The one challenge for 2019 you definitely want to accept

If nothing else, 2018 has been famous for one thing. The endless amount of challenges people have thrown at each other. From the moronic Tide pod challenge with people eating soap to the downright absurd kiki challenge. However when I look at the year in review, i noticed a handful of people taking a smart alternative and doing a financial challenge.

The challenge

There have been so many variants to this it’s hard to keep track. In the west it started as a 5$ challenge and other countries people have variants to this based on their financial capacity. The end goal, however, remains the same, to save up a good amount of money by the time the year end. The premise is to start off slowly so you’re not forced into it.

As a person who just turned 30, I cannot stress enough on the importance of saving up and how most of the people my age have a hard time understanding the importance of it. Even more so when there are some who are living paycheck to paycheck because of a refusal to get a grip on their finances.

This challenge may not be as glamorous as the Kiki challenge but you’ll definitely thank yourself by the end of 2019.

How to proceed

First thing you need to pick a nominal amount. As I’ll be undertaking this challenge too, I’m picking Rs. 100 to start off. In the first week of 2019 put away Rs.100, next week, Rs. 200 and add Rs. 100 for every succeeding week.

To make it into a habit, pick one day, let’s say Sunday when you would remember to put aside your savings.

Here’s a representation of how your investment will look like during the year

By the end of the year, you will save about Rs. 1,37,800 following the 100 Rupees challenge. You are free to tweak the amount according to your personal needs it can be Rs. 50 or Rs. 500, the point os planning your finances and saving money.

Tips

1. The saved amount should be separate from your other funds. Best way is to open a new bank account (you can open one online in a few minutes nowadays), or for the more traditional approach have a cash deposit box. For my savings I opted to open a new account.
2. The week on-week saving is not hard and fast. You can alternatively opt to save the money weeks in advance or maybe a couple of weeks later if you have any emergency expenses which take priority.
3. Find a friend. It’s always best when done with someone else. It also helps to keep you in check and stay motivated.

As 2019 is about to start, I’ve started this challenge for myself to save some extra money for later. I hope this post inspires you to save up and plan for a better financial future.