52-Week Savings Challenge

[butterflygirl812]

I'm in for this one too. I made a list of each dollar amount, $1-$52, and each week, whatever cash I have left from that weeks' allotment will go toward marking off one of these amounts. For the first week, I turned all of my coins into cash, and managed to mark off both the $52 and $19 slots, so I'm actually a week ahead!
I'm saving this year to get a large quilt made of all my kids baby clothes. When this is done, I will also be getting rid of a ton of boxes in my closets!!

 

[1Grumpy9]

I did the same thing...I had $10, extra last week, so I put that in my account and I am good until the 31st, unless I have some extra and I can put in some extra to be a little ahead of time so I am not worried about having the money when money is tight. Of course, if it works out right and I am not searching for extra money for Christmas next year, I can just add that into my savings account and it is just some extra.

 

[Snoozan]

I've also started this 52 week challenge and am just going to put into what I can each week. I'm going to try to knock off as many of the high $ weeks while I'm still excited about this! I'm planning on using my savings for Christmas so want to have as much saved as possible by October, when I usually get serious about shopping.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Mailing out my first payment tomorrow to my credit union $52
I have no idea what I'm going to do with the money I save. Last years challenge I only saved about $900-$1000. I left that in my savings account.

 

[timmac]

I feel like we see the same or similar post just about every year, shortly after the new year. In the classical example, where you do $1, then $2, etc... I wonder how many people from last year actually followed through with it all year long?

While I don't mean to sound like DreamCrusher or anything, it seems like there are a lot more posts in January about how awesome the idea is, how people have already paid week 1, and all the grandiose plans for what to do with the money. Feels a bit "cart before horse" to me, at risk of sounding cynical.

I do like some of the ideas posted here about going in reverse, picking at random, or crossing values off a list.. I suspect those approaches might meet with greater success. For the reverse method, I wouldn't be surprised if part way through the year some people simply decide to not reduce the values at all, and actually end up ahead of the game.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with the money I save. Last years challenge I only saved about $900-$1000. I left that in my savings account.

I appreciate the candor of someone actually saying how it went for them! That you got about 2/3 of the way to the ideal total is pretty good

 

[ashmckmom]

Hi all
I am new to this board, and have just made the decision to go back to WDW in June 2015 (last trip Nov 2012) with our dance studio. This time we want to fly and stay on property for at least a week,maybe as long as 2 weeks. I too came across the 52 week challenge and started it, adding to it giving up my weekly Chinese take out. Instead I will do it every other week and add that $50 to the jar. The weeks we do take out, adding $25 to the jar.
I may be biting off more than I can chew with this one but a girl can plan and dream, right???

 

[superme80]

I feel like we see the same or similar post just about every year, shortly after the new year. In the classical example, where you do $1, then $2, etc... I wonder how many people from last year actually followed through with it all year long?

While I don't mean to sound like DreamCrusher or anything, it seems like there are a lot more posts in January about how awesome the idea is, how people have already paid week 1, and all the grandiose plans for what to do with the money. Feels a bit "cart before horse" to me, at risk of sounding cynical.

I do like some of the ideas posted here about going in reverse, picking at random, or crossing values off a list.. I suspect those approaches might meet with greater success. For the reverse method, I wouldn't be surprised if part way through the year some people simply decide to not reduce the values at all, and actually end up ahead of the game.

While this is true. I fizzeled out after 2 weeks...I still have my $3 in the envelope!!!!!

Hi all
I am new to this board, and have just made the decision to go back to WDW in June 2015 (last trip Nov 2012) with our dance studio. This time we want to fly and stay on property for at least a week,maybe as long as 2 weeks. I too came across the 52 week challenge and started it, adding to it giving up my weekly Chinese take out. Instead I will do it every other week and add that $50 to the jar. The weeks we do take out, adding $25 to the jar.
I may be biting off more than I can chew with this one but a girl can plan and dream, right???

Good luck!

 

[kristinradico]

I planned to do it in order. Quickly I realized that might not be the best. Every week whatever cash I have left over I will just add it. Then of course right it down . So far I did $3 (left over from lunch one day) then $5 (I sold something on a FB page!) This will be our Christmas present budget!

 

[MickeyManiac]

I feel like we see the same or similar post just about every year, shortly after the new year. In the classical example, where you do $1, then $2, etc... I wonder how many people from last year actually followed through with it all year long?

While I don't mean to sound like DreamCrusher or anything, it seems like there are a lot more posts in January about how awesome the idea is, how people have already paid week 1, and all the grandiose plans for what to do with the money. Feels a bit "cart before horse" to me, at risk of sounding cynical.

I do like some of the ideas posted here about going in reverse, picking at random, or crossing values off a list.. I suspect those approaches might meet with greater success. For the reverse method, I wouldn't be surprised if part way through the year some people simply decide to not reduce the values at all, and actually end up ahead of the game.

I did the challenge in reverse last year and did follow through all year long. I did not miss a week. As I got into December I decided I could do $10 or $20 week instead of $10 for the month so I ended up with more than $1400. It was a great motivator for me because I could challenge myself.

I transferred my $52 dollars last Friday so I'm off and running for this year.

 

[ashmckmom]

I <3 the idea of going backwards...that could be more motivating to see the $$ add up faster... I just added up the cost of airfare (we have driven 3x to FL and my 8yr old DD has not flown on an airplane yet) as well as the estimated package costs and oh boy.....I am going to have to be pretty disciplined to pull this off.

Where there are ears there is a way!

 

[1Grumpy9]

I have not done the 52 week challenge before, but I have been taking my spare change and putting it in my container. I also have been throwing in extra paper money when I had it to the container. I did that for a year (now it isn't like the 52 week challenge, but it was my start for this past trip I took). I also saved my IRS check all year and used that as my spending money for my Christmas trip to WDW. When I turned in my change bucket, I had $200.00 in it. That took a large dent out of my money needed to buy park tickets for that trip.

I am continuing with my change bucket and I shall see what happens when I go to cash that in to my bank in October (right before I plan on going to WDW again).

I started this to see if I can do it all year (it is going to be my chance to see if I can). Also, it would give me the chance to save up to send my parents to WDW for their 50th wedding anniversary.

 

[lnuss1988]

I wrote up two 52 week challenges for Myself and my DH. We have an emptied animal cracker container. It's MASSIVE. We decided to to the 52 week challenge, but instead of going in order, we are going to pick a week with an amount that we can afford and then cross it off the list.

With us both doing this we will be putting double in our WDW savings container!!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I think I saw this on the other thread about this but can't find it now but remember someone saying they were going to put the weekly strips in something then randomly draw one out each week. I've decided to do that to "mix it up" and have fun anticipating it each week. I just hope I don't get all the "high amounts" all at one time!

It will all wash out in the end but hopefully this will spread it out a little more. I'm still going to mark off or highlight each week I've done and that way I'll know what numbers I keep drawing - lol.

Heather

 

[lnuss1988]

I think I saw this on the other thread about this but can't find it now but remember someone saying they were going to put the weekly strips in something then randomly draw one out each week. I've decided to do that to "mix it up" and have fun anticipating it each week. I just hope I don't get all the "high amounts" all at one time!

It will all wash out in the end but hopefully this will spread it out a little more. I'm still going to mark off or highlight each week I've done and that way I'll know what numbers I keep drawing - lol.

Heather

Thats a great idea of a way to do the 52 week challenge!! We are just picking weeks that best fit our out go of money for each week and then crossing it off. With both my DH and I doing this it'll double our savings for the year!!

 

[Therinian]

My husband and I are doing this challenge. For the first 2 months, we are each putting in our own $1, $2, $3, etc..., but starting in March, we're splitting the weekly amounts, because there's no way I can afford to put $50 in the account on week 50 (for instance), but can do $25.

I'd love to do the reverse 52-Week Challenge, but right now, this works for us. I can't wait to hear more of your stories about tackling this challenge!

 

[dreamin_disney]

Is here a reversed chart with dates ? The dates seem to help me keep better track.

Just curious looking at my calendar sunday-sat is Dec 29-jan 4 so is that
week 1 or are you all counting Jan 1- Jan 7 week 1 ? Just asking because I saw a chart that was
jan1-jan7 week 1
jan 8-14 week 2
etc

 

[tcherjen]

Going to try it in reverse order.

 

[penguin1102]

How is everyone's savings going? We are actually a week ahead on ours.

 

[descovy]

Pretty good! I am doing it in a random sort of way...

52 envelopes labeled 1-52. Every Friday I pick one and take cash out of my wallet. So far I have filled 51, 9, 42.

My dh is doing the same thing. He filled 28, 16, 7.

My goal is to have low numbered envelopes in Dec and fill as full as I can each week... Depending on the circumstances.

It's a game... And I'm having fun playing!

 

[penguin1102]

Pretty good! I am doing it in a random sort of way... 52 envelopes labeled 1-52. Every Friday I pick one and take cash out of my wallet. So far I have filled 51, 9, 42. My dh is doing the same thing. He filled 28, 16, 7. My goal is to have low numbered envelopes in Dec and fill as full as I can each week... Depending on the circumstances. It's a game... And I'm having fun playing!

I like that both you and your DH are doing it and that you are having fun. It is going to be fun to hear what everyone is going to do with their money at the end of the year.