How to make saving automatic — and safe

Remembering to save can be tough. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could set it and forget it?

Many new apps and software help make saving automatic. They withdraw small amounts, often less than a dollar or two, from your bank account and deposit the money into a separate savings or investment account.

To make those withdrawals, apps require direct access to your bank account — which can expose you to data breaches and fraud.

“You want to share data when there’s a benefit to your financial well-being,” says Richard Crone of Crone Consulting, a firm in San Carlos, California. “There has to be a trade-off.” For example, weigh handing over your bank information against the amount you’ll save through a third-party app.

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