Typically, I am not the type of person who says you should expect to quickly save a large amount of money. But sometimes we need a jump start on our savings goals or have gotten behind on our finances. Here, I have some tips and strategies to help you save $1000 within a month or two. Or if you are very determined, you might be able to do it within a few weeks! How “quickly” you save depends on the work you are willing to put in.
Make a Budget or Re-evaluate Your Budget
If you have ever searched “how to save money,” then you know that making a budget is step one. If you don’t know-how, then check out this free budget guide from Budget Girl. Having a budget is critical if you want to take control of your personal finances. It will help you get out of debt, save money for your dream house, or nearly anything else in life that requires money.
Alternatively, if you have a budget in place, then it may be time to go back and evaluate how your habits or income has changed. Can you cut back or eliminate some expenses for a short time to help you save some extra money? For example, consider temporarily canceling subscriptions or reducing how much you spend eating out. Everyone’s budget and lifestyle are different, so you need to reflect on your priorities and categories to see where you can save.
Doing either of these will easily save a person a couple hundred dollars in a month or two.
Sell Items in Your House
Most of us have things lying around the house that we don’t use or need. It could be clothes that no longer fit, exercise equipment you never use, books you have already read, or a piece of furniture in storage.
Take a moment to look around the back of closets, boxes in garages, long-forgotten storage containers, or your parent’s basement where you keep things you never moved out. Embrace Marie Kondo’s approach to decluttering, and you should be fine.
After you realize you have a fortune in unused stuff, take a day of your time to either list items online or take them to resell stores.
A person can easily scrape together a hundred to several hundred dollars (depending on the items you have) by decluttering their life on a weekend.
Pick Up Extra Hours or Consider a Second Job
This is not for everyone, but anyone who knows me knows that I believe in the work hustle. If you can sacrifice a weekend to work extra hours, do it. If your boss approves overtime, do it. If your current job doesn’t allow you to work the hours you need, consider a part-time job. Door dashing, serving tables, or a part-time online gig are easy ways to increase income. Better yet, find another job that suits your needs. Where there is a will, there is a way.
The short-term sacrifice is well worth the long-term payoff. You will never remember how you missed going out on a Friday night because of work. But you will remember the moment you paid off that last credit card, and stress evaporated from your body. It’s a glorious feeling, and I want everyone to experience it.
This could bring in an extra hundred to several hundred dollars depending on your work or working hours.
Do a No-Spend Challenge
What is a no-spend challenge?
It is where you take a week, two weeks, or a month and you only spend money on the absolute necessities to live. You spend money on transportation, bills, food, potential emergencies, and prescheduled appointments (e.g. dentist, therapy, doctor, hair, nails, etc.). That’s it.
It is an aggressive approach to saving money and embracing extreme frugality as a way of life temporarily. Think of a no-spend challenge like a financial reset.
You can use this as an opportunity to use all the food in your house before you go to the grocery store. If you go to the store, you only buy the food you need. I have seen some people even cut out coffee for a no-spend (a little extreme for my fellow coffee lovers!). You forego buying drinks and snacks when you purchase gas. There is no eating out. No more mindless walks through Target or your favorite store. Your credit cards become lonely with no online purchases. Conversely, it doesn’t mean that you should go out and purchase extra things in preparation for the challenge. You work with what you have and live with a little less for a short time.
It’s a time where mindless spending comes to the front of your mind for reflection.
However, this doesn’t mean you must sit around and do nothing for the sake of saving money. Here are some ideas for free and fun things to do instead:
- Take advantage of any free activities in your community.
- Enjoy public places such as parks, libraries, or free museums.
- Consider having a pot-luck party with friends.
- Take a group hike to stay active, social, and outdoors.
- Be creative in your home with what you have.
- Take a free online class to learn something new.
- My favorite free online learning platorm is edX.
Talk to a friend or family member who would do the no-spend challenge with you. It’s always better to have a support and accountability system with any challenge in life.
How much can you save with a no-spend challenge?
This will vary widely depending on how long you commit to the challenge and your initial spending habits. If you friviolously spend money on a daily basis, you can expect to see some major savings. However, if you already have good spending habits you may see less such as a couple hundred dollars. Either way, we can all benefit from a no-spend challenge.
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other posts on how to save money for life and travel goals!
The most popular post on my blog: 6 Lifestyle Habits to Save Money for Your Next Vacation
Adra Writes 
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