Greetings, and welcome to the Wallet Wellness Newsletter - your midweek source of practical financial tips to elevate your money management skills!

We hope you got a chance to read last week’s edition, where we discussed Fired Without Warning? Here's How to Bounce Back & Take Control. This week, we shift gears to help you keep on track with the savings journey you started in January.

As always, be sure to check out the Concept Corner below for a deep dive into the money concept of the week.

Let’s dive in!

MONEY254 TIP OF THE WEEK

Saving Every Day is Hard: 5 Tips to Make It Feel Effortless

It’s already mid-year. At the start of January, Money254 introduced the 10 Bob Challenge with the goal of helping each participant save Ksh77,560 by year-end.

How it works: On January 1, participants were to save Ksh10 in a passive income vehicle of their choice, such as a money market fund or SACCO. Each subsequent day, the daily saving amount increases by Ksh10. Then, at the start of each new month, participants increase their daily savings by an additional Ksh10. For example, February starts with Ksh20, March with Ksh30, and so on. (To join the challenge, see our summary here and join the community of over 800 Kenyans participating in the challenge through this Whatsapp Group)

Those who have followed this trajectory should have saved a total of Ksh29,310 by today, June 18.

But somewhere between high fares, surprise expenses, and “nikutume na Ksh200 ya lunch?”, things may have gone off track.

Now you might be thinking — “Aii, I haven’t saved for the last 5 days. Should I just drop it?”

Don’t. Because saving isn’t about being perfect — it’s about showing up. Small steps. Daily effort.

If you are part of the Money254 10 bob challenge or any other daily or weekly challenges, here are 5 practical tips to help you reset and make daily saving feel natural.

1. Set It and Forget It (Automation Saves You)

Let’s be honest — remembering to save manually every single day in the middle of life’s madness is tough.

Solution: Use Automation — Some financial companies in the market today let you set automatic daily transfers from your M-PESA or bank account.

Batch Save Instead: In some instances, you can batch save. For instance, save Ksh200 or Ksh1,000 to cover the following several days.

📌 Quick Tip: Schedule the transfer on your airtime or data top-up day. That’s when you probably have money.

2. Pair It With a Daily Habit (Like Buying Smokie or Tea)

Habits stick better when they are tied to stuff you already do — like topping up bundles or getting a snack.

Make It Routine: “Every time I buy a smokie kwa stage, I save Ksh10 or after I pay fare to town, I save the day’s amount.”

Over time, saving becomes part of the same muscle memory as checking WhatsApp.

🎯 Bonus Tip: You can even name your savings goal something fun like “Kikapu Ya Machozi” to make it feel more personal.

3. Make It Visible (Tujipige Sherehe ya Progress)

If you don’t see your progress, you’ll forget it. And if you forget it, you’ll stop.

Visual Tracker: Use a notebook, calendar, or phone note to mark each day you save. Tick it off. It’s satisfying.

Gamify It: Challenge yourself — “Can I hit 7 days straight?” “What’s my no-miss streak?”
Then reward yourself with a small treat once you hit milestones.

🧠 This tricks your brain into craving the act of saving.

4. Relax, It’s Okay to Miss a Day

Missed a few days? It’s not the end. You’re not in a debt recovery program — you’re just building a habit.

Don’t Quit Over One Bad Week: If you forgot for 4 days, don’t stress. Just pick up today and keep going.

Save What You Can: Even Ksh5 is okay. The habit matters more than the amount.

🌱 Remember: Hustle has seasons. But the habit? That’s long-term.

5. Do It With Others (Peer Pressure But Make It Positive)

Everything is easier with good company — saving included.

Join a Saving Buddy Group: Find a friend or two who’s also in the challenge. Start a WhatsApp group to check in weekly. Share wins and struggles. For the Money254 10 bob challenge, there is a WhatsApp group you can join here.

Ask Around: Chances are, someone in your chama, at work, or even your shopkeeper is doing a similar challenge.

👥 You’ll feel less alone and more motivated to stay on track.

Final Word: One Day at a Time

Starting with Ksh10 may seem small — until you realise it adds up at the end of the month, hits Ksh29,000 by mid-year and totals to more than Ksh77,000 by year-end. No side hustle, no pressure. Just a small habit that builds financial resilience.

Fallen off? No worries. This is your sign to start again — from wherever you are.

Let’s finish June strong. One ten bob. One day. One step at a time.

CONCEPT CORNER

Escrow

An Escrow is a financial agreement whereby a third-party escrow agency or officer acts as an intermediary between two parties who take part in a transaction. The escrow agency takes control of the money and tangible or intangible assets that are to be exchanged until the conditions of the transaction’s contract are met.

Therefore, an Escrow Account is a bank account that both the buyer and the seller are account holders, which is used to hold money, securities, or funds, providing protection for all parties.

Money Tips & Career Advice

MONEY254 #MONEYTOK

I Make Ksh4,000 Per Day as Boda Boda Rider

Steve's dream was to become an engineer but when he didn't make it to college, he did not give up. He was first employed as a motorbike errands boy earning Ksh10,000 per month.

Despite his low salary, he was able to save Ksh35,000 and buy his first boda. Today, he makes Ksh4,000 on a good day.

@money254hq

𝐈 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐊𝐬𝐡𝟒,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 Steve's dream was to become an engineer but when he didn't make it to college, he did not give up.... See more

That's it for this edition of Wallet Wellness. We hope these financial tips have added some energy to your hustle. Stay tuned for more practical insights in our next edition of "Wallet Wellness" next week, and watch out for Money Weekly in your inbox this Friday.

Also, don’t forget to download the Money254 App on the Google Play Store, and remember that we can help you compare over 300 loans, savings accounts, current accounts, and more if you’re thinking about your next product.

Cheers to your wallet's well-being!

Money254 editorial team.