Text: Chen Haoxing
Nowadays, some young people are beginning to pay attention to financial planning, looking for "savings partners" through online platforms to achieve financial goals.
What is "saving money"? Is this mutual motivation effective?
"Hitchhiking" is currently a popular way of socializing among young people, which refers to the partnership of people with the same interests or needs in a specific field or scenario.
Guo Shijun learned that "saving money and partnering" is divided into two modes.
In the first model, a group of young people with savings and financial goals gather together through WeChat group chats, and jointly improve their savings and financial planning capabilities by forcing them to deposit money and punch in and out of the group chats every day and month, supervise each other, and share financial management experience. This model aims to work together to overcome personal financial challenges and create a more stable economic foundation.
The second model is to use family members and acquaintances as "partners" to concentrate capital advantages to buy some high-yield wealth management products that require a certain amount of funds, and the "partners" are more likely to have considerable financial returns.
Through multiple contacts, Guo Shijun contacted a group leader who was responsible for managing a hundred members of the "Saving Money" group. The group owner Xiaoxiao (pseudonym) said that after *** launched the search for a "saving partner" group this year, there were intentional "partners" who added her WeChat during the Chinese New Year.
According to its description, members of the group need to save money in the "hitchhiker group" every day, and at the same time, the group has a mandatory requirement for the amount of money saved every month, which cannot be less than 2,000 yuan at present. In addition to punching in the group, some members of the group will also share some tips for saving money with each other.
At present, the group is mainly composed of women who have just given birth or are about to give birth, and some of them have turned into savings anxiety because of fertility anxiety, so they pay more attention to future financial security and planning. Some 'mothers' were used to being 'moonlight clans', but after having children, they were afraid that they would not be able to control their consumption behavior, so they hoped to use mutual supervision and encouragement to urge them to save money. Said with a smile.
When Guo Shijun said that he also wanted to be a part of the "saving money" group, Xiaoxiao politely rejected Guo Shijun's intention.
She admitted that at present, this group only accepts girls to join. In this regard, Xiaoxiao explained that because there are certain differences between women and men in terms of consumption habits and financial management concepts, and the discussions in the group sometimes involve some more intimate topics of women, they will not consider accepting "male partners" for the time being.
However, she also said that if there are enough "male partners" interested, you can consider setting up a separate "saving partner" group specifically for boys.
Nowadays, the culture of consumerism continues to induce people to pursue material comforts, causing some people to spend more than they can make ends meet. Saving regularly has become a common challenge for many young people. Therefore, it is crucial to spend wisely, create a reasonable budget plan, and cultivate saving habits.
A number of experts said that the partnership of "saving money" is a reasonable means to promote the willingness of individuals to save.
Pan Helin, co-director and researcher of the Digital Economy and Financial Innovation Research Center of Zhejiang University International Business School, said in an interview with China News Service that "saving money" actually has two important functions. The first is to provide a platform for mutual incentives and experience exchange, where members set common savings goals and supervise each other, so as to enhance the motivation to save money and learn financial management skills; The second is to achieve "group heating" and broaden investment channels by concentrating capital advantages.
In Pan and Lin's view, the core goal of saving money is to make deposits, not venture capital. Through brainstorming, the "partners" can find a relatively low-risk, high-return investment direction, so as to achieve wealth appreciation and economic security. This collective intelligence and teamwork approach provides young people with a reliable financial model that enables them to navigate economic challenges and uncertainties in the future.
Wan Zhe, a professor at Beijing Normal University and former chief economist of China** Group, pointed out that China's economy is undergoing a transformation from high-speed development to medium-high speed development. Some young people have also fallen into the trap of overconsumption. However, in recent years, young people have tended to consume and save rationally in the face of general challenges, which has led to the emergence of the social phenomenon of "saving money".
Source: Social networking platform.
She further said that this kind of "saving money and partnering" relationship, similar to a WeChat step contest or a square dance group, reinforces individual behavioral constraints and changes by motivating and supervising each other. The support and motivation of this social network is particularly important because it provides a mechanism for behavior guidance and habit formation.
Wan Zhe also reminded that "saving money" is not applicable to everyone, but depends on the individual's economic situation and consumption habits. At the macroeconomic level, society still needs a certain degree of consumption to promote economic growth, but it also needs to call for rational consumption and the concept of conservation. Therefore, we should formulate a reasonable financial management and spending strategy according to our personal financial situation and spending plan. ”
A number of experts also reminded that while discussing the experience of saving money and learning financial management skills with their "savings partner", they should also have a certain degree of caution and not blindly transfer or remit money to unfamiliar "partners". When managing money, you should also do what you can and don't speculate blindly.
Pan and Lin suggested that in 2024, investors can pay attention to regular investment ETFs** and currencies**, and for regular investment ETFs**, stable jobs are required as a premise. For currencies, you need certain professional knowledge, including common sense of currency exchange rates, interest rates, etc., to enter the game.
For example, it is feasible to participate in US dollar Treasury bonds in 2021, but it may be more reasonable to participate in emerging market Treasury bonds in the case of the Fed's interest rate cut in 2024.
Luo Xueming, chief expert of Guangdong Modern City Industrial Technology Research Institute, also believes that with the development and change of social economy, personal finance needs new ideas, and it is necessary to understand the trend of national macroeconomic policies, adjust financial strategies in a timely manner, seize opportunities and avoid risks.
When formulating financial strategies, investors need to consider their personal income and expenditure, allocate assets reasonably, establish a sound budget system, control consumption desires, and cultivate a sense of saving. Investors should also have a certain amount of financial knowledge, understand the risks and returns of different investment methods, and make rational choices according to their own tolerance. Formulate a scientific financial plan, flexibly respond to economic challenges, and achieve steady growth of personal wealth.
Be vigilant against financial traps and **, protect property security, and ensure the soundness and safety of personal finances. Luo Xueming said bluntly.
Wan Zhe suggested that personal finance should first focus on living within one's means and spending reasonably. Secondly, when investing and managing money, you should choose a formal institution, and choose the appropriate way according to your personal situation, and avoid excessive leverage or speculation to avoid risks.
She stressed that whether it is financial management or online social transfers, you should pay attention to risks. In social networking such as "saving money and partnering", the mechanism of supervision and incentive is feasible on the one hand, but if it involves illegal activities, transfers and other risky behaviors, it should be treated with caution. It is necessary to be vigilant about all kinds of economic activities, including wealth management business.
*: The country is a through train.
Editor: Zhuge Ruixin.
Editor-in-charge: Wei Xi.