6 habits to save your first 10k (without giving up everything you enjoy)

Have you ever started saving with the best intentions… only to watch your plan fall apart after a few weeks? Been there.

It’s not that you’re “bad with money” — you probably just didn’t have the right system in place.

I didn’t save my first $10k by accident. I did it by building six habits that made saving automatic, sustainable, and (surprisingly) enjoyable. Here’s exactly how I did it — and how you can, too.

1. Pay yourself first

You’ve probably heard this advice before, but the secret is making it automatic.

Most people stick with whatever’s set up by default. That’s called status quo bias, and it’s why we pay bills without thinking twice. I wanted saving to work the same way.

So I set up a weekly automatic transfer to my savings account — even if it was just small amounts at first. Over time, I switched to saving a set percentage of my income every month, no matter if my salary went up or down.

This meant saving became a fixed cost — like rent or my phone bill — instead of something I only did “if there was anything left over.”

In order to pay yourself first without worrying about the consequences, you need to set a budget. It’s the only way to do this without ending the month by withdrawing your savings to cover your spending.

Sit down and go through this process:

Write out all income
Write out all essential outgoings – bills, mortgage, food etc
Analyse your extras spending – stuff like clothes, makeup, beauty treatments, takeout coffee, dining out and anything that is not essential for you to survive.
Consider ways you could trim your essential bills – could you switch insurance providers for a better deal, for example?
Decide on a budget for your extras. If you do not free up money in your budget, you won’t be able to afford the savings needed to hit your goal.

2. Spend without guilt

Crash budgeting — cutting out all non-essential spending — is a quick road to burnout. Whenever I restricted myself too much, I ended up overspending later.

Instead, I built joy money into my budget — space for hobbies, treats, and experiences that made me feel good without blowing up my savings plan.

In fact, my hobbies often saved me money:

Upcycling furniture instead of buying new.
Learning new recipes so I could recreate my favourite takeaway dishes at home.
Exploring new places to walk instead of taking out a gym membership.

Budget for fun, so that you do not overspend on impulse purchases in the moment. The trick is to build it into your budget after making room for your savings goals.

3. Be realistic

“Save $10,000” sounds great… until you realise it’s not realistic for your current income or expenses.

Instead of aiming for an arbitrary number, break it down:

$10k in 18 months = $555/month
That’s about $138/week
Or under $20/day

Once you know the daily or weekly target, you can brainstorm ways to hit it — cutting one takeaway a week, doing a side hustle twice a month, switching a regular expense for a no-spend alternative.

Track your progress visually — colour in a savings thermometer or tick off $100 milestones. That taps into goal gradient theory, which says we’re more motivated the closer we get to the finish line.

4. Set traps for your future self

Budgeting isn’t about willpower — it’s about making bad decisions harder to make.

I use the 30-Day Rule: If I see something I want, I add it to a wishlist and wait a month. If I still want it and it fits my budget, I buy it. Most of the time, I forget about it entirely.

Other traps you can set:

Delete saved card details from shopping sites
Log out of or delete shopping apps
Leave your wallet at home on no-spend days
Set spending limits in your banking app (UK banks like Monzo and Starling make this easy)

5. Track like a scientist, not a judge

When I started tracking my spending weekly, I realised I wasn’t overspending on the things I thought I was — but I was leaking money in unexpected areas.

This is the Hawthorne Effect in action: we change our behaviour when we know we’re being observed. Even when the only person watching is… you.

I track in a simple spreadsheet, focusing on curiosity (“What’s really happening?”) rather than guilt (“Ugh, I’m terrible at this”). That mindset shift has saved me hundreds over time.

6. Tie your savings to a “why”

“I want to save money” isn’t motivating. “I want to save £10,000 so I can quit my job next year” is.

Whether it’s financial freedom, a house deposit, a dream trip, or a safety net, make your goal specific. Write it down. Put it somewhere you see it daily.

When you’re tempted to spend, remembering your why makes it easier to pause — and say no.

Final Thoughts

Saving my first 10,000 didn’t happen overnight, and it wasn’t about massive income jumps or extreme frugality. It was about small, consistent habits that were actually sustainable.

Those habits still help me hit bigger goals today. If you’re on your own savings journey, don’t underestimate the power of tiny, repeatable actions.