We all know that saving money is an important financial goal. In this brief video, Fool contributor Chuck Saletta spells out three of the most important reasons why saving is such a critical part of each and every financial plan. Those key reasons are:

  1. You have to save for your money to compound for you.
  2. Having savings gives you flexibility when you need it.
  3. The more you save, the less you need to save.

How to get even more income during retirement
Social Security plays a key role in your financial security, but it's likely not enough to cover your total costs of living in retirement. In our brand-new free report, our retirement experts give their insight on a simple strategy to take advantage of a little-known IRS rule that can help ensure a more comfortable retirement for you and your family. Click here to get your copy today.

What 20 years of saving/investing can get you

Monthly Savings0% Annual Returns3% Annual Returns6% Annual Returns9% Annual Returns
$0 $0 $0 $0 $0
$100 $24,000 $32,830 $46,204 $66,789
$250 $60,000 $82,075 $115,510 $166,972
$500 $120,000 $164,151 $231,020 $333,943
$1,000 $240,000 $328,302 $462,041 $667,887
$1,500 $360,000 $492,453 $693,061 $1,001,830

Table from author's calculations.