The Peaceful Mom

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Fast Track Saving Challenge: Boost Your Savings Now!

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Fast Track Challenge - Real Ways to Boost Your Savings Now - The Peaceful Mompinit

We’re heading toward the end of the year and if your family is like ours you could probably use a little boost to your savings account. For the next few weeks The Peaceful Mom will be hosting the Fast Track Saving Challenge and I will be sharing specific real-life tips to help you:

 

~Jumpstart your Christmas Fund

~Start your emergency fund

~Beef up your savings account

 

Everyone who joins the challenge will be entered to win $50 PayPal cash to add to your savings! Extra cash – woohoo!

 

To enter to win:

*Comment on this post saying that you will commit to implement at least one idea from the series each week.

(eMail readers will need to click through the title of the post to the blog.)

*Sign up here for my Weekly eNotes so you don’t miss any posts!

*Come back Monday for the first assignment.

 

One winner will be randomly selected from the comments on this post and will be notified by email. Contest ends September 30th, 2014 at 9:00 am EDT.

Let’s do this!

 

Other Posts in This Series:

Fast Track Savings Assignment #1

Top 10 Budget Leaks (& how to fix them!) pt. 1

Top 10 Budget Leaks pt.2

My Week 1 Update

Fast Track Saving Challenge Assignment 2

10 Easy Ways to Find Free Money + Week 2 Update

8 Ways to Earn Money Fast + My Week 3 Update

Reader’s Money Saving Tips + Fast Track Savings Final Update

 

 

You May Also Enjoy:

5 Days to Budget Breakthrough!
5 Days to Budget Breakthrough!

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becky Bierbrodt says

    We are working towards saving up for a house and are trying to put new tires on our truck before winter. We don’t have a lot extra money each month but in September we were able to set 180 aside for the tires and an extra 100 for the house (The tires are a bit more of an urgent need) for a total of $280 saved! Woot woot! Thanks for the tips!

  5. Wendy Boyd says

    I’m. As a single momma to 2 teenage girls – finding money is essential for me! I love all of your ideas especially skipping the fast food drive thru! Thanks TPM!

  24. Brooke says

    I’m totally in!! There’s only like 16 Fridays until Christmas, so it’s definitely time to get started!!! Woot woot!! THANKS!!

  29. Jessy says

    I’m really encouraged by all of your helpful tips and goals! I’m going to try to keep up with this challenge as well. There are so many life categories that can use extra cash, but I’m going to try to put $50 extra towards savings and $50 towards a Christmas fund this month. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but this month is also the first time I’m trying to stick to a food budget of $125 per week. So there. This post is my accountability. Please hold me to it! 🙂

  33. Julie says

    I want to join! Trying to set up an emergency fund, and save for Christmas is tough and I need all the help I can get. Thanks for all do!!!

  35. Rhonda Johnson Villa says

    I want to join the challenge! We need to get money in our emergency fund, save for a big tax payment due Jan 31st, and save for a Christmas trip to be with our daughter and her family and the rest of our family. My husband and I will be discussing some serious ways to do this. Thanks for the motivation!

  40. anita says

    I decided to pay off my small balance credit cards in 9 months and each month starting with this challenge put 25.00 in savings. Count me in!!!

  41. Erin M says

    We just lost a significant source of income, so I am ready to try some new things! I will commit to trying one idea from the series each week! I love your site and all the practical tips!!

  45. Abigail says

    My family will be accepting this challenge. The summer was so expensive and I would like to save some funds in September. I am setting a goal of saving $15o this month

  55. Jessica says

    I will love having some new ideas to use to help build up our emergency savings account! Definitely committing to implementing at least one idea each week! 🙂

  56. Amy Pignatella Cain says

    I will commit to implement at least one idea from this series each week! Can’t wait to get started! Thank you!

  57. Amy Pignatella Cain says

    I will commit to implement at least one idea from this series each week! Can’t wait to get started! Thank you!

  60. Riversana says

    I’m in! My Savings account is almost completely depleted thanks to 2.5 yrs of unemployment. I need the help!

  61. Samantha says

    This came just in time!! Exactly what my family needs right now. We were approved to buy our first home but coming up with this down payment is a challenge so we have been trying to save any way we can. Thanks for the challenge Kimberly I know this is what we need and I look forward to following this.

  63. janice says

    I am challenging myself to do everything in my power to save $1000 this month. I am saving for peace of mind(!) and security…freedom! For the next 30 days I will choose to spend less on gas by not mindlessly driving around. I will have a purpose to my travels! I will plan my meals in order to avoid eating out and cook as many things as are possible to cook from scratch. I will organize my coupons so that they are easily available. I will not purchase unnecessary items.
    Excited about the journey!

  66. Joanne says

    I have committed to saving $500 this month (Sept) to go toward my Christmas fund. I plan to spend less on groceries and eating out. Whoooo Whooooo

    • Margaret says

      I’m in!! Not only are we saving for Christmas, we are expecting a third baby girl in less than a month–exciting, but Mama’s un-paid maternity leave is going to be rough! We are trying to create a budget that will allow me to stay home with our little one permanently, so I am looking forward to implementing some of these changes! If anyone else has suggestions, I will happily take those, too!!

  69. Megan B says

    Great timing with this post. I am always looking for new ways to save. I will absolutely try one way each week.

  73. Barbara says

    I’m definitely in. After a two week vacation and two weeks of my niece visiting. My savings have dwindled dramatically. Thanks for the extra kick in the pants to do it now!

  76. Wendy says

    We’ve been trying so hard to pay off our Discover card! Hope to find some tips to help with that!! I’m in!!

  80. Kaylee Collins says

    I’m game! I need to save almost $500 for a certification test I need to take before the end of Feb, so I NEED this!

  81. Andrea says

    I am in! I would like to save some extra money for the upcoming holiday season. I vowed that this year I will stick to a strict budget and have a plan. The first phase of my plan is to work hard at saving money for this.

  85. Emilie says

    I am in if I can participate only being here only once a week. Limited computer time is another of my goals as well as saving some more money!

  86. Holly says

    I’m in! I’ve been talking about it for a while now, but have done nothing. Now that I am committing, there is NO turning back 🙂

  87. Marisol says

    I’m in! What a great idea, can’t wait for your weekly tips, these should keep me motivated to meet my goal.

  90. Katie says

    I’m in! I would love to get some extra money into our savings for Christmas! Thank you for putting this together! 🙂

  93. Brenda Haskin says

    I commit. I just started working a few months ago. It started out great and paid down some debt them suddenly we seem to “need” that money would like to be able to hold on to some of it.

  97. Liz says

    I commit! We just welcomed our first child to our family, and my husband is a college student and can only work part time so we need all the money we can get!

  101. Mary says

    This is a great idea– with plenty of time to prep for the holidays 🙂 I definitely accept the challenge to try!

  104. Jamie says

    This is exactly what I need right now. August was our most expensive month since we bought our house! Can’t wait to read the tips.

  110. Rebecca says

    I will take part in this! I decided to go back to school and am ready to get all the help I can get! This will be such a tremendous pusher. I am glad this is out here! Thank you!

  119. Mara says

    This is great! Thanks for doing this. Right in line with what we have been wanting to implement. I commit as well.

  122. Charis says

    Would LOVE a Christmas fund (our anniversary is in December too!! And my mom’s birthday!) and boy do we need help. I’m IN.

  126. Cat says

    I love learning new and innovative ways to save money! Being a US Military Family, stationed overseas, our options for saving money are rather limited! I can commit to implement as many of the weekly ideas as I can and am eager to get started!

  130. Jessica says

    I’m in! We are trying to move across a couple states to get closer to our family and we can use every penny we can get!

  134. Christine says

    This sounds like a great thing, especially since we are already working on a tighter budget! I’m really curious to learn something new!

  136. Kristin says

    Count me in! Would love to pay for Christmas without doing into debt! We will commit to the challenge!

  140. Catherine says

    Ready to commit to implementing an idea a week. Something has got to send the money flowing in the right direction. Interested to see the ideas.

  142. Jamey says

    I’m in. I need to restart my emergency fund after having to by another van when our old one broke a few weeks before baby #3 came along.

  144. Tonia Phillips says

    Our fourth baby is due just before Christmas, so this challenge is perfect to help motivate us to be more prepared!

  149. Jennifer says

    I am committed to trying your ideas- I have 5 kids so the more money I can save the better Christmas will be.

  150. simone says

    I am willing to commit. I have a real problem with saving. It’s one of the hardest things for me to do.

  153. Lisa says

    I’m in. I’m very interested to hear what you have to say. I get stressed every Christmas on how we’re going to give gifts. I started saving a (very) little since the beginning of the year. I can’t wait to hear your ideas.

  154. kathy says

    what a blessing it would be. long list of things its needed for. I commit to follow and do 1 thing from each post

  158. Erilyn C. says

    I will commit! I am looking beyond Christmas and just trying to build an emergency savings for myself. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us!!

  161. tricia says

    I am committing to try at least one thing each week. Christmas is not far away and it will be here soon.

  162. Dianna Heisterhagen says

    I’m always behind saving for Christmas/December Birthday Month. I’m ready to begin anew & renewed by your enthusiasm! Dianna H.

  163. Jennifer says

    I’m on board. My 10th wedding anniversary is in January & we would like to take a weekend getaway. It would be great to be able to splurge a bit!!

  164. Amanda Boyer says

    I am definitely committing! Our family is always looking for one more way to cut back and save. Each choice helps!

  166. Jodi says

    I commit to at least one idea per week. Thanks for the post about the fast food manager. Needed that.

  167. Kristie Thurmon says

    I am committing! The toughest part, though is getting hubby on the limiting eating out for lunch NEARLY EVERY DAY!!! (Wish me many blessings!) :-

  168. Lisa Mac says

    I am commiting to implementing one idea per week in this series! I always need a little kick in the pants to actually follow through with great ideas, so this helps me a lot!

  173. Shannon T says

    I’m in! I commit to implement at least one idea weekly to boost my savings and live a more peaceful financial life!

  174. Joan says

    Kimberlee, I commit to implementing at least one of your ideas each week.
    Thanks for getting us started on this, not only for the holidays, but to better our lives. It helps to have a ‘team’ to work with. And an encouraging coach.

  177. Julia Farino says

    Hi Kimberlee, I am excited to jump start our saving plans. Christmas always tends to financially catch us off guard and I look fwd to starting the new year a little less stressed. Thank you for sharing all that you do…you really have a gift in sooo many areas that have seriously organized and simplified my life. Thanks again! -JULIA

  182. Vanessa says

    Count me in too. I would love to build up more money for Christmas. Even more awesome would be to pay for it all cash, and have some extra to roll over into our emergency fund!

  188. Nyssa says

    I’m willing to commit! This could help us save up to renovate my parent’s basement, so we can move onto the farm 🙂

  194. Sarah says

    I commit to trying at least one tip per week to help our family save more money. We are in the process of redoing our monthly budget since my job is insecure. Thank you!

  195. Kristyn Polin says

    I am very committed to implement at least one or more of your savings challenges each week. I could absolutely use the extra Christmas money and this is a surefire way to make that happen.

  196. Kelly says

    I’m willing to try some ideas and definitely committed to saving more for Christmas but at the same time, spending less!

  198. Lori George says

    Count me in! I’m an email reader but couldn’t click the title…had to use the “click here” link in the message of the email. Hope that counts. Regardless, any advice on how to save money, I’m all for! Thank you!!!

  200. Wendalynn says

    I commit to the challenge and am looking forward to the start of my financial freedom. This challenge comes right on time, happy saving!

  207. Debby says

    I am hesitant to commit to something before I know what it is, but I have been receiving your emails long enough that I think it is safe. (Your ideas are sound and doable.) I would like the $50 credit, of course, but I will refuse it, if chosen, if I cannot commit to one idea. 🙂

  210. Kathryn B says

    Yes I will commit to implement at least one idea from the series each week. I am excited to hopefully discover some new ideas.

  213. Rachel says

    I’m in! We’ve been doing pretty well with our money, but we hit a couple of bumps in the road the last couple of weeks, so I’m ready for us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get back on track.

  214. Laura Thrasher says

    As a soon to be newlywed, I can use all the tips I can get! I commit to one technique each week. 🙂

  215. Eileen says

    I am committed – got off track in July and have been having a difficult time getting started again. Hopefully this will help me out! Thanks for your great blog!

    • Lori George says

      Eileen — this sounds like me…had gotten myself on a budget, bills were getting paid on time, then I made a trip to Florida the first of August to move my daughter home after graduating from grad school. Yea for her, but it totally through a wrench in the budget and now I’m off track again. UGH! Lori

  218. Robin says

    I will commit to implement at least one idea from the series each week! Help! Looking forward to learning more about saving money.

  224. Jenny says

    Very excited about this challenge! I commit to implementing at least one idea from the series each week. Have an envelope ready for those savings!

  229. Norma says

    I’m in! This challenge couldn’t have come in a better time. Looking forward to saving up! Come on ladies we can do this! Thank you, Kimberly.

  230. Lauri says

    This is exactly what I need, I’ve been trying to do these things on my own, with slow progress, I welcome any and all tips to help me as well as the ” community” support!! Thank you!

  233. Aija says

    Hi! I really love Your blog. I’m in, I’m in. I have already used some ideas from your ebooks and posts and Hope to get some new inspiring idea every week!
    Sorry for late , I just now checked my emails because we are in hospital with my toddler girl- stomack viruss. Hope to get out today!

  234. Esther says

    I am excited to commit to one (maybE all!) of your ideas. I’ve been reading your blog for over a month now and your ideas have helped me. Thanks for this challenge. I need the boost! Good luck to all of us!

  236. Sessceal Reynolds says

    Count me in!! I, too, commit to the challenge of implementing one new idea a week! Thanks!

  237. Monique Lawrence says

    I will commit to implement at least one idea from the series each week. I am very excited about this and eager to do it. Thanks for all that you do. I am so grateful to have recently found your site. Thank you again.

  238. Wendy Harrison says

    I am committed to try your ideas to save up some extra cash! The faster I can do this, the better Christmas will be!

  241. Ashley says

    Thanks for being our teacher and cheerleader! Our family is committed to implementing at least one of your ideas. Especially interested in your Christmas fund ideas. I try and buy early is that good or can’t wait to hear what you think! Also have my hubs n daughters bday jan 10 & 11 (costly) so I’m all ears! Tks again!
    -Ashley from canada!

  242. Meg Bodin says

    I commit to implementing at least one idea each week to help me boost our savings! We are living on a zero-based, every dollar allocated, cash envelope propelled budget. This is the second pay period we have exercised this new way of living and we already paid off one account and closed it and have over $1000 in savings. Looking forward to working every angle I can!

  243. Misty Wilson says

    I commit!!! I commit!!! I need help in all of these areas!!! Thank you for the help!!! May God Bless you abd your family!!!

  244. Michelle Karr says

    I will happily commit to implement at least one new money saving idea a week. As a one income family I am always looking for ways to save money.

  246. kim says

    i cannot wait to do this. i have been searching for something to help with christmas. I will do one a week!

  247. Wendy says

    I am eagerly joining the challenge and looking forward to implementing one new idea a week. 🙂

  248. Cinda says

    This couldn’t come at a better time for me. This weekend I work the last of my regularly scheduled hours at work. Not my idea, job restructuring. Last week we adopted twins, next month my older daughter is getting married. Throw in normal stuff and 6 kids and the money can be hard to hang on to. Looking forward to some fresh ideas and encouragement to re-commit to forgotten thrifty ideas.

  249. Jennifer says

    My husband jokes that I can save the same dollar twice. I love saving money on the needs so we can continue to send our girls to a private school. Looking forward to your tips.

  253. Kristi Brock says

    I will commit to implement at least one idea each week in this series. I can’t wait to learn more from you! 🙂

  254. Joan says

    This is exciting. And any tips you share will be an encouragement to get ready for the holidays, and other future needs.
    I am committed to implement at least one tip per week.

    Thanks, Kimberlee.

  255. Angie says

    I’m in – I’ll implement one thing a week! It’s always easier to make changes with buddies 🙂

    • Cate says

      I will commit to implementing at least one suggestion a week. We are already retirement age and ill-prepared for retirement. We learned very late in life (was self-employed for years) that we need money for our future. Now our future is here and we are not prepared. Any ideas would be helpful. Money is extremely tight as my husband is disabled and retirement age (though works part-time so we can live month-to-month) and I have had cancer for three years running. Thank you for the opportunity to enter.

  260. Charla says

    I am so excited about this challenge & I am committed to implementing at least 1 idea from your series each week!

  261. Kim says

    Thank you so much, Kimberlee, for yet another awesome way to challenge and help me & my family!! You and your articles full of honesty, advice, humor 😉 and financial wisdom have been a HUGE help to us! I hope all the good you do for me and countless others comes back to you tenfold. <3

  265. Shannon says

    I’m in! We’re trying to save up to buy my husband a much-needed new (well, new to us, but used) car, so every little bit will help!

  268. Lorna says

    I’ll be joining your challenge! With the holidays coming up and car repairs needed, I’ll use all the help I can get!

  269. Alicia p says

    I AM COMMITTED! just prayed about all this financial stuff this morning& got this email…. so… I’M IN! Thank you!!!!!

  272. Mary A. says

    I’ll commit to trying at least one of your money saving tips each week… I can use all the help I can get with the holidays looming on the horizon!

  273. CarolH says

    I hope that you are planning to seriously challenge us. I’m up for it and really want to be able to fast track our savings!!

  276. Emily La Fave says

    I am happy to join Tamie, Hollie, Emily, Tracy, Tonia, Tammy, Chantie, Kim, and many other fine people to follow in your FAST TRACK savings challenge. Let’s do this, gals, and we will ALL be winners!

  278. Becca says

    This is perfect timing! I commit to implementing one idea each week… There are a couple big things coming up that needs a beefed up savings account.

  279. Tamie says

    I’m committed to implement at least one idea each week! I’m excited and so is my savings account! =)

  280. Hollie says

    I love your posts about saving money! I commit to implement at least one of your ideas from the series!

  281. Tracy Williams says

    I’m looking forward to learning new ideas for saving money and will definitely put at least one idea to use each week. Our budget is about to get very tight as we are shifting to one income so we need all the help we can get!

  283. Tonia says

    I will make a commitment to implement at least one idea from the series each week. I am so looking forward to it.

  284. Tammy says

    I will make a committment to implement at least one idea from the series each week. With Christmas coming very soon, every little bit will help.

  285. Chantie says

    I look forward to participating in the savings challenge! I will implement at least one idea each week. Thanks for the challenge!!

  286. laura says

    Since I am facing the reality of living life on a drastically reduced income (shifting from regular pay to severance and unemployment), I have committed to the following (and successfully accomplished two weeks):
    1) Getting up early enough to cook breakfast since convenience breakfast items are gone (Pop-tarts to feed four hungry children is no longer a convenience I can afford). We have had French toast sticks and eggs, and muffins.
    2) Since I am serious about coupons, I have dedicated that those funds not spent will live in my Christmas piggy bank. I looked at my receipt from spending this week. ($3.75) Also buy paying cash – I am dedicating all change to same Christmas pig.
    3) I am making an effort to find free money. JCPenney sent me an email coupon for $10 off of $10. I am only buying items from the “needed” list (and incidentally the needed items are socks for my girls)
    4) We’ve introduced “double-feature” movie night with kids picking DVDs from the library. I also pick up snacks from the Dollar Tree (probably not most cost effective, but element of “fun”).
    5) I have started a list of books that my daughters will read in High School English Lit and have already found two reasonably clean copies at a local resale store.
    6) I have automated my tithe to my parish (I will admit that it is not 10% given our drastic reduction) but at this point it is still non-negotiable
    7) AND BIGGEST TIME AND MONEY SAVER: I am an introvert by nature and don’t tend to easily go out of my way to make contact with folks, but my younger daughter transferred to a new high school and I reached out to a family from Church about carpooling. It was very well received and now we have cut our time and gas expense in half, driving there one week, picking up the other.
    Thanks for the inspiration to stick with the challenge. I feel like I’m doing OK after taking a serious assessment of the changes I’ve made recently.

  287. Kim says

    I am committed to implementing any ideas you can give me. I need all the help I can get to help me save and make my money stretch.

      • Kimberley(Kim) says

        Hi Kimberlee(love how you spell it)

        I have been so blessed and thankful for your website. I really do not know how I found it but I LOVE IT! It feel that it was a true blessing from The Lord. I started last year(2013/14) homeschooling. A little (OK a lot) of being so stressed and overwhelmed not knowing certain things but than I found you!! I am looking forward to a new/fresh year with my girls(11 & 14 years old). I am still learning how to keep all their records of their school work/grades especially if there be a day that they have to go back to school.

        Thank you!

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