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4 Saving Challenges to Try in 2022
Ways to make saving more like fun (and less like a chore)
Who doesn’t want to save money? For someone to answer “no” to this question is virtually unheard of. The ideal scenario is that we set money aside regularly as a way of investing in the future. But while the strong desire to save may be there, the execution might be a different story.
Here, we round up ways you can change up the experience by adding a game/play element. By gamifying the task of saving money (through challenges, goals aided by engaging visuals, reward systems, and more), you can make the experience more fun and enticing, reframing something of a chore into something you’d actually look forward to. Ahead, find four ways to do that via savings challenges.
The 100-Day Envelope Challenge
Pick an envelope, any envelope! For this saving challenge, you have the option to either gather 100 physical envelopes (recycled and reused would be ideal) or set up a virtual envelope tally on Excel or Google Sheets.
Here’s how it works: Assign an amount to each of the 100 envelopes. Make it fun; make it varied. The great thing about this challenge is that it’s flexible. You get to dictate how much you can set aside per day based on your monthly budget and main end goal. At the start of each day, select an envelope at random and immediately set aside the corresponding amount as part of your no-touch savings. Try to complete 100 days without revisiting or taking away your previous deposits. See how much you come up with at the end. You can also challenge yourself by increasing the amounts for the succeeding 100-day runs you decide to pursue.
Photo: moneybliss.org
₱10,000 in 30 Days
Just like the 100-day envelope challenge, this one starts out with a fixed amount along with a fixed number of days in mind. When broken down into “daily bites,” your final saving goal ceases to look all that daunting. When you get to take on saving in bite-sized accomplishments, you have the opportunity to take things one baby step at a time and day by day as well.
Push yourself to shade all circles in 30 days or less. You’re also free to customize this challenge so you can ease yourself into the process.
The All-Change-In-A-Jar Challenge
This gamified saving tip is exactly what its name suggests. Every time you spend, make a transaction, or even come across loose change at home, immediately deposit leftover small bills and coins in your change jar. For this to work, see to it that everything you put in the jar stays in the jar. Come back to it once full, deposit the final amount in the bank, and start all over again.
Photo: Wired
The No-Splurge Challenge
Pick one non-essential thing you regularly spent on in the previous year. This could be takeaway coffee, ordering in on weekends, sheet masks from your favorite beauty brands. Commit to “quitting” this item for 30 days straight and see just how much you get to save after.
Keep yourself challenged and try dedicating an entire quarter of the year to these just-for-fun boycotts. No-Netflix January? No-Shopee February? No-Milk Tea March? Explore the many ways you can mix it up.
