Welcome to my 52 Ways to Save $100 a Month series. We’re serious about saving money in 2016. Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s the big things. I’m here to walk you through some little things that can add up to BIG savings. 52 little things to be exact. Every week, join me back here for another small money saving tip or idea that might not seem like significant savings until you see the overall yearly savings. It might just blow your mind. So pop in each Tuesday and read a new tip that will help you on your way to save $100 a month!
A few years ago, One Hundred Dollars a Month reader, Kathy, left a comment that totally inspired me. I already had a few weekly money saving series in progress, so I shelved it. This past year, I worked on sharing ideas that could save you money on a slightly larger scale, to the tune of $100 a month or more. So far, I’ve shared 51 penny pinching practices. Hopefully, you’ve learned a little and saved a lot. But in looking forward to 2017, that comment from Kathy kept bouncing around in my brain. So this year I’m acting on it. Here’s what she said:
“I set goals for myself every year but they aren’t nearly as lofty as the others I’ve read. I work for myself so, unfortunately, I don’t have the time to read a book a week but I am committing to a book a month and I’m aiming for some of the classics this year.
I also want to have some extra spending money at the end of the year and read about a weekly savings program called the 52 week money challenge where you set aside the amount of money corresponding to the week of the year. For instance, for the first week of the year you would put aside $1 and so forth until you get to the last week, week 52, where you put aside $52. At the end of the year you have $1,378 saved.”
Brilliant idea, right?! I thought so, too! So I’m doing it. I’ll implement a lot of the money saving practices I talked about last year to make this happen! The theory is that if you bite it off in small chunks like that, you’ll hardly notice those dollars being pulled from your budget and relocated to savings.
I know that sometimes weeks look different, and setting aside the higher amounts during the holidays might be a little bit more tricky, so I think you could totally start backwards and work your way down, or jump around, as your budget permits. I decided to make a handy dandy little printable chart so that you could highlight the amount you put away each week, and know what amounts you still need to do {in the event you are going to jump around}. Personally, I kind of like the idea of being able to skip around, so on weeks where there is a birthday, or unexpected expense, I can put less away, and more away on a week where there is nothing really going on.
What do you think? Awesome idea? Are you on board? If so, what are you saving for?
~Mavis
More Ways to Save:
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clean Out Your Closet {Week 1 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Break Up with Cable {Week 2 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Barter Better {Week 3 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Change Your Own Oil {Week 4 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Adjust Your Thermostat {Week 5 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Take Advantage of Your Perks {Week 6 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Pack Your Lunch {Week 7 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make It Yourself {Week 8 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Preserve Your Bounty {Week 9 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Keep the Change {Week 10 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | The Art of Borrowing {Week 11 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Ditch the Gym {Week 12 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clip a Coupon {Week 13 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Start Your Garden From Seed {Week 14 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Learn to Cut Hair {Week 15 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Become a 1 Car Family {Week 16 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Phone Call {Week 17 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Christmas in July {Week 18 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Grow a Garden {Week 19 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Just Say No {Week 20 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Go Generic {Week 21 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Budget {Week 22 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use the Library {Week 23 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Kick the Soda Habit {Week 24 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Improve Your Credit Score {Week 25 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Online {Week 26 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Lodging {Week 27 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Play for Free {Week 28 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save Big on Birthday Parties {Week 29 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Back to School Clothes on the Cheap {Week 30 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Inexpensively Entertaining {Week 31 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy Used College Textbooks {Week 32 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy Used {Week 33 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy In Bulk {Week 34 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Skip a Meal {Week 35 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Medical Expenses {Week 36 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Christmas Spending {Week 37 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Reduce Convenience Foods {Week 38 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Stop Paying Interest {Week 39 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Eat Less Meat {Week 40 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Curb Impulse Buying {Week 41 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Do Holiday Shopping AFTER the Holidays {Week 42 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a List {Week 43 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Cook in Bulk {Week 44 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Dress Minimally {Week 45 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use Less Product {Week 46 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Take Advantage of Free {Week 47 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Turn Off the Lights {Week 48 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Keep an Idea Journal {Week 49 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Avoid Stress Spending {Week 50 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | How Do YOU Save? {Week 51 of 52}
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