Whether you’re saving for a dream vacation or a major life milestone, coming up with $10,000 in three months is no easy feat. But with a clear plan and a little determination, you’d be surprised how quickly your savings will grow.
Looking for more financial help while you work on saving? Checkout:
- EarnIn: Borrow $100 a day against an upcoming paycheck!
- Rocket Money: The all-in-one budgeting app to help you save more.
How To Save $10,000 in 3 Months
- Create a Goal
- Review Your Budget
- Pay Off Debt
- Find Ways to Save
- Increase Income
- Change Your Lifestyle
Every little bit counts when it comes to saving money. If your goal is to save $10,000 in three months, then follow these six steps:
1. Create a Goal
First things first, you need to create a realistic goal. This goal should outline what you’re saving for and how much you need to save to accomplish it. Then, you’ll need to break it down into a series of manageable steps.
Maybe you’re saving for a wedding, or maybe you’ve been dreaming of taking a month-long trip to Japan. No matter what you need money for, you need to be very clear about how much it will cost and how long it will take you to save for it. Break this down into monthly, weekly, and daily savings goals.
For example, if your goal is to save $10,000 in three months, you will need to save:
- $3,333 per month
- $833 per week
- $119 per day
Breaking your goal down this way allows you to visualize how much you need to save and budget accordingly. You might also consider opening a high-yield savings account to maximize the amount you put away.
2. Review Your Budget
Once you’ve outlined your goal, it’s time to review your spending and debts. Create a list of all your current expenses, and label them as essentials, debts, flexible expenses, and non-essentials. This will help you see where your money is currently going and the areas you may be able to save.
Look for patterns in your spending, and identify recurring subscriptions and non-essential purchases that add up over time. Think about cutting them out entirely. Consider using one of the best budgeting apps like Rocket Money or a spreadsheet to track this information.
Budget Example
| Expense Category | Current Amount | Adjusted Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $2,000 | $2,000 | Rent, utilities, groceries |
| Debts | $500 | $400 | Apply snowball or avalanche method to reduce debt |
| Flexible Expenses | $600 | $300 | Reduce dining out, entertainment, and non-essential subscriptions |
| Non-Essentials | $300 | $0 | Cancel streaming services, gym memberships, and other non-essentials |
| Savings Goal | $0 | $1,300 | Allocated savings towards $10,000 goal |
3. Pay Off Debt
If you have debt, paying it off can help boost your savings efforts. If you’re wondering how to get out of debt, there are two main ways you can approach this:
Snowball Method: The snowball debt payoff method focuses on paying off your smallest debt first (while making the minimum payment on other debts). Once the smallest debt is paid off, you take that payment and use it to pay off the next smallest debt – and so on until you are debt-free. This creates a snowball effect that helps you build momentum and pay off larger debts over time.
Avalanche Method: The avalanche debt payoff method focuses on paying off debt with the highest interest first, no matter how much you owe. While this method can take a bit more persistence, it does save more money in the long run.
No matter which method you choose, reducing your debt will free up more of your budget for savings and help you achieve your financial goals faster.
4. Find Ways to Save
Next, you’ll want to choose the right type of budget and find expenses where you can save – either by reducing the monthly cost or eliminating them entirely.
First, consider using a subscription cancellation tool to find subscriptions you can easily cut. This might be a forgotten streaming account or a food delivery service you no longer need.
Then, consider some of your more flexible expenses. Maybe you can downgrade your plan on the TV streaming services you want to keep, or you can call your insurance, cell phone, and utility companies to see if you can negotiate a better rate – or switch to one of their competitors.
When it comes to your everyday shopping, try to do more comparison shopping. Look for coupons and shop at stores with better discounts. Buy generics over name brands when possible.
Finally, consider trying a No Spend Challenge. This will require you to stop all unnecessary spending for a period of time, typically two to four weeks. It’s amazing how much you can save when you cut spending entirely. Plus, it leaves more time for you to pursue the next step of the savings process.
5. Increase Income
Unfortunately, reducing expenses alone probably won’t be enough to save $10,000 in three months. You also need to find ways to increase your income.
The easiest way is to ask for a raise at work. If that’s not possible, you might consider finding a different job.
Another popular way to increase your income is to take on a side gig. This can be anything from freelancing to pet care to DoorDash. You can also pawn or sell unused items around your home.
The most important thing is to find opportunities to start making money as soon as possible. By combining reduced expenses with extra income, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your savings goal.
6. Change Your Lifestyle
If reducing expenses and increasing your income isn’t enough, you may need to consider making significant lifestyle changes.
This might include:
- Renting out a room in your current home.
- Downsizing and moving to a more affordable neighborhood.
- Selling your vehicle and using public transportation.
- Skipping travel and vacations.
- Canceling or pausing your gym membership and working out at home.
- Replacing expensive hobbies with free ones, such as libraries, parks, and community events.
- Buying second-hand items instead of new items.
- Shopping for groceries in bulk and meal prepping instead of eating out.
Though it may be a major adjustment, making significant lifestyle changes can help you save more money to reach your financial goals faster.
Stay Driven and Save Big
Saving $10,000 in three months may seem overwhelming, but it’s entirely possible with a bit of planning and determination. Once you break down your goal, review your budget, and find ways to save while increasing your income, you’ll be well on your way toward achieving financial success.
Stay committed and focused, and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Start today and watch your savings grow!
