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How To Save Real Money With This Money Challenge | February Savings/Income Report 52 Week Bingo Money Challenge from Money, Career, & Lifestyle Blog, She Makes Cents

2018 February Recap | 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on March 7, 2018March 7, 2018 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

We are approaching week ten of the 2018 She Makes Cents 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge and I must say, that this year’s money tribe is the most committed tribe we have had in three years. For those of you who may be new to this blog, the She Makes Cents Money Tribe (SMCmoneytribe) is an uplifting community of women from all over the world that supports each other’s financial journey and savings endeavors. Every week, we share our wins, big or small and celebrate each other’s progress. At the beginning of the year, it is easy to be motivated by the “newness” of everything, but as the year goes on, many people find it Generally, the month of February is when most people abandon the goals and habits they resolved to attain. In fact, according to Business Insider, 80% of people fail their New Year Resolutions by February so the #SMCmoneytribe is going strong means that we are beating the odds with our money goals and resolutions we made for ourselves at the beginning of 2018. WAY TO GO, TRIBE!

February Recap: 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Back in January Recap of the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge, I shared a MAJOR goal to have my student loans PAID IN FULL by October 2019. In order for me to reach this big money goal, I have to aim for smaller milestones along the way. For the month of February, I saved a total of $210.00 on this challenge by crossing off $45, $15, $50, $49, plus a $51 bonus. Every week, without fail, I select a number from the She Makes Cents Money Guide and I send that amount to my student loan provider. Additionally, since the Mr. and I are knocking out this debt together, the Mr.’s contribution of $250.00 helped us to send an extra $460.00 (in addition to the monthly payment) toward student loan debt.

This time last year, I had over $18,000.00 in student loan debt with a goal to get my student loan balance to $12,505.00. Not only did I hit that goal, I surpassed it before the end of the year. By January 2018, I had a balance of $12,505.00 (the extra $5 was because of the daily accruing interest) and I closed the month of February at $11,378.37.

How to Join the 2018 SMC Money Tribe

The new 2018 SMC Money Tribe Facebook group will serve as a “home base” for the #SMCmoneytribe. There you will be directed to fill out a quick registration form and download the money card. This is a space for active members and as a member of the SMCmoneytribe, you will gain exclusive content, motivation, and financial tips and tricks that will help you whether you are saving to pay down debt like me or saving to take a fabulous trip or two in the new year (also me). This year, you will have the option to do your weekly check-ins on Friday and/or Saturday on all of our social media handles to make it easily accessible to people who are only active on certain platforms.

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE TRIBE & THE MONEY CHALLENGE…

Join the SMC Money Tribe Facebook Group
Complete the registration form to select your weekly check-in date
Follow She Makes Cents on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Pick a savings goal & get ready to save some $$$$ in 2018

How To Win on the She Makes Cents Money Challenge

Published on January 6, 2017February 27, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason4 Comments

Happy 1^st Friday of 2017 everyone and welcome to the 2017 version of the She Makes Cents Money Challenge! Need a quick overview of the She Makes Cents Money Challenge?… click here. If you know me, you know I LOVE Fridays. It’s the day I eat tacos and drink margaritas with a sugar rim, it kicks off the weekend, and it’s the day I make smart money moves on the She Makes Cents Bingo Money Challenge! bingo-money-challenge

The Benefits

They say you should do something today that your future self will thank you for and that is what this money challenge is for me and the #SMCmoneytribe. As a part of the #SMCmoneytribe you will take this financial journey with the best accountability partners….other readers like you. Last year I paid off my credit card completely and I am still carrying a zero balance (insert angels singing…seriously can you hear them?). While I have used the money from this challenge to help pay down debt, other members of the tribe have used their savings to go on vacations, pay for professional certifications, holiday gifts for family, and to ramp up their emergency funds. By accepting this challenge, you will gain more than the financial payout… you will gain a new sense of discipline, determination, and better money habits overall.

Should you get off track, you can always catch up or start over, we just ask that you don’t give up on this challenge, your goals, or yourself. YOU can do it and you have an entire TRIBE of people cheering you on!

Double the Fun

This year I have talked the Mr. into participating…sort of like a dollar for dollar matching. For every number I cross off and save, he will match it. If we decided to “double of fun” last year, we would have saved almost $4,000.00 together. I’m doing this with the hubby because we have a shared travel goals and an invested goal to reduce my student loan debt. The cool thing is that you don’t need a spouse to double your savings, you can do this with anyone who you know and trust who shares your goal. Saving for a girl’s trip, why not combine efforts with your bestie(s)?

If you share your progress on social media (which I highly recommend), please make sure you use the hashtags #SMCmoneytribe so the tribe can cheer you on!

How to Join the Challenge

Want to join the #SMCmoneytribe to get access to a tribe of goal minded accountability partners who are invested in your success and your FREE bingo money guide? Click here, fill in your info, and we will do the rest.

smcmoneytribe

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{BINGO Money Challenge} The Easiest Way to Save Money In the New Year

Published on December 17, 2016January 3, 2018 by Danielle YB Vason6 Comments

UPDATE: Click here for the 2018 version of the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge from She Makes Cents

It’s the season when people begin making new plans to start afresh in the New Year. We make goals/resolutions and we vow to take this great opportunity to reset and do better than the year before. Sound familiar? It’s important that we take time to reflect on this crazy year so we are that much more successful when we start over in 2017. Were your financial goals attained? Did you fall off? Did your goals change? easietway-toavemoney

shemakescents BINGO Money Challenge

This year some of my most basic financial goals included paying off my credit cards, snowballing my student loans, seeing the shemakescents BINGO Money Challenge to completion. For those of you who are new to shemakescents.com, the BINGO Money Challenge is a remix of the popular 52 Week Money Challenge that went viral a few years ago. The original challenge was to make a weekly deposit that reflects the number of weeks of the year. For example, on week one you deposit $1.00 and on week 52 you deposit $52.00 and so on. However, doing it this way will have you shelling out the big bucks during the holidays when people’s money is the most limited. I thought to myself…”Danielle, how can you find a way to honor the challenge in a way that will not hurt you financially?” Then I came up with the idea to create a “bingo” style format. The original version only has a max savings potential of $1378.00 whereas this version has an average of $1900.00+ .

This year, I have been pretty successful with this goal and my other financial goals from the standpoint that I never gave up. There were a few bumps in the road but I pushed through and so many of you did too. In pushing through, I was able to find more efficient ways to work towards my 2017 money goals.

Introducing the #SMCmoneytribe

In reflecting on the past year, I noticed that those of you who participated in the weekly check-ins for the shemakescents BINGO Money Challenge, via Twitter and the Facebook group (click the links to follow), had the highest success rates. For 2017, all those who take part in the BINGO Money Challenge will become members of the #SMCmoneytribe giving you access to personalized check-ins, support of others with similar money goals, and a FREE printable of the 2017 version of the bingo money sheet. Together we will reach our money goals and enjoy the company of other goal-oriented readers. Past members have used their savings for travel, holiday gifts, pay down debt, save for a car down payment, and pay for professional certifications. The sky is the limit with the savings because of the bonus boxes and if you really want to up the ante you can do so by doubling the value of each box.

If you would like the full benefits of joining our #SMCmoneytribe, please click here to download your money card sheet. We would love to have you apart of our group. Did I mention I have saved a little under $1,900.00 with two more weeks to go for the year?? If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at info@shemakescents.com .

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{Money Goals} This Money Challenge Beats All Other Money Challenges

Published on September 10, 2016 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Hello Lovelies. Welcome to the weekend! It’s time for check-in for the shemakescents 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge (if you are new to shemakescents.com, click here for a recap of the challenge). Today I crossed off $37.00 on the BINGO Challenge putting me at a year to date total of $1498.00. My year to date total is just one example of how this version of the 52 Week Challenge can help you double your savings opportunity. The original version caps your savings potential at $1378.00, which I have already surpassed. From January to July, I used this money to help me pay down my credit card payments faster. From July to today, I have saved $800+ on this challenge to make a principal payment to my student loans once I get to the $1000.00 mark.

How can you save too?

The great thing about this challenge, is that you can start anytime and it works on everyone’s budget. Just email us at info@shemakescents.com for your FREE copy of the BINGO Money Challenge sheet. The best way to stay in the challenge is to join our Twitter/Facebook check-ins so that you have the support of the community of readers participating in the challenge. To join the twitter check-in, simply tweet me!

Tweet: I joined the @shemakescents 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge to help me reach my #moneygoals.

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{May Recap} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on June 4, 2016June 3, 2016 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Hey lovelies! I wanted to do a quick check-in this morning to see how you are doing on the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge. I am well on my way with 23 boxes checked off (not including 3 bonus boxes) and step one of my snowball goal almost at the under $1,000.00 mark! Here is how the numbers are breaking down between January 2016- and May 2016.

As of yesterday when I crossed off $22.00 on the BINGO Money Sheet, I have saved a total of $938.00. Since June is the halfway point to the year, it is the perfect time to reset your goals if you have fallen off. The good thing about this challenge is that you can start at anytime and you can use the money for any goal. Right now, I am still using this money to pay down my credit card debt faster. What started off as a $5,000.00 credit card balance at the beginning of the year is now down to $1437.00. After that, I will then snowball that money to knock out my student loan debt. After that…the sky’s the limit. This can be play money, shoe money, vacation money, or by that time… 529 Plan money for a future kiddo.

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{Week 17 Update} 52 Week BINGO Money Update

Published on April 24, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Well hello lovelies. Certainly, I could not let the week go by without at least giving you an update on my progress. Last week I was so pleased by the kind reception and celebration of shemakescents reader, Alysa, who saved a total of $515.00 so far (read her spotlight here, she is pretty awesome). Her dedication to her goals is inspiring and she agrees that this challenge is an easy way to save money! Today, I wanted to close the week letting you know that I have crossed $31.00 off of my 52 Week Bingo Money Sheet, which puts me at $143.00 saved so far this month. Year to date I have saved an extra $621.00 toward my current financial goal.

The great thing about this challenge is that you can alter it to fit your personal goals and lifestyle. I start every year on the first Friday of the year, but you can start anytime.

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents SMC

Quick Tip: If you have a larger savings goal, you can double up the numbers for a minimum of $3800.00 before you even cross off the bonus boxes!

{Reader Success Story} A Shockingly Easy Way to Save Money for Fun

Published on April 15, 2016April 15, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

In my posts on this site, I share my progress toward financial freedom sort of like a diary to the world. Sometimes the stories reveal my failures and the things I learned from the experience so you don’t make the same mistakes. More often than not, my stories are transparent accounts of gained confidence in regards to my financial literacy. Every week, I have diligently crossed off numbers on the 52 Week BINGO Money Sheet and I update you on how those funds are being used. As of week 15, I have saved $590.00 extra dollars that I have put toward my credit card debt. I am proud of myself but I am equally proud to know I haven’t been on this journey by myself. This week, I wanted to shift the focus off me and begin to share the stories of other smart women who are kicking debt’s butt and redefining the “fab life” for themselves. Our very first reader’s profile is from Alysa T., a 28 year Marketing and Communications Manager out of Washington, D.C. A friend referred Alysa to shemakescents.com about 3 years ago and interestingly enough, the BINGO Money Challenge was the first article that she read.

When asked why she decided to join the challenge, Alysa explained, ” It’s a very simple and kind of fun way to put aside a little extra money each year! I think checking off all the boxes appeals to my organizational side too. This year I’m putting [my savings] towards a vacation. I am recently SCUBA certified and want to explore the underwater world more! It is awesome to know that she is using the money saved for things that (if you follow the blog, you already know what I am going to say) FEED-HER-SOUL! Over the past few years, Alysa has become more than a loyal reader. She is my Twitter pen-pal/accountability partner who sometimes sends me her progress updates before I have the chance to check-in. I LOVE THAT! I love knowing that we are on this journey together. “In past years”, Alysa reveals, “I used it for a new computer and a down payment on a car”.

The journey towards financial freedom isn’t a easy one…if it was, no one would have debt and everyone would be building wealth. Alysa’s biggest financial goal is to get her emergency fund to a healthy level so she can put more savings towards fun things. I’d say with a savings of $515.00 year to date, she is well on her way.

How Much Have You Saved on the BINGO Money Challenge? Share Below

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

52 Week Bingo Money Challenge Milestone

Published on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

If I told you the last five days have been a whirlwind, I’m not sure you could even comprehend what I mean. In the past five days I served as a juror on a trial for two days, driven from Atlanta to Jackson, Mississippi, attended a funeral, got back on the road for the six-hour car trip home, just in time to make it to a Sunday wedding for my sorority sister. That being said, I missed last week’s check in and the March recap of the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge.

Check out a few pictures from the wedding!

For the first week of April, I decided to cross off $23.00 + a bonus of $75.00. My first April contribution, including the bonus, is only $4.00 less than my entire last month’s savings. I’d say I am off to a good start for month. Overall, I have a saved a total of $556.00 that I have been using to make extra payments toward my credit card debt. Every extra payment is helping me shave off the repayment term, shave of compounding interest fees, and is improving my credit score because my debt to credit ratio is increasing. I would LOVE to have my credit card balance under the $500.00 mark by the end of May. With a balance of $2400.00+, only time and discipline will tell. Until then, I will keep crossing off numbers on my BINGO money sheet.

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents | Hashtag #shemakescents

{Week 10 Update} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on March 7, 2016January 22, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason2 Comments

This past week, I crossed off $30.00 on the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge. My hope was to cross off a higher number to I can pick up more momentum with the challenge; however, since I am on a zero-based budget, my money was allocated somewhere else. This brings me to a grand total of $426.00 saved so far doing this challenge. What I love the most about this is that it makes saving a little here or there super easy. Otherwise, I would have spent that on my Starbucks habit. How is the challenge going for you? Please share your progress below. If this is your first time hearing about the BINGO style challenge, click here for more information.

Embed from Getty Images

shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents

{February Recap} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on February 27, 2016January 22, 2017 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Happy Saturday Lovelies! I was about to do my regular weekly update when I realized that the month of February is technically over (based on our BINGO schedule). Oh how the time flies. This week I crossed off $25.00 on the shemakescents BINGO money sheet. Looking at my numbers, I was definitely able to save more in January than I was this month. I am very proud of my progress and commitment to this challenge and I am so very proud of those on this challenge with me. I have heard inspiring stories from college students, mothers, couples, and career millennials. This reveals to me that this challenge is helpful and fun for a diverse group of people. My goal for March is to exceed the savings from January (the month to beat). Since March 1st marks the 5th year anniversary for shemakescents.com I want to do it big!!