$10-a-Day 100-Day Savings Challenge
Build a first $1,000 through one small daily commitment
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 99%
This challenge converts the vague instruction to save more into a 100-day practice. Bach's stated version is $10 a day, producing $1,000 after 100 days, but the core mechanism is the repeatable daily action and visible running total. A participant chooses an amount that is genuinely available, routes it to a separate savings destination, and tracks progress until the period ends. The first milestone matters because it creates a buffer and evidence that the person can save consistently. Bach compares the process to fitness built through daily action. The framework should not be read as proof that everyone can spare $10; the host explicitly raised affordability limits, and Bach's broader answer was to start with something, even $1 a day.
Origin
David Bach offered the challenge on The Diary of a CEO after Steven Bartlett questioned whether the episode's larger daily savings target was feasible for lower-income households.
Core principles
- 01Begin with a concrete target rather than an abstract fortune
- 02Repeat a manageable action daily
- 03Visible progress strengthens the saving habit
- 04Scale the amount down when the stated target is unaffordable
How to run it
- 1
Choose an honest daily amount
Test whether $10 is sustainable after essentials and required payments. If not, use a smaller amount rather than abandoning the practice.
Pro tip A smaller uninterrupted challenge is better than an aggressive target that immediately fails.
Watch out Do not fund the challenge by taking on new debt.
- 2
Separate the savings
Use an account or pot distinct from everyday spending. Give it the explicit purpose of a first cash buffer.
Pro tip Remove spending friction by scheduling the transfer where possible.
- 3
Repeat for 100 days
Transfer or set aside the chosen amount every day and mark each completed day. Keep a visible cumulative total.
Pro tip Link the action to an existing daily routine.
Watch out Missing a day is a prompt to resume, not a reason to discard prior progress.
- 4
Set the next default
At day 100, decide whether the amount should continue, increase, or move into a payday schedule. Preserve the accumulated buffer unless it is needed for its intended purpose.
Pro tip Use the completed streak as evidence when choosing the next contribution level.
In the wild
Bach describes listeners saving $10 each day for 100 days. He says some reported that the challenge was difficult, but completing it gave them a first $1,000 in savings.
→ The participant finishes with a starter cash buffer and a demonstrated daily saving habit.
Common mistakes
Treating $10 as a universal floor
The amount is an example, not a requirement. Bach also says to start with something as small as $1 a day.
Leaving the money in spending cash
Without separation, the running total is easy to spend unintentionally.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for someone who can save a small recurring amount but has not yet built a first emergency reserve.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when even the daily amount would displace food, housing, utilities, or minimum debt payments.
From the transcript
“Could you save $10 a day for 100 days?”
“Why? Because it would get you to your first $1,000.”
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