I banked £700 with simple saving challenge – I never even noticed and it’s a miracle for Christmas

OPENING her secret one-penny savings jar, mum-of-three Alysha Fletcher begins counting.

The 38-year-old began the “One Pence Challenge” last September – and now she’s amassed a hefty savings pot.

She started by popping just one penny in the jar, followed by two pennies the next day, and three pence the next – adding one more penny each day after for one year.

“The maximum you have to put in is £3.65 on the 365th day, it seemed so simple and frankly too good to be true,” said Alysha, who lives in Blackpool with her husband, maintenance worker Garry, 39 and their three children, Faith, 19, Hope 16 and Gracie, 14.

“I had somehow saved £667.85 – I was stunned. All I had done was add a penny more per day than the previous amount. It blew my mind.

“It’s proof if you really take care of the pennies, the pounds follow,” she added.

Alysha started her one penny challenge to save some extra cash for Christmas.

As a married mum of three who had her first child in her teens, she said money is always tight and the cost-of-living crisis hit them very hard.

“But in the last 12 months I have managed to save £4,000 using a mix of simple money saving challenges with my loose change,” she said.

The money has been used by Alysha to pay for car repairs, pageant dresses for her daughters, weekends away and the household bills.

Now, her penny-saving haul will be critical in paying for Christmas.

“The £667 is my Christmas miracle in September. I’ve already started buying gifts on sale with the cash.  

“I feel like I can breathe again, and I know present costs are covered.

“To think those pennies would likely still be in the bottom of handbags or chucked on dresser drawers helped create my secret christmas stash of almost £700 is gobsmacking.

“It’s a money saving method everyone can use and get amazing results with.”

Alysha, who runs an online crafting business, is a self-confessed scrimping queen and said she’s “addicted” to money saving challenges.

“Garry and I have been together for 20 years, I was a teen mum. Having a family at such a young age meant money has always been tight.

“I learnt to scrimp and save and to never be wasteful. Learning about unique and simple money saving methods is something I have done for over a decade,” she said.

“Since the cost-of-living crisis hit, these penny and pound challenges have helped me pay for gas and electric and grocery shops.”

“People think it’s too late to save for Christmas, but I am proof you don’t have to save big amounts and it’s never too late to start,” she added.

This week the savvy mum of three began the Two Month Ten Pence Challenge and says in just thirty days she will have saved £46.50 and after sixty days she will have £183 just in time for Christmas emergency purchases or unexpected bills.

“The Two Month Ten Pence Challenge works like the one pence challenge. I start with 10 pence on the first day, on day two I add 20 pence to the jar and on day three it’s 30 pence,” she explained.

The largest daily amount Alysha will have to put into her savings jar at the end of 60 days is just £6.00.

If she wants to see bigger gains more quickly, Alysha reverses the savings order.

“I start with £6 and put it into the jar, then £5.90 on the second day, £5.80 the third day until I put in just ten pence at the end of two months. You see the savings increase rapidly but also enjoy the benefits of lower amounts to save towards the end of the challenge.”

Alysha has a number of money saving jars in her kitchen and runs multiple savings challenges at the same time.

“I use cash all the time, but if you only use cards, set an alarm on your phone and at the same time move that day’s amount into a savings account,” she suggested.

Other challenges she’s taken on include the 15-day “Quid’s-In Basic Bingo Challenge”, which she’s using to pay for Christmas dinner.

This uses a simple bingo card or free bingo sheets printed from her laptop.

“I select a card with a combination of fifteen numbers from 1 to 30. I print the bingo sheet, and each day pick a bingo number and save its pound total,” she explained.

“In fifteen days, the minimum you save is £120 if you only use the numbers 1 to 15. Choose a combination of larger numbers and you’ll get a higher total.”

And next week, Alysha is playing the Seven Day One Pound Dice Game with her family.

“Each night just before dinner someone gets to roll some dice, and whatever amount they roll, someone at the table has to put that number in a pound value into a bank account.”

“We’re doing this to help pay for Halloween costumes and decorations,” she said. “And, it’s a great game for families to play together.”

For people who want to see big results in a week to kick off their Christmas savings pot, Alysha recommends the Seven Day Tenner Challenge.

“Save a tenner on day one, on day two save £20, then £30 through today seven and save £70,” Alysha explained. “In a week you save £280.

“My mind has been blown. I love telling people about these challenges on the school run. 

“If you start this week, you can save hundreds in time for Christmas”.