Hey Junior Savers! Are you doing any saving? Not the superhero kind, (though “Thanks!” if you’re reading Spiderman!) but saving money for something special? It could be anything, but as a Junior Saver you know one thing you can save for is Treat Dollars! And the best way to build up your money—for Treat Dollars or anything else—is by making deposits.

But what is a deposit and how do you make one? Here’s a quick story to explain.

Peter just celebrated his 10^th birthday and his aunt May Parker gave him a check for $10. He received $10 cash for helping his neighbor rake leaves, and another $5 for his allowance. Instead of spending it, he asked his mom to take him to his bank.

When they got there, she helped Peter fill out a small piece of paper with his full name, account number, and the amount of money he had brought in to save. They gave the money and the paper to the bank teller who said, “l will deposit this in your account.” Now his money was safe in his account at the bank. It was that simple.

And since Peter had deposited $25 total into his bank account, and he was a Junior Saver, the teller gave him one Treat Dollar! Now if Peter keeps depositing money, the amount of money in his account will grow. He can withdraw his money whenever he needs to, but by leaving it in his account he can save for something special. Like a present for his friend Mary Jane. He also gets a Treat Dollar for every $25 he deposits.

After visiting the bank, Peter decided to “swing” by the Culvers in Elmwood Park so he could use his Treat Dollar to get a discount on lunch. Depositing money was easy, and rewarding.

Have you ever made a deposit into your Junior Savers account? Saving money is a good idea any time, not just the beginning of a new year. What is something you would like to save up for?

If you’d like to learn more about joining Junior Savers or find out where Treat Dollars are accepted, please check your bank’s website.