Local realtor/philanthropist Beth Medved Waller offers $5,000 prize for Hero X Challenge

Saving without Sacrifice!  This mobile application will make it REWARDING to save for WHAT MATTERS:  a special cause, vacation or purchase!  My children and I have started a family fund we call, “The Africa Jar,” in an attempt to save money for Light up Life Foundations, a team that helps youth in the slums of Uganda (I just returned from Africa before Christmas).  When we are out and about and making purchases throughout the day, we think twice about our spending and often put the item back or refrain from ordering extra at a restaurant.  Rather than feel like we are “pinching pennies” or missing out, this jar now turns our “sacrifices” into happy moments when we smile and blurt out, “AFRICA JAR!”  Instead of missing that soda, candy or coffee we pass up, we feel excited that the money we would have “swallowed away” will now go to help starving children on the other side of the world!

Everyone has something that matters to them that they’d love to save money to fund.  Perhaps it’s not a cause.  It could be a dream vacation or a longed-for purchase, or someone could set up multiple funds.  My kids and I want everyone to be able to feel like we feel when our jar effortlessly fills EVERY SINGLE DAY with savings from needless purchases we would normally not think twice about.  We’ve issued a $5,000 HERO X Challenge for a brilliant mind to create a mobile application that will make it easy and even more exciting to save for “What Matters.”

We would like the application to be a simple way for individuals and families to log onto a virtual savings account (that could be linked to a checking account for real-time transfers if savers desire OR if that’s too complicated it could be just an online tally). To add to the account, users will click on a button and enter the amount saved and why. For example, at the McDonald’s drive-through we didn’t purchase the soda and opted for a water, saving $1.  There are many options/ideas we have to create a fun application that is simple to use.  The concept is very social-media friendly as well and it would be easy for nonprofits and those who support them to spread information about funds over social media to encourage others to participate.  Sponsors could even be solicited to have special “What Matters Match” campaigns to match every dollar saved up to $x for a certain cause that participants have pledged to support with their fund.

This application has great potential to teach children about savings in an interactive and fun way.  It also has the ability to help people of all ages save small amounts of money that add up to support amazing causes around the globe.  We look forward to working with whomever takes our challenge to help us challenge the world to start “Saving without Sacrifice.”  My philanthropic company, What Matters, will help spread the word about this tool because “What Matters is your heart……Let It!”