15 Mini Savings Challenge Printables To Save More Money

Inside: Tight on time or money? One of these mini savings challenge printables is perfect for you. With these free printables, you’ll be able to save more money in no time.

The concept of a mini savings challenge is all about making money-saving a fun and engaging process. It breaks down your broader financial goals into manageable, short-term targets that cumulatively will help you reach your long-term objectives.

Around here at Money Bliss, we are known for having the best money saving challenges. While they are super popular on Pinterest and Google, what matters the most to us is that people are actually using them and their lives are changing.

So, if that is what you are looking for, then you are in the right place.

We know that the personal savings rate is dipping into the lowest range since 2007-2008 financial crisis around 3.4%.¹ That is alarming because many people are one step away from not being financially stable.

Let’s dig into those mini saving challenges to make an impact in your financial life.

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Why is a Savings Challenge Beneficial?

A savings challenge, while enjoyable, serves a more significant purpose. It instills a sense of financial discipline and allows you to visualize tangible results.

By making saving a fun and rewarding game, you’re more likely to stay committed and motivated.

This is why my money saving challenges are so helpful for thousands of my readers.

How this Mini Challenge Works?

Mini savings challenges work on the principle of small, regular savings resulting in significant sums over time.

By following a set rule – such as saving a particular amount every week, or matching a specific spending habit with a savings deposit – these challenges make it easy and fun to grow your savings without feeling overwhelmed.

Popular Mini Savings Challenge to Save Money

I love that I am known as an expert in helping people save money. The reason is simple – I love a good challenge.

If you have the right mindset, then you can save money on your income.

1. $300 Mini Saving Challenge

Many of us dream about having a comfortable savings account, but it’s often easier said than done. However, with the $300 Mini Saving Challenge, you can start building that financial safety net one step at a time. This challenge aims to help you stow away $300 and note slight improvements in your spending habits.

The $300 Mini Saving Challenge works by asking you to save a small amount each day. The goal is to gradually increase the daily savings, making it less burdensome and more achievable to hit your target of $300. This challenge is perfect for beginners who are apprehensive about taking on substantial financial commitments all at once but still want to cultivate good money-saving habits.

Expert Tip: Utilize a savings tracker, whether it’s a traditional paper-and-pencil method or a digital app, to keep track of your progress.

2. $500 Mini Saving Challenge

Learning how to teach yourself to save is one of the hardest things for my readers to do. So, they love these easy milestone challenges

This $500 mini savings challenge is a simple yet effective strategy to begin accumulating a substantial nest egg. This challenge requires you to systematically set aside a predefined amount each day, week, or month, consistently working toward a $500 goal.

Expert Tip: For the $500 Mini Saving Challenge, set a weekly savings goal and commit to reducing unnecessary expenses to manage and accumulate your targeted amount effectively.

3. 10 Week Saving Challenge

Kick-start your savings journey with an invigorating 10-week savings challenge. This feasible initiative can boost your bank balance and cultivate a savings habit.

As James Clear states in his famous bestselling book, Atomic Habits, it takes 21 days to build a new habit.

The challenge will triple your dedication as you will be setting aside a predetermined sum each week for ten weeks. The amounts could steadily increase to enhance the yielded savings.

• Week 1 – Save $10
• Week 2 – Save $15
• Week 3 – Save $20
• Week 4 – Save $25
• Week 5 – Save $30
• Week 6 – Save $35
• Week 7 – Save $40
• Week 8 – Save $45
• Week 9 – Save $50
• Week 10 – Save $55

By the end of your 10-week tenure, you will have amassed a handsome total of $325! This challenge is particularly beneficial for beginners who are striving to enforce a strict savings regimen.

Then, you can move on to our popular 52 week money saving challenge and choose the proper amount for you.

Expert Tip: Use a calendar or a mobile application to track your savings and keep you motivated throughout the challenge.

4. Mini Birthday Fund

Like a little surprise gift to yourself, the Mini Birthday Fund Challenge is for those who want to ensure they have a little extra cash to celebrate their special day in style. This delightful savings plan can be started at any time of the year, but the closer to your birthday, the more urgent the catch-up.

The plan is intuitive. Choose a monthly savings goal—say, $20—and diligently tuck away that amount every week or month until your birthday arrives. Then, voila! You have a mini birthday fund to splurge on a rewarding gift or experience gift for you. My personal favorite is spa time!

This is self-care and financial discipline bundled into one smart package.

Expert Tip: You can modify the amount you need to save and the total you need to save.

5. The Penny Challenge

The Penny Challenge further simplifies savings. Plus you will be AMAZED at how much you can save with this simple penny challenge.

Every day you will save one more penny than the day before, yes, just one more penny. That will equal $667.95 in a year.

You can collect all the pennies you acquire and store them in a jar. Once your jar fills up or you hit your 365 days, deposit the pennies into your savings account.

Note: Though the denomination is small, you’ll be surprised at how much you can amass over time. Remember that every penny counts!

6. 365-Day Nickel-Saving Challenge

The 365-Day Nickel-Saving Challenge is perfect for those who like a daily commitment. Start on day one with a deposit of $0.05, and each following day, add a nickel to the previous day’s savings.

By day 365, you will deposit $18.25, accumulating a total of $3339.75 for the year. It’s a manageable and rewarding way to save.

7. The Dime Challenge

The Dime Challenge is similar to the Penny Challenge but uses dimes instead. Though the denomination is small, you’ll be surprised at how much you can amass over time.

Each day you will save ten cents or a dime more than the previous day, by the end of the year, you will save $6,679.50.

• Day 1 – Save $0.10, Day 2 – Save $0.20, Day 3 – Save $0.30, and continue for 365 days

Collect all your dimes in a jar, and when it fills up, deposit them in your savings.

10X Effect: This challenge can help you save more money, more quickly than the Penny Challenge because dimes are worth ten times as much as pennies.

8. Dollar Savings Challenge

The $1 Savings Challenge is all about setting aside every single $1 bill that comes your way.

This is a great challenge if you use the cash envelope method for budgeting.

Even if you do this for just three months, you can save up to $1,000. It’s simple — every time you find a $1 bill, put it in your savings jar. This method makes saving money entertaining and gratifying.

9. The $5 Challenge

The $5 Challenge is similar to the $1 Challenge, with just a slight increase in the amount. It involves saving every $5 bill you come across.

Once again, better for those who use cash. But, you still can transfer $5 at intermittent increments to a separate online savings account.

The money saved from this challenge depends on how often you use cash and the duration of your challenge. It’s a doable and straightforward approach to savings.

10. 25 Envelopes Challenge

Another popular choice is the 25 Envelope Challenge which is a simpler version of the 100 Envelope Challenge. You get 25 envelopes, number them from 1-25, and each day, choose an envelope at random and put in an amount equivalent to the envelope number.

By the end of the challenge, you will save $325 in less than a month.

This challenge makes saving money unpredictable and exciting, leading to substantial savings over time. Next, you can try the 50 envelope challenge.

11. The Spare Change Challenge

The Spare Change Challenge involves saving all your loose change in a jar or piggy bank. Once the container fills up, deposit the savings into your bank account.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly the change adds up! However, this challenge works best for those who frequently use cash.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to pick up spare change on the ground!

12. Round Up Savings Challenge

The Round Up Savings Challenge is best suited for card users. Whenever you make a purchase, round the figure to the nearest dollar and deposit the difference into savings.

For instance, if you spend $17.50, round it up to $18 and save the remaining 50 cents. It may seem small but will accumulate over time.

Go Digital: You can easily do this with the Acorns app.

13. No-Spend Challenge

The No-Spend Challenge encourages participants to avoid spending any extra money beyond the essentials for a set time. This involves taking a “financial fast,” where any non-essential spending is put on hold.

As such, this is one of my personal favorites, especially for those new to budgeting. It really helped me grasp what I truly needed to spend money on and what I didn’t. The same is true for all of my readers. The savings from this challenge can be substantial.

You can tailor the time frame to your own liking — try a no-spend day, week, or even month. Learn more about the no spend challenge.

14. No Eating Out Challenge

A no eating out challenge serves as an excellent tool to realize your spending habits as it eliminates the often overlooked cost of frequently dining out, enabling you to save more than expected. Right now, the average person spends $166 per month with most average costs in the $10-20 range.²

Combating your habit of eating out can lead to considerable savings, hence the No Eating Out Challenge. Under this challenge, you commit to avoiding restaurants, takeaway, and delivery for a set period, typically a month. The money saved from not dining out is then transferred into your savings, leading to substantial amounts over time.

This challenge makes you conscious of your expenditure and allows you to understand the significant amount you can accumulate over a period, promoting better spending habits.

15. The Spending “Swear Jar” or “Bad Habit” Challenge

Implementing a swear jar or a ‘bad habit’ jar can serve multiple purposes effectively. Not only does it stimulate the accumulation of savings, but it also aids in the transformation of replacing a bad habit with a good habit.

The rule is simple – each time you indulge in a specified bad spending habit, like making an unplanned purchase, you deposit a set amount (like a dollar) into your “swear jar.” This challenge effectively boosts savings while reducing unwanted expenses.

This is a great tactic to reduce your variable expenses.

Bonus: Savings Percentage Challenge

Last, but not least, my personal favorite! Increasing your Savings Percentage challenge.

The Savings Percentage Challenge urges you to save a fixed percentage of your income, preferably 20% every month. By adjusting the savings percentage to your comfort level, this challenge provides adaptability and the potential for significant savings over time.

To encourage savings as a regular habit, increase your savings percentage by 1% each year or with any pay raises or expense reductions.

See how the saving percentages work.

Tips for Successful Savings Challenge

Tip #1 – Creating Your Savings Goals

Creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) savings goals is the first step to your savings success. Your goals could be anything, ranging from a weekend getaway to creating an emergency fund.

Having clear savings goals keeps you motivated, providing a sense of purpose and direction. Learn more about smart money goal setting.

Tip #2 – Establishing the Savings Timeline

Once you have your savings goal, establish a realistic timeline to achieve it.

• If your goal is to save $1000 and you decide to save $100 per month, your timeline will be 10 months.
• If you need to save $300 in 30 days, then you must save $10 a day.

Establishing a clear timeline helps you organize your savings efficiently and remain motivated in your journey.

Tip #3 – Automatic Savings

One area I always stress to my readers is to pay yourself first. This concept is to set money aside first when you get your paycheck.

Then, take it one step further and establish an automatic transfer from your regular account to your special savings fund each pay period or month. This way, you won’t have to remember to make the transfer yourself, and it becomes an out-of-sight, out-of-mind saving habit!

Tip #4 – Staying Motivated through the Challenge

Track your progress visually, say, by coloring a box each time you save is habit-worthy. Keep your progress chart somewhere easily visible. This practice makes tracking fun and keeps you encouraged to save more.

Our free resource library of printables is full of possible money saving challenge ideas!

Staying motivated throughout your savings journey is crucial. Plus, watching your savings grow over time can be incredibly satisfying.

Tip #5 – Adjust your mindset for Improved Savings

Achieving your savings goals is truly a mindset game. Instead of seeing savings as a subtraction from your income, adjust your mindset to view it as paying yourself first.

Moreover, remember not to beat yourself up over occasional slip-ups. Continue to focus on your goal and celebrate small achievements.

Every dollar saved gets you one step closer to your goal.

Extending the Mini Savings Challenge – What’s Next?

Once you have completed a mini savings challenge, take your saving habit to the next level. Assess your financial situation and savings goal to determine new challenges.

You could consider higher-value monetary challenges or extend the challenge’s duration. Remember, consistent saving habits can greatly impact your long-term financial health.

Maintaining consistency in saving money is a golden key to long-term financial health.

Here are our popular money saving challenges:

• 52 Week Money Saving Challenge
• Monthly Savings Challenge
• Biweekly Money Saving Challenge
• 10k in 100 Days Envelope Challenge

Regardless of the amount, the habit of regularly putting money aside significantly contributes to building considerable savings. Remember, it’s not always about how much you save, but how consistently you do it.

Consistently saving, even smaller amounts, can lead to substantial totals over time.

Download the Printable Savings Tracker

To make your savings challenge fun and interactive, download one of our free printable savings trackers. These printable trackers will help you visually track your progress, boosting your motivation.

Every time you save money, color in a box or check it off.

Seeing this visual representation of your savings grow is a fun, rewarding way to track your journey toward your financial goal. Once you reach your goal, start again and keep the momentum going.

**To access these free printable, you must subscribe to my newsletter and you will be emailed the password.**

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Of the Mini Savings Challenges, Which Will You Try First

Embrace the journey of a savings challenge, enjoying the process just as much as the destination.

This is key to becoming financially stable. It’s not only about reaching your financial goal but also about developing lasting habits of financial discipline and stewardship. These mini savings challenges are a learning experience and remember, no matter the size of your savings, every step is a step in the right direction.

With the help of a mini savings challenge tracker, you can start small yet grow big in savings.

These mini challenges, though small-scale and manageable, can lead to a significant increase in your savings over time. More than that, they encourage the much-needed habit of saving regularly.

Get started on your savings journey, make it enjoyable, and watch your money accumulate over time.

Sources

1. FRED St. Louis Fed Ecomonic Data. “Personal Saving Rate.” https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT. Accessed November 8, 2023.
2. US Foods. “The Diner Dispatch: 2023 American Dining Habits.” https://www.usfoods.com/our-services/business-trends/american-dining-out-habits-2023.html. Accessed November 8, 2023.

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