How I Saved $10,000 in One Year (Even on a low Salary)

How I Saved $10,000 in One Year (Even on a low Salary)

I was stressed out when I looked at my financial account a year ago. I was putting in a lot of effort, but I didn't have much money saved up. I wasn’t even earning a high-profile salary to save a lot of money in a month. I felt there was nothing left to save after I paid my rent, bills, and groceries. I started believing that to save money, I needed a high-paying job, but I was wrong.

I chose to push myself. I made a clear goal: to save $10,000 in a year. That meant putting away around $27 a day or $833 a month. At the start, it was scary for me because I couldn’t make a plan for it, and my salary was low. But I split it down into smaller parts. I found ways to change my habits, which helped me reach my goal.

The Exact Plan I Used to Save $10,000 in 12 Months

I wanted to save $833 a month so I could achieve $10,000 in a year. There was a lot of stuff I found online that I needed to do to save money quickly. However, I tried a few, and some ideas came to mind that really helped me a lot with my savings. From all the practicals I did, I'm sharing the best ones with you so you can save money too.

1. I Paid Myself First

The biggest change I made was simple: I paid myself first. Before, I used to pay bills, buy groceries, eat out, and then try to save whatever was left. Most months, nothing was left. So I flipped the system. The day my salary came in, I first transferred a good amount of money into my savings account to share. I treated savings like a bill that must be paid.

When the money was gone from my usual account, I couldn’t see it so that I couldn’t spend it. That forced me to live on the money that remained. Therefore, my habits were quickly adjusted in accordance with the rule. Even people who earn a lot still live paycheck to paycheck because they don’t prioritize saving. My income was still small, but I changed my habits. Automation changed everything for me.

2. I Replaced Subscriptions

I didn’t realize how much money subscriptions were taking from me every month. I noticed that streaming services, apps, software, and mobile plans, etc. They all looked like small amounts, but when added up, it was too much. So I reviewed every subscription.

For software, I stopped paying monthly fees and looked for one-time purchase options. For books and audiobooks, I started using my local library. It was free and had more than enough for me. I also changed my phone plan. Instead of paying high monthly charges, I looked for cheaper carriers and even prepaid yearly plans to reduce my costs.

These small changes saved me hundreds of dollars over the year. I learned that convenience often costs more than we think.

3. I Negotiated My Bills

I used to think prices were fixed. I never asked for discounts, and that was my biggest mistake. One day, I called my service providers and simply asked if there were any discounts available. Sometimes, just asking helped me a lot. I also learned that paying upfront can reduce costs. For example, paying insurance for six months instead of monthly saved me money.

Groceries were another big area. Instead of buying small packs every week, I started buying rice, flour, and other basics in bulk. Bulk buying reduced the price per unit. I even compared different stores instead of always shopping at the nearest one. These changes saved me 10% to 30% on some expenses. Over a year, that made a big difference.

4. I Created Simple Rules

Impulse buying used to be my weakness. If I saw something online, I wanted it immediately. So I created some shopping rules for myself. First, the 24-hour rule. If I wanted to buy something, I would wait 24 hours. Most of the time, the excitement disappeared the next day.

Second, I asked myself: Will this matter in 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years? If the answer was no, I skipped it. Third, I followed the 10:1 rule. If I spent $50, I asked myself if I would get $500 worth of value or happiness from it. If not, I didn’t buy it. These simple mental rules saved me hundreds of dollars and reduced regret.

5. I Tracked Every Dollar

I started tracking every dollar I spent. At first, it felt like too much work, but it showed me how much money I was spending on useless things. I noticed small leaks: leaving lights and AC on too long, wasting food, buying fast food when I was tired, and spending on coffee without thinking.
Individually, these costs seemed small, and it gives us pleasure to spend some money.

But believe me, it’s something we never notice, but we should notice that. When I saw the numbers clearly, it became easier to cut back. I reduced food waste. I cooked more at home. I turned off appliances when not needed. I even compared insurance prices and found a better deal. You cannot save $27 a day if you don’t know where your money is going. Tracking gave me control.

Bonus: I Increased My Income Slightly (Extra Push):

Cutting costs helped a lot. But I also looked for ways to earn a little more. I worked a few extra hours each week. Even two extra hours per day at a small side job added up quickly. That extra income went directly into savings.

I also kept my savings in a high-yield savings account earning around 3–4% interest. It was not huge money, but it felt good knowing my money was growing on its own. Saving is powerful. But saving plus earning more became a stronger source for me.

Conclusion

Saving $10,000 in one year was not easy. But it was possible, even on a small salary. I changed my habits, which changed my life. I automated savings for myself, and I cut unnecessary expenses. I negotiated and created spending rules. I tracked every penny that I was spending, which helped me control my spending habits.

The biggest lesson I learned is this: money responds to attention. When you become intentional, things change. If I can save $27 a day, so can you. One year from now, you could look at your bank account and feel proud, just like I did.