52 Week Money Challange

Week	Dep amount	Balance	Week	Dep amount	balance
1	$1	$1	27	$27	$378
2	$2	$3	28	$28	$406
3	$3	$6	29	$29	$435
4	$4	$10	30	$30	$465
5	$5	$15	31	$31	$496
6	$6	$21	32	$32	$538
7	$7	$28	33	$33	$561
8	$8	$36	34	$34	$595
9	$9	$45	35	$35	$630
10	$10	$55	36	$36	$666
11	$11	$66	37	$37	$703
12	$12	$78	38	$38	$741
13	$13	$91	39	$39	$780
14	$14	$105	40	$40	$820
15	$15	$120	41	$41	$861
16	$16	$136	42	$42	$903
17	$17	$153	43	$43	$946
18	$18	$171	44	$44	$990
19	$19	$190	45	$45	$1,035
20	$20	$210	46	$46	$1,081
21	$21	$231	47	$47	$1,128
22	$22	$253	48	$48	$1,225
23	$23	$276	49	$49	$1,275
24	$24	$300	50	$50	$1,326
25	$25	$325	51	$51	$1,326
26	$26	$351	52	$52	$1,378

If excel (excel and I had several arguments over it) and I are correct, at the end of the year you would have $1378 plus interest in savings.

There are several versions of this around.  Some go backwards, so that you start by depositing $52 on week 1, and not on week 52.  This is so that you are saving more for Christmas or end of the year taxes.

The average comes out to saving $26.50 a week.  So, if saving more than that a week is a hardship, then simply put back the $26.50 each week.  The advantage to this is your interest (what little we do earn now days) would add up faster, as it would by doing it backwards.

This could be a great Christmas club account, propane or heating oil account, vacation account, emergency account, tax account....  If you find you don't really need this money, leave it alone and continue the next year, by either increasing the weekly amount or leaving it as it is.  After awhile I think it would do better possibly being moved to a Roth or some other type of account.  But, by leaving it in savings, you do have easy access to it for an emergency.

For small children, change the dollars into pennies.  On day 1 inter 1 penny, up to 52 pennies a week, or you could increase it.  Have them do small chores to "earn" their savings.

Think this is impossible?  What do you spend each week on soda, cigarettes, alcohol, movies, junk food,  vending machines, fuel to cruise, Starbucks......  I am sure there is something you can give up to do this, even if in a smaller amount.