The best savings challenge is the one you will finish. For most people that means starting with something small and steady, such as the 1p Challenge (£667.95 over a year) or the 26-week version of the 52-Week Challenge (£351), and moving to bigger ones like the 52-Week Challenge (£1,378) or the 100 Envelope Challenge (£5,050) once the habit is set. Challenges that cut spending rather than set an amount, such as a No-Spend Challenge, suit people whose problem is leaks rather than a lack of a plan.
Below are 15 challenges side by side, followed by how to choose by budget, how to combine them and how to start mid-year. If you are completely new to saving, our savings challenges for beginners goes into more detail on the easiest options.
15 savings challenges at a glance
| Challenge | Total saved | Length | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1p Challenge | £667.95 | 365 days | Beginners, tight budgets |
| 52-Week Challenge | £1,378 | 52 weeks | A classic yearly goal |
| Reverse 52-Week Challenge | £1,378 | 52 weeks | Avoiding a costly December |
| 52-envelope (random draw) | £1,378 | 52 weeks | Cash savers who like variety |
| 26-week challenge | £351 | 26 weeks | A quick first win |
| 100 Envelope Challenge | £5,050 | 100 days | Higher earners, big goals |
| Fixed £1 a day | £365 | 365 days | Building a daily habit |
| 12-month challenge | You set it | 12 months | Seasonal budgets |
| £5 note challenge | Varies | Any | People who use cash |
| Round-up challenge | Varies | Ongoing | Hands-off savers |
| Weather Wednesday | About £665 | 52 weeks | People who like a game |
| No-Spend Challenge | Varies | A week to a month | Cutting impulse spending |
| Pantry challenge | Varies | 1 to 4 weeks | Cutting food bills and waste |
| 30-day declutter and sell | Varies | 30 days | Quick cash from clutter |
| Couples 12-week challenge | You set it | 12 weeks | Saving with a partner |
Amount challenges: you save a set sum
These give you a fixed number to hit each day or week, which is good for people who like a clear rule.
- 1p Challenge: save 1p on day 1, 2p on day 2, up to £3.65 on day 365. The 1p Challenge calculator shows the running total from any start date.
- 52-Week Challenge: £1 in week 1 rising to £52 in week 52. The reverse version starts at £52, so the expensive weeks come while motivation is highest. Plan yours with the 52-Week Challenge calculator.
- 52-envelope challenge: the same £1,378, but you draw numbered envelopes at random, averaging £26.50 a week.
- 26-week challenge: £1 to £26 over half a year, £351 in total.
- 100 Envelope Challenge: £1 to £100 over 100 days, £5,050. It averages £50.50 a day, so it only suits people with a lot of spare income.
- Fixed daily amount: £1 a day is £365 a year, £2 a day is £730 and £5 a day is £1,825. Simple, predictable and easy to automate.
- 12-month challenge: set a different amount each month to match your year, saving less in January and more in months with fewer costs.
Habit and game challenges
These tie saving to something you do or notice, so the amount changes:
- £5 note challenge: save every £5 note you receive in change. Works only if you still use cash regularly.
- Round-up challenge: round card payments up and save the difference, often automatically through your bank. Rounding to the nearest pound adds roughly 50p a payment on average, so many people round to the nearest £5 or add a multiplier.
- Weather Wednesday: save £1 per degree of each Wednesday's maximum temperature, about £665 a year on UK averages.
Spending challenges: you cut what goes out
These do not set a savings figure. Instead, you reduce spending and move what you did not spend into savings.
- No-Spend Challenge: spend only on essentials (housing, bills, basic food, travel to work) for a set period. The No-Spend Challenge tracker helps you log days.
- Pantry challenge: eat from your cupboards, fridge and freezer for a week or more, buying only fresh basics.
- 30-day declutter and sell: clear one area a day, sell what is worth selling and save every penny.
- Couples 12-week challenge: one shared target, contributions split by income, a weekly check-in.
How to choose by budget
| Spare each week | Good starting challenges |
|---|---|
| Under £10 | 1p Challenge, 26-week, fixed £1 a day, No-Spend weekends |
| £10 to £30 | 52-Week Challenge (random or reverse), Weather Wednesday, £5 note |
| £30 to £60 | 52-Week Challenge plus a stacked challenge, 12-month challenge |
| Over £60 | Double 52-Week (£2,756), 100 Envelope Challenge |
If you are not sure what you can spare, run your figures through the budget planner first. A challenge that relies on money you do not have will end in borrowing, which defeats the point.
Combining challenges
Pairing one amount challenge with one spending challenge works well: the spending challenge frees up money, and the amount challenge gives it somewhere to go. For example, a 1p Challenge plus a monthly no-spend weekend, or the 52-Week Challenge plus a pantry week each quarter. Avoid stacking three or four at once; it is the fastest route to giving up. For more on which pairs work, see our savings challenge comparison.
Starting part-way through the year
Every challenge runs from whenever you start, not from 1 January. Starting in October has advantages: the 1p Challenge's first weeks cost almost nothing while Christmas spending builds, and a reverse 1p Challenge (starting at £3.65 and falling) would leave the cheapest days for next December. If you want money ready for Christmas, a 10-week challenge with a fixed weekly amount is more realistic than any 52-week format. SYM tells you what to put aside each day for the challenge you pick, logs it with one tap and keeps your streak going, which is often what gets people past the first month.
Savings challenges: frequently asked questions
What is the easiest savings challenge?
Which savings challenge saves the most money?
How much does the 52-Week Challenge save?
Can I do more than one savings challenge at a time?
Where should I keep my savings challenge money?
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