Put the fun back in banking, share saving goals with friends and family. This could be the slogan of Internet bank Smartypig. On this secure banking site, saving accounts are goal oriented.

This means that it is possible to save for specific items and events, for instance a holiday, an anniversary gift, an iPhone or a flat-screen TV.

Furthermore, it is possible for mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, friends and colleagues to join and help save money for that specific goal, creating an opportunity to reach the necessary amount even quicker.

Goal
Saving money for a specific goal, with the help of others, could be an attractive concept in these harsh times when big expenses are put off as much as possible. It might just give a positive spin on the negative feelings brought on by the credit crisis.

The New York Times confirms this in a recent article. According to this article the popularity of personal finance sites is climbing. ‘Burned by their banks and the stock market, people seeking help with budgeting, saving and investing are turning to sites with names like Mint, Cake Financial, Wesabe, Credit Karma and SmartyPig.’

“There is a significant loss of confidence with banks right now”, said David Furlonger, a vice president at the research firm Gartner, who studies the financial services industry. “People are turning to whatever communities they think are best able to serve them.”