Doing a 100 envelope printable chart challenge is a great way to save money and why not start saving now by using this FREE printable chart to do so? No matter the reason you need to save the money, it’s a fun way to do it.
It’s important to keep track of your progress when you’re working toward any goal, especially financial goals. A printable tracker is one of my favorite ways to keep track. It’s a visual representation of your progress toward a goal.
At the end of the challenge, you will be so happy with how much cash you were able to save. It doesn’t matter if your goal is a lot of money helping you reach financial freedom or just a small amount of cash – saving money is still saving money!
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How Does the Envelope Challenge Work?
The envelope challenge starts with an envelope challenge chart. This chart tells you what amount of money you need saved for each of the 100 envelopes and the total goal amount to save.
Next, you will need to create money envelopes for each amount on the envelopes on the chart. You will have 100 envelopes.
Then, you’ll start to save enough money to fill each envelope (on whatever schedule you choose to follow).
Each time you save enough toward an envelope goal, you will fill the envelope number with the matching dollar amount of money. You can pick a random envelope to fill first or you can go in order – it’s up to you.
At the end of the challenge, you will have reached your savings goal!
What Do the Free Printable 100 Envelope Challenge Charts Look Like?
They are a simple black and white design. You can choose to color in the envelopes in any color you’d like as you track your progress. It makes them super versatile for any style planner.
Each envelope is represented by a cute little envelope with money coming out of it.
How Do You Download the Free 100 Envelope Challenge Chart?
You can click the download link here to get the free charts. You’ll need to be a free Mom Envy Club member which you can do by signing up for our e-mail newsletter club here.
Or, you can scroll to the bottom of the page to click the large “Click to Download” image to get the free template set.
Is There a Digital Version for Digital Planning?
Yes! The great thing about this set is that I have included transparent PNGs so that you can use them within a digital planning app.
Do I Have to Put the Money In Actual Envelopes?
No, of course, you don’t have to use actual envelopes. You can just put it directly into your bank account. Whether you put the extra cash you save into a checking account or savings account or actual envelopes, you’re still going to be saving the same amount of money.
I suggest choosing an “envelope” goal to work toward. Then, keep track of how much you are putting away into a bank account and color in the envelope when you hit your goal (that’s the benefit of having an envelope challenge tracker!)
Some people even choose to have a separate savings account that they use along with the 100 envelope money-saving challenge. Once they reach the goal they either spend that money on it’s intended purpose or they move it into their other savings account and then start another challenge when they are ready.
Where Can I Get Cash Envelopes?
You can purchase simple, inexpensive, manila colored cash envelopes here on Amazon. Or, you can get a bunch of envelopes in fun colors.
They also sell the envelopes in stores. Dollar Tree has a craft type envelope that would work but it actually works out to be more expensive than the Amazon ones. I found Amazon had the best price per envelope than any physical store.
Want to use regular envelopes? No problem. Standard envelopes work as well, just make sure they are big enough to hold dollar bills.
Use a 100 Envelope Binder
Did you know they actually sell binders for the 100 envelope challenge? This version has great ratings and comes in a few different colors.
How Much Money Do You Save with the 100 Envelope Challenge?
It depends on which envelope money challenge chart you decide to use. This free set of 100-day envelope challenge charts includes the follow pre-determined amounts:
- $10,100
- $5,050
- $2,000
- $1,000
Do you have a specific savings goal? The good news is that you can create your own 100-envelope challenge with the blank option.
All you have to do is select the amount you want to save toward using the savings tracker. Then, you will break up that amount into 100 amounts – they can be equal amounts per envelope or they can be different amounts. It’s a good idea to keep it simple though.
Remember that the frequency you fill the envelopes will make a difference. Someone may have a daily envelope goal of $5 while another person has a weekly envelope goal of $50, the person with the weekly goal will actually save more money at the end.
I don’t suggest saving a random number per envelope unless the random amount is pre-determined.
What Do People Save for Using the 100 Envelope Challenge For?
There are quite a few things people use the challenge to save money for. Here are some of the most common reasons people complete the challenge:
- to save for a vacation
- to save for a house
- to save for a baby
- to pay off credit card debt
- to create an emergency fund
- to pay off hospital bills
- to pay toward student loans
- to pay off debt of any kind
How Often Do I Fill an Envelope?
You can pick your own schedule for filling envelopes. The best way to be successful at the envelope challenge is to set a schedule that is manageable.
Everyone has a different financial situation, saving one envelope’s worth of money a week may work for one person but may be extremely hard for someone else.
And the amounts of money being saved are going to be different based on your monthly income and savings habits. Some people will have very high numbers for their envelopes while others will less money.
It is common for people to do the envelope challenge as a 52-week challenge so that they are just working toward saving the full amount of money by the end of the year. While others use it has a 100-day money challenge.
If you need to save money in a short amount of time, make sure you are prepared for how often you will need to be filling the envelopes and choose a reasonable amount of yourself to save.
The Biggest Mistake People Make with the 100 Envelope Challenge
The most simple way people fail the challenge is having savings amounts too high per each envelope and it comes too hard to fill the first envelope even. It’s supposed to be a fun challenge, not an impossible challenge.
Also, if you are living pay check to paycheck, this may not be the time to start a envelope challenge. Instead, wait until you’re in a better financial position to take the challenge.
Other Challenge Variation Suggestions
You can use the envelopes in different ways than the original challenge idea of saving a specific amount per envelope. Here are two other suggestions (there are any more ways out there!)
- One great idea could be to use them for breaking a coffee drinking habit. It would be an easy way to see how much money you could save by stopping your Starbucks run. Just put the money you’d use for coffee on a daily basis in an envelope for 100 days!
- Use the envelopes to save money you’re making with a side hustle. For each job, day, sale you make, etc. put the money you’ve earned into one of the envelopes until you’ve filled them all up. It’s an effective way to create a small savings.
What File Types are Included in the Free Printable 100 Envelope Challenge Chart Set
You will get 3 different file types.
- JPG
- Transparent PNG
What Size are the 100 Envelope Challenge Charts
You get 2 sizes included in the set of free savings printables. You’ll get letter size (which is also the Big Happy Planner size) and you will get Classic Happy Planner size (or a medium size).
You can print the letter size printables in any size you need. Read my directions on how to resize planner printables for any size planner.
Alternative FREE Money Management Printables
Do you have a lot of savings goals? Is the 100-envelope savings challenge not going to work for you but you still want to save a little extra money?
Do you have further goals for your personal finances? I have some other free budget and money saving printables on my site you can use instead.
- Free no spend printables (one of the best money savings tools)
- Free bullet journal style printables (this includes saving habit trackers like a cute piggy bank!)
- Free budget planner stickers
- 30 free budget printables round up (a mix of printables from my site and fellow bloggers)
Final Thoughts
No matter how you use the printable challenge tracker, it’s a step toward a solid savings plan. You’ll be improving your savings or on your way to finally taking that vacation you’ve been dreaming of.
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