Saving Money

Helpful Tips to Help Beat Seasonal Depression

November 4, 2019 By Amanda Blankenship 1 Comment

Winter is coming – and that’s not a Game of Thrones reference. Colder months and holidays are swiftly approaching and for many people, it is a difficult time of year. It is an especially busy time of year and brings about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), otherwise known as seasonal depression.

What is Seasonal Depression?

Between 4 and 6 percent of the American population have depression in the winter months. Mild SAD, however, can be found in 10 to 20 percent of the population. As you head further up north, it becomes even more prevalent.

As winter approaches, the days get shorter and there is less sunlight. Because of this, people’s risk of developing SAD becomes higher. Seasonal depression typically comes with all of the regular signs and symptoms of regular depression, but it coincides with a change in seasons. On top of this, winter is when many people celebrate holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. For those without family to spend the holidays with, this can be an especially depressing time of year.

Symptoms include the following:

Cravings for foods high in carbs
Hypersomnia
Low energy levels
Overeating
Social withdrawal
Weight gain

People with seasonal depression may also experience thoughts of suicide, feelings of hopelessness, and the desire to simply stay in bed all day. Thankfully, we live in a day and age where there are plenty of things you can do to battle seasonal depression.

Tips to Beating Depression Without Breaking the Bank

Battling regular depression can usually be done through implementing a daily routine, getting regular exercise, and keeping a healthy diet. Spending time outside can help as well. Unfortunately, because seasonal depression has more to do with the lack of sunlight during the winter months, affected individuals need to look for other low-cost ways to manage their depression.

Wake-up lights

Wake-up lights are exactly what they sound like. It simulates the rays from the sun to help you wake up in a more gentle way. These lights are definitely more pleasant than an alarm clock and it can help assist individuals with seasonal depression to see sunlight in the morning they’d normally not see in the winter. Wake-up lights can cost as little as $10 with the more expensive lights coming with a price tag of $150.

Smart home devices

Some people have been slow to adapt to smart home devices, but they can actually help people with SAD manage their symptoms. You don’t have to spend a ton to incorporate some of these devices into your home though. All you need is a Google Home or Alexa device and some smart light bulbs. The smart devices have gentle sleep and wake features that can brighten or dim your smart bulbs. It will slowly dim over the span of 30 minutes to help you fall asleep and slowly brighten in the mornings to wake you up. Google Homes cost between $40 and $120 and can be used for several things. Smart light bulbs can vary in price, depending on what you are looking for. The cheapest sets run about $16 for four bulbs.

Lightboxes

Have you ever heard of lightboxes? These can help people battle SAD. The boxes put out lights that simulate natural outdoor light. You can spend some time near the lights for a set amount of time per day and it could have a profound impact on managing your seasonal depression. You can grab a lightbox online for about $35.

Weighted blankets

Weighted blankets have become more popular for people with anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping. Having a good night’s rest is crucial to maintain your health, especially if you’re already suffering from SAD. Though they may not be for everyone, weighted blankets can be purchased for a relatively low cost ($30 on the cheaper end) and may help you get the sleep you need during the colder months.

These are just a few options for managing seasonal depression this winter. If you find that you’re still having trouble managing your symptoms, consider contacting your health provider. Sometimes depression and other mental health issues need to be addressed by a physician.

Lastly, if you are having thoughts of suicide or your depression becomes overwhelming, you can always call the National Suicide Hotline at 1 (800) 273-8255. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

5 Ways To Save The Old Fashioned Way

October 23, 2019 By Tamila McDonald Leave a Comment

In today’s technology-driven world, it seems like there is always a new app or online tool that says it can help you save. While many of them can, that doesn’t mean old-fashioned techniques no longer work. In fact, many of them can help you squirrel away more money, spend less, and otherwise save as well today as they did before. Here are five ways to save money the old-fashioned way that are worth using now.

1. Embrace Haggling

In many cases, if you head into a major retailer to shop, you assume that haggling is off the table. While this can be true in many cases, there are also plenty of situations where asking for a discount is actually appropriate and can yield positive results.

Usually, you can only haggle on higher cost items. For example, large appliances, furniture, mattresses, expensive electronics, and similar goods could fall into that category. Most of those products have fairly large markups, so there could be wiggle room. This is especially true if stores give their sales staff quotas and you shop at the right time, such as at the end of the month, quarter, or year.

If you are about to make a large, bulk purchase of a single item, you might also have the power to haggle. Similarly, if you are willing to buy scratch-and-dent goods, floor models, discontinued items, or the “last one,” you might be able to request a discount. When it comes to furniture, you might also have some room to haggle if you are buying a full room’s worth of furniture instead of a single piece.

Pawnshops, thrift stores, and consignment shops are usually pretty open to haggling as well. If your offer is reasonable, you might even deal with very little pushback.

When you’re shopping, consider asking for a reasonable discount, particularly if you can justify it. Worst case, they’ll simply tell you no.

Also, don’t forget about price matching. If you know that exact item is available for less elsewhere (even if it’s already pretty cheap), ask about a price match. Typically, all you’ll need to do is supply proof if the store does price matching, and that may be as simple as pulling up the item on your phone and showing the cashier.

2. Go All Cash

If you want to limit impulse spending, something that can quickly destroy your budget, consider shopping the old-fashioned way by going cash-only. Spending actually dollars and cents feels more real than when you use your debit or credit card, so you might not be as quick to buy something you don’t need.

Plus, you’ll be more aware of how much money you actually have available, as you can see it, touch it, and count it out. This may make it easier to live within your means. And, as a side benefit, when you don’t use credit cards, you’ll avoid debt and those cumbersome interest payments without any extra effort.

3. Have a Garage Sale

Garage sales have been around for ages. The reason they stand the test of time is that they are still a great way to make some money off of your excess stuff. Plus, since you can focus on items you don’t need, you get the benefit of a less cluttered home, too.

Planning a garage sale does take some effort. You’ll want to pick a day in advance so that you can gather your items, make signs, and even advertise your sale. Plus, you’ll want to get a lot of small bills and change so you can handle cash transactions before the big day.

4. Cut Those Coupons

Many people have memories of their mothers or grandmothers sitting at the dining room table and cutting coupons. While the idea may seem antiquated since most households don’t get a physical newspaper delivered any longer, it’s still something that can help you save money today.

In some areas, coupon circulars arrive in your mail, allowing you to see them even if you don’t get a paper. You could also choose to buy the newspapers with coupons (usually Wednesday and Sunday editions) for a dollar or two, as you’ll often get at least that much back in coupon savings.

Plus, there are online coupon options. Some grocery loyalty programs have integrated manufacturers’ coupons. Additionally, there are websites that allow you to clip virtual coupons and print only the ones you need or add them to your store’s loyalty card.

It does take a little time to clip coupons, but it is usually worth it. You can save quite a bit if you use them properly. Just make sure to only use coupons if they are for items you needed to buy anyway.

5. Use a Clothesline

When you need to have clean clothes, using your washer and dryer is usually the most convenient option. But, both of those appliances use energy, so they cost you money every time you turn them on.

While handwashing all of your clothes might be a bit too much, switching to a clothesline instead of using your dryer is typically pretty easy. If your weather is less than ideal, and an indoor drying rack can be a great alternative, allowing you to avoid energy-heavy dryer use.

Ultimately, all of these old-fashioned approaches can still help you save money today. Consider trying them all. Your budget will thank you if you do.

Do you have another tip to save money the old-fashioned way? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started.

Savings Tip: Cutting Down on Monthly Spending

October 16, 2019 By Susan Paige Leave a Comment

Without a proper budget and financial plan, it’s easy to spend out of your means monthly and find yourself in debt without even realizing it. Expenses can add up quickly, and you may end up spending more than you are making.

There are plenty of great methods to cutting down monthly spending that may be worth looking into when you find yourself needing to save money.

Get Some Extra Income

If you found that after creating your budget you do not have extra money to cut down on, another viable option is to get another part time job. This can be reselling clothes on a resell platform, or driving for a ridesharing app.

If you find yourself with some extra hours on the weekend, you can make some extra money to cover extra expenses! Getting a part time job bartending or waiting tables on the weekends could really potentially supplement your income, even if it is just a few extra hours during the week.

Another excellent option for getting an extra influx of cash is taking out a loan, specifically a title loan. This type of loan can let you keep driving your car while you pay off the loan and have some extra money for your budget.

Calculate What Your Spending Habits

Most people love to drink coffee in the morning. Whether it be from a big coffee chain like Starbucks or a tiny little café on your way to work, coffee expenses can add up quickly, and you can be spending over $185 a month on espressos alone! This can be an example of spending outside of your means.

One of the ways to manage your spending habits can be tracking your spending habits. An easy way to do this can be keeping a spreadsheet in your phone and recording what you spend, as well as tracking your automatic debits for more accuracy. Every time you go out to eat, or pay a credit card bill, mark it in your expenses category that matches what type of expense it is!

Create a Realistic Budget

When you find yourself in a financial pinch, sometimes one of the best steps can be creating a budget to understand your financial situation. The first step to creating a realistic budget it to start tracking your monthly expenses. Then, you can separate the expenses into two categories:

Fixed Expenses-These are expenses that do not change from month to month. They can be items like mortgage payments, rent, car payments, or utility bills.
Variable Expenses– These are expenses that will change from month to month. These are generally items like gas, eating at a restaurant, groceries, and entertainment.

By separating your monthly expenses into two categories, you are able to track what money you can save by seeing where you are overspending. If you are spending too much in your fixed expenses, consolidating bills or debt may be your answer.

If you are spending too much in the variable expenses, you may be eating out too much and need to start taking your lunch to work.

Get Control of Your Finances

With the right financial plan, you can get in control of your finances and help cut down on your extra spending!

For more on this consider reading our articles on:

The 52 Week Money Challenge

The 365 Day Money Challenge

The 52 Week Mega Money Challenge

Image source: Pixabay.

How to Save Money on Ironing Clothes

September 10, 2019 By Kathryn Vercillo 1 Comment

I don’t own a clothes iron. My lifestyle simply doesn’t require me to have ironed clothes. So, if someone were to ask me how to save money ironing clothes then my best advice would be: just don’t iron. However, I know that other people do iron their clothing. Whether it’s required for their professional lives or simply a preference, many people engage in this practice weekly, if not daily. Is it possible to save money on ironing clothes?

Buy the Right Iron and the Right Clothing

Most of the time, the key to really saving money on anything is to shop smart. If you buy the wrong materials to begin with, you waste more money over time. For example, you might find that paying a little bit more for clothes that iron easily saves you money in the long run. It can also be more efficient, saving you time. Likewise, spending money on the right iron (one that will last a long time) can help you avoid having to waste money replacing the item in the near future.

Buy the right iron.

You don’t want to buy the cheapest iron on the market. You also don’t need to buy the most expensive one. Shop around. Get the features that you need but no other frills. Find an iron with good reviews that emphasize long-lasting durability and good performance. Look for energy-saving models.

Buy clothing that doesn’t need to be ironed.

When looking for professional clothing, you can often find a “no iron” mention in the product description. You can also learn about different materials that generally stay wrinkle-free without ironing. Wool and other knits, denim, and rayon are just a few examples of fabrics that don’t typically need to be ironed.

Proper Preparation: Before You Iron

It’s important to have a routine for everything you do regularly in your life. Setting up the right routine can help save time. Done correctly, it can also help you save money. There are certain things that you can do to prepare your clothing for ironing. Here are those tips:

Remove clothing from the dryer immediately.

Hang clothing neatly as soon as you remove it from the dryer. Therefore, you minimize wrinkles. Even if you need to iron the item, you won’t have to spend nearly so much time doing it as you would if you had left the clothes in the dryer for days and allowed wrinkles to set in.

If you are the type of person who irons your linens, then the trick here is to fold them rather than hang them. Remove them from the dryer promptly. Fold them on top of the warm dryer, smoothing them down so that they are crisp. This typically eliminates the need to iron. At the very least, you won’t have to iron for long.

Don’t do your laundry and then let it sit. Don’t let it sit in the dryer. Make sure you don’t just move it from the dryer to a basket. If you want to have wrinkle-free clothing, make time in your routine to hang or fold everything as it comes out of the just-finished drying cycle.

Steam out wrinkles while you shower.

You just woke up. Your work clothes have wrinkles in them. Take them into the bathroom with you while you shower. Hang them up and shower as usual. The steam from your shower will help remove some of the wrinkles. You may find that you don’t even need to iron after all. If you do, the clothes are ready for very quick ironing.

Get your items ready to iron.

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t actually just iron one set of clothing at a time like in the above example. Instead, you should iron as much as possible at once. Just like it’s a waste to put one item in the dryer, it’s a waste to turn your iron on just to iron one thing. Therefore, you should set aside ironing time and do sets of items all at once.

Before you even turn on the iron, you should sort your items into piles. At the very least, sort into lightweight items and dense, heavy items. You should iron all of the lightweight items first, warming up the iron. Then you should move on to the batch of heavier items.

How to Avoid Energy Waste When Ironing

As you can see, a lot of the money that you can save on ironing happens before you even begin the ironing process. Once you start ironing, the most important thing is to avoid wasting energy. The longer an iron is on, the more energy you use; therefore, the more money you spend to use it. Here are some tips to avoid energy waste with your iron:

Clean the iron.

If your iron is dirty then you cause yourself unnecessary hassle. It also takes longer to iron your clothes. Therefore, make sure that you begin with a clean iron. Wipe the face of it down before you begin ironing.

If it’s a steam iron, check for mineral deposits before you start to iron. If they’re on there, they can get steamed into the clothes, which can ruin your clothing. Then you’ll have to buy more clothing, which is a waste of money.

Use the right heat setting.

You do not have to use the highest heat setting every time that you iron your clothing. In fact, each type of clothing does best with a specific level of heat. If you use too much heat, you might even burn your clothing and have to replace it. More than that, though, you’re just wasting your iron’s energy if you’re ironing with more heat than it requires. Figure out the best heat setting for each of your clothing items. Write it down so you remember it for next time.

Additional Tips to Save Money on Ironing Clothes

Finally, here are some additional tips to keep in mind to save money on ironing clothes:

Don’t iron if you don’t have to. It’s truly not always necessary. Relax a little about it when you can.
Iron when you have time to iron. If the iron is just sitting there while you do other things then you’re wasting energy. Focus on the task at hand. Turn the iron on, do all of your ironing, and then turn the iron off.
Try using spray starch. Some people find that they enjoy the crisp feeling of spray starch. Plus, it cuts down on ironing time. Of course, you do pay to buy the starch, so this might be a financial wash. It’s a personal preference.
Turn the iron off as soon as you finish ironing. Make sure that you immediately unplug it. Don’t allow vampire energy to run up your electric bill.

Read More:

20 Money Saving Duct Tape Uses

January 26, 2019 By Alexa Mason 5 Comments

Wikipedia defines duct tape as a: “cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape – often coated with polyethylene.”

Any way you define it, duct tape is a pretty amazing invention. In fact, duct tape is so amazing that its used on nearly every NASA mission. However, you don’t have to be a NASA rocket scientist to know that having something handy like duct tape around the house can help you save money. Here are twenty money saving duct tape uses.

1. Hide Secret Car Keys

Just tape a copy of your car key to the underside of your car with duct tape. As long as you get a good seal with the tape, you’ll never get locked out of your car again. No need for a key magnet box. Total savings $4-6.

2. Make Flypaper

No need to spring for flypaper, just go ahead and attach a few foot long strips of duct tape to the rafters or ceiling of where you are staying. The stickyness on the tape will act like flypaper and you’ll be rid of the bugs in no time flat. You can also just roll up the tape and toss it in trash when you are done. No need to for messy clean up. Total savings: $5 – $8.

3. Replace Shower Curtain Grommets

Cheap shower curtains are prone to ripping, especially at the eyelet where shower curtain hooks attach to the curtain. Instead of getting a new curtain or dealing with expensive repair kids, just make repairs with your duct tape. Once the curtain is dry, cut a rectangular piece of duct tape and fold it front to back over the torn hole. Cut a hole in the tape with a razor blade or scissors and push the ring back in place. Your curtain should work just fine. Don’t buy shower curtain saver – total savings: $6 – $7.

4. Repair A Vacuum Hose

Hoses on vacuum cleaners can be prone to fatigue and cracking. If the hose has developed a leak the suction in the cleaner can be less effective. Wrap a bit of tape around the rip or crack. Your hose should last until the rest of the vacuum hardware gives out. Don’t get a new hose. Total savings: $25.

5. Remove Clothing Lint & Pet Hair

If you’re getting prepped to go to a meeting or out for the evening and you see pet hairs or lint on your clothing, just cut a bit of tape and wrap it around your hand sticky side out. Roll the tap against your clothing with the rocking motion until you’ve got all the hair or lint. Don’t wipe your clothing, that could impact the fabric. No need for a lint roller. Total savings: $5.

6. Make Children’s Toys

There are a number of children’s toys that you can make using duct tape. One favorite is a toy sword for those junior pirates you’ve got around the house. Just sketch a kid sized sword on a piece of cardboard. Use two pieces if you don’t have one that’s thick enough. Be sure the sword size is small enough so that your child’s hand can fit comfortable around it once it jhas been increased in thickness by several layers of tape. Then cut out the sword and wrap up the blade area a layer or two of silver duct tape. Wrap the handle in black tape.

You can also make armor, helmets or other fun costumes this way. Along these lines a favorite is a tin man costume made out of cardboard & duct tape for Halloween.

Don’t buy expensive kids play swords or costumes. Total savings: $5 – $50.

7. Repair Plastic Trash Cans

Plastic trash cans often split or crack along joints. Instead of tossing out the can with the rest of the trash, repair the crack with duct tape. Typically duct tape is strong enough to withstand the abuse that plastic trash cans can take. If you apply it carefully, the tape should also have no problems adhering to curved or ridged surfaces. Put tape over both the inside and the outside of the can. Don’t buy a new trash can, instead repair the old one! Total savings: $5 – $200.

8. Protect Floors From Scuffing

To keep the legs of your furniture from scratching the flooring, put some tape on the bottom of each legs. This will help your floors from getting marred. This is especially important if you have soft hardwood floors and heavy metal furniture, such as a cafe table. Don’t buy special scratch pads. Total savings: $2 – $14.

9. Protect Gas Hoses

Of all the duct tape uses out there, avid grillers know that sometimes mice and other animals can chew on rubber. One target of those pesky creatures is the rubber hose which connects the gas grill to the propane tank. You can protect this hose by wrapping it in duct tape. Prevent yourself from needing to buy a new connecting hose. Total savings: $13 – $56.

10. Fix Loose Battery Compartment Covers

Doesn’t it just drive you up a wall when you have a remote control where the back panel covering the battery compartment seems to keep coming off? Just put a little strip of duct tape on there to keep it from coming off and you’re set. No need to buy a new remote. Total savings: $3 – $50.

11. Create Gift Tags

Instead of heading out to the store to purchase tags for your gifts, just grab a bit of duct tape and make the tags yourself. Duct tape is great at holding ink, so just use a sharpie to mark who the gift is for and who it is from. Total savings: $3 – $20.

12. Make A Bookmark

This idea is for you readers/collectors out there. If you are reading a favorite book and don’t want to bother with getting a fancy bookmark, just grab a piece of duct tape, and fold it in half sticky side in. Viola, you’ve got a handy book mark. Don’t bother with fancy monogrammed paper or jazzy plastic clips. Total savings: $3 – $34.

13. Repair Seams of Ski Gloves

This is a pretty commonly discussed use for duct tape. When your ski gloves wear out, and they typically do at seams, put some tape over the tear so that it doesn’t get worse. This should prolong the life of the gloves. You can also use colored tape to match the color of the glove so the repair doesn’t look low rent. Don’t buy new gloves. Total savings: $13 – $110.

14. Use Tape To Seal Cracks In Duct Work

If you own a home, check your ducts and tape off any open seams. A lot of heat ends up wasted in basements or crawl spaces where it is not needed. Don’t pay for the waste. Instead, be sure your ducts are sealed tightly. Total savings: 2-5% off your monthly energy bills.

15. Repair Tail or Headlights

Car parts retail at an extremely high mark up over manufacturer’s cost. If have a situation where the glass in a headlight or tail light becomes separate from the light assembly, simply run some tape around the top edge of the assembly with most of it under the hood edge, it should fix the problem just fine. Don’t get a new light. Total savings: $128.

16. Repair Bicycle Tires

Some riders, such as competitive mountain bikers can be extremely hard on their bike tires. Inner tubes are likely to give out or tires can get ripped or torn. Don’t get a tire repair kit. Instead, repair the damage using some duct tape. Total savings: $6 – $7.

17. Temporarily Hem Your Pants

You’ve found a terrific pair of jeans, but the length isn’t right. You expect a little shrinkage anyway, so why drop 20 dollars to have a tailor hem your pants? Besides, thick denim jeans are difficult to sew through. Consider taking up the hem with duct tape. The new hem will work in a pinch and should hold through a couple of washings. Total savings: $20.

18. Temporarily Insulate Cracks In Windows

In older houses, windows don’t always close well, especially at the bottom of the frame. If you don’t have any weather stripping handy, consider using duct tape to create filler to block up any cracks. This will keep insects or other vermin from getting in your home and will block out any drafty wind. Total savings $3-18 plus utility bill savings.

19. Secure Diapers to Baby

Some children or toddlers prefer to take off their diapers when they should not. This typically leads to more time spent cleaning up baby messes and higher costs for diapers, wipes and cleaning supplies. One way around this is to wrap a strip of duct tape around the child’s diaper to hold it firmly in place. The tape is tough enough so that your child can’t tear the diaper off when you aren’t around. Total savings: lots of headaches.

20. Make a Roach Trap

Want to catch roaches, but don’t want to spray your home with noxious chemicals? Just get a 4 inch strip of duct tape, fold the edges over by about a half inch on both rip ends. Pinch the ends so the tape is slightly creased. Get some peanut butter and put it in center. Don’t use too much. Then flip it over so that the sticky part is facing down. Smaller German cockroaches will go for the peanut butter and their backs will get stuck to the tape. If you want to catch the bigger ones, just lay out a trap with the sticky side up. Don’t buy roach traps or hire an exterminator. Total savings: $12 – $150.

Bonus: three questions about duct tape.

Can duct tape be used for removing warts? According to the manufacturer, 3M corporation, as of 2005 duct tape has not been scientifically tested for removing warts.
Can duct tape be used to secure the duct from an household dryer to outdoors? No, dryer temperatures may exceed 200F, which is beyond the maximum temperature the duct tape can withstand.
Is duct tape waterproof? The backing of the tape is waterproof, however the adhesive is not. Duct tape will hold up in water for a while, however the adhesive will eventually give out so it is not a good fix when long term water immersion is involved (source: Readers’ Digest).

Finally, if you are going to buy duct tape, consider buying in bulk. Rolls of 3M utility duct tape get progressively cheaper as you buy more. For example on amazon.com the two pack retails for $20.29 or $10.15 a roll. The three pack retails for $28.49 or $9.50 a roll. If you are going to shop from Amazon, try getting used. Used rolls tend to be a couple of bucks cheaper because the packaging has been damaged.

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26 Week Money Challenge: Build Your Savings Faster

January 11, 2019 By James Hendrickson Leave a Comment

A few years ago when I first heard about money challenges, I thought they might just be another opportunity for people to humblebrag about their money. However, since then, I’ve tried money challenges myself and now believe they’re actually effective in reaching savings goals.

Whether it be a fitness challenge or a money challenge, internet challenges help millions of people reach their goals. This is why I created the 26 week money challenge, which helps you build up to saving a quarter of your income.

How Money Challenges Work

Before learning about the 26 week money challenge, you should be aware of how money challenges work. Money challenges are typically online challenges which help people save more money. Many people start with the 365 Day Money Challenge or the 52 Week Money Challenge. These money challenges usually have you save a certain amount of money each day or week and slowly increase it over time. S0metimes the process doesn’t work for everyone, so, like me, others have decided to design personalized money challenges.

The 26 Week Money Challenge

When you hear the words “26 Week Money Challenge” you might think of the bi-weekly money challenge. However, this version of the 26 Week Money Challenge simply takes place over half a year (or 26 weeks). Like other money challenges, you can start at any time of the year and simply follow the week-by-week organizational chart below. (I’ve filled it out with my first 26 Week Money Challenge, based on a $1,000 per week salary).

Unlike many other money challenges, the 26 Week Money Challenge helps you increase the amount you save week-by-week through percentages instead of dollar amounts. Week one you’ll save 1% of your week’s salary, 2% week two, 3% week three and so on. After the end of the 26 Week Money Challenge, you’ll be saving approximately a quarter of your salary (which is a commonly recommended gauge on how much you should be saving). After the challenge is over, you can simply continue saving at the level you end up with at the end of the challenge.

Click here for a blank, downloadable version of the 26 Week Money Challenge.

Other Money Challenges to Try

If the 26 Week Money Challenge above doesn’t seem like it’s for you, don’t worry. No one’s financial needs are the same. There are plenty of other money challenges out there for you to try. Over the years, internet users have adjusted the original money challenges to better suit their saving needs. Here are just a few money challenges you might want to try:

It seems like there’s a money challenge out there for everybody. No matter which way you do it, deciding to save money is one of the most important decisions you’ll make… even if it’s just a couple dollars a day.

A Savings App Can Help

Money challenges are easy ways to get your savings started. However, you can also try a savings app that automates the process for you like Digit. For instance, first, choose a money challenge, then supplement your savings with an automated approach like the digit.co app.

Digit.co is a favorite because its super easy to use. Just sign up and let the program analyze your checking account. It will then make small automated withdrawals which don’t impact your spending and sweeps them into an account you control. It is a super easy way to save money without a lot of effort. Click here to check it out.

Have you ever tried a money challenge or savings app? Did you have success? Share with us in the comments below.

Photo Credit: 401K 2012