The United Way organizations in Connecticut have joined together to create a program "designed to help families develop a lifelong habit of saving and other positive financial behaviors," called ALICE Saves.

"ALICE" stands for asset-limited, income-constrained, employed, or low-income families. ALICE Saves is designed to encourage such families to enroll in two free programs: SaverLife from the nonprofit EARN, and Trusted Advisor from Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners.

SaverLife is a six-month program that allows people to earn $10 for each month in which they save at least $20.

Trusted Advisor enables people to chat with a counselor — through Skype or on the phone — to develop financial action plans.

The program is open to all Connecticut residents over age 18 through 2019, with registration open at bit.ly/ALICEsaves.

United Way's 2018 ALICE report found that 46 percent of Connecticut households do not have enough savings to cover three months of expenses.