“Saving money is like a diet -- everyone’s going to start tomorrow,” says George Friedman, CEO of personal savings app Qapital. “We can’t rely on sheer willpower, so we need to have some automation.” That comes in the form of specific goals that users set -- say, $5,000 for a trip to Tokyo -- and corresponding rules that save money based on spending habits. Every time you buy a pricey coffee, say, you’re “punished” by having money moved into your savings. “But as long as it’s going toward a goal you emotionally care about, you’re not going to withdraw the money till you hit your goal,” Friedman says. Here’s a snapshot of the Qapital user.
Average age: 27
Average income: $35K to $40K
Average goal: $2,000
Average savings: $200 per month
Top 5 goals:
1. Travel
2. Rainy-day fund
3. Gadgets
4. Debt reduction
5. Wedding
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This story appears in the June 2016 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
