Living Simplii Life simplified

How you can build your happiness fund from anywhere with digital banking

Long-time Simplii client Sarah applies creative thinking to her online banking with transformational results.

Heather Thompson 2-minute play time

Sarah, a working mother of 2, used to think she was simply “not good with money.” Layering work with parenting and self-care is a balancing act, and bringing banking into the mix didn't always come easy.

But after Sarah began using a Simplii Financial^™No Fee Chequing Account, she found the newfound accountability — no pun intended — helped her build a healthier relationship with her finances.

“I used to take the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach [to my finances],” she says. “It just wasn't something that I was encouraged to speak about or learn about. But I can now say that I like money matters. I love the ease of control and the measurable support it brings to building the life I want."

Video: My happiness fund (1:59)

Transcript for the video my happiness fund. Opens in a new window.

Designing happiness

As a design director, Sarah knows a thing or 2 about applying creativity to daily life. So when she learned that Simplii's account names are customizable, she started using the feature to the fullest.

“I was checking in with the app consistently,” she says. "I thought, ‘How could I ground this practice in something meaningful for me and my family?’”

Naming her accounts in ways that resonate with big-picture life goals has given Sarah more ownership over her financial choices. Rather than a chequing account, she now has a “Distribution” account. This is where most of her money comes in. By naming it like this, she reminds herself to redistribute the funds into various purpose-driven savings accounts. She's got a “Nanny and Taxes” account and a “Travel” account, but the one closest to her heart is her “Happiness Fund.”

Now, every transfer Sarah makes brings her one step closer to materializing her most profound goal: creating happiness for herself and her family.

“Depending on the balance in the Happiness Fund at any given time, I can give myself the freedom to spend that money on something that will generate joy,” she says, adding that this may manifest as buying a gift for a friend or working on a creative project with the whole family. “I don't think that any singular purchase can create happiness, so spending Happiness Fund money makes me pause and ask, ‘Will this create fleeting satisfaction or long-lasting fulfillment?’"

“In this way, even the budgeting and preparation makes me feel good," she adds.

Sarah's not alone — the satisfaction associated with preparing for an exciting event or purchase is a known phenomenon. For example, a recent study found that planning for a vacation may be more enjoyable than actually taking one (PDF, 95 KB) Opens in a new window..

Building happiness

In Sarah's yard sits a stylish basketball hoop facing the alley. It has a chain net and an attractive monochrome backboard. The project was made possible by Sarah's Happiness Fund, and it's a source of great joy for her family.

The basketball hoop not only benefits her son's jump shot, but it's also brought members of her local community together. It's an opportunity for neighbours to connect, and even during the pandemic, it's been a safe, physically distanced way to get together for a game.

For Sarah, a simple thing that keeps on giving is what happiness is all about.

These days, she admits to looking at her mobile banking app multiple times a day for reassurance. Finding ways to focus on what matters most is a source of motivation. Checking the app has become a healthy habit because, as she says, “Knowing I'm aligned with my financial goals helps me feel secure.”

By finding creative ways to use the tools at her disposal, Sarah is building her best life, one transfer at a time. She's proving that although you can't buy happiness, you can plan for it — and even bank on it.

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Written by
Heather Thompson

Heather Thompson’s writing originated with short stories and illustrated fiction which naturally segued into the visual realm of writing for the screen. She received her introduction to writing for the industry as head treatment writer for Radke Film Group in Toronto and is currently developing two feature length genre scripts for IndustryWorks Studios in Vancouver. Her fiction work has run parallel to a 20-year career in freelance journalism with a focus on the arts, music and youth culture. She is published in a host of Canadian and international magazines, tabloids and zines including Adbusters, NOW, Elements, Highsnobiety Berlin, Bubblegumclub Cape Town, and YRB NYCs. Heather continues to explore a variety of platforms for her work, most recently penning a collection of songs with Canadian singer/songwriter Zaki Ibrahim that was released on Redbull Music.

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How you can build your happiness fund from anywhere with digital banking

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Designing happiness

Building happiness

Great rates. No monthly fees. As simple as that.™

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