{"id":5738,"date":"2021-02-15T19:12:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T20:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autotradethemasters.com\/?p=5738"},"modified":"2025-05-15T12:51:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:51:05","slug":"ive-saved-over-700-in-just-one-year-with-acorns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.autotradethemasters.com\/index.php\/2021\/02\/15\/ive-saved-over-700-in-just-one-year-with-acorns\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve Saved Over $700 in Just One Year with Acorns!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"hands<\/a><\/p>\n

Savings<\/a> are just an app away.<\/strong> \ud83d\udcb0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an app for just about everything these days, but what if I told you there\u2019s an app<\/a> that can get you investing all of your spare change and building your dream retirement fund in less than 5 minutes? The best part about it all\u2026 the app is free to download and you\u2019ll only be paying as little as $1 a month or up to $5 for your entire family to grow your oak! \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve been using the Acorns app<\/a> for one year & between my savings and investments \u2013 my account value is over $700! My only regret is not starting sooner!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

I am by no means an investing or savings expert.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, I was looking for an incredibly easy way to invest and boost my monthly savings even more, so when I found out about Acorns<\/a> and the simplicity of getting started, it was a no-brainer for me! It\u2019s been very eye-opening to what I\u2019m capable of achieving on my own and has me so excited about my future!<\/p>\n

Read on for my honest review of the Acorns investing app<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

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Helpful tip:<\/strong> If you finish reading this post and have questions about Acorns<\/a>, investing, retirement, or finances in general, we recommend speaking with a finance professional to help guide you. We know you work hard for your money, and while we love helping you save it, there are other individuals out there who can help you make it grow!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is Acorns<\/a>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

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Website<\/a> | iOS<\/a> | Android<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Acorns is a full financial wellness system<\/a> right at your fingertips! It\u2019s truly the easiest and most low-stress way to start saving and investing for your future with tools to meet all your financial goals. In fact, their goal at Acorns<\/a> is to make it so simple, that investing and growing your \u201coak\u201d can truly be for anyone!<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s how I got started on Acorns in under 5 minutes:<\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

To get started with my very own all-digital banking system<\/a> (AKA: Acorns) all I needed was my email and a password to make an account. Then I linked my regular checking account, which was also super easy.<\/p>\n

They just asked me a few security questions and some personal information, like my address, legal name, etc. They also had me answer some security questions so my new Acorns account<\/a> is protected.<\/p>\n

\"three<\/a><\/p>\n

Once I was in, I created my profile, which allowed me to elaborate on what I was looking to get out of Acorns<\/a>. They help you determine how aggressive (or not so aggressive)<\/em> you want to be with your investing and the great part is that you can always make changes down the road! Above, you can see 3 of the options I was provided.<\/p>\n

You can also choose when you\u2019d like to be able to access your investments<\/a> based on your needs. There are options to access your money within the next 5 years if you want to purchase your first house or you can hoard all your earnings for 20+ years for retirement.<\/p>\n

\"three<\/a><\/p>\n

You do<\/em> have to set up recurring deposits with an existing bank account when starting your account<\/a>, but they can be as low as you want and they can be turned off at any time. Just remember, you\u2019re account won\u2019t reach its full potential without these recurring deposits.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re feeling flush with cash from time to time, you can even make one time deposits for any amount you\u2019d like and reach your savings goals even quicker!<\/p>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

Since starting my Acorns account<\/a>, I\u2019ve managed to DOUBLE my weekly deposits.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I started Acorns, I was depositing $5 per week and now I\u2019m comfortably doing $10 a week. I figure I drop more than $40 a month on sushi so why not invest AT LEAST that into my future?! \ud83d\ude43<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t seem like much but even just a little bit makes such a huge difference in the long haul and at my current rate, I\u2019m projected to have over $130,000 by retirement. Not bad for something I don\u2019t even realize is growing every day. \ud83d\ude0f<\/p>\n

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There are also additional ways to grow your Acorns account<\/a>:<\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n

1. Found money:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

More than 300 major brands, like Nike<\/a>, Grubhub<\/a>, and so much more<\/em>, have partnered with Acorns<\/a>, so now every time you make a purchase with any of these brands, they\u2019ll invest a percentage into your growing account.<\/p>\n

There are two ways you can earn found money with your new Acorns account:<\/em><\/p>\n

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1. Found Money section (in the app).<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is how most brand partners allow you to invest. They just require you to make your purchase after tapping on the brand\u2019s link in the Found Money section of the app. They even offer Local Found Money when shopping small! Just be sure to complete the purchase in the same session.<\/p>\n

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2. Simply Spend<\/strong><\/p>\n

For brands marked Simply Spend, just use your linked card or Spend Card (I\u2019ll talk about this more below)<\/em> to your Acorns account<\/a> when you make a purchase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Round-ups:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Woman<\/a><\/p>\n

Every time I make a purchase, like coffee at Starbucks<\/a> or fill up with gas, it will be rounded up to the next dollar and put into my new Acorns account for any cards that you have linked. For instance, if I buy a fancy coffee for $6.10 then my Acorns account will round up $.90 for me to invest.<\/p>\n

Just note that these round-ups do come from your own linked account, but I have found these small round-ups to be insignificant and it\u2019s so much easier to balance my checkbook<\/a> when everything is an even dollar! \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n

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In the last month, I\u2019ve had $36.99 just in round-ups & the best part is I didn\u2019t even notice!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

To activate the round-up feature, all you have to do is link your most used debit (or credit) cards and they\u2019ll take it from there! Easy peasy!\u00a0<\/em>In fact, immediately after linking my cards, it listed all my recent purchases so I could choose to start investing right away<\/a> \u2013 which of course I did!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Even purchases that are an even dollar will round up to the next dollar and be added to your Acorns account. After you reach $5 in round-ups with your linked cards, it will be deducted from the checking account you have linked and go directly into your Acorns account. Unless you get their sleek new Acorns Spend card\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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And yes, I totally recommend getting this card! Plus, it\u2019s another easy way to save & invest!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

The Acorns Spend card was free to apply for and it\u2019s linked directly to my checking account. It\u2019s also made of tungsten so it\u2019s heavy-duty, built to last, and unlike any other card you probably have sitting in your wallet! I\u2019m telling you\u2026 it is SO worth it and I feel super fancy when using it. LOL!<\/em><\/p>\n

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In order to receive your Acorns Visa Debit Card, you\u2019ll need to upload a valid photo to verify your name and address. This can include a utility bill, phone bill, or standard forms that your local DMV would accept.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After snapping a photo, you\u2019ll just have to wait a few business days for it to be approved. After approval, it will take a few weeks to receive your flashy new card, so make sure to apply for it sooner rather than later. Also, it does appear that recently Capital One opted out of being able to link their cards, so in the case, you\u2019re a frequent Capital One user, all the more reason to get an Acorns Spend card. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

\"hand<\/a><\/p>\n

The Spend card isn\u2019t just pretty, it also comes with tons of additional, amazing benefits:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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1. Real-time round-ups: <\/strong>Real-time round-ups are an awesome feature. This allows you to invest round-ups instantly with every transaction you make as opposed to waiting to reach $5 through the app every time.<\/p>\n

2. No overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements: <\/strong>Enough said!<\/p>\n

3. Reimburses any ATM fees: <\/strong>Yay!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

4. A 3rd way to earn Found Money: <\/strong>Now you\u2019ll not just have access to found-money, but you can also earn local offers from many local restaurants and retailers like when you stock up with Walmart Grocery<\/a>, order food on Grubhub<\/a>, and spoil your pets with Bark Box subscriptions<\/a>. Some will invest up to 10% back when you shop with them.<\/p>\n

5. Peace of mind: <\/strong>Your card and account are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 so you can freeze your card from the app if it\u2019s ever lost or stolen.<\/p>\n

6. Access to Acorns Grow: <\/strong>This is basically a blog in the Acorns app<\/a> to help you along the way with any questions you have or the best strategies to get the most out of all your accounts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Plus, some companies give you cash bonuses just for making a purchase!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"phone<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen up to $30 being offered from various companies, like Uber Eats, just for completing a purchase through the Acorns app! So, if you\u2019re already planning to make a purchase, it\u2019s literally like free money in your pocket! Sweet!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Just note it can take up to 120 days to see these contributions into your account. But hey, we\u2019re in this for the long haul, so it likely won\u2019t make much of a difference.<\/p>\n

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There are 2 other Acorns accounts<\/a> you can have once you start your Investment account:<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I don\u2019t currently have them, I\u2019m going to share a little about them both to help grow your knowledge.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"man<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Acorns Early<\/a> (investment account for kids)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is a new feature that came out since I started my Acorns investment account! Acorns Early is a convenient custodial brokerage account that lets you invest for your kiddos since they can\u2019t technically do it on their own until they\u2019re 18 or 21 (depending on the state you live in).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s $5 a month which not only includes the ability for multiple kid\u2019s accounts, but also includes your Invest, Retirement, and Spend accounts too!<\/p>\n

Here are the benefits to starting an Acorns Early<\/a> account:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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