saving

noun

sav·ing | \ ˈsā-viŋ

Definition of saving

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : preservation from danger or destruction : deliverance

2 : the act or an instance of economizing

3a savings plural : money put by

b : the excess of income over consumption expenditures —often used in plural

c : a usually specified lower cost —often used in plural a savings of 50 percent

saving

preposition

Definition of saving (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : except, save

2 : without disrespect to

saving

conjunction

Definition of saving (Entry 3 of 3)

: except, save

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about saving

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of saving in a Sentence

Noun

The new system will provide a saving in labor. How much money do you have in savings? She has her savings in stocks. They were able to retire on their savings.

Preposition

saving three members, the club is now fully committed to the fund-raising project

Conjunction

I would be ready, saving the fact that I can't find my missing shoe.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But just demanding savings in an industry that by and large understands its challenges won’t create much value. — Carol Ryan, WSJ, "What Kraft Heinz’s Mess Means for Rivals and Investors," 22 Feb. 2019 With fewer kids in the house and with a little more savings in their pockets, the Menors are starting to feel a little less financial pressure. — Stephanie Walden, USA TODAY, "How to find balance and get your retirement plan back on track," 13 July 2018 In 2000 a survey of evidence from around the world, by Graeme Hodge of Monash University, found that outsourcing had resulted in an overall saving in government expenditure of between 6 and 12%. — The Economist, "Britain’s outsourcing model, copied around the world, is in trouble," 28 June 2018 Treating babies at home could contribute to significant cost savings in opioid treatment. — Alice Park, Time, "Many Doctors Give Morphine to Babies Born With Opioid Addiction. A New Study Suggests There's a Better Way," 18 June 2018 Certified Four Star Built Green, the homes will also provide improved indoor air quality, water savings and energy efficiency. — Rainier View Homes, The Seattle Times, "Cottage community open April 13-14 in South Seattle," 11 Apr. 2019 Earlier this week, Robinhood launched its new feature: a tantalizing savings and checking feature that came with a Mastercard debit card and no ATM, membership, overdraft, transaction, or other fees. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "Following criticism, Robinhood backtracks on checking and savings feature," 15 Dec. 2018 And personal homes, purchased after years of saving and sacrifice, may become devalued or destroyed. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Climate change and the coming coastal real estate crash," 16 Oct. 2018 And the answer is basically that high oil prices plus savings and loan deregulation created an anomalous construction boom/bust cycle in the 1980s that left Texas oversupplied with housing. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Austin can’t stay weird," 28 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'saving.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about saving

Dictionary Entries near saving

save the life of (someone)

Statistics for saving

Last Updated

13 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for saving

The first known use of saving was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for saving

saving

noun

Financial Definition of saving

What It Is

In economics, savings is the amount that is left after spending. In banking, savings refers to savings accounts, which are short-term, interest-bearing deposits with a bank or other financial institution.

How It Works

There are only two things to do with money: Save it or spend it. For example, let's say John Doe's paycheck is $1,600 every two weeks, or $3,200 a month. His expenses are the following:

Rent: $1,300
Car payment: $450
Student loan payment: $450
Credit card payment: $300
Groceries: $250
Utilities: $75
Cell phone: $75
Gas: $100
Total expenses: $3,000

Because John spends $3,000 of his $3,200 income per month, he saves $200.

If John's expenses are higher than his income, he is not saving; he is living paycheck-to-paycheck. If he gets fired, has an emergency or his company closes in two weeks, he would have little backup.

In banking terms, savings accounts are time deposits, meaning that a bank can require the account holder to give notice before withdrawing the funds or impose a penalty for withdrawal before a specified date. The interest rates on savings accounts vary by institution but are generally lower than interest rates on longer-term deposits, such as CDs or even money market accounts. Interest is usually compounded monthly.

Why It Matters

It is dangerous not to save money. Not only is it financially risky, it creates unnecessary stress. To enable savings, John must reduce his expenses so that they are less than his income, and he should make regular, disciplined deposits into a savings and/or investment vehicle.

Ironically, when a country saves so much money that it hardly spends anything, its economy can suffer. This is called the paradox of thrift, which is an economic theory developed by John Maynard Keynes that states that the more people save, the less they spend and thus the less they stimulate the economy.

It is important to note that the interest rate paid on a savings account may be below the inflation rate, meaning that the account actually might lose purchasing power over time despite the interest earned.

Source: Investing Answers

saving

noun