← All posts

30-Day Money-Saving Challenge: Tips and an App for Your Goal

Published 2026-10-16

A 30-day challenge is a simple way to build a saving habit, and the best app for a saving money goal is usually the one you will actually open every day. Here are easy tips to try, from tracking your spending to choosing where the saved money goes.

A 30-day challenge, with or without a round up savings app, works better because it's short and specific. You don't promise to "save more." You pick one small action for the day and tick it off. That's it. Thirty little wins in a row feel very different from one big, foggy goal.

Below are the tips I'd actually use, starting with how to set it up and then the daily habits worth trying. Pick the ones that fit your life and skip the rest.

1. Pick a start date and make a simple money tracker

Don't wait for the perfect Monday or the first of the month. Choose a date in the next few days and write it down. Waiting for a "fresh start" is often just a nice way of putting it off.

Then make a money goal tracker with 30 boxes. You can print one, build one in Google Sheets, draw it on scrap paper, or use one of the free money management apps on your phone, such as Goodbudget. Paper on the fridge works well because you see it every time you grab milk, and crossing off a box is oddly satisfying.

Practical tip: Write the action for each day inside its box before you start, the way you would with day timers. Then you're not deciding every morning, and a simple money tracker keeps your own plan in front of you.

2. Choose your challenge style

There's no single right way to do this. Some people set aside a small amount each day. Some do no-spend days, where they buy nothing beyond bills and basics. Others mix the two, with a money habit on weekdays and a no-spend day on weekends.

Be honest about your month. If you've got a birthday party, a car repair or a trip coming up, a strict no-spend plan will probably fall apart. A gentler mix might hold up better.

Practical tip: If you're not sure, start with two no-spend days a week and a small habit on the other days. You can always make it harder in week two.

3. Decide where the saved money goes with a savings goal app

This part gets skipped a lot, and it matters more than you'd think. If the money you "saved" just sits in your everyday account, it tends to quietly disappear into groceries and random snacks.

Give it a home you can see. That could be a separate savings pot with your bank, a labelled envelope, or a jar on a shelf. Watching it grow, even slowly, keeps you going on the days you'd rather not bother, and apps to help save money can make that easy to see. If you're unsure which account type suits you, check your bank's page or ask someone you trust who knows money.

Practical tip: Move the money the same day you save it. "I'll transfer it at the end of the week" usually turns into never.

4. Check your subscriptions and cancel one

This is my favourite day of the whole challenge, because it takes about twenty minutes and keeps paying off. Go through your bank statement or a money spending tracker such as Rocket Money and list everything that charges you regularly. Streaming, apps, memberships, that cloud storage you forgot about.

Most people find at least one they don't really use. You may find a fitness app you've opened only twice in a year. Cancelling it felt a little embarrassing and a lot better.

Practical tip: If you can't decide whether to keep something, cancel it and see if you miss it in a month. You can usually sign up again. Check the service's own page for how cancelling works before you do it.

5. Pack lunch for a week

Buying lunch every day adds up quietly. You don't notice it on Tuesday, but you'd notice it if you saw a month of it in one place.

You don't need fancy meal prep. Leftovers from dinner, a sandwich, some fruit and a handful of nuts is fine. The first two days feel like effort. By Thursday it's just what you do.

Practical tip: Make tomorrow's lunch while you're cleaning up after dinner. You're already in the kitchen, and morning you will thank evening you.

6. Compare prices on one thing you buy often

Pick one item you buy all the time. Coffee, dish soap, pet food, nappies, whatever it is for you. Then spend a few minutes checking what it costs in two or three other places, or whether a store brand would do the job.

Only do one item per day. If you try to compare your whole shopping list at once, you'll get tired and give up. One at a time, and it actually sticks.

Practical tip: Look at the price per unit, not just the sticker. A bigger pack isn't always the better deal.

7. Unsubscribe from marketing emails that tempt you

Sale emails are designed to make you feel like you're missing out. A "20% off today only" email can make you suddenly need a new jacket you hadn't thought about five minutes earlier.

Go through your inbox and unsubscribe from the stores that get you most often. You'll still be able to shop there when you actually need something. You just won't be nudged every day.

Practical tip: Search your inbox for the word "sale" or "off." It pulls up most of the culprits in one go.

By the way, if getting your home in order is part of your money plan, our free Dollar-Store Organization Shopping List can help you shop with a plan instead of grabbing whatever's on the shelf.

8. Wait 24 hours before buying something you don't need

This one sounds too simple to work. It works surprisingly often. When you want something that isn't a need, leave it in the cart or walk away and wait a full day.

Half the time, I forget about it. The other half, I still want it, and then I buy it without guilt because I actually thought about it. Both outcomes are fine.

Practical tip: Keep a "want list" in your phone. Write the item and the date. If it's still on the list a week later, it's probably worth a real look.

9. Sell one thing you no longer use

Most homes have a few things sitting around that someone else would pay for. An old phone, a kids' bike, a lamp that never fit the room. Pick one and list it.

Honestly, selling can be a bit of a hassle. People message and don't show up. But clearing one item feels good, and any money from it can go straight into your savings pot.

Practical tip: Take photos in daylight near a window. Clear photos tend to get more replies than dark ones taken at night.

10. Cook one extra meal at home

If you usually get takeaway twice a week, swap just one of those for a meal at home. Nothing fancy. Pasta, eggs on toast, a big pot of soup.

You can skip the idea of cooking every single meal from scratch during the challenge. That's how people burn out by day ten. One extra home meal a week is realistic, and it's more likely to last after day 30.

Practical tip: Keep a couple of "lazy night" meals in the cupboard, so when you're tired, cooking is still easier than ordering.

11. Be kind to yourself when you miss a day

You'll miss a day. Maybe two. Someone will invite you out, or you'll have a rough week and buy the comfort snack. That's normal.

Skip the box and carry on with the next one. Don't try to "make up" for it by doubling the next day, and don't throw the whole challenge out. The point is building a habit, not getting a perfect score.

12. Look back on day 30

On the last day, sit down for ten minutes with your tracker. Which habits were easy? Which ones did you dread? Which ones would you keep without even thinking about it?

How much you'll save depends on your own spending, so no honest figure can be promised in advance. It depends on your income, your bills, your habits and your month. What I can say is that you'll know a lot more about where your money goes, even if you never try the best money saving apps, and that's worth something on its own.

Practical tip: Choose two habits to keep for the next month. Not all of them. Two is enough to make a real difference without feeling like a chore.

Our top picks for your 30-day challenge

You don't need any of these to finish the challenge, but a few tools can make the tracking and saving parts easier. Here are some well-known options to look at.

YNAB

YNAB (You Need A Budget) suits people who want to give every bit of income a job and enjoy a hands-on approach. Check that you're happy to spend time setting it up, and see whether the trial and ongoing plan fit your situation.

Monarch Money

Monarch Money suits people who want accounts, spending and goals in one place, including couples sharing a plan. Check which banks it can connect to in your country before you commit.

Rocket Money

Rocket Money is built around finding recurring charges and helping you cancel the ones you don't use, which fits the subscription day well. Check what is free and what needs a paid plan, and whether it works with your bank.

Chime

Chime suits US readers who like having a separate savings pot and automatic round-up style saving. Check how its accounts work, any eligibility rules, and whether it's available where you live.

Acorns

Acorns suits people who want spare change rounded up and set aside without thinking about it. Check how the fees work and whether you want your money invested or kept in simple savings.

Goodbudget

Goodbudget uses the envelope method, so it suits anyone who likes the idea of the labelled envelope but wants it on a phone. Check whether the free version has enough envelopes for your needs.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets suits people who like a free, simple tracker they can build themselves, including a 30-box challenge grid. Check that you're comfortable making your own layout, since nothing is set up for you.

Check current plans and prices on each brand's own site before you sign up.

FAQ

Do I have to save money every single day?

No. Some days are about a habit, like checking prices or unsubscribing from emails, and not about putting cash aside. The challenge is about small actions, and they all count.

What if I can't afford to set aside any money right now?

That's completely okay. Focus on the free habits, like cancelling unused subscriptions, waiting 24 hours before buying, and cooking at home. If money is tight in a worrying way, a free money advice service or a trusted professional may be able to help.

Can I do this with my partner or family?

Yes, and it can be more fun that way. Share the tracker and let each person pick a few days. Just agree on the rules at the start so nobody feels judged.

What should I do after the 30 days?

Keep the two habits that felt easiest and drop the rest. Some people run the challenge again a few months later with new daily actions. Do whatever feels doable for you.

If you're ready to start, pick your date today and draw your 30 boxes. Then grab the free Dollar-Store Organization Shopping List by joining our email list, so the next time you head to the store, you've got a plan in your hand instead of a cart full of maybes.

Some links on this site may earn us a commission. Read our disclosure.