52-Week Savings Challenge UK: Save £1,378 in a Year
The standard 52-week savings challenge starts with £1 in week one, £2 in week two and one extra pound each week until you save £52 in week 52. The total is £1,378 before interest. You can start any week of the year.
How the total works
Add the first and last deposits: £1 + £52 = £53. There are 26 such pairs, so 26 × £53 = £1,378. The challenge becomes more demanding as it progresses, which is worth planning for before you begin.
| Weeks | Deposits in this period | Total saved |
|---|---|---|
| 1–13 | £91 | £91 |
| 14–26 | £260 | £351 |
| 27–39 | £429 | £780 |
| 40–52 | £598 | £1,378 |
Choose a version that fits your income
- Standard: increase the deposit each week. Check that the later payments will fit your budget.
- Reverse: begin with £52 and finish with £1. The total is unchanged, but the largest payments come first.
- Flat amount: save £26.50 each week for the same £1,378 total.
- Half-size: start at 50p and increase by 50p each week to save £689.
For a monthly version of the same target, eleven payments of £115 and a final £113 payment total £1,378. That is a separate payment schedule, rather than an instruction to make weekly deposits as well.
Set up a simple tracker
Use five columns: week number, planned deposit, actual deposit, date paid and running total. For the standard version, the planned total after week n is n × (n + 1) ÷ 2 pounds. Keep the actual total separate so a missed payment does not appear as money already saved.
What if you miss a week?
Record zero or the smaller amount you managed. You can extend the challenge, lower the target or add an affordable top-up later. For example, missing week 20 leaves £20 to make up; four later £5 top-ups would cover it. Do not double a payment automatically if that would leave you short for essentials.
Choose an accessible place to keep money you may need soon, check account terms and review your budget first. A savings challenge should not require borrowing to keep a streak alive. For help balancing saving and debt, see MoneyHelper’s guide to saving and borrowing.