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52 Week Money Challenge – How to Easily Boost Your Savings to $1,378

Jeff Rose, CFP® | March 01, 2022

Raise your hand if you know you should have more in your savings account.

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

Bankrate earlier reported that over 75% of Americans don’t have enough cash savings to cover their expenses for 6 months.

27% don’t have any savings at all!!

#ouch

Before I got married, I had very little cash.   I was (and still am) a spender.

After my wife and I tied the knot I think we maybe had a whopping $500 cash in the bank.

While I was deployed to Iraq we made a conscious goal to boost our savings.  Our 1st goal was $1,000 inspired by Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps.

Our goal gradually increased where we eventually amassed up to 12 months of our expenses in cash.

Why Cash?

Many people don’t see the importance of having so much cash on hand.  In my book, I talk about having a FRAGO  (Financial Reserves and Goal Obligation) fund.

Because having cash on hand doesn’t just protect you from emergencies, it helps you achieve short-term and long-term goals.

When we built our dream home and I took a risk in starting my own firm, there’s no way we could have pulled it off had we not been diligent with our savings.

That didn’t happen over night.   It all started small when I was deployed.

Feel like you don’t have the extra cash to save? Check out our post on ways to make extra money, including becoming an Uber driver, which is nice because with this extra side hustle you can create your own schedule according to your flexibility and in turn, have extra cash to save towards your goal!

Starting Small – The 52 Week Plan to Boost Your Savings

I can’t  take credit for this concept.  In fact, I’m not even sure who came up with it.  All I know is that I’ve seen the 52 Week Savings chart everywhere.

How does the 52 week challenge work?   It’s so freaking simple which makes it that much more awesome.

The 1st week you deposit $1 into your best savings account.   The 2nd week you deposit $2 into your savings account.  The 3rd week you deposit $3.

You get the picture?

By the 52th week after you deposit $52 you’ll have accumulated $1,378.  And that’s not including interest!

If you have struggled having cash in your savings account, this challenge is for you!

But in case that isn’t much of an incentive to start saving, what if I offered you real cash?

That’s right: Cash Money!

Do I have your attention now?

If so, read on….

Double Your Savings Account

The wife and I are excited about getting people to really start saving. My deployment to Iraq was the catalyst that got our saving rolling.

We’re hoping this challenge is your catalyst. And for those that make the entire 52 weeks we want to reward one lucky person with an awesome prize.

We want to double what you’ve saved and match your $1,378.

That’s right. One super lucky person that personally saves $1,378 will be awarded the same amount.

Now are you inspired to save? WE hope so! 🙂

Want to know how excited we are?

This excited:

savings challenge

So excited that we took a selfie holding a piggy bank minutes before we were rushing to get our kids off to school.   🙂

Rules of the Competition

First, you’re more than welcome to take on this challenge without following the below steps.   BUT….if you want to be eligible for the prize pool, this is how it will go down:

  • Step 1:  Leave a comment below announcing you’ve joined the challenge.
  • Step 2: Open a *FREE* brand new savings account with Capital One 360 (affiliate link).
  • Step 3: Coordinate with your current bank to facilitate the weekly transfers
  • Step 4: Winners must provide confirmation email showing the new account opened and a screenshot of the balance in their account after the 52 weeks

Updated:

(Note:  we realize that people could take advantage of this situation and make it look like they completed the challenge. For that, we reserve the right to disqualify anyone that we feel is being dishonest. We may ask for additional info to verify you did complete the challenge.  Thanks for reader Anthony for suggesting that we add this).

That’s it! Taking on this challenge will finally get your savings account to a level it’s never been AND you have a chance to double it.

All for taking action right now.

A few questions you might have.

Why Capital One 360?   There are several online savings account you can choose from.  We just think they are one of the best.   It’ s free to setup and super easy to open.  Open an account today and see how easy it is.

Why does it have to be a new account?  We want this account to be separate from any other savings account you have so your less tempted to touch.  How many times have you started a savings account only to raid it for some purchase?  This will hopefully prevent that.

Can anyone sign up? Not quite.  You have to be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. Resident.

When’s the deadline to sign up?  You have until January 31, 2014 to get started.   You have plenty of time BUT don’t procrastinate!!

Want This Free Download?

I created this slick looking PDF to keep you inspired for the 52 Week Challenge.

Download the Free Worksheet and you’ll also get access to a ton of other free resources I’ve created directly for the GF¢ community.

Share the love?

Inspire your friends, co-workers and family members to join this challenge with you.

I’ve joined the 52 Week Savings Challenge at GoodFinancialCents via @jjeffrose & @houseofrose Click HERE to Tweet

Make this YOUR year that you get your savings on track!

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About the Author

Jeff Rose, CFP® is a Certified Financial Planner™, founder of Good Financial Cents, and author of the personal finance book Soldier of Finance. Jeff is an Iraqi combat veteran and served 9 years in the Army National Guard. His work is regularly featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Inc.com and Entrepreneur.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    I just knew deep down in my soul I was going to win this but completely forgot to do the screen shot thing. I still wanted to thank you for the encouragement to do this. It really have been able to get into the habit of saving!

    Reply
  2. Sue says

    Whats up with this Jeff? Have you chosen a winner? Does everyone that participated need to send in verification before you pick a winner?

    Reply
  3. Ted says

    Congratulations to Heather! And thanks to Jeff and GFC for the inspiration. For the first time in a many years, my family did not incur any new debt in 2014 to be carried over into 2015. A big part of that was due to the money I saved during the challenge. Santa’s service fees will be paid off this month!!. Woot!! Good luck to everyone in 2015!

    Reply
  4. Jeff Rose says

    Congrats to Heather B. for winning the 52 Week Money Savings Challenge.

    Great job on everyone that took part and finished. If you didn’t finish, don’t stress! 2015 is your year. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Shannon says

    Hey Jeff! Thanks for motivating us all to save. So great to see the money add up week after week – and now use some of it for an earmarked vacation. Can’t wait to do the challenge in 2015 as well! Has a winner been announced yet? Thanks!!

    Reply
  6. Ben says

    I took part in the challenge this year and can I say how excited I am to have saved over $1,300 rather effortlessly! Has the winner of this year’s challenge been announced yet? Will there be another challenge in 2015? I am planning to save again regardless, but may do it backwards this year (to make the challenge get easier as the year goes along and to take advantage of increased interest).

    Reply
  7. Tawnya LaFave says

    Super excited to see who the winner is!

    Reply
  8. Nicole says

    I’ve completed the challenge as well. Where do I send the screenshots confirming participation?

    Such a great program and am definitely doing it again in 2015!

    Thanks Jeff!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Nicole we’re picking the winner this week and then verifying if they completed the challenge. We’ll announce soon who the lucky person is! 🙂

      Reply
      • Ted says

        Thanks for the update Jeff! Is it safe to say, that if we haven’t been contacted for verification, then we haven’t been chosen as the winner?

        Reply
        • Jeff Rose says

          @Ted As of right now. I’ve contacted the winner but they’ve yet to respond. If I don’t hear from them soon we’ll then contact another winner at random. So there’s still a chance! 🙂

          Reply
          • Mark says

            Hi Jeff, checking in on this contest again…maybe you could post the winner’s first name in case your email to them got filtered out somehow?

            I started saving anew in 2015 – what a great idea. Thank you!

            Reply
  9. Mark says

    Hi Jeff, we did it! We actually decided to double down and do it with my wife’s income and my own!! Where do we send our PDF proof of the 52-weeks of savings that we have accomplished? Thanks so much for this idea and encouragement. We’re definitely going to continue with the program in 2015.

    Reply
  10. Nicole R says

    I have one week left in the challenge – did I start too late last year to still qualify for the double savings prize??

    Reply
  11. Ted says

    Happy Movember Everyone! I was wondering how everyone was doing in the home stretch for this challenge! We had a couple months in which it looked like I would have to dip into this fund for extreme emergencies, but we managed to tough it out and keep this sealed up. So far so good for the end of the year! Thanks to Jeff Rose for inspiring all of us to save this much for ourselves.

    Reply
    • Anthony Sanchez says

      Hey Ted,

      Congratulations on keeping up with the challenge. I’m happy to report that I’m squared away for completing it on time and within the Jeff’s rules. Thankfully, we didn’t experience any trying times where we might have dipped into this fund and it was enjoyable forgetting about it (outside of making the deposits) and coming back to it here and there to see it grow. We’ll be doing this from here on out, year after year, but it reverse starting 2015. Thank you Jeff for the opportunity to participate and Good luck Ted on the outcome of the challenge!

      Reply
  12. Tawnya LaFave says

    I am over the $1000 mark already! I started the challenge in reverse (ie. started with $52 deposit first week, $51 second week and so on). When I got down to depositing $35 I just kept it at the $35 deposit amount for each week. This challenge has helped me save more on a consistent basis than I have ever done. In addition, since this is a challenge, I am not tempted to “borrow” from this account. Even if I don’t win the challenge, I will still have a small victory in knowing I CAN save, even if it’s a small amount. Thank you Jeff!

    Reply
  13. Kelsey says

    Just got an email from Capital One (I did the challenge backwards, to start with $52 and go down to $1)… and I’ve saved $1000!! It’s awesome! Thanks for the motivation!

    Reply
  14. Dovey Wilson says

    Today is June 16, 2014, I am just viewing this website but I want to take the Challenge anyway!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Welcome, Dovey!

      Reply
  15. Taru says

    Late but joined, love the concept and I think I will also start in reverse. Capital One 360 is not available in Canada and I have an account with ING so I will start with that.

    Thank you for the tip and I am looking forward to get some more tips. If you ever decide to get Canadians on board then please count me in.

    Reply
  16. Sylvia R says

    Yay we are over $100 this week! Sad to say, but I haven’t had that much in my savings account in a long time.

    Reply
  17. Michelle says

    Still going strong. So far so good with the challenge! Despite some financial set backs lately I am keeping the weekly savings contributions going.

    Reply
  18. Sarah Sue says

    I just wanted to post an update. Setting up the automatic transfers has been so helpful. It is fun to see my savings grow over time. Thank you for the boost to get this started!

    Reply
  19. Alyssa says

    I opened my account and I’m in!

    Reply
  20. Nova Pleman says

    Count me in!! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Sylvia says

    I’m in! Setting up now!!

    Reply
  22. Brianne says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  23. Laura says

    I’ve joined the challenge!

    Reply
  24. Sylvester Steele Jr. says

    I’m in on this challenge. Signed up on the website a few weeks ago, downloaded the 52-week “How to Successfully Save”, and opened a 360 account with $6 since this is the third week into the new year. Plus 360’s promotion for new accounts added a $50 bonus. But, at the end of the 52-weeks we can deduct the $50 and show transactional proof I was successful. These are hard times, especially being a disabled veteran and the government taking “earned benefits” promised, but this plan seems simple enough to follow, plus it keeps me from using the money to buy beer or something not needed. Cheers All!

    Reply
    • Sylvester says

      Actually when I did the initial deposit amount before account verification I’d put $10 down, so I’ll not make another deposit until week 5.

      Reply
  25. David says

    Love the challenge, I’m in!

    Reply
  26. Anna says

    Hey Jeff! I love Capital One 360–been with them (ING) for years and am getting my new account set up for the challenge. Question: to be eligible, does it have to be specifically $1, $2, $3….? I’d like to set it up this way: Week 1 $52, Week 2 $1, Week 3 $51, Week 4 $2, etc. It’ll be great to see the savings add up faster (interest too!)…what do you think?

    Reply
  27. Rosemary says

    I was looking for an easy way to save on a regular basis. This will be fun every week seeing how my money grows. Will be opening up my account today.

    Reply
  28. Tawnya LaFave says

    Just made my second deposit and am so excited! I’m doing it in reverse (ex. $52 first deposit, $51 second deposit and so on) so I will see it grow quickly. I’m really encouraged by all the people joining the challenge, good job everyone!

    Reply
  29. Micki says

    Cha-Ching! I’m in and have signed up for this challenge. You will definitely see my screenshot at the end of the 52 weeks. Let’s Go! 🙂

    Reply
  30. MICHELLE SHENTON says

    I want in! I’m starting today and will put in the catch up amount!

    Reply
  31. Carrie says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  32. Jaime says

    I’m in! Setting up transfers today.

    Reply
  33. Alicia Jacobs says

    I am in as well!

    Reply
  34. Melinda C says

    I just signed up! I’m excited to start this savings plan!

    Reply
  35. Carlton says

    I am definitely in! Just hope that I can remember to do it XD

    Reply
  36. Melissa says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  37. rosie m says

    I am in
    .. cap one 360 sub acct #8 set up and named “52 weeks”

    Side note… I freakin love cap one 360… I use it like a virtual envelope system almost…. I have weekly automated transfers into ACCTS for reoccurring expenses like car stuff and hoa dues.

    Reply
  38. [email protected] says

    I’m definitely going to give this savings plan a try in 2014. It sounds so easy to do

    Reply
  39. Betty J. says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  40. Chris says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  41. Miranda says

    I have joined the challenge!!

    Reply
  42. jill says

    I’m excited to do this!

    Reply
  43. Nicole P says

    My husband & I are IN!! We just set up the account and are waiting for verification! So excited for this first step! Thank you!!

    Reply
  44. Nicole says

    Is it too late to join? What email do I send the confirmation of signing up too?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Nicole Nope! You still have time. 🙂

      I’ll only need the confirmation email if you win. Thanks for joining!

      Reply
  45. Kelsey says

    Joining, and account set up! Do you need the email the account is set up now or at the end of the 52 weeks?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @Kelsey Nope! I’ll just need to verify it if you win. Thanks for joining!

      Reply
  46. Leah says

    I joined the challenge. I am planning to put more than the amount required each week. Hoping that’s okay!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Leah It’s never a bad thing to save even more!

      Reply
  47. Jamie says

    Joined!!! Thanks for actually making me get excited about saving money…that’s hard to do!

    Reply
  48. Hannah B says

    I’m up for the challenge! I just opened my account!

    Reply
  49. Christel Beattie says

    Starting the 52 week challenge! Opened my account today! Look forward to any help and advice I can get about finances and freedom!!

    Reply
  50. Jenni Janssen says

    I am joining!!

    Reply
  51. Jessica Y says

    I’m in!!

    Reply
  52. Justin says

    Count me in. I already had a 360 account opened but with no money in it. Hope that counts.

    Reply
  53. Carmen says

    I’m in and already made my first deposit. I might mix it up a little and do my payments starting from both ends. In other words they would be 1, 52, 2, 51. This should balance it out to $106 each month – instead of just $10 in January but having to come up with over $200 in December – when we have gifts to buy and other bills.

    Reply
  54. Redonno says

    Im in!

    Reply
  55. D E Smith says

    in!

    Reply
  56. Maura says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  57. Blanca Ceja says

    I am in! I have an Emigrant account i can use . . . or do I need to open an account with capital one 360 to be considered a participant?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Blanca To be included as a participant for the $1,378 prize pool you’ll need to open a 360 account. Thanks for joining!

      Reply
  58. Brandi says

    Count me in!

    Reply
  59. alex says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  60. Stephanie Wilson says

    I just signed up for my account and have to wait for them to do my two small deposits to confirm. I am excited about this challenge and love the idea of a seperate account to use just for this challenge !!!
    Thanks so much for the the challenge and inspiration !!!

    Reply
  61. Edwardo says

    This seems so simple, I am finally going to be able to build a savings account

    Reply
  62. Alyssa Gutierrez says

    I would love to participate but I just checked with my bank and they charge $10 for outgoing transfers. Is there another way to participate? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Alyssa Sounds like you need a new bank! They even charge $10 for ACH transfer? That seems absurd.

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        I didn’t even realize it! Maybe I should. It’s Randolph Brooks FCU. Any suggestions on a new one?

        Reply
  63. Tabitha Brown says

    I’m in…

    Reply
  64. Kisten Womack says

    I am in just opened my account 🙂

    Reply
  65. Mary says

    I have made my first deposit, which is for week #50, and eager to work my way down the list 🙂

    Reply
  66. Russell Clark says

    I just signed up. Sounds like a great idea for 2014. It will feel good to save more money in conjunction with paying off my student loans this year. I want to win the prize at the end of the year!

    Reply
  67. Caleb says

    We’re in! This is a fantastic way to kickstart saving!

    Reply
  68. Sue says

    I’m in.

    Reply
  69. Erika says

    What if you have a CapitalOne360 saving account already? I got one when the ING Orange Savings turned into the CO360 account.

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Erika We’re just asking that you create a new account with Capital One 360 that’s specifically for the challenge. (I assume you can just add one on and give it a nick name?) That way if you do win it will be easier for us to verify you actually setup the account and started the challenge.

      Thanks for joining!

      Reply
      • Erika says

        Ok, well I added a new savings account called 52 Week Money Challenge and I’m in.

        Reply
  70. Jimi says

    I started the challenge today! 🙂

    Reply
  71. Julie says

    I’m in. I think this is the second time I am posting this. 🙂

    Reply
  72. Lindsay Carrasquillo says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  73. Jamie says

    I’m in—but I already have a 360 account—can I just add another bucket in my main account to fund this? Please?

    🙂

    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Jamie You sure can. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Blanca says

        I love this idea and the motivation you are providing. I will give this a go and start backwards, Nov. and Dec. are usually some spendy months for us.
        I have an Emigrant account, is it OK that i use that account? I generally forget about this account and it’s not an accoutn i have quick access to.
        Thank$ again!

        Reply
      • Jamie says

        Thanks! Awesome!

        Reply
  74. Kate Judkins says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  75. leon says

    I am in also!

    Reply
  76. Kristen W. says

    Count me in! But I’ll work my way backwards since we’re having a baby later in the year & we’ll be spending lots on diapers & whatnot (not to mention earning a little more interest that way). We’ll also do our deposits bi-weekly since that’s when we’ll be paid. I hope it’s copacetic to modify the concept a bit for the purposes of the challenge.

    Reply
  77. Dawn says

    I’m in.

    Reply
  78. Sheena Turner Rockwell says

    Joining!

    Reply
  79. Obioma Martin says

    I’m in

    Reply
  80. Beatriz says

    I’m in! 52 week challenge.

    Reply
  81. Ben says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  82. Brad Chaffee says

    I’m in! Love this idea and it comes at the perfect time!

    I’m going to do a version of this for my oldest son to try as well.

    Reply
  83. Amanda says

    I’m in! My accout is open and the transfers are scheduled.

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      I opened my 360 checking and savings account at just the right time to get a good sign-up bonus. $75 hit my savings account right away but I just had an extra $125 ! ! hit my checking account this morning. That goes straight into savings. You sure can’t beat free money! This account is growing even faster than I had planed and I love it!!

      Reply
  84. Tammie says

    I’m IN! Opened my Capital One 360 Savings today!

    Reply
  85. Nakita Scott says

    We’re in!!!! We’ve opened our Capital One account and have already made our first deposit!!!

    Reply
  86. Laiken says

    I am in!

    Reply
  87. Melanie wells says

    I’m in!!!!

    Reply
  88. James says

    I’m in.

    Reply
  89. TSmith says

    I’m in…

    Reply
  90. Tee says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  91. Key says

    In.

    Reply
  92. Kayla Boley says

    Challenge accepted!!

    Reply
  93. Tamela says

    I am in. Where can I get this download so I can start?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Tamela Here you go: https://www.goodfinancialcents.com/52week

      Reply
  94. Charles Young says

    Count me in!

    Reply
  95. Kristy McClurken says

    I am in and encouraging my college aged daughter to join as well:)

    Reply
  96. Adam T says

    Count me in

    Reply
  97. Teresa Wheat says

    I am in!

    Reply
  98. Tawnya LaFave says

    My Husband and I are accepting the challenge! We want to do it backwards…. do we still qualify for the competition? I am going to get my friends and family involved too!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @Tawnya You are totally welcome to do it backwards! I’m just excited for people to start saving.

      Reply
  99. Martha says

    Count me in!

    Reply
  100. Carlton & Sharonda Penn says

    My husband and I decided that this challenge will teach us even with our income that we can save. I really like the strategy because it not only increase every week, but you will earn interest on what you save. Also, don’t use debit cards, or checks for quick assess to the savings account.

    Reply
  101. KG says

    I’m totally in!
    Thanks for this…

    Reply
  102. SM says

    Started. Will do it in inverse so maximize interest (albeit minimal) gains.

    Reply
  103. LINDA says

    Count me in

    Reply
  104. Vinia & Walter Casuga says

    Hi Jeff,

    Just wanted to let you know that my wife & I are in! Excited to start this year right & work on our emergency fund! Thanks for all that you do! =)

    Vinia & Walter

    Reply
    • Vinia & Walter Casuga says

      Hi Jeff,

      We are excited & telling others about this challenge…we opened our Capital One 360 account & set up our account to transfer the weekly amount to our account. =)

      I was wondering if we email you now or after the challenge is over to let you know that we opened our account.

      Let us know…Thanks again for all you do!

      Reply
  105. Alisa says

    Count me in!

    Reply
  106. Joyce says

    Count me in.

    Reply
  107. Joyce says

    I’m going for it. What a great challenge.

    Reply
  108. Jennifer says

    What a great idea ~ I’m in!

    Reply
  109. Lisa says

    I’m in.

    Reply
  110. Tammy Helfrich says

    I’m in! Love this.

    Reply
  111. Vanessa says

    I’m in as well!

    Reply
  112. Stephens says

    My husband an I heard about this idea and want to do the challenge with both our paychecks, thus doubling our savings. It would be awesome to triple it! We’re in!

    Reply
  113. Kate Steves says

    Hubs and I are definitely in, saving is such a pain to both of us, so we are in dire need to start something like this!

    Reply
  114. Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says

    Congrats. I oddly don’t have the discipline for small numbers, I just do a big bulk deposit into my savings whenever my emergency fund becomes somewhat depleted.

    Reply
  115. Sarah Sue says

    I am in!

    Reply
  116. Tammy says

    I’m ready to save! Have my son doing it also! Thanks Jeff.

    Reply
  117. Little House says

    This is an awesome idea!

    Reply
  118. Marshall says

    I’m In!

    Reply
  119. Cali Harris (@caligater) says

    I’m in for the challenge!

    Reply
  120. Kim says

    I am in!

    Reply
  121. Julie says

    I’m in!

    Reply
  122. Chris says

    I am in!

    Reply
  123. Lisa says

    I’m in! Can’t wait to get started. This is a great idea.

    Reply
  124. Andrea says

    I AM IN!!!

    Reply
  125. Camila says

    I accepted the challenge!

    Reply
  126. Christine says

    I’M IN!

    Reply
  127. Chantra Williams says

    Count me in!!!

    Reply
  128. SunShine Croce says

    I have joined the challenge!

    Reply
  129. Kim Hawkins says

    I’m in!!! So excited!

    Reply
  130. K Greenwalt says

    I’m. All in.

    Reply
  131. Greg James says

    I’m in as well Jeff.

    Reply
  132. Shannon W. says

    What a great idea for a challenge! Shows how little amounts really do add up. Count me in!

    Reply
  133. Kat says

    I’m in!

    Reply
    • ronald card says

      Im in havin trouble with create account though

      Reply
  134. Tonya says

    I am up for this challenge! Anything I can do to save an extra penny or a whopping $1378.00!!!

    Reply
  135. Terra says

    I’ve signed up!! I can’t wait to see it pile up! I’m hoping this will help my boyfriend and I learn to save for our future! I’m thinking about starting backwards though. Any thoughts on that? I saw the post above about “fizzling out,” but my concern is that as we get closer to Christmas next year it will get harder to budget.

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Terra There are a few others that are going to try to do it this way. I think it’s great. My only concern is starting off with a higher amount than you’re used to might might cause you to fizzle out, too.

      Trust your gut and good luck!

      Reply
  136. Lindsey M says

    I’m in! I opened my account and am ready to go 🙂

    Reply
  137. Kenu M says

    Wow, I got inspired by the 52 week challenge as a way to start saving up. I’ll have the wife read this. 😀 Great website btw! Thanks Jeff.

    Reply
  138. Sherry says

    I did this for2013 and it made christmas so much easier this year. I am definitly in for this year again. I get paid every 2 weeks so I just divide the total amount for the entire challenge and put that in every paycheck.

    Reply
  139. Marina says

    I love this idea. I’m in. Let’s do this!

    Reply
  140. Mary says

    I opened my account a couple of days ago and still waiting for them to confirm it. Made one of the bigger weeks deposits with the help of a Xmas bonus 🙂

    Reply
  141. Paul says

    Jeff, I accept your challenge! Account is open, let the saving begin!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Awesome, Paul! I accept that you accept my challenge. 🙂

      Reply
  142. Shawna says

    It’s such a simple idea, but it somehow seems more actionable than others. Thanks for helping me to think about saving in another way 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Shawna You’re totally welcome!

      Reply
  143. Laurel says

    I’m in

    Reply
  144. Kari says

    Hi Jeff – we’re in. I’m sorry but I just might be stalking you about this 😉 so question is can I set up weekly transfers that equal/pass the amount we are challenged for? i.e. $26.50 a week = $1378

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Kari I’ll totally allow that. I love the fact that you’re creating the habit to save. To me that’s the most important aspect of this challenge. Cheers!

      Reply
      • Kari says

        Game on! 😉

        Reply
  145. Melissa Burford says

    I’m joining!

    Reply
  146. Jake D. says

    Challenge accepted Jeff! And I’m about to start Part III in the “Soldier of Finance” – Great read! I recommend it to everyone!

    Reply
  147. Matthew Nicklin says

    Jeff,

    Excellent idea and I’m on board. However, if I win, I’m going to feel guilty. I have received a lot of great advice from you and Mandy over on dollarsandroses.com. With your help, I have already made money my first week as a blogger. I have had the idea (without the profit part) for a long time, and you definitely made the process easier. Now if you could just make me a better writer……

    Thanks!

    Reply
  148. Sandy Khim says

    I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS! I actually started and tried to do the 52 week savings for 2013. I was $173.00 shy, but December isn’t over yet. I started it because I wanted to have some emergency cash on hand. I will be joining the movement!

    Reply
  149. Kelsee says

    I’m in! All signed up for the account!

    What do you think of doing the challenge backwards? Like starting with $52, then $51, then $50, and so on?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Kelsee I saw a few people suggest that as well. If your current financial situation allows that, then I’m all for it.

      The only problem that I see is that I’ve had clients in the past that were super aggressive with their savings strategy that after a few months they couldn’t keep up so they fizzled out.

      What I like about starting small is that it gets you in the habit of saving and I think forming the habit is more important than the actual amount.

      Reply
  150. Donovan Malloy says

    Looking forward to joining the challenge! Have one question for you? Does the bank account have to be Capitol One 360? I have been looking at alternative online accounts and I found Simple which I wanted to give a try. Can we do this using alternate online accounts?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Donovan To be eligible for the prize money, we’re asking that you use Capital One 360 for the savings account.

      You’re obviously more than welcome to try out Simple if that helps you complete the challenge. You just won’t qualify for the prize pool.

      Good luck!

      Reply
      • Donovan Malloy says

        Thanks for the info! You have given out some great advice so I am excited to try this out!

        Reply
  151. Kathy T. says

    This is exciting! I am joining the challenge, too!
    I have been inspired by you to work hard eliminating the vast debt we had – still a work in progress but working very well! I have neglected the savings part and am ready to add that to my financial goals! Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      You’re welcome, Kathy! Glad you’re going to take part.

      Reply
  152. Marco Abundiz says

    Jeff,

    Count me in. This seems to be a simple challenge but rewarding. This will be one of my 2014 financial goals.

    Reply
  153. Liz says

    I am SO in!

    Reply
  154. Joshua Brown says

    I am looking forward to joining this challenge. I have been going crazy eliminating debt, I sometimes forget the importance of saving too.

    Reply
    • Joshua Brown says

      Question though – can you really set up an account with only an initial $1 deposit?

      Reply
      • Jeff Rose says

        @ Joshua I’m going to find out today. I’m setting up an account with Capital One 360 so I can go through the challenge with everyone.

        Reply
      • Jeff Rose says

        @ Joshua Just opened my account and funded it with $1. So far so good! 🙂

        Reply
        • Joshua Brown says

          Okay I will get to work on opening my account this week then too.

          Reply
  155. Andres says

    I’m starting this today

    Reply
  156. Jannie says

    I’ve been following you for about a year, and I’m accepting the 52-week challenge for 2014! Count me in!!!

    Reply
  157. Mary says

    Okay, I’m in. I heard about this a couple of months ago from a frugal living site I belong to. Eager to get started.

    Reply
  158. Ted says

    Very cool idea. I’d like to join the challenge as well! I also have been using YNAB over the past year to manage our finances and so I have gotten to understand how critical it is for us to understand the timing of expenses by paycheck and not spending money until we have it in the bank.

    With this in mind, I took the 52 Week Challenge schedule and set up a timetable of the weekly savings against a monthly and (my) bi-monthly paycheck schedule. This can help provide understanding of which month/paycheck I need to budget the weekly savings against. It’s not a schedule for everyone of course, but the concept might help others with different pay schedules/dates come up with their own schedule to do something similar. The Google Spreadsheet is at http://goo.gl/VEdZv3.

    Thanks for the challenge!

    Reply
    • Cali Harris (@caligater) says

      This is awesome, Ted – I’m a YNAB user too and was JUST thinking about doing this very thing. Thanks for doin’ the work! 🙂

      Reply
  159. Jenny says

    Challenge accepted!! My son and I both are going to do this challenge together! Thanks for the great idea!

    Reply
  160. Rosalyn says

    This. Is. Awesome! (Yes, I’m joining) : )

    Reply
  161. Kelly B says

    I’m ready for this challenge!

    Reply
  162. Sofia says

    I am signing up right now, is there a way to automate the weekly deposit amounts?

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Sofia Yeah! I’m not sure there is because the amount changes each time.

      I’m going to be doing the challenge, too, so I’ll report back and see what I find out.

      Reply
  163. Carrie Smith says

    Count me in! What a fantastic idea and I’m excited to get started. I’ve used Capital One 360 (formerly ING Direct) for over 6 years. Heading over to open a new savings account now! 🙂

    Reply
  164. Carolyn Reisinger says

    I’m in! Sounds like an simple plan!

    Reply
  165. Jessica Green says

    I’m in! I love my Capital One 360 savings accounts, creating a new one and setting up the transfers now 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Woo-hoo! Glad you’re joining the challenge, Jessica!

      Reply
  166. joe says

    I’m in. Great idea.

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Glad to have you, Joe!

      Reply
  167. Ronda Porter says

    I’m in! In fact, I am going to adjust it a bit for my 8 year old and have her do the challenge with me, but with pennies instead of dollars as a way to try and teach her to save!

    Reply
  168. Nicole Roberto says

    Great idea! I’m in!

    Reply
  169. Sara says

    I am joining! I already have a capital one credit card account and was thinking about opening a banking account through them to keep savings where I cannot as easily touch them on a whim. This challenge came at the exact moment I needed the push to actually do it. I was already thinking about making our financial healthy my new years priority! You have impeccable timing Jeff! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Sara That’s awesome! What can I say, I must have some sort of sixth sense. Haha! Glad to offer the push you needed. 🙂

      Reply
  170. Mark says

    Signing up today!

    Reply
  171. Aidelis Duran says

    Hello Jeff, I already have an account with Capital 360, can I use that one?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Aidelis For the sake of this challenge, we are asking people to create a separate savings account. It will be easier to track the progress that way.

      Reply
  172. Ellen Edwards says

    Challenge accepted! It never hurts to build your emergency fund. Chris Huntley turned me on to your site. Great content!!

    Reply
  173. Lisa Keenan says

    I’m joining, since I already have a Capital One account anyway…

    Reply
  174. Darryl Terrell says

    Im going to start off right

    Reply
  175. Denise says

    I’m in Jeff and Mandy!!! Excited to see an extra cushion going into our first Christmas as a married couple next year!

    Thanks for the great advise and challenges by both you and House of Rose. AND thank you for bringing a slice of my home area of So Ill to Texas each week!

    Reply
  176. Eric and Hazel says

    Jeff me and my wife are in!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Woop!

      Reply
  177. Eric Rondeau says

    Jeff I’m in! Talked about this with my wife and she thought its a great idea! We’ll add this to our current savings plan and hope to save even more!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Good to hear, Eric. Welcome!

      Reply
  178. Anthony Sanchez says

    Hey Jeff I plan to join this challenge and great job with the website and all that you do. I’m glad I came upon it. I do have a question about steps 3 and 4. For 3, is it mandatory that we coordinate the transfers through our main bank? I’m a YNAB user and am pretty good at scheduling and following through with transfers and transactions manually. I bank with Chase and fear that they might look at me a little weird when I ask to set this up. For 4, is just a screenshot of what’s in the account and a date really enough? What’s stopping me from transferring the full amount in a week or so before just to have a shot at the prize? Shouldn’t we provide perhaps a PDF copy of the transfers for however far back CapitalOne 360 allows and show that we were diligent in the process? Thanks again for all of your info and advice!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @Anthony First of all, absolutely love YNAB. Jesse is a beast! Who knew a guy that loves budgeting and is a computer programmer is also a Crossfit stud!

      Regarding #3, however it’s easiest to get money from whichever account to your new Capital One 360 account is fine by me.

      For #4, good suggestions! I’m going to update the post to reflect your concerns.

      Thanks for joining and appreciate your input!

      Reply
  179. Lola says

    I’m in! I need to rebuild my Emergency Fund after raiding it to buy a house and I always do much better when a challenge is involved!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Lola Great to hear. I’m a BIG fan of challenges, too. Can you tell? Haha…

      Reply
  180. Michelle says

    What a great idea! 2014 is going to be the year we finally get our finances on track and this will be a good first step.

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Awesome, Michelle! Glad to give you some much needed inspiration. 🙂

      Reply
  181. Micro says

    That is a really simple yet awesome way to get people to save up $1000. I like the idea of starting off small because how many people can say they can’t save away $1. It’s not until you get to the end of the year that you are putting away a decent amount of money but you build it up slowly so you don’t notice it.

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Agreed. What I also like, similar to my Habit Challenge, is that you’re training yourself to save each week and be conscious about it.

      Reply
  182. Janet says

    I’m joining!

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      Great job Janet!

      Reply
  183. Heather says

    I am so excited!! I am going to do this and its going to be awesome! Thanks for making money and finances a little less scary 🙂

    Reply
    • Jeff Rose says

      @ Heather Yeah! Good for you. We’re excited. 🙂

      And you’re totally welcome! I strive to make personal finance fun. Which can be a BIG challenge at times. Haha…..

      Reply

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