We’ve mentioned going on a spending diet in the past.
While it might be a good idea to stop all non-essential spending once in a while, we came up with a way to save $500 in a month without completely changing your routine.
Below, we’ve outlined 30 days worth of savings and extra money making plans to give us a total of $500.00.
Please note that each day’s savings / earnings are estimates to get us to an even $500 total, your savings could be a little less some days and higher on others. You get the picture.
Feel free to repeat daily goals to save even more!
Table of Contents
Day 1 : $4.75
Gather up the loose change from your car or the pile that’s sitting on top of your washing machine.
Day 2 : $5.00
Sign up for Swagbucks and get a extra $5.00 bonus.
Day 3 : $6.00
Skip the morning pit stop for breakfast and eat at home.
Day 4 : $6.50
Use a BOGO fast food coupon for lunch and split the cost with a co-worker, or split a Little Cesasars Hot-N-Ready $5.00 pizza. That’s lunch for $2.50!
Day 5 : $7.25
Skip your usual coffee run. Or cash in on your Starbucks rewards and get a free coffee instead!
Day 6 : $9.50
Sell a book that you’re never going to read again.
Day 7 : $10.00
Sign up for Ebates and make a cool extra $10.00.
Day 8 : $10.00
Make an extra $10.00 by testing out a website.
Day 9 : $10.25
Plan ahead and take your lunch to work.
If you can make this one a daily habit, you’ll save a ton!
Day 10 : $14.75
Pick up a quick gig on Fiverr.
The opportunities are endless here.
Write a poem, sing a song, make a video review, draw a picture, tell a joke, promote a company. The list goes on and on.
There’s really a gig for everyone on Fiverr.
Day 11: $15.00
Skip the car wash, hand wash your car and keep all the change you find as well!
Day 12 : $15.00
Get paid to scan your grocery receipts. These can add up to a lot of extra cash!
Day 13 : $16.25
Walk a dog or two. Stay healthy, make a new friend and earn a little pocket money.
Day 14: $19.00
Get half price movie tickets at Dealflicks. Treat the family to a movie night, but save on those ticket costs!
Day 15: $20.50
Sell a gift card that’s been in your wallet forever. If you’re never going to use it, sell it before you lose it.
Day 16: $21.00
Get your hair cut at a beauty school instead of your regular shop.
Beauty colleges and barber schools offer services at a huge discount.
Students and instructors both perform services, but even if a student is providing your service, they are being supervised by an expert.
Day 17: $21.00
Ditch the gym membership and hit up a park for free!
Are you one of the 67% of people with a gym membership that never uses it?
Day 18: $22.25
Teach an English class online.
You may find that you enjoy it, and turn it into a regular side hustle.
Day 19: $23.00
Find something free to do in a city near you.
Treat yourself to a day of fun, without spending money.
Day 20: $23.00
Eat all 3 meals at home.
Fast food and sit down restaurant tabs add up quick!
Day 21: $23.50
Skip the salon and give yourself a mani/pedi at home!
Day 22: $24.25
Have friends over for happy hour at home instead of the usual bar.
Make a few snacks and ask friends to BYOB.
It will be just as fun, but super cheap!
Day 23: $24.50
Skip the groomer, give your dog a bath at home.
(Pro tip #1: Fill a spoon with peanut butter and tape the handle to the side of your tub to keep your pup calm and occupied during her spa treatment).
(Pro tip #2: If you enjoy 70’s era disco music, you can also sing “Workin’ at the Paw Wash” during bath time. It’s really just more fun for everyone that way).
Day 24 : $17.50
Head to the library to get a book or movie for free! Entertainment costs can really add up, but a library card is free!
Day 25 : $16.75
Clip some coupons! You don’t have to be a professional extreme couponer to save some extra cash!
Day 26: $18.00
Deliver a package, groceries or food and make some extra money in your spare time.
Day 27: $18.50
Take some surveys. Why not earn money while you’re binge watching your favorite show?
Day 28: $25.00
Sell that pair of boots you’re never going to wear again.
I know, they’re reallllly cute…
But, they killed your feet last time you wore them and now they’re just lonely in the closet.
You’ll be happy with the money, and they’ll be happier with someone else who can take them out and show them the town.
Day 29: $26.00
Skip the theater, watch a movie at home.
An entire jar of popcorn kernels is only about $3.00 in the grocery store!
Day 30: $26.00
Cop a free dinner at a family member or friend’s house.
They miss you!
Enjoy some quality time with your loved ones, they’ll happily feed you.
MoneyPantry’s 30 Day Saving Challenge
I have created a free printable chart for this challenge and converted it to a PDF file.
PDF Download: MoneyPantry’s 30 Day Money Saving Challenge (pdf)
The chart includes 5 columns:
- Checkbox: Check the box each day you finish the challenge for that day.
- Day: day of the challenge.
- What to do: Explains what you have to do to save the required amount for that specific day.
- Saved: How much you saved that day.
- Balance: The total you have saved so far.
You can either download the PDF and keep it as a digital file, or you can print it out and stick it on your fridge.
I think it’s a better idea to print it out and put it on the fridge so you can see it everyday. That’ll help you remember to do the challenge for the day.
Final thoughts
Saving money is a tough job for most of us. However, if you really look at where your money is going each month, it’s not too hard to make adjustments here and there to start growing your nest egg.
Your future self with thank you for it!!
What simple adjustments have you made in your life to save extra money?
Leave a comment and share your tips, we’d love to hear them!
