Looking to build a solid savings habit without feeling overwhelmed? The 52-week money-saving challenge is your perfect solution!
It’s a simple, step-by-step approach that helps you stash away cash each week—without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re saving for a vacation, an emergency fund, paying down debt, or just want a financial cushion, these challenges can help you save big by the end of the year.
It’s very common to start a money saving challenge in January and finish in December. If you’re looking to save money as a New Year’s resolution, you’re in the right place!
But you don’t have to wait until January to start! I deliberately didn’t put dates or months on these challenges, so you can start any time. Whether you came across this page in March, August or October, there’s no time like the present to start changing your life!
I have created a range of money saving challenges to suit every income level and savings goal.
Whether you can only spare a few dollars a week or you are hitting the savings large this year, I hope one of these challenges will work for you.
I’ve also included some tips for saving money and making extra money at the bottom of the page, so check it out.
Happy saving!
How to use these money saving challenges
All these money saving challenge printables are completely free to download and use how you want for personal use.
You can print them out, stick them in your journal or on the kitchen wall, use them digitally, whatever works for you!
I’ve made two versions of each challenge: a pretty colourful version, and a plain black and white one (to be more printer-friendly!)
Simply click on the image below and the PDF file should open. You can then download it or print it out.
By the way, these challenges are all in dollars ($). If you want the same printables in £, click here for the UK version!
$1/week money saving challenges
My first money savings challenge is a classic idea of saving $1 more each week. On the first week you put aside just $1. Completely achievable, right? On the second week you put away $2. And so on.
If you keep this up for a whole year, you’ll have $1,378 by the end.
The idea is that you get more used to saving and living frugally as you go on, so you can afford to put away more and more money over time.
This is a classic money saving challenge that I’ve seen done many times online.
However, one big problem with that is that the end of the year is more expensive, right? Who wants to be saving extra in the build up to Christmas?
That’s why I also created a reverse $1/week challenge. You save $52 in the first week and $1 less each week after that. You’ll still have the same amount at the end.
$2/week money saving challenges
This is based on the same concept as above, but it’s for people who are ready to save a little more. You start saving $2 per week, and increase it by $2 each week.
You’ll end up with $2756 at the end of the year.
Again, I’ve done an ascending version (starting with $2) and a descending version (starting with $104). So you can pick the challenge that works best for you.
$1,000 money saving challenge
$1,000 is a really common savings goal, so I made this $1,000 savings challenge for you.
To save $1,000 in a year, you’ll need to put aside between $10 and $30 each week. The amounts are slightly different each week.
If you wanted to save the same amount each week, it would be $19 per week to save just over $1000.
$3,000 money saving challenge
$3,000 is another common target that people have been requesting, so here you go!
$5,000 money saving challenge
Here we start getting into some meatier goals!
I know a lot of people are aiming to save $5,000 in a year. There’s a lot you can do with $5,000! These charts will help you achieve it.
I’ve made two versions of the save $5,000 challenge. This first version has different amounts each week, just because I know each week is different! I also know that money is tighter in January and in the run-up to the holidays. That’s why the target amounts to save are higher in the spring and summer months and ease off towards the end of the year.
Of course, you don’t necessarily have to save all these amounts in order. If you’ve managed to put aside $100 but it’s only a $60 week, you can tick off a $100 box instead and earn yourself some slack later in the year!
If you prefer to save regular amounts, this second version of the challenge is for you. To save $5,000 in one year, you’ll need to save $97 per week (with a few easier weeks at the end!)
$10,000 money saving challenge
$10,000 is another common money saving goal! It is achievable by saving throughout the year, although if you are on a lower income, you will probably need to start a side hustle to come up with the extra cash.
My printable will help guide you. Again, I’ve suggested lower amounts in January and December.
$20,000 money saving challenge
Ready for a real challenge? Here’s how you can save $20,000 in one year!
How to meet your savings goals
Saving money isn’t easy. That’s why it’s called a challenge!
To meet the target savings in these challenges, you basically have two options: spend less money or make more money (or a combo of the two, of course).
Depending on where you are in life and what your current budget looks like, you need to think about what would work for you.
If you happen to have a lot of disposable income and you know you spend too much on clothes and other non-essentials, the obvious answer is to cut down.
If you’re living pay-check to pay-check and you barely have enough to cover the essentials, you should seriously consider a side hustle or a second job!
Here are some ideas to help:
Ideas for saving money
- Meal prep: Plan and cook meals at home to avoid expensive takeout.
- Use cashback apps: Earn money back on everyday purchases.
- Cancel unused subscriptions: Review your monthly subscriptions and cancel ones you don’t need.
- Buy in bulk: Purchase non-perishable items in bulk to save over time.
- Use public transportation: Save on gas and parking by using buses or trains when possible.
- Shop sales and use coupons: Plan purchases around sales and apply coupons to save extra.
- Unsubscribe from marketing emails: Avoid temptation by reducing exposure to promotional offers.
- Switch to a cheaper phone plan: Compare mobile plans and switch to a more affordable one.
- Refinance loans: Consider refinancing loans or mortgages to lower interest rates.
- Wait 24 hours before impulse buys: Avoid buying unnecessary items by waiting before purchasing.
- Use a library: Borrow books, movies, and more for free instead of buying.
- Negotiate bills: Call service providers and negotiate lower rates for things like internet or insurance.
Ideas for making money
- Sell items online: Use platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace to sell unwanted items.
- Freelance writing: Offer writing services on websites like Upwork or Fiverr.
- Teach online: Tutor students or teach skills on platforms like VIPKid or Skillshare.
- Deliver food: Sign up for food delivery services like DoorDash or Uber Eats.
- Become a virtual assistant: Help businesses with tasks like email management or scheduling.
- Rent out a spare room: List a room on Airbnb for short-term rentals.
- Start a blog: Monetize through ads, sponsored posts, or affiliate marketing.
- Pet sitting or dog walking: Earn extra by caring for pets in your neighborhood.
- Complete online surveys: Get paid for taking surveys on sites like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.
- Sell handmade crafts: Open an Etsy shop to sell crafts, printables, or homemade products.
- Flip items: Buy secondhand goods and resell them for a profit.
- Offer online consulting: Provide advice or coaching in areas you specialize in.
- Do odd jobs: Use platforms like TaskRabbit to get paid for small jobs and errands.