Follow This 52-Week Savings Challenge to Save an Extra $10,000 in 2025

Updated - First published on Oct. 30, 2024

Natasha Etzel

By: Natasha Etzel

Writer

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. APY = Annual Percentage Yield.

KEY POINTS

  • Many people are committed to saving more money in 2025.
  • With the right strategy, it may be easier to save $10,000 than you think.
  • This 52-week savings challenge makes saving money more exciting and outlines a clear path to your final goal.

Would having an extra $10,000 in your savings account make you more financially secure? This is an ideal amount of money for many people to have in their emergency fund.

Now is the perfect time to start making a plan so you know what steps to take to get there. I'll show you how to make your $10,000 savings goal a reality in the upcoming year.

Your path to saving $10,000 may differ

No one set savings plan works best for everyone because we all have different personal and financial situations. Only you can decide if a particular savings strategy works for your lifestyle, income, and financial goals.

There are many ways to achieve your $10,000 savings goal. You could make smaller contributions each week, sporadic larger contributions throughout the year, follow a savings challenge, or choose a different strategy altogether.

If you need inspiration, the following savings challenge offers a fun way to achieve your goals. Remember that your path to saving $10,000 may look different, and that's OK.

If you want to make a game out of saving money, you should try following a savings challenge. This is an excellent way to make the process more fun as you work hard to make your financial goals a reality.

Here are the amounts to save over the 52 weeks that make up a year:

Give this 52-week challenge a try

Week Amount to Save Total Contributions
1 $100 $100
2 $200 $300
3 $250 $550
4 $300 $850
5 $100 $950
6 $200 $1,150
7 $250 $1,400
8 $200 $1,600
9 $100 $1,700
10 $200 $1,900
11 $250 $2,150
12 $300 $2,450
13 $100 $2,550
14 $200 $2,750
15 $250 $3,000
16 $200 $3,200
17 $100 $3,300
18 $200 $3,500
19 $250 $3,750
20 $300 $4,050
21 $100 $4,150
22 $200 $4,350
23 $250 $4,600
24 $200 $4,800
25 $100 $4,900
26 $200 $5,100
27 $250 $5,350
28 $300 $5,650
29 $100 $5,750
30 $200 $5,950
31 $250 $6,200
32 $200 $6,400
33 $100 $6,500
34 $200 $6,700
35 $250 $6,950
36 $300 $7,250
37 $100 $7,350
38 $200 $7,550
39 $250 $7,800
40 $200 $8,000
41 $100 $8,100
42 $200 $8,300
43 $250 $8,550
44 $300 $8,850
45 $100 $8,950
46 $200 $9,150
47 $250 $9,400
48 $200 $9,600
49 $100 $9,700
50 $100 $9,800
51 $100 $9,900
52 $100 $10,000
Data source: Author's calculations.

If this plan doesn't work for you, feel free to outline your ideal weekly savings plan. You can have fun with it by keeping track of your progress along the way to stay motivated.

To reach your savings goals faster, consider the Discover® Online Savings account, which offers a competitive 3.60% APY. That's more than eight times the national savings rate. Click here to learn more and open an account today.

Where you stash your savings matters

Gamifying saving could help you save more money.

Here's a tip to help you boost your savings account balance with minimal work: Stash your extra money in a high-yield savings account.

Most checking accounts don't earn interest -- so there's little benefit to keeping your savings there. Plus, you may be tempted to spend your extra money.

A savings account is a better option.

But don't settle for any savings account. The average national savings account APY is 0.41%.

You can earn more by keeping your extra cash in a high-yield savings account. Many banks are offering competitive rates for these accounts.

Choosing an account with a competitive APY could yield more interest with no extra effort. Want to earn more from your savings? Click here to explore our list of the top high-yield savings accounts with APYs of 4.00% or more.

Whether you want to save $500, $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000 in 2025, every dollar you stash away will get you closer to reaching your goal. Establishing a goal and plan before the new year begins is a great way to set yourself up for success.

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Natasha Etzel
Natasha Etzel

Natasha is a freelance writer who specializes in personal finance, credit card, credit card rewards, and travel hacking content.