We are living in a time where the cost of living is so high that it makes it nearly impossible to put away some savings money. We tend to save a little bit but then, we almost immediately spend it on our needs and wants. This saving spending cycle pushes us back to square one, but this is where the 100-day money challenge comes in.
Glorious times when I was teaching my kids about money with Spend, Give Jars! Life was easier back then.
The 100-day money challenge is a fun and easy saving method to save about $5000. This challenge helps you save some money and develop good saving habits. It is perfect for creating a consistent saving behavior that will get you addicted to saving money.
So if you want to start saving money or develop good money saving habits, then this is the perfect challenge for you. Let’s explore the concept behind the 100-day money challenge and what you will need to start with it. I will also explain the pros and cons of this money saving challenge and my personal tips to make it a success.
What Is The 100-Day Money Challenge?
The 100-day challenge is a money saving challenge that can help you save up to $5000 in just over three months. We tend to struggle with saving money; therefore, this is perfect for those who want to improve how they manage their money. It’s the newest trend in the financial world, with many people trying it out and being successful.
The challenge is an entertaining and easy way to save and learn more about money management. This is the perfect opportunity for those who want to increase their emergency savings, pay their debts, and save for something expensive. It can be set up in various ways, but the most popular way is by using envelopes and a container.
How Does The 100-Day Money Challenge Work?
The 100-day money challenge requires a few things, such as envelopes, pens, stickers, and a container. These are basic things that can make the challenge more entertaining and creative.
Remember that there are many ways in which you can modify this saving challenge so that it can work best for you. You are more likely to stay dedicated to a challenge if it suits you.
In two basic steps it will work as follows:
Step 1
Start by numbering each envelope from 1 to 100. You should end up with envelope number 1, envelope number 2, envelope number 3, all the way up to envelope number 100. In the end, you should be left with 100 envelopes with their specific number written on them. Some people use Roman numerals to make the challenge more unique and creative.
I have created these PDFs with 100 numbered little envelopes that you can download and print in adhesive paper if you wish to do so.
Step 2
Place these 100 envelopes in a container and shuffle up the container. Starting from day one, choose one envelope and place the amount of money corresponding to the number on the envelope.
For example, if you draw envelope number 7 on day one, put $7 in the envelope. If you draw envelope number 25 on day two, place $25 in that specific envelope.
Make sure you do this daily until all the envelopes are filled with money. However, some skip a day or two before drawing the next envelope. This method would take longer for you to reach your goal. Remember to modify this challenge in a way that best suits you.
Some people do not shuffle up the envelopes in the container. Instead, these people prefer placing the envelopes in numerical order; this is how they choose which envelope to put money into. For example, on day one, put $1 in envelope 1. On day two, put $2 in envelope 2. On day three, put $3 into envelope 3, and so on. Do this until you get to day 100 and envelope 100.
Who Benefits From The 100-Day Money Challenge?
The 100-day money challenge is beneficial for anyone trying to build up their savings or even start the process of saving. It will help people develop healthy saving habits that are beneficial for a healthy financial lifestyle. This is the perfect challenge for you if you have uncontrollable debt or even a huge expense that needs to be paid off.
It can hugely benefit lower- to middle-income households. People who take on this challenge usually save enough money to get themselves and their families out of the struggle. Another benefit is the building up of savings that can be used for more significant financial goals.
And certainly will work even better if you use these money affirmations and these tips to manifest money fast.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of The 100-Day Money Challenge?
There are many positives of the 100-day money challenge but also a few negatives. You need to make sure that you design your saving challenge so that the positives work toward your advantage. The negatives are small things that can be tweaked so that this challenge can be successful. Below are some of the most notable pros and cons:
Pros
- It creates a fun and easy way to save money.
- This is almost like a game that rewards you with a good amount of money at the end.
- The first few days should be easy if the challenge is in numerical order. This is the perfect chance to create good saving habits and develop good money management skills.
- This money saving challenge is easy to modify to suit your financial goals and situations.
- This challenge will make it possible for you to go on that vacation you always wanted.
- Completing it will create a saving addiction that can benefit your financial lifestyle and future.
Cons
- You will need physical cash to put into the envelopes (see tips below).
- It requires three months of day-to-day saving, which can be very challenging for some.
- It’s not suitable for people that live paycheck to paycheck. People tend to struggle with saving when expenses are high.
For example, the game can become very challenging when it comes to envelope number 75, and you do not have $75. Some people tend to quit the challenge after this, while others tend to delay it.
Delaying it will delay your financial goals. This financial saving challenge requires tremendous motivation, dedication, and commitment.
Does The 100-Day Money Challenge Really Work?
The 100-day money challenge works for people who remain dedicated, focused, and committed to the challenge. This money game can be challenging for some people, but it ultimately rewards everyone. Doing the 100-day challenge every day for just over three months will result in a good saving of $5050. This is the perfect amount of money to build up a good savings plan.
The game really works if you make it work for you. This is one of the challenges that is easily understood and has a high success rate. It rewards you with physical money as well as knowledge about how to manage your money. In addition, people who complete this challenge tend to develop a healthy addiction to saving money.
Are There Any Other Money Saving Challenges?
There are many other saving methods to save up some money. People have created hundreds of money challenges to make saving fun and entertaining. The most unique ones tend to attract people to develop healthy saving habits and lifestyles. Money saving challenges are like games; you usually win if you stay motivated and committed.
Some of these money saving challenges last one month, while others last up to a year. All these have one main goal: to save you some money. In addition, creating a challenge makes saving more enjoyable. Therefore, these games are good ways to manage your money while having fun simultaneously.
Below are some of the other money saving challenges that you can try out:
30 Day No Spend Challenge
This challenge requires you not to spend money on unnecessary things for an entire month. Everyone should try first to start saving by not spending. Some people do this in two weeks, while others go on for a whole year.
52 Week Challenge
This is a challenge where you need to save money every week. So save some money by increasing the amount you put away each week. It usually lasts a whole year and can save you a lot of money.
Keep The Change Challenge
This challenge uses the change you get back from tellers as saving money. There is no time period; therefore, you can continue for as long as you want. This is a very flexible saving challenge.
Round-Up Challenge
This challenge requires you to round off your bill and deposit the change into your savings. For example, suppose your bill is $47; round it up to $50. Then, make sure to put the change of $3 straight into your savings account.
Conclusion and Tips
The 100-day money challenge is a fun money saving method that is easy to understand. It lasts about three months and saves you around $5000.
Completing this challenge will help you manage your money better and help you develop a positive saving addiction. It’s perfect for improving your lifestyle.
However, my personal tip is – especially when reaching higher numbers – to substitute something you were going to do anyway, like a dinner out and use the money for the envelope. Just cook a nice meal in instead. It works!!
And also, if having that amount of cash is not realistic for you, then you can always use a digital wallet or open a free online savings account. You then transfer the money from your main bank account instead.
It takes the fun out of it a little bit but you can always get it back by using fake money. No, I am not joking. And yes, starting a money saving challenge by spending might not be the best idea but I’ll let that for you to decide.
Happy Saving!