At the start of this year (2020), I started the 52 Weeks Savings Challenge and I dropped out on the final week of April.
The challenge is to save money every week (via M-Shwari’s locked savings account) and hence accumulate a lumpsum to be used at the end of the year. (A year has 52 weeks).
![[Explained] – Rogue Zuku and Safaricom Staff, SIM Swap Fraud, and the Mpesa Scam](https://pesaskills.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Explained-–-Rogue-Zuku-and-Safaricom-Staff-SIM-Swap-Fraud-and-the-Mpesa-Scam-120x86.png)
First, the reason why I dropped out is because my finances were all over the place thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are a few reasons why I found the challenge worthwhile.
A Saving Culture
The challenge is hard because it teaches you the discipline of saving money every week. It is not natural to most people (like me) to save continuously but when you have a guide and a reminder, it turns into a culture.
As Easy as ABC
You get a pre-planned way to save including the specific amounts that you will be putting aside every week. The amount is customizable so you don’t have to worry about saving beyond your means.
Yay to the Team Spirit
The challenge is usually done by lots of people and there are groups that will do it together for the same amounts. This makes it easier because you get to encourage each other and maintain accountability.
There’s a Mobile App
There are mobile apps dedicated to the 52 weeks challenge and they simply help you through your savings journey. Most of the apps will keep track of what you save and send weekly reminders of where you have reached and how much you need to save that particular week.
A Start to Learning Finances
The 52 weeks challenge is one of those things that makes you critically assess your financial decisions and therefore it makes you want to learn more about earning, saving and spending.
For example, it often gets to the point where you run short of money to save and you start analysing your spending habits just to find out what other unnecessary expenditures you can cut on. This could be your push to start an online course on personal finance.
Your personal timeline
One thing most people do not realize is that the 52 weeks challenge can be done at any time of the year. You do not have to start it on January and end in December. Rather, you can plan your 52 weeks in the best way that suits your situation as long as the weeks follow each other consecutively.
![[Explained] – Rogue Zuku and Safaricom Staff, SIM Swap Fraud, and the Mpesa Scam](https://pesaskills.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Explained-–-Rogue-Zuku-and-Safaricom-Staff-SIM-Swap-Fraud-and-the-Mpesa-Scam-350x250.png)
