Well, it’s officially March, which means spring is just around the corner, and, it also means that I’ve completed week 9 of the 52 Week Savings Challenge. At this point, the challenge is still very manageable. And, I was able to squirrel away some extra money from my tax returns. Even though technically I am ahead of my savings goal, I’m still following the 52 week plan.

I think I mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again, having a weekly calendar reminder has been a huge help! Before I had a plan to hold myself accountable, I knew that saving was important, but it just wasn’t at the top of my mind. Not only have these calendar reminders served the purpose of reminding me to set money aside, but they’ve also made me more conscious of my budget. And, I have to admit, I’ve become somewhat of a savings nerd. I love it! It’s so fun to watch your money grow.

When I first started the Challenge, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was saving for. I mostly wanted to set aside more money to add to the emergency fund that I already have in place. While that is still a priority, I have some more specific savings goals now. I used a little bit of the extra money from my tax returns to make a huge payment on one of my student loans and purchased my bridesmaids dress for a friend’s wedding. Also, I am in the process of applying for graduate school, so I’m trying to set aside a little more to pay for the application fee and the GRE testing fee.

How are you coming on your Savings Challenge? What roadblocks have you run into or milestones have you hit? Share your stories with us. Together, we can reach our goals!