Day 5: Your Story, Your Future
Friday, April 10th
The original intention of America Saves Week is to pause and do a financial check-in, allowing you to get a clear view of where your finances are, where you want them to be, and what small steps you can take now to put you on the right path. But what happens next?
For Day Five, remind yourself that your financial future isn’t written. It’s created by the choices you make today, tomorrow, and the next day. Every small, intentional step shapes the life you want tomorrow. That’s why today we’re focusing on your story and your future.
Maybe you’re dreaming of homeownership, planning for retirement, or starting your own business. Whatever your goal is – the key to success is to start. Take time today to set a clear goal and commit to one action that moves you closer to that goal. Increase your automatic savings, contribute to a retirement plan, or map out a long-term vision for your money – whatever makes sense to you. After all, it’s the action of reviewing and putting those thoughts into action that can help you far into the future.
Call our team at (800) 321-8570 to create your savings and financial wellness plan today!
What to Do Next
Today, we encourage you to do the following:
- If you haven’t already, open up a savings account that will correlate with what savings goal matters to you most right now, whether that’s a long-term savings option (like a Money Market or Certificate of Deposit) or an account with flexible access (like a High-Yield Savings account).
- Talk to your family members (whether it be your kids, parents, siblings, or extended family) about your money goals, including retirement plans, the importance of saving, and how to responsibly use credit. By opening up a dialogue, you can start breaking down the societal taboo around financial conversations and help others around you reach their financial goals.
- Sit down with your family and go over the “Setting Savings Goals as a Family” handout to make sure the whole family is on the same page for goals – then make a plan to reach them!
Resources to Help Your Journey
For even more financial resources, visit one of our year-round educational webpages
Day 1: Building a Strong Foundation
Day 2: Expect for the Unexpected
Day 3: Dream Big, Plan with Purpose
Day 4: Rewrite the Debt Narrative
Day 5: Your Story, Your Future
