You’ve done it. I’ve done it.
We’ve all done it. A quick Google search will result in various articles urging you to save money, create a budget, and have a backup plan. However, I think it’s pretty safe to say saving money is relatively difficult. And for good reason.
Sometimes, it just feels like every dime of your paycheck is pulled towards some bill or expense. When you’re struggling to make ends meet, saving money is most likely the first thing on your mind but the last thing on your list of things to do.
What if you could trick your mind and your bank account into saving money? No, I won’t show you how to save an extra $50,000 this year.
But, what if you could save just $1,300 this year? Doesn’t seem so tough, right?
Granted, if you have no job then it’ll be pretty difficult. So, for the sake of this article, I’ll assume you have a job. Additionally, I’ll assume you don’t have a job that pays well over 400k where saving money may not be incredibly difficult.
Getting Started
So, to start, let’s pretend it’s January 1st. You’ve just started off the year. How difficult would it be if I told you to put away $1,300 right now? If you can do that easily, fantastic! You’re already well on your way to saving more than you’d need and could probably start investing if you haven’t already done that.
But, for those of you who just scoffed at the idea of saving $1,300, I want to let you know that it is completely possible. Maybe not in a single day, but we will do it over the year. Read that again. Over the year. Just one. Just this year.
How? By taking the 52 Week Savings Challenge. As you already know, there are 52 weeks in a year. So, all we have to do is align how much you save by the week of the year. For example, during the first week of the year, you save $1. That’s right. Just a single dollar.
By the second week, we’re gonna put away $2. Whoo hoo! You’ve saved $3 so far! It may not look like much, but don’t worry. Every journey starts with a single step. If you continue this method, then by week 14, you would save $14. And, you’d have a total of $105!
Pick a day of the week and save on that day every week. Every. Week. Don’t assume you have extra money to spend. Just save it and forget it exists. Telling your mind that you don’t have that extra $20 will keep you from spending it. It’ll be even more helpful if you transfer that money to a completely separate account.
Okay, Example Time
Check out the example spreadsheet below. Super easy to set up and follow! You can create something similar and just keep track of the week of the year. You’ll notice that the amount to save matches with the week of the year. No crazy calculations to keep track of. Just remember the week and save that much. Simple, right? You could even do this on a sheet of paper.
Continue saving money week by week and eventually it all builds up. By week 52, you’ll have saved well over $1,300. $1,378 to be exact.
What would you do if you had an extra $1,300 by the end of the year? Get gifts for your loved ones? Splurge on a fancy dinner? Travel? Invest? Or maybe just save for a rainy day. Totally possible and totally within your reach.
Continue this method year over year and you’ll see your savings just pile up. Within 5 years, you will have saved a total of $6,890. Not too shabby, eh? That’s assuming you don’t save extra money when you have it, either. If you continue to save in multiple ways, you’ll only be helping yourself in the long run.
The great thing about this method is that you can increase the amount you’re saving to whatever fits your budget. Perhaps you have a great job and can afford to save twice as much. Just double what you’re saving every week!
Similarly, you can also halve the amount you’re saving. You won’t exactly have the same amount listed here but you’ll have more than if you didn’t save at all.
Do It Now
So, what are you waiting for? What week is it now? Let’s start today!