I have a big goal: to buy a home worth $400,000. This might sound unrealistic given my current means, but it’s the direction I want to move toward. Building something little by little is what keeps me motivated.
I strongly believe that even the smallest steps toward a goal can build into something amazing. Doing a little for your goals today can turn into meaningful achievements over time.
Between March 1-20 I already saved 776.97 lei = $176.86 and now I’m continuing this journey. I don’t know how long it will take, but I want to document the process through simple posts and short articles that follow my progress.
I live in Romania, where the currency is RON (Romanian leu). My savings are kept in RON accounts because they offer better interest rates. For transparency, I track the savings in lei, but also convert them to USD using the daily exchange rate. This means you might see small variations in the dollar value even when the amount in lei stays the same.
For this project, I count money that comes from small extra sources. This includes things like selling items on Vinted, returning bottles and cans for recycling, or even small amounts of interest. I also include money saved through discounts or by choosing more affordable alternatives.
This approach helps me stay mindful about spending and shopping. At the same time, it encourages decluttering, since selling items we no longer use can also contribute to the goal.
March 21
No savings today.
TOTAL: 776.97 lei = $176.86
March 22
I did my shopping and received some discounts. I also returned bottles and cans for recycling.
- 9.62 lei – shopping discounts
TOTAL: 786.59 lei = $178.89
March 23
I received part of the money for the bottles and cans I returned yesterday. The amount was supposed to be higher, so I notified them about the error.
- 6.50 lei – returning bottles and cans
TOTAL: 793.09 lei = $180.37
March 24
No savings today.
TOTAL: 793.09 lei = $180.37
March 25
Today I had significant savings from grocery shopping, especially a 70% discount on formula.
- 118.76 lei – shopping discounts (mostly formula discount)
TOTAL: 911.85 lei = $207.38
March 26
I received the money for the bottles I returned yesterday.
- 8.50 lei – returning bottles
TOTAL: 920.35 lei = $208.07
March 27
I did my grocery shopping and had a small discount, which I added to my savings.
- 10.29 – shopping discounts
TOTAL: 930.64 lei = $210.40
March 28
Today I had significant savings from grocery shopping, again including a 70% discount on formula.
- 134.28 – shopping discounts (mostly formula discount)
TOTAL: 1,064.92 lei = $240.54
March 29
No savings today.
TOTAL: 1,064.92 lei = $240.54
March 30
Today my mother gave me the value of the formula because she was so happy that I found a good price and wanted to help buy some for my son. I added this amount to my savings.
I also resolved the issue with the bottle and can return from one week ago, so I added the difference here. Because it took so long to resolve, the company also offered a voucher as compensation, which I also added here.
- 74.97 lei – formula gift from my mother
- 20.00 lei – voucher for delayed resolution from the shopping company
- 13.00 lei – difference from bottle and can return
- 9.10 lei – shopping discounts
TOTAL: 1.181.99 lei = $265.97
March 31
No savings today.
TOTAL: 1.181.99 lei = $265.97
Overall, with $265.97 saved out of my $400,000 goal, I’ve reached 0.066% progress.
It’s clear that reaching such a large goal won’t happen overnight. Small discounts and occasional sales are just tiny drops in a very big ocean.
But the purpose of this project is not only to save money for a house. It is also to show how small steps can truly add up. In just 11 days, I saved about $89 through product discounts, eco-friendly bottle and can returns, and calmly correcting errors with the store where I do my grocery shopping. Small gifts also add up and I greatly appreciated.
A few dollars here and there became almost $89 in just 11 days, and that is something worth noticing! Imagine saving this amount regularly. That could become over $3,000 in one year, simply by being mindful of everyday expenses. For many people, that can represent 5–15% of their income, which is definitely not a percentage to ignore.
These small steps still matter. They build saving habits, encourage creativity, reduce waste, and strengthen a mindset focused on progress.
I’m also working on several projects that don’t generate income yet, but hopefully will in the future.
For now, I’m simply happy to see that I have $265.97 more than I had one month ago. And that’s worth celebrating.
This is just the beginning.
If you’d like to support my journey and help me reach this goal, you can buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifegamificationjournal
Life Gamification Journal is a project by My Everyday Projects.
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