Now that the holidays have almost passed, the New Year looms ahead. What financial goals did you meet this year? Which ones could you have stayed better on top of?
We all had some cash setbacks in 2016, and next year we vow to be ahead of the game – but how? Why not take the “you” out of the equation, and automate your deposits? Our 52 Week Challenge Rule can help you do just that. The first week, you’ll save $1. The second, $2. Third, $3 and so on. Continue to the end of the year, and you’ll have stashed away $1378. That’s quite impressive, and can get you a lot of goods.
To motivate you, we’ve made a list of 5 things you could buy with those savings:
A trip to Hawaii
We’re not joking. The off-season runs between October and mid-November, and toward the end of February through March. There might be some early morning rain, but otherwise you won’t miss much, unless you’re an avid surfer (but hey – how about those rainbows?). Plane tickets during those times average in around $380 (round trip, no less! That is a steal!), which would leave you with enough money to take the time off work, go on a volcano tour of the big island, or have a biking or snorkeling adventure.
A 7-Day Western Caribbean Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a 7-day cruise for $999. Leaving out of Miami, you’ll hit up Roatan, Bay Islands (Honduras), Harvest Caye (Belize), Costa Maya and Cozumel (Mexico). Double bonus: each day you’ll have around 7 hours to explore the different locations. What will you do with the extra cash? Visit some Mayan ruins, kayak, or simply soak up the Caribbean sun? It’s your cruise; do you!
Not looking to get away? Not to worry – there is plenty of fun to be had if you keep it closer to home.
Festival Tickets
Always dreamt of a fun festival road trip? Crossing the highways with some of your closest friends, taking turns sleeping in the back of the car, and stopping at historic sights along the way? Once you hit your destination – time. to. dance. Tickets to Bonnaroo are starting around $340 (for a full festival pass), Lollapalooza beginning $365, and Coachella around $540. With all that extra cash, you won’t have to worry about gas money, pitching in for an AirBnB, or splurging at the merch tables. I think this is where we scream YOLO.
Disney World 4 Day Park Tickets
Disney offers specials each year, and typically around this time you can get 4-day park tickets (allowing you to visit a different park each day) for around $300 per adult and $250 per child. There’s truly something for everyone – animal lovers, speedy roller coasters, slower ones for the more faint of folk, and water parks to boot. If you’ve never experienced the magic and wonder (that all ages can enjoy) at the Happiest Place on Earth – you must!
Gadgets
Everyone loves the newest tech toys, and with the raising costs (and constant new releases) they’ve been pretty hard to come by. Luckily, there have been some very solid rumors flying around that Apple will drop the prices of the new MacBook Pro toward the end of 2017. That’s the perfect time to get it, as you’ll have saved up $1378. Toss in a Weekly Set & Forget Rule for a small amount each week, and you’ll have more than saved up for that new shiny computer! Or, skip the computer altogether, and purchase a new phone! Everyone loves a new phone (and all its accessories)! The world is your OS oyster!
Hopefully this has sparked some drive in you to get saving in 2017! The 52 Week Challenge truly makes it so easy. Once it’s set up, the work is done for you. And by the end of next year, you could have one of these things! Or pay off a large sum of school or credit debt. If anything, $1378 is always a nice nest egg to fall back on. You can do it! You’ve got 2 days to start that resolution right.
Qapital, LLC is not a bank; banking services provided by Lincoln Savings Bank, Member FDIC, and other partner banks. Advisory services provided by Qapital Invest, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. The information provided herein is for informational and general educational purposes only and is not investment or financial advice. Copyright © 2023 Qapital, LLC - All rights reserved.
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