A woman says she has been saving as much as £200 a week after turning a simple Pinterest chart into a money-saving challenge she can stick to. So far, Sara has saved more than £2,880, putting her well over halfway to her £5,000 target.
Sara Puhto, who lives in Brighton but is originally from Finland, decided she wanted 2026 to be the year she got serious about building a safety net. With her earnings fluctuating widely month to month, she wanted an emergency fund she could rely on during quieter periods. The self-employed content creator claims she has "always been careful with money" but has never managed to meet larger savings goals, with spare cash going on things like "holidays, visa costs or tattoos".
How the savings challenge works
After scrolling through Pinterest, Sara found a weekly savings grid listing amounts ranging from £20 to £250. Each week, she picks one figure and transfers it into a separate pot, which she tries not to touch unless she genuinely needs it.
She checks her bank balance every Sunday and chooses an amount that feels realistic. If she has had a better week, for example selling items on Vinted, she will pick a larger number. If bills have landed, she will go smaller. She then crosses off the amount on her chart as she goes, giving her a visual record of her progress.
Progress and spending cutbacks
Sara says she has saved £2,882, with the total boosted by £39 in interest. Her aim is £5,000, a target she feels is challenging but doable, and while she does not have a hard deadline, she hopes to reach it by the end of the year.
Part of what has helped, she says, is cutting back on spending that used to disappear without much thought. Sara has stopped smoking, put a hold on getting her nails and hair done, as well as new tattoos. She has also stopped buying new clothes, saying it has made a big difference.
Mindset and rules for the pot
Instead of making impulse purchases, she now waits and considers whether something can be saved for a birthday or Christmas. She says being more intentional feels more rewarding than quick "instant gratification".
Sara says the rule for the pot is simple: it is "strictly no touch" unless there is an emergency. For her, having that buffer matters because social media income can be unpredictable, and she wants to feel protected if work slows down. She adds that even when she cannot manage much, or has to miss a week, she tries not to see it as failure, as even small amounts still move her closer to her goal.
