What does a pig have to do with prepaid debit cards? A lot, when the pig is the pink piggy bank logo of SmartyPig. Here’s the connection – SmartyPig makes it easy for you to save money for a goal (Vacation coming up? A wedding? The holidays?). Then, when you hit the goal, you can access your savings (plus lots of interest!) using the SmartyPig Prepaid Debit MasterCard.

This, on it’s own, is a great idea. But SmartyPig has lots of other cool features that help you sock away money for your big goal. Today, they announced several new features that bring social elements into saving. Here’s how SmartyPig puts it:

New features introduced today expand on SmartyPig’s existing social media functionality. SmartyPig users now have the option to securely connect their existing Twitter and/or Facebook account to any goals that they have chosen to share with friends and family. When Twitter is connected to a shared SmartyPig goal, SmartyPig will automatically post to that Twitter account any time funds are added towards meeting a goal. The Facebook connect feature works similarly, posting to the Facebook user’s wall every time funds are added towards meeting a goal that they have chosen to share.

“Setting and achieving a savings goal is a really empowering experience and we’re finding that SmartyPig customers increasingly want to involve their friends and family in the process-especially when the goal is one that everybody is cheering for, like newlyweds and their down payment on their first home,” said Chairman and Co-Founder Mike Ferrari. “Our new Facebook and Twitter Connect tools allow them to share their goals more easily, communicating each step towards achieving them.”

Read more about this great savings idea at the SmartyPig website.