How to Save 3000 in 3 Months

Whether you’re looking to build up your emergency fund or save for a big purchase, saving 3000 in 3 months is an achievable goal if you’re committed to making some changes in your financial habits. In this article, we’ll explore how creating and using a zero-based budget each month can help you reach your savings goal in record time.

Creating a Zero-Based Budget

Budgets?  So tempting to check out and look for another answer.  But the reality is that a zero-based budget is the pillar of financial control.  And without a budget in place (that you are actually following) saving any money is at best, difficult.  That is because the money we have coming in (our income) is too often walking off to other priorities instead of solving the problem we want to be solved.  Author John Maxwell, often repeated by Dave Ramsey, said once that “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.”  And seldom in the world of personal finance has a truer statement ever been uttered.  Money, like diets, is all about the numbers.  And if you don’t have control of the numbers failure is likely to follow.

So what is a zero-based budget?  A zero-based budget is a full accounting or acknowledgment of each and every dollar you receive and spend in a calendar month.  All of them.  No dollar is left unaccounted for.  When learning how to save 3000 in 3 months start with a budget that acknowledges every dollar of income and every dollar of expense so that each dollar has a job to do.  Use categories for all of your expenses and during the month determine that you are going to stick to your budget.

So how do we create a zero-based budget?  Follow these steps and list each dollar monthly that will be earned and assign each dollar a job.  After all household expenses are covered, dollars left over are committed to your goal.  In this case, you are trying to save $1,000 each month for 3 months. 

How to Make a Zero-Based Budget Using our Free Zero-Based Budget PDF

1. List all of your income for the month

At the top of the budget pdf.  Get a copy of our free zero-based budget pdf download here.

2. List all of your expenses for the month

List all expenses for the month under each category in the budget pdf download and put the total at the bottom.  Avoid the temptation to make too many categories in your budget as this usually creates more confusion than it helps.  For instance, when creating your “food” budget it can be helpful to create a category for groceries and a separate category for restaurants.  However, when writing down your “gas” budget it is probably more work than it is worth to make a gas category for each car in your household.

3. Total your income and write it down.

Write your total income on side 2 of your free pdf zero-based budget download in the box provided.

4. Total your expenses and write them down.

Now write down your total expenses on side 2 of your free zero-based budget pdf download in the box provided.

5. Lastly subtract your total expenses from your total income.

Write the difference in the box provided on side 2 of your free zero-based budget pdf download.

If you have more expenses than you do income, you’ll need to reduce expenses until your income is less than your expenses.  If you don’t you are just racking up debt and we don’t want that.  More income than you do expenses? Kudos!  Go ahead and assign those leftover dollars to a job.  For instance, take the extra income and use it toward your goal of saving $3,000 in 3 months.

Our goal here is to give every dollar a job so we want a big fat “0” dollars left unassigned.  This is called zero-based budgeting.  Every dollar of income is allocated to a budget category so that no money is left unassigned at the end of the month.  That way every dollar you earn has a purpose.

More Tips for Saving 3000 in 3 Months.

Did you find enough money in your zero-based budget to be able to save 3000 in 3 months?  If not, you’ll need to begin looking for ways to cut expenses and increase income.  If you are going to save $3,000 in 3 months you’ll need to be intentional about your money and your efforts.

Cut Expenses with these 10 Ways to Save More Money Fast

Now that you have created your zero-based budget for the month you may find that you need more money to be able to save $3,000 in 3 months.  The first, and easiest place to start is by cutting expenses.

1. Cut back on unnecessary expenses such as eating out, shopping, and entertainment.  Hint:  Your food budget is the quickest and fastest way to save money quickly.  Stay out of restaurants.  Brown bag your lunch!
2. Look for ways to save money on your monthly bills such as negotiating with service providers or switching to cheaper options
3. Meal prep at home instead of dining out or ordering takeout
4. Use coupons and discounts when making purchases online or in-store
5. Cancel subscriptions that you don’t use or need anymore
6. Switch to a cheaper phone plan or cut back on data usage
7. Avoid impulse buying by having a no-spend month.
8. Start saving loose change in a jar each day
9. Opt for free activities instead of paid ones when planning outings with friends and family.
10. Use public transportation instead of driving a car wherever possible

Increase Your Income with These 14 Ways to Make Extra Money Fast with a Side Hustle

Do you still need more margin each month to be able to save 3000 in 3 months?  Let’s look at some ways to make more income with a side hustle.

1. Become a Lyft or Uber Driver. Drive for Lyft or Uber. You can take advantage of flexible scheduling and extra pay during peak hours.
2. Meal Delivery. Grubhub, DoorDash or Uber Eats offer great opportunities to earn extra cash on a part-time basis.  Like driving for Lyft or Uber you can take advantage of flexible scheduling.
3. Grocery Delivery. Check out Instacart or Shipt. You can make extra money and help others at the same time.  Not everyone who orders grocery delivery is just “too busy”  Many older shut-ins truly need someone to bring them food because they no longer have the mobility to do it themselves. You can earn a few extra dollars and help vulnerable populations at the same time.
4. Be a Survey Taker. Share your opinion. You can join a focus group (try Focus Group) or look into survey sites like MyPoints.com or Survey Junkie.
5. Rent your home or spare room on Airbnb. Consider renting extra space on Airbnb.
6. You would be surprised at how much money you can make on eBay.  People will buy almost anything on eBay.  Take an hour and go thru your garage and closets and you will find a lot of items you no longer use and can make several hundred dollars or more in just 7 days which is the typical length of an eBay auction. Sites like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Poshmark, Thredup and GameStop are all great outlets for a quick sale of unused items in your home.
7. Use Your Creative Ability. If you have creative skills, people need you. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork or 99designs connect freelancers specializing in writing, editing, graphic design, and voice-over work for clients who need those creative minds. All you have to do to get started is create a profile (kind of like an online resumé) so potential employers can check out your experience, rates and specialties.
8. Babysit.  The Old, but Effective, Standby Maybe you did some babysitting when you were younger. But you can still snag some of that babysitting cash as an adult. Parents need sitters all the time for date nights or busy days. Just get the word out and tell people you know that you’re up for watching their kids (for pay, of course).
9. Dog Walk/ Pet Sit. You can advertise your own pet-sitting business on social media, put up signs in your neighborhood, post at work, or use a website like Rover or Wag. They let you set your schedule and adjust your fees—but they do take a cut of your pay. If that seems like too much, try drumming up your own business with friends and family, and ask them to help you get the word out!
10. Cleaning. Cleaning houses is hard work, but if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, this could be the perfect fit for you. We all need our houses cleaned, and lots of people would rather pay someone else to do it. Jump on this opportunity!
11. Sell products on Etsy.  Are you crafty? Then maybe you should sell your crafty products on Etsy. Jewelry, scarves, paintings, hand-lettered inspirational prints, and more—Etsy’s a great place to sell anything you’re good at making.
12. Do tasks for people.  Are you a handyman or just the person who gets things done?  Take advantage of that talent and put yourself up for rent.  Anything is better than debt folks so put up some signs, post on social media, spend $18 on some business cards, and start making extra money doing odd jobs for people.  You can haul their junk to the dump, paint a fence or wash windows.  I know a guy in our community that makes a very handsome living washing windows and cleaning gutters, by himself.  He hustles, does a great job at fair rates, and has a great reputation.  You can do it part-time.
13. Wash and detail cars.  Like home cleaning, you’ll need to invest in some products (car wax, a shop vacuum, a leather cleaner, etc.). But they’ll go a long way, so you’re mostly investing time and energy, which are two of your best personal resources.
14. Mow lawns or do yard work.  Many people will gladly pay you to do yard work for them—like mowing, raking, hedge-trimming, and leaf-blowing (rich people are afraid of leaves). I have a brother-in-law who is begging someone to mow his lawn and can’t find anyone to do the job.  You can grab seasonal hours with a local landscaping company, check out TaskEasy, or work on your own.

To Save 3000 in 3 Months, Learn How To Say “No”

You can employ all of the advice we’ve outlined above but if you are unable to say “no” when you are tempted to spend outside of your budget, you’ll fail in your goal to save $3,000 in 3 months.  That is because if you cannot control your spending, you’ll never be able to save the required amount of $1,000 per month.  The most perfectly executed budget plan and the best-paying side hustle are no match for uncontrolled spending.  If you want to save $3,000 in 3 months, learn how to say no to any purchase, not in your budget plan.  Author and speaker Andy Stanly said it this way: “Choose what you want most, over what you want now”. You’ll be glad you did.

Wrap-Up Thoughts

To save 3000 in 3 months you will need to be very intentional about your money.  Start with a zero-based budget and pledge to stick to it.  Then after you have an idea of how much you can save thru your budget look for additional saving opportunities and additional earning opportunities.  The key is to use a zero-based budget, know your numbers and make your money (and yourself) behave.  Saving money is easy if you can say “no” to temptations and carefully track your numbers.  You’ll be glad you did.