52 Week BINGO Money Challenge – Page 3

{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!!

Recap By The Numbers

January- $286.00

February- by the weeks

Week Six: $24.00
Week Seven: $46.00 (Goal Reset)
Week Eight $15.00 (Get My Finances in Formation)
Week Nine: $25.00

Year to Date Total: $396.00

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

{Week 7 Money Challenge Recap} RESET Your Goals = Success

Published on February 12, 2016February 27, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

“Personal Finance Really 80% Behavior and 20% Head Knowledge”- Dave Ramsey

We are closing out week 2 of February and I have a good feeling that people have started to forget the motivation that most feel at the very beginning of the year. Whether you have forgotten your goals, lost sight of your personal mantra for your year, or given up on your resolutions, know that it is not too late to reset. In the past three years, I’ve gotten off track more than a few times when doing this challenge. That’s why it’s called a challenge. It is not supposed to be easy. Lucky for us, my BINGO version of this challenge isn’t particularly difficult either. Making necessary changes to help you reach your goals, be it financially, socially, or vocationally is all about behavior. You have to retrain your brain and as soon as you start seeing results, you will begin to establish that positive change as a habit and one day you will look up and it will be a lifestyle. You can do it, whatever “it” may be for you. As far as this journey toward financial freedom goes, you are not alone. We are in this together. I’m proud of myself for going strong every Friday with the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge. Today I crossed off $46.00 on my BINGO money sheet for a total of $70.00 extra dollars that went toward my credit card debt (on top of the monthly minimum, of course) this month. Instead of spending $70.00 on my taco habit (Hi, my name is Danielle and I have an unhealthy LOVE of tacos) I invested that $70.00 into my financial goals.

Great job to those who are going all in and staying on the challenge like Alysa T. who check just about every Friday, Briana C., and Chris. C. I also want to welcome the newcomers to the challenge. The beauty of this challenge is that you can start or restart anytime, so if you have gotten off tract RESET today.

Twitter Check-Ins #SMCmoneytalks

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

{January Recap} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on February 5, 2016March 4, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

deuces to the week and hello to the weekend!

This past Friday I was flat out sick and unable to live blog the week 5 progress report for the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge so today’s post is a two-in-one. Last week I crossed off $41.00 on my BINGO money sheet giving me a total of $286.00 for the month of January. Think about it like this, I would end up with $3432.00 for this challenge by the end of the year if I kept repeating the same numbers from the month of January. While that sounds great for the extra money aspect of this, it isn’t that realistic for me since there were five Fridays in this month, I crossed off mostly of the larger amounts, AND did a $100.00 bonus box in week 3.

January Recap- By the Numbers

Week One: $35.00
Week Two: $40.00
Week Three $50.00 + $100.00 (bonus)
Week Four: $20.00
Week Five: $41.00

January Total: $286.00 Total Savings YTD: $310.00

Today is the first Friday of February (and my mom’s birthday….hi Mom!). I crossed of $24.00 today and applied it directly toward my first step in snowballing my credit card debt.

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