UK Savings Week is back from 21–27 September 2026, and it could be the perfect opportunity to start a savings habit.
You don’t need to start with a lot. £5, £10 or whatever you can comfortably afford is a start, and those small amounts can soon add up.
This year’s UK Savings Week message is “Save your way today. Thank yourself tomorrow.” It’s something we believe in at Wave Community Bank because there really isn’t one right way to save. What matters is finding a way that works for you.
So, if saving is one of those things you’ve been meaning to get around to, why not make UK Savings Week the week you start?
What is UK Savings Week?
UK Savings Week is a national campaign encouraging people across the UK to build better savings habits and think about the difference having some money put aside can make.
Savings can help when something unexpected happens, but they can also help you work towards the things you want.
That could be Christmas, a holiday, a new car, something for the house, a special occasion or simply having some money tucked away for the future.
Whatever you’re saving for, you don’t need to begin with a big amount.
Start with an amount that works for you
How much should you save each month?
There isn’t one answer because everyone’s circumstances are different. The best amount is one that you can comfortably afford and realistically continue saving.
Even small amounts can make a difference.
£5 a week adds up to £260 over a year, while £10 a week becomes £520. Put £25 away each month and after a year you’ll have saved £300.
The important thing isn’t starting with a big amount. It’s getting started and building the habit.
Give your savings a goal with Wave Save
It can be much easier to save when you know exactly what you’re saving for.
That’s where Wave Save can help.
Wave Save lets you create individual savings goals and manage them through the Wave Community Bank mobile app or online banking.
Perhaps you want to save £500 towards a holiday, £300 for Christmas or £1,000 for emergencies. Choose your target and when you’d like to reach it, and Wave Save works out how much you need to put away each month.
You can set up as many as 10 different savings goals, making it easy to keep your money organised rather than having everything in one savings pot.
And because you can see your goals in the Wave Community Bank mobile app, it’s really easy to check your progress and watch your savings grow.
Make saving even easier through your wages
If your employer is signed up to our Workplace Savings Scheme, Save with Chorus, you can make saving even easier.
Simply choose how much you’d like to save and it is taken directly from your pay and put into your Wave Community Bank savings account.
There’s no need to remember to transfer it yourself and no waiting until the end of the month to see what’s left.
Even a small amount saved each payday can gradually build into a useful savings pot.
If you’re not sure whether your employer is signed up to Save with Chorus, you can check our Employer Partners or ask your employer.
Build a little buffer for the unexpected
Not everything we save for is exciting.
The washing machine breaks, the car needs repairing or an unexpected bill arrives. Having some money tucked away can make these moments a little easier to deal with.
You don’t need to build a huge emergency fund straight away either.
Your first goal could simply be £100. Once you’ve reached it, you could aim for £250 and then £500.
Starting small is still starting.
Find the way of saving that works for you
We have different ways to save at Wave Community Bank because our members are saving for all sorts of different reasons.
Alongside Wave Save, you can use our Share Accounts for everyday savings, put money aside throughout the year with our Christmas Savings Account or save with PrizeSaver, where your savings also give you entries into a monthly prize draw.
We also have Young Savers accounts for children under 16, helping younger family members start developing their own savings habits.
And if your employer is an Employer Partner, you can make regular saving part of payday.
What if you can’t afford to save right now?
There are times when there simply isn’t anything left to put away.
Saving shouldn’t mean leaving yourself short for food, energy, housing or other essential bills.
If £5 is affordable, start with £5. If it isn’t affordable at the moment, don’t put yourself under pressure to save it.
You could still use UK Savings Week as an opportunity to look at your household budget and see whether there might be an opportunity to start saving in the future.
MoneyHelper also provides free and impartial money guidance, including help with budgeting, bills, benefits and debt.
Make one small change this UK Savings Week
You don’t need to completely reorganise your finances.
Just do one thing.
Set up your first Wave Save goal. Put your first £5 aside. Set up a regular payment for payday. Find out whether your employer offers Save with Chorus. Or simply decide what you’d like to start saving for.
Once you’ve started, you can build from there.
Start saving with Wave Community Bank
Wave Community Bank is a member-owned credit union helping people across East Sussex, Brighton & Hove, Kent, Medway and Bexley to save and borrow responsibly, as well as members of Unite the Union in the South East.
When you save with a credit union, your money also helps us provide affordable and ethical loans to other members, keeping money working within the communities we serve.
So, if you’ve been thinking about starting to save, this could be the week to do it.
Choose a goal, start with an amount that works for you and watch those savings gradually grow.
Make UK Savings Week the week you start saving.
