Expert Shares 6 Steps to Hit Your Goal in 6 Months
Six easy steps that work, without overhauling your entire lifestyle
If you’re reading this in July and your savings account is looking as bare as it did in January, don’t panic. You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not doomed to finish the year empty-handed. With six months left on the calendar, there’s still plenty of time to build a respectable savings cushion.
The key isn’t making dramatic sacrifices or living on beans and toast until Christmas. According to Fred Harrington, a financial expert at Vetted Prop Firms, a trusted platform helping traders navigate proprietary trading firms, small consistent changes can produce surprisingly solid results by year-end.
“People think they need to transform their spending habits overnight, but that approach usually fails within weeks,” says Harrington. “The smartest savers focus on tiny adjustments that feel manageable rather than trying to become a different person.”
With half the year remaining, even modest weekly savings can accumulate into a meaningful buffer that provides real peace of mind heading into the new year.
6 Simple Steps To Start Saving Today
Starting your savings journey mid-year might feel daunting, but it’s actually the perfect time to build momentum without the pressure of New Year’s resolutions. These six practical steps offered by Harrington can fit into your existing routine without requiring major sacrifices.
- Set A Micro-Goal That Doesn’t Scare You
Forget about saving £1,000 by Christmas if you’ve never saved before. Start with something that feels almost too easy – like £5 a week. That’s less than a fancy coffee or a meal deal upgrade.
“The biggest mistake people make is setting goals that feel impossible from day one,” explains Harrington. “Your brain needs to experience success before it believes bigger goals are achievable.”
- Try A No-Spend Weekend Once A Month
Pick one weekend each month where you don’t spend money on anything except genuine emergencies. No takeaways, no shopping trips, no impulse Amazon orders. Find free activities instead – walk in the park, visit a free museum, or have friends over instead of going out.
“A no-spend weekend forces you to get creative with entertainment,” says Harrington. “Most people discover they enjoy these weekends more than their usual spending-heavy ones.”
This single change could save you £50-100 per month without affecting your weekday routine.
- Set Up An Automatic Transfer On Payday
The day your salary hits your account, have £20-50 automatically moved to a separate savings account before you even see it. Most banking apps let you set this up in minutes.
“Automation removes the decision-making from saving,” says Harrington. “When money disappears before you can spend it, you quickly adapt to living without it.”
- Cancel One Subscription You’ve Forgotten About
Check your bank statements for the past three months. Almost everyone has at least one subscription they barely use – maybe it’s a streaming service, gym membership, or magazine you signed up for and forgot about.
“People are shocked when they add up their monthly subscriptions,” notes Harrington. “What feels like small amounts individually often totals £50-100 per month.”
Cancelling just one £10 monthly subscription saves you £60 over the remaining six months.
- Use The Cash-Stuffing Method For One Category
Choose your biggest weakness – whether that’s clothes shopping, eating out, or entertainment – and give yourself a weekly cash allowance for that category only. When the cash runs out, you’re done for the week.
“Physical cash makes spending feel real in a way that card payments don’t,” notes Harrington. “People naturally spend 12-18% less when using cash instead of cards.”
- Keep Your Change And Small Notes
Every time you pay with cash, put any coins and £5 notes straight into a jar at home. Don’t touch this money until December. It sounds old-fashioned, but loose change adds up faster than you’d expect.
“I’ve had clients save £200-300 just from loose change over six months,” says Harrington. “It’s money you wouldn’t have missed anyway.”
How Small Amounts Add Up To Real Money
The magic happens when you combine several of these strategies. Here’s what consistent small savings actually look like over six months:
- £5 weekly micro-goal: £130 by December
- Monthly no-spend weekend savings: £400 by December
- £25 weekly automatic transfer: £650 by December
- Cancelled £10 subscription: £60 by December
- Cash-stuffing reducing spending by £15 weekly: £390 by December
“Even if you only manage half of these suggestions, you’re looking at £400-800 saved by year-end,” calculates Harrington. “That’s the difference between Christmas stress and Christmas confidence.”
The beauty of this approach is that none of these changes require you to give up everything you enjoy. Rather than eliminating entire categories of spending, you’re just being more intentional about them.
“Remember, this is about building a habit, not achieving perfection,” adds Harrington. “If you miss a week or slip up occasionally, just get back on track the following week.”
Fred Harrington, financial expert at Vetted Prop Firms, commented:
“The best savings plan is the one you actually stick to, not the most aggressive one on paper. I’ve seen people completely reshape their financial situation by focusing on consistency rather than perfection. You don’t need to save hundreds every month to make a real difference – you just need to start somewhere and keep going.
“Remember, the goal isn’t to punish yourself for not saving earlier in the year, but instead to recognise that you still have time to finish strong. Small actions repeated consistently always beat grand gestures that fizzle out after two weeks.”