The 100 Envelope Challenge: How It Works (and Smaller Versions That Fit a Real Budget)

The 100 envelope challenge went viral because it turns saving into a game. You number 100 envelopes from 1 to 100, shuffle them, and each day you pull one and put that many dollars inside. Finish all 100 and you will have saved $5,050.

How long does the 100 envelope challenge take?

Doing one envelope a day takes 100 days, a little over three months. That is a lot of money in a short time, so many people do two or three envelopes a week instead and spread it across the year.

Smaller versions that still work

Version	How it works	Total saved
25 envelopes	Numbers 1 to 25	$325
50 envelopes	Numbers 1 to 50	$1,275
100 envelopes, half	50 cents per number	$2,525
100 envelopes	Numbers 1 to 100	$5,050

Tips that make it easier

• Pull envelopes on payday. If you get paid every two weeks, pull several then, when cash is there.
• Keep a "skip" rule. If you pull a big number on a tough week, put it back and pull again. Just do not skip twice in a row.
• Move the cash to the bank. Envelopes are fun but cash at home is easy to "borrow." Deposit every week or two.
• Use a chart instead of envelopes. A grid of numbers 1 to 100 that you cross off works the same way and fits in a binder.

Pick a goal first

Know what the money is for before you start: an emergency fund, a car, a deposit on an apartment, a business you want to start. A clear goal makes the hard weeks easier. The COMEBACK Binder has a $1,000 fund tracker and a $10,000 dream goal page, and the BECOME Binder has color-in savings challenges and a debt payoff plan to keep it all in one place.