I still remember hitting $1,000 in savings for the first time. Not from a bonus or anything exciting. Just from making annoying small decisions repeatedly—skipping takeout, returning stuff I impulse bought, actually figuring out where my money kept vanishing to.
That first thousand bucks made me feel unstoppable. Like I could handle December without crying over my credit card statement.
If you're looking at the holidays thinking "how am I gonna pay for all this" same. Been there. I've literally stood in Target in November freaking out about gift money while also somehow putting decorative hand soap in my cart. The irony.
But listen—you've got six weeks. Six weeks to save in a way that doesn't make you miserable. Not cutting out everything fun. Just being smarter about small stuff that adds up when you're not paying attention.
So let's do this. Six weeks to save $1,000 before Christmas hits. Real steps, nothing complicated. Just you against your old habits. You in?
Week 1: Hunt Down Your Money Leaks (Save $150 This Week)
First week you're playing detective. Gotta figure out where money's actually disappearing because I promise it's not where you think.
Pull up last month's bank statements. Everything—checking, credit cards, all of it. Scroll through on your phone or print them whatever. Look for stuff that keeps showing up that you don't actually need or totally forgot about.
When I did this mine looked like:
$18 streaming thing I used maybe once (Starz? Was I even watching anything on there??)
$40 on coffee and random snacks at work
$60 from Target browsing trips that were "just looking"
$12 subscription box I completely forgot existed
$15 app I downloaded and never opened again
That's $145 just sitting there mocking me.
Your job this week: Find at least $150 worth of stuff to cut or reduce. Cancel subscriptions. Unsubscribe from emails that make you shop. Delete delivery apps from your phone (yeah I know but you can reinstall them later if you really need to).
Rocket Money makes this way easier honestly. Shows all subscriptions in one spot so you can see what you're paying for without digging through statements. Found subscriptions I genuinely forgot existed. Just cancelled right from the app.
Move that $150 to savings NOW. Before you spend it on something else. Don't think just move it.
Week 2: Set It and Forget It (Save $100 This Week)
Week two you're building a system so you don't have to remember to save. Because if you have to remember you'll either forget or talk yourself out of it. I know because I've done both.
Open a separate savings account if you don't have one yet. Has to be separate from checking. Somewhere you won't "accidentally" spend it buying stuff at 2am when you can't sleep.
I use Ally Bank High-Yield Savings cause it's free and gives 4.25% APY so money grows while just sitting there doing nothing. Also it takes like a day to transfer money back to checking which is annoying enough that I don't do it for impulse purchases.
Name it something real. Not "Savings." Something like "Holiday Fund" or "Christmas Money" or "Don't Touch This Sarah." Sounds stupid but seeing that name makes it feel more legit somehow.
Set up automatic transfers. $25 a week. Or $50 twice weekly. Or $100 when you get paid. Whatever fits your schedule. Making it automatic means it happens whether you think about it or not.
This week get $100 total in there. All at once or split up doesn't matter. Just get it there.
Tip that actually works: Schedule transfers right after payday. Before you see money sitting in checking and start thinking of ways to spend it. If you never see it you won't miss it.
Week 3: No Takeout for One Whole Week (Save $175 This Week)
Week three we're dealing with the money pit nobody wants to admit they have—food you didn't cook yourself.
One full week. No takeout, no delivery, no "I'll just grab something." You're making everything at home. Leftovers, sandwiches, cereal for dinner if necessary. Whatever it takes.
I know it sounds awful. But it's seven days and you're gonna save ridiculous amounts of money.
Average person drops $200+ monthly on food they didn't make. That's $50 weekly. Some people (me before I fixed this mess) spend way more. Lunch out every workday? That's $75-100 easy.
Before the week starts, check out Financial Rituals to Stay Grounded During Holiday Spending, and:
Actually grocery shop with real meal ingredients
Plan like 5 dinners you can make without crying
Prep stuff Sunday so you're not starting from zero every night tired and hungry
Make coffee at home (this alone saves $30 I'm not kidding)
When you want to order because you're exhausted (it will happen) make the easiest possible thing. Pasta with butter and garlic. Scrambled eggs. Toast with peanut butter. Literally anything beats spending $35 on delivery.
End of week add up what you didn't spend on restaurants and takeout. Move it straight to holiday savings. Mine was usually around $175 but yours might be different depending on your normal situation.
Also you'll probably feel weirdly accomplished and maybe cook more after this week ends. Not guaranteed, but it happened to me.
Week 4: Sell Your Junk (Save $200 This Week)
Week four we're getting creative. Time to sell stuff.
You have things you haven't touched in forever sitting around taking up space. Everyone does. Let's turn that into Christmas money.
Saturday morning go through everything. Be brutally honest about what you actually use vs what's just there. Look for:
Clothes you haven't worn since 2022
Random electronics you got then never used
Books you're done with or never read
Kitchen gadgets still in boxes from when someone gave them to you
Decor you bought then hated
Old phones or tablets in drawers
Gift cards you're not gonna use (yeah you can sell these)
List everything. Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, Mercari, whatever. Price to sell NOW not what you paid or what you think it's worth. You want it gone this week not sitting around for months.
Goal is $200 from selling. Totally possible if you're realistic and actually do this instead of just thinking about it.
Money comes in? Straight to savings. Don't leave it in checking or PayPal or wherever. Goes directly to holiday fund immediately.
Bonus perk: Your house will be less cluttered right before holidays when you might actually have people coming over. Win-win.
Week 5: Buy Nothing New (Save $150 This Week)
Week five nothing new except actual necessities. No clothes, no Target runs, no decor, no online shopping at midnight cause you're stressed and can't sleep.
Necessities = groceries, gas, medicine, bills. Everything else waits.
This week's about remembering you already have enough stuff. Probably too much stuff honestly. Get inspired with the The No-Spend Weekend Challenge: Your Holiday Savings Secret Weapon.
When you want to buy something (constantly):
Write it down don't buy it
Wait 24 hours see if you still care
Ask if you'd rather have the thing or $150 for Christmas
Do literally anything else instead
Things to do that aren't shopping:
Read books collecting dust on your shelf
Actually use those streaming services
Cook food that's already in your kitchen
Rearrange furniture for free entertainment
Free stuff (walks, library, whatever your city has going on)
Hang out with people without spending
Track what you almost spent. Every time you nearly buy something write the price down. End of week add it up. Probably at least $150 if you're honest with yourself.
That amount goes to savings. You didn't spend it so it counts toward your goal.
Week 6: Hustle Week (Save $225 This Week)
Last week. Final push. You need $225 to hit $1,000. Time to make extra money somehow.
You have skills and time even if you think you don't. This week use them for cash.
Stuff that actually works:
Babysit for people you know ($100+ for one Saturday night easy)
Walk dogs through Rover
Grocery delivery with Instacart
Drive Uber/Lyft if you've got a car
Tutor kids in whatever you're decent at
Clean houses or do yard work
Bake stuff and sell to coworkers
Help people hang Christmas lights or decorate
Freelance whatever you're qualified to do
Just this week. Not forever. One week of extra work to hit your number.
Also look for money you forgot about:
Venmo balance just sitting there
Rebate apps you haven't cashed out
Random gift cards with balances
Actual cash in coat pockets or your car
Everything you make or find goes straight to savings. By week's end you should hit $1,000 or get really close.
When You Hit Your Goal Split It Up
You hit $1,000. That's huge. Now don't just leave it sitting there being vague savings money. Give it jobs.
How I split mine:
$500 for gifts
List everyone you're buying for. Divide this up between them. Stick to those numbers or you'll blow everything.
$250 for food/hosting stuff
Holiday dinners, baking ingredients, drinks if people are coming over. Food expenses basically.
$250 emergency cushion
Stays in savings for real emergencies. Kids get sick, cars break, life happens right before Christmas for some reason.
Write this down where you'll see it. Your Papier notebook if you're tracking this challenge there. Phone notes. Wherever.
This means no panic in December. No guilt. No surprise credit card bills in January. Everything's covered. You can enjoy holidays without constant money stress.
You Can Actually Do This
Saving $1,000 in six weeks isn't about making yourself miserable. It's being intentional with money for like a month so you can stop stressing during holidays.
Packing lunch instead of buying. Selling unused stuff. Not shopping for one week. Working extra hours. Small choices that add up faster than you'd think.
That $1,000 changes everything though. No stress buying gifts. No worrying about January bills. No guilt spending on holiday things because you planned for it already.
Start this week. Find money leaks. Set up auto-transfers. You've got six weeks and this is totally doable.
Future you in December opening presents without debt anxiety is gonna be so grateful.
Download Your Free 6-Week Holiday Savings Tracker
