If you’ve been following my content for a while, you probably know that I believe even the smallest steps toward a goal can build into something amazing. Doing a little for your goals today can turn into big achievements over time.
I have a big goal: to buy a home worth $400,000. For some people this might sound unrealistic or far from their current means, but it’s the direction I want to move toward. Building something little by little is how I stay motivated.
I’ve shared public projects before. Some I followed through, and some I eventually stopped because they no longer aligned with my goals or style. This time the journey will be quieter. 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 will 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 I save by buying items on discount or finding cheaper 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 1
Today I did some shopping and saved money by buying discounted items and buying in bulk. I also returned a bag of bottles and cans for recycling.
- 9.91 lei – shopping discount (promo items and bulk purchases)
TOTAL: 9.91 lei = $2.26
March 2
I received the money for the bottles and cans returned yesterday.
- 12.50 lei – bottle and can recycling return
TOTAL: 22.41 lei = $5.11
March 3
No savings today. I simply carried over the previous total.
TOTAL: 22.41 lei = $5.11
March 4
Today I had a sale on Vinted and also saved money through discounts on my shopping. I returned another bag of bottles for recycling. I also bought formula for my son with a 10% discount and added the saved amount to my total.
- 23.10 lei – Vinted sale (set of 2 long-sleeved cotton bodysuits and grey melange vest, size 92–98 cm)
- 17.68 lei – shopping discounts for buying promo or in bulk
- 29.40 lei – formula discount
TOTAL: 92.59 lei = $21.13
March 5
I received the money for the bottles returned yesterday and also saved money through shopping discounts.
- 11.50 lei – bottle return
- 37.96 lei – shopping discounts for buying promo or in bulk
TOTAL: 142.05 lei = $32.41
March 6
Wow, two sales today on Vinted, this was pleasantly unexpected! I also saved a small amount by buying items in bulk. I also received a bonus yogurt with my shopping. Since it was free and I consumed it, I added its value to my savings.
- 7.00 lei – Vinted sale (low-top suede sneakers, size 25, Primigi)
- 5.00 lei – Vinted sale (set of 2 textile bibs with Winnie the Pooh print)
- 1.83 lei – shopping discount for buying in bulk
- 5.79 lei – bonus yogurt with my shopping
TOTAL: 161.67 lei = $36.89
March 7
Today I moved these savings into a daily savings account with 2.5% annual interest, calculated daily. Starting tomorrow, I will add the daily interest to my total.
Once the amount reaches 500 lei ($114), I plan to move it into a flexible deposit account that offers a higher interest rate. I’ll share more details when I reach that milestone.
Today I bought baby napkins and I got a discount, adding it to my savings.
- 7.61 lei – discount on baby napkins
TOTAL: 169.28 lei = $38.63
March 8
Today I received the first small interest from the savings account. It’s tiny, but it’s still a gain. I also saved money through a discount on cosmetics.
- 0.01 lei – interest
- 30,00 lei – cosmetics discount
TOTAL: 199.29 lei = $45.15
March 9
I did some grocery shopping and saved money through discounts. I also returned some bottles for recycling.
- 11.90 lei – grocery shopping discounts
TOTAL: 211.19 lei = $48.11
March 10
Today I received the money for the bottles returned yesterday, plus a small interest payment. I also did some grocery shopping and saved money through discounts.
- 0.01 lei – interest
- 13,00 lei – bottle return
- 30.34 lei – grocery discounts
TOTAL: 254.54 lei = $58.18
All in all, with $58.18 saved out of my $400,000 goal, I’m at 0.015% progress.
At this stage, it’s obvious that reaching such a large goal will not happen overnight. Small discounts and occasional sales are just tiny drops in a very big ocean.
But these small steps still matter. They help build the habit of saving, 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 $58.18 more than I had before. 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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