A new year, new plans, new dreams! What's on your list? New kitchen, new sheets, new plants, a whole new home? The time to start saving is now (especially if you were given any holiday cash) and a fabulous bank can help you keep your eye on the prize.

• The Coink ceramic bank ($45 from A&G Merch) is darling, allows you to drop in whole fistfuls of coins and bills, and can be used as a vase if the dollars don't start rolling in as quickly as you hoped.
• The Chalkboard Piggy ($95 from The Curiosity Shoppe) is classic, stylish, and customizable. Once you've saved up for a new duvet, simply erase and write in "ice cream maker", "staycation", or "combination wood-burning hot tub & pizza oven". You'll be more motivated to save when the goal is made explicit!
• Speaking of motivation, the Money Tree bank ($40 from Mollaspace) "grows" as your savings grow. It starts out short but the addition of coins increases its height.
• If you're looking for something a bit more understated than a growing gold $$ tree, the ceramic & wood coin storage canister ($32 from Mollaspace) is classy and handy. Your end-of-the-day change falls into the bank, while your wallet/sunglasses/keys are stored stylishly on top.
• Enough class, back to bling: the Can It Bank ($29.95 from Z Gallerie) is hand-sculpted and gold as all get-out.
• The sweetest piggy bank ever made is crafted by Hartstone Pottery ($25 from Canoe). Oh my gosh, its little ears!
• And now I have to ask you all a question: how do you feel about spending money on a bank? As much as I would like to have any of these in my home, I feel like every spare dollar should go to the savings, not to making the savings look pretty. But a pretty bank can be very inspiring and can keep you from touching your precious savings, no matter how badly you want a burrito. Have you bought a nice bank? Was it worth it? While you mull that over, here's a hand-cast bronze egg ($400 from Uncommon Goods) that would take me a long time to save up for!

Images: As credited above.