About Us

Tennessee Saves is a partnership among educational, governmental and community agencies and financial institutions across the states. Affiliated with the national American Saves campaign, the Tennessee partnership offers free services to encourage and support savings and wealth building among Tennesseans. Tennessee Saves is coordinated by the UT Extension Family and Consumer Science faculty. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

From America Saves:

America Saves is a nationwide campaign in which a broad coalition of nonprofit, corporate, and government groups helps individuals and families save and build wealth. Through information, advice, and encouragement, we assist those who wish to pay down debt, build an emergency fund, save for a home, save for an education, or save for retirement.

Many believe that low- and moderate-income families cannot afford to save and build wealth. Yet research shows that there are "savers" and "spenders" in all income classes. While those with modest incomes cannot save as much as the affluent, almost all have the ability to build wealth over time. Through contributions to a workplace retirement program, home purchase, and other savings during their working years most can accumulate six-figure assets. The goal of the campaign is to convince all Americans that they can build wealth and to assist them to do just that.

We find it useful to see individual Americans on a ten mile path to saving. Those that haven't walked a mile don't understand the importance of saving, so don't save. Those at mile three are aware of this value, but don't believe they are capable of saving, so don't do so. Those at mile six see the importance of saving and think they might be able to do so, but haven't started yet. Those at mile seven have begun to save. Those at mile ten are saving as effectively as they can, which also means that they are effectively managing their money and debts.

We encourage all Americans, especially the financially vulnerable, to travel down this saving path, keeping in mind it is difficult to move more than a mile or two at a time. If many Americans start moving down the path, then the whole country will place greater importance on saving. Parents, schools, employers, financial institutions, government agencies, the press, and nonprofit groups will increasingly focus attention on wealth-building and assist those they serve to do so. As a result, it will become much easier for everyone to save and build wealth.

Objectives

• To increase savings and build wealth among Tennessee households through education and cultural marketing.
• To identify strategies and resources for public education regarding building and protecting wealth.
• To make the public aware of the need to plan a secure financial future.
• To provide basic education in savings and investment strategies including home ownership as an investment.
• To protect household investments through education about financial fraud.

Components

• Regional and local social marketing campaigns organized and supported by coalitions of volunteers across Tennessee.
• Partnership with "America Saves" national organization and other national and state partners.
• Bi-annual partnership training conferences to strengthen capacity of educators to teach financial and savings education.