Maybe the economy will be a little better for many next year, and it's tempting to splurge on extras. But many households lack a buffer. So instead of splurging on spending, it might be wise to splurge on savings.
I think it's wise to calculate how much you can save each month. What do I have left when all fixed costs are paid, and what can I put aside? For some it's a thousand kronor, others may only be able to save 200 kronor, says Sharon Lavie, savings economist at Lendo.
Then it's important to be decisive, and preferably to put the money out of reach as soon as possible, both she and Olof Johansson Stenman, a professor of economics who has researched behavioral economics, believe.
Force oneself
You have to force yourself a little, and make sure that the money is withdrawn automatically every month. Then you don't have to make the decision every time you want to put money aside for savings. That way, it should also be a little harder to change, says Olof Johansson Stenman.
Sharon Lavie thinks you should have a special savings account for your buffer money, where you don't mix it with other money.
Make sure the money is withdrawn by direct debit. There should also be no card linked to the account.
She thinks you should set savings goals, and preferably break them down into shorter milestones.
Like saving 5,000 kronor in six months, and 10,000 kronor in a year.
The advice from savings experts is usually to save about ten percent of your salary, but of course that doesn't work for everyone, she notes.
But it's better to save a little than nothing at all. You have to start somewhere. A hundred kronor a month becomes 1,200 kronor in a year, and that can save you a visit to the dentist, for example.
Growing
Olof Johansson Stenman points out that a small amount each month for someone who is young can become a considerable amount after 10 to 20 years.
So, what can the buffer money be used for? Sharon Lavie thinks you should set some strict rules for yourself.
I think these should be completely necessary expenses, so much so that if I didn't have the money I would have had to borrow it. You have to use other money for entertainment and other things.
The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority mapped the buffer savings of Swedes based on data from 2020 to 2023. The report "Savings of Swedes" was published in March 2025.
It found that one in two consumers has less than 10,000 SEK in buffer savings in a savings account, and only three in ten have more than 50,000 SEK in such savings.
Savings experts often point out the importance of a buffer, especially in turbulent economic times. How large it should be depends on your financial commitments, but at least a couple of months' worth of expenses is usually recommended.
Source: Financial Supervisory Authority, Avanza and others.
