Up next in 10
Top 15 Money-Saving Challenges That Actually Work | Save More, Spend Less!
Sep 23, 2025
Looking to save more money without feeling the pinch? 💰 In this video, we reveal the Top 15 Money-Saving Challenges that actually work! From daily habits to creative monthly strategies, these challenges are designed to help you build your savings effortlessly and reach your financial goals faster. 💡 What you’ll learn: Fun and practical money-saving challenges anyone can follow Tips to make saving automatic and stress-free How to stay consistent and avoid common mistakes Tricks to turn saving into a rewarding habit Whether you’re saving for a vacation, a rainy day fund, or your dream purchase, these challenges will make your money work smarter for you. Start your journey to financial freedom today!
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hello and welcome to our channel, Top
0:02
10s You Should Know. Let me ask you
0:04
something. How many times have you told
0:06
yourself, "Today, we're diving into the
0:09
top 15 money-saving challenges that
0:12
actually work." These aren't gimmicks.
0:14
These are real, practical, and even
0:17
enjoyable strategies that can change the
0:19
way you look at money. So, grab a
0:21
notebook because by the end of this
0:23
video, you might find yourself excited
0:25
about saving like never before. One, the
0:28
52- week savings challenge. This is one
0:30
of the most popular saving challenges
0:32
for a reason. It's simple and
0:34
surprisingly motivating. Here's how it
0:36
works. In week one, you save just $1. In
0:39
week two, you save $2. Week three, $3.
0:42
And so on. By the time you reach week
0:45
52, you'll be saving $52 that week. It
0:48
sounds small, but when you add it all
0:50
up, you'll have saved $1,378
0:54
in a single year without even realizing
0:56
it. What makes this challenge so
0:58
powerful is the gradual increase. It
1:01
doesn't feel overwhelming because you
1:02
start small and by the time it gets
1:04
bigger, you've already built the habit.
1:07
Two, the no spend weekend challenge.
1:10
Weekends are when money tends to leak
1:12
the fastest. eating out, going to the
1:15
movies, shopping for things you don't
1:17
really need. The no spend weekend
1:19
challenge flips that script. The idea is
1:21
to pick one weekend each month where you
1:24
spend absolutely nothing aside from
1:26
essentials you already have at home. At
1:28
first, it might feel restrictive, but it
1:31
quickly turns into a fun test of
1:32
creativity. You'll rediscover the joy of
1:35
free activities like going for a hike,
1:38
cooking a new recipe with ingredients
1:40
already in your kitchen, or even just
1:42
diving into a good book. Emotionally, it
1:45
teaches you that happiness isn't tied to
1:46
swiping your card.
1:49
Three, the envelope system challenge.
1:52
This one is old school, but highly
1:54
effective. You start by setting a budget
1:56
for categories like groceries, dining,
1:58
or entertainment. Then instead of
2:00
keeping it all in your bank account, you
2:02
put the cash into labeled envelopes.
2:04
When the envelope is empty, that's it.
2:07
You can't spend more in that category
2:09
until the next cycle. Why does it work?
2:13
Because physically seeing the cash leave
2:15
your hand hits differently than swiping
2:17
a card. It makes you more mindful and
2:19
intentional with every purchase. The
2:21
challenge part is sticking to the
2:23
envelopes for an entire month without
2:24
cheating. Four, the spare change
2:27
challenge. This one is deceptively
2:29
powerful. Every time you pay with cash,
2:32
you stash away the coins or even round
2:34
up and drop the extra dollar into a jar.
2:37
Over time, that jar grows faster than
2:39
you'd expect. If you use digital
2:42
payments more, apps now let you round up
2:45
your purchases and save the difference
2:46
automatically. The psychology here is
2:49
brilliant. It tricks your brain into
2:51
thinking those tiny amounts don't
2:53
matter, but when collected, they form a
2:55
big lump sum. Imagine buying coffee for
2:57
$2.50 and the app rounds it to $3,
3:00
saving 50.
3:03
Five, the pantry challenge. Here's a
3:06
challenge that saves money and reduces
3:07
waste. For one week, or even one month,
3:10
you commit to eating only what you
3:12
already have in your pantry, fridge, and
3:15
freezer. No grocery runs, no takeout. It
3:18
forces you to get creative with what
3:20
you've got and appreciate the food you
3:22
often overlook. Most of us are guilty of
3:25
stocking up on items we never actually
3:26
use, letting them expire. This challenge
3:29
flips that waste into savings.
3:31
Emotionally, it teaches gratitude. You
3:33
realize how much abundance you already
3:35
have at home. M six, the $5 bill
3:38
challenge. This one adds an element of
3:41
surprise to saving. Every time you
3:43
receive a $5 bill as change, you tuck it
3:46
away and never spend it. It's simple,
3:48
but surprisingly effective because $5 is
3:51
small enough not to feel like a loss,
3:53
but big enough to add up quickly. Some
3:55
people save thousands this way over a
3:58
year. The emotional part is the
4:00
excitement. Every time you get a $5
4:02
bill, it feels like a little win, like
4:04
adding to your secret stash. And when
4:06
you finally count them up, it feels like
4:08
Christmas morning. Seven. The 30-day no
4:12
impulse shopping challenge. Impulse
4:14
shopping is the silent killer of
4:15
savings. This challenge trains you to
4:18
pause for 30 days. Every time you see
4:21
something you want to buy that's not
4:23
essential, you write it down instead of
4:25
purchasing it. After 30 days, revisit
4:28
the list and see if you still want it.
4:30
Nine times out of 10, you won't. The
4:33
emotional growth here is huge. You learn
4:35
to separate want from need, and you
4:38
realize how many purchases were just
4:39
passing urges. The money saved can be
4:42
shocking, hundreds or even thousands,
4:44
depending on your habits. Eight, the
4:46
roundup challenge.
4:49
This is a modern version of the spare
4:51
change challenge, but entirely digital.
4:54
Many banks and apps offer roundup
4:56
features where every purchase you make
4:58
is rounded to the nearest dollar and the
5:00
difference goes into savings. For
5:02
example, a $4.30 coffee becomes $5 and
5:06
that 70 is tucked away.
5:09
You won't notice the difference
5:11
daytoday, but over the year, those
5:13
roundups quietly snowball. The emotional
5:16
part is watching that invisible savings
5:18
grow. It feels like you're tricking
5:19
yourself into being richer without any
5:21
effort. Nine, the onein one out
5:24
challenge. This challenge is as much
5:26
about decluttering as it is about
5:28
saving. Every time you bring something
5:30
new into your life, whether it's
5:32
clothes, gadgets, or even home decor,
5:35
you commit to getting rid of one item
5:37
you already own.
5:39
Emotionally, this makes you think twice
5:41
before buying because it forces you to
5:43
ask, "What am I willing to give up for
5:45
this?" It curbs the endless cycle of
5:48
accumulation and helps you value what
5:50
you already have. Financially, it stops
5:53
impulse purchases and can even make you
5:55
money if you resell the items you let
5:57
go. Over time, you end up with a cleaner
6:00
space, a clearer mind, and a healthier
6:02
bank account.
6:05
10. The weather the storm challenge.
6:08
This one's about preparing for the
6:09
unexpected. Imagine living one month as
6:12
if you've just lost your main source of
6:14
income, only using savings, only
6:16
spending on absolute necessities,
6:18
cutting out everything else. It's
6:20
intense, but it reveals exactly where
6:22
your money is going and shows you what's
6:24
truly essential. The emotional power
6:26
here is resilience. When you prove to
6:29
yourself that you can live lean, it
6:31
removes fear. You gain confidence that
6:33
if hard times ever hit, you'd survive.
6:36
And financially, it often reveals
6:38
hundreds or even thousands of dollars in
6:39
unnecessary spending you can trim
6:42
permanently.
6:43
11. The no eating out challenge. For one
6:46
month, commit to not eating out. No
6:48
takeout, no restaurants, no coffee runs.
6:51
Everything must be cooked at home. It's
6:53
tough, especially in the beginning, but
6:55
it saves a shocking amount of money.
6:58
Think about it. A single dinner out for
7:00
two can cost $40 to $60, which could buy
7:04
groceries for several days. The
7:07
emotional shift is powerful, too. You
7:09
build cooking skills, gain confidence in
7:11
the kitchen, and discover the joy of
7:13
shared homemade meals. By the end, many
7:15
people realize they prefer their own
7:17
food anyway. This challenge can easily
7:20
save hundreds of dollars in just 30
7:22
days. 12. The pay yourself first
7:25
challenge. This is less about
7:27
restriction and more about mindset. At
7:30
the start of every month, you challenge
7:31
yourself to save a set percentage of
7:33
your income before spending anything
7:35
else. Treat savings like a bill that
7:38
must be paid, even if it's just 10%. The
7:41
act of paying yourself first rewires
7:43
your relationship with money. It's
7:46
empowering. You're no longer saving
7:48
what's left over, which is usually
7:50
nothing. You're prioritizing your
7:52
future. The emotional win is pride. you
7:55
see your savings account grow and feel
7:57
like you're finally respecting yourself
7:59
financially.
8:01
13. The declutter to cash challenge.
8:03
Here's a challenge that doesn't just
8:05
save money, it makes money. Spend one
8:08
month decluttering your home and selling
8:10
unused items online. Old electronics,
8:13
clothes, furniture. You'd be amazed how
8:15
much value is just sitting around. The
8:18
emotional side is liberating. You feel
8:20
lighter as you let go of things, and the
8:22
extra cash becomes a bonus.
8:25
Many people make hundreds, sometimes
8:27
thousands during this challenge. It's
8:29
proof that sometimes the best way to
8:31
save money is to find hidden money you
8:33
already own. 14. The 100 envelope
8:37
challenge. This one has gone viral for a
8:40
reason. It works and it's exciting. You
8:43
get 100 envelopes and number them 1 to
8:45
100. Each day you randomly pick an
8:48
envelope and put that amount of money
8:50
inside. Some days it's easy, like $3,
8:53
$7. Other days it's tougher, like $85.
8:56
But by the time you've filled them all,
8:58
you'll have $5,50 saved. It's like
9:01
playing a game, not just saving. The
9:03
emotional rush of picking an envelope
9:05
each day keeps you motivated, and
9:07
watching the envelopes fill up is
9:08
incredibly satisfying. 15. The lifestyle
9:12
swap challenge. This is about small
9:14
swaps that save big. For 30 days,
9:17
challenge yourself to swap one expensive
9:19
habit for a cheaper or free alternative.
9:22
Brew coffee at home instead of buying
9:24
it. Walk or bike instead of driving
9:26
short distances. Stream movies instead
9:29
of going to theaters. These swaps may
9:31
feel minor, but the savings add up fast.
9:34
Emotionally, it teaches adaptability.
9:37
You learn that comfort and joy don't
9:39
have to come with a price tag. And many
9:41
people end up keeping these swaps
9:43
permanently because they realize life
9:45
feels just as good, if not better,
9:47
without the constant spending. So, there
9:50
you have it. 15 money-saving challenges
9:52
that actually work. Each one is more
9:55
than just a way to save. It's a mindset
9:57
shift, a new habit, a chance to prove to
10:00
yourself that you're stronger and
10:02
smarter with money than you thought. The
10:04
truth is saving isn't about depriving
10:07
yourself. It's about creating freedom,
10:09
options, and peace of mind.
10:13
Now, I want to hear from you. Which of
10:14
these challenges are you excited to try
10:16
first? Or maybe you've done one already.
10:19
How did it go for you?
#Finance
#Financial Planning & Management