The 52-week challenge: how it works and how much you save
How the 52-week savings challenge works, how much you save with a €1, €2 or €5 base and how not to give up halfway through the year.
The 52-week challenge is probably the most popular way to start saving. It works because it starts with tiny amounts and builds up slowly, so the habit arrives before the effort.
How it works
Pick a base amount. In week 1 you set aside that amount, in week 2 double, in week 3 triple… up to week 52.
With a €1 base, you set aside €1 in week 1, €10 in week 10 and €52 in week 52. By the end of the year you have the sum of 1 + 2 + 3 + … + 52, which is €1,378.
How much you save by base
| Base | Last week | Yearly total |
|---|---|---|
| €1 | €52 | €1,378 |
| €2 | €104 | €2,756 |
| €5 | €260 | €6,890 |
It’s all the base multiplied by 1,378.
In reverse, if December is tough
The challenge’s weak spot is the end: the most expensive weeks fall in November and December, just when spending peaks. Many people do it in reverse: they start with week 52 while they’re keen and finish with €1 at Christmas. The total is exactly the same.
How not to give up
- Start whenever you like. It doesn’t have to be January: count 52 weeks from today.
- Make it easy. Set the money aside on the same day each week, ideally payday.
- If you skip a week, that’s fine. Catch up the next week or spread the difference across a few. What sinks the challenge isn’t one bad week, it’s quitting.
- Watch it grow. Seeing what you’ve saved and how many weeks in a row you’ve kept it up motivates more than any New Year’s resolution.
Where should I keep the money?
What matters is that it’s separate from your everyday account, so you don’t spend it by accident. A separate account or a savings goal is enough.
This guide is for information only and isn’t personalised financial advice.