Penny saving challenge (1p a day): how much you save, month by month

Save one penny on day 1, two on day 2, and N pennies on day N. After 365 days you have set aside £667.95 — or $667.95 if you count in dollars, because it is the same number in any currency. On this page: the arithmetic, what to put aside each month, and a printable 365-day chart.

Download the PDF US version (PDF) Free to download · one page · pence and pounds on A4, cents and dollars on US Letter

In a 365-day year the penny challenge (the 1p saving challenge, in the UK) adds up to £667.95: 1 + 2 + … + 365 is 66,795 pennies. In a leap year of 366 days it is £671.61. Paid monthly, a year that starts on 1 January 2027 asks for £4.96 in January and £108.50 in December; counting down, it is the other way round.

Make your 365-day chart

Penny challenge: a penny more every day

Day 1 is £0.01, day 2 is £0.02 … day 365 is £3.65. Total £667.95.

Day 1: Friday, January 1, 2027 · day 365: Friday, December 31, 2027

  1. 10.01
  2. 20.02
  3. 30.03
  4. 40.04
  5. 50.05
  6. 60.06
  7. 70.07
  8. 80.08
  9. 90.09
  10. 100.10
  11. 110.11
  12. 120.12
  13. 130.13
  14. 140.14
  15. 150.15
  16. 160.16
  17. 170.17
  18. 180.18
  19. 190.19
  20. 200.20
  21. 210.21
  22. 220.22
  23. 230.23
  24. 240.24
  25. 250.25
  26. 260.26
  27. 270.27
  28. 280.28
  29. 290.29
  30. 300.30
  31. 310.31
  32. 320.32
  33. 330.33
  34. 340.34
  35. 350.35
  36. 360.36
  37. 370.37
  38. 380.38
  39. 390.39
  40. 400.40
  41. 410.41
  42. 420.42
  43. 430.43
  44. 440.44
  45. 450.45
  46. 460.46
  47. 470.47
  48. 480.48
  49. 490.49
  50. 500.50
  51. 510.51
  52. 520.52
  53. 530.53
  54. 540.54
  55. 550.55
  56. 560.56
  57. 570.57
  58. 580.58
  59. 590.59
  60. 600.60
  61. 610.61
  62. 620.62
  63. 630.63
  64. 640.64
  65. 650.65
  66. 660.66
  67. 670.67
  68. 680.68
  69. 690.69
  70. 700.70
  71. 710.71
  72. 720.72
  73. 730.73
  74. 740.74
  75. 750.75
  76. 760.76
  77. 770.77
  78. 780.78
  79. 790.79
  80. 800.80
  81. 810.81
  82. 820.82
  83. 830.83
  84. 840.84
  85. 850.85
  86. 860.86
  87. 870.87
  88. 880.88
  89. 890.89
  90. 900.90
  91. 910.91
  92. 920.92
  93. 930.93
  94. 940.94
  95. 950.95
  96. 960.96
  97. 970.97
  98. 980.98
  99. 990.99
  100. 1001.00
  101. 1011.01
  102. 1021.02
  103. 1031.03
  104. 1041.04
  105. 1051.05
  106. 1061.06
  107. 1071.07
  108. 1081.08
  109. 1091.09
  110. 1101.10
  111. 1111.11
  112. 1121.12
  113. 1131.13
  114. 1141.14
  115. 1151.15
  116. 1161.16
  117. 1171.17
  118. 1181.18
  119. 1191.19
  120. 1201.20
  121. 1211.21
  122. 1221.22
  123. 1231.23
  124. 1241.24
  125. 1251.25
  126. 1261.26
  127. 1271.27
  128. 1281.28
  129. 1291.29
  130. 1301.30
  131. 1311.31
  132. 1321.32
  133. 1331.33
  134. 1341.34
  135. 1351.35
  136. 1361.36
  137. 1371.37
  138. 1381.38
  139. 1391.39
  140. 1401.40
  141. 1411.41
  142. 1421.42
  143. 1431.43
  144. 1441.44
  145. 1451.45
  146. 1461.46
  147. 1471.47
  148. 1481.48
  149. 1491.49
  150. 1501.50
  151. 1511.51
  152. 1521.52
  153. 1531.53
  154. 1541.54
  155. 1551.55
  156. 1561.56
  157. 1571.57
  158. 1581.58
  159. 1591.59
  160. 1601.60
  161. 1611.61
  162. 1621.62
  163. 1631.63
  164. 1641.64
  165. 1651.65
  166. 1661.66
  167. 1671.67
  168. 1681.68
  169. 1691.69
  170. 1701.70
  171. 1711.71
  172. 1721.72
  173. 1731.73
  174. 1741.74
  175. 1751.75
  176. 1761.76
  177. 1771.77
  178. 1781.78
  179. 1791.79
  180. 1801.80
  181. 1811.81
  182. 1821.82
  183. 1831.83
  184. 1841.84
  185. 1851.85
  186. 1861.86
  187. 1871.87
  188. 1881.88
  189. 1891.89
  190. 1901.90
  191. 1911.91
  192. 1921.92
  193. 1931.93
  194. 1941.94
  195. 1951.95
  196. 1961.96
  197. 1971.97
  198. 1981.98
  199. 1991.99
  200. 2002.00
  201. 2012.01
  202. 2022.02
  203. 2032.03
  204. 2042.04
  205. 2052.05
  206. 2062.06
  207. 2072.07
  208. 2082.08
  209. 2092.09
  210. 2102.10
  211. 2112.11
  212. 2122.12
  213. 2132.13
  214. 2142.14
  215. 2152.15
  216. 2162.16
  217. 2172.17
  218. 2182.18
  219. 2192.19
  220. 2202.20
  221. 2212.21
  222. 2222.22
  223. 2232.23
  224. 2242.24
  225. 2252.25
  226. 2262.26
  227. 2272.27
  228. 2282.28
  229. 2292.29
  230. 2302.30
  231. 2312.31
  232. 2322.32
  233. 2332.33
  234. 2342.34
  235. 2352.35
  236. 2362.36
  237. 2372.37
  238. 2382.38
  239. 2392.39
  240. 2402.40
  241. 2412.41
  242. 2422.42
  243. 2432.43
  244. 2442.44
  245. 2452.45
  246. 2462.46
  247. 2472.47
  248. 2482.48
  249. 2492.49
  250. 2502.50
  251. 2512.51
  252. 2522.52
  253. 2532.53
  254. 2542.54
  255. 2552.55
  256. 2562.56
  257. 2572.57
  258. 2582.58
  259. 2592.59
  260. 2602.60
  261. 2612.61
  262. 2622.62
  263. 2632.63
  264. 2642.64
  265. 2652.65
  266. 2662.66
  267. 2672.67
  268. 2682.68
  269. 2692.69
  270. 2702.70
  271. 2712.71
  272. 2722.72
  273. 2732.73
  274. 2742.74
  275. 2752.75
  276. 2762.76
  277. 2772.77
  278. 2782.78
  279. 2792.79
  280. 2802.80
  281. 2812.81
  282. 2822.82
  283. 2832.83
  284. 2842.84
  285. 2852.85
  286. 2862.86
  287. 2872.87
  288. 2882.88
  289. 2892.89
  290. 2902.90
  291. 2912.91
  292. 2922.92
  293. 2932.93
  294. 2942.94
  295. 2952.95
  296. 2962.96
  297. 2972.97
  298. 2982.98
  299. 2992.99
  300. 3003.00
  301. 3013.01
  302. 3023.02
  303. 3033.03
  304. 3043.04
  305. 3053.05
  306. 3063.06
  307. 3073.07
  308. 3083.08
  309. 3093.09
  310. 3103.10
  311. 3113.11
  312. 3123.12
  313. 3133.13
  314. 3143.14
  315. 3153.15
  316. 3163.16
  317. 3173.17
  318. 3183.18
  319. 3193.19
  320. 3203.20
  321. 3213.21
  322. 3223.22
  323. 3233.23
  324. 3243.24
  325. 3253.25
  326. 3263.26
  327. 3273.27
  328. 3283.28
  329. 3293.29
  330. 3303.30
  331. 3313.31
  332. 3323.32
  333. 3333.33
  334. 3343.34
  335. 3353.35
  336. 3363.36
  337. 3373.37
  338. 3383.38
  339. 3393.39
  340. 3403.40
  341. 3413.41
  342. 3423.42
  343. 3433.43
  344. 3443.44
  345. 3453.45
  346. 3463.46
  347. 3473.47
  348. 3483.48
  349. 3493.49
  350. 3503.50
  351. 3513.51
  352. 3523.52
  353. 3533.53
  354. 3543.54
  355. 3553.55
  356. 3563.56
  357. 3573.57
  358. 3583.58
  359. 3593.59
  360. 3603.60
  361. 3613.61
  362. 3623.62
  363. 3633.63
  364. 3643.64
  365. 3653.65

If you pay once a month, set aside:

  • Jan 2027 4.96
  • Feb 2027 12.74
  • Mar 2027 23.25
  • Apr 2027 31.65
  • May 2027 42.16
  • Jun 2027 49.95
  • Jul 2027 61.07
  • Aug 2027 70.68
  • Sep 2027 77.55
  • Oct 2027 89.59
  • Nov 2027 95.85
  • Dec 2027 108.50

iliafiliaev.com/pennyweek/penny-challenge/

Download a PDF

Two one-page charts with a square for every day from 1 to 365 and the amount to set aside in it, and the month-by-month amounts for a start on 1 January. The UK chart counts in pence and pounds and is A4; the US chart counts in cents and dollars and is US Letter. On other paper choose “fit” or “scale to fit” in the print dialog — or use the Print button above, which prints on whatever paper your printer is set to, with your own start date.

Each chart carries a note for a leap year: there is a day 366, £3.66 (or $3.66), and the year adds up to £671.61 (or $671.61).

How the penny challenge works

On day 1 you set aside 1p (1¢ in the US), on day 2 you set aside 2p, and on day N you set aside N pence. Day 100 is £1.00 and day 365 is 365p, £3.65. It is a daily challenge: keep a jar for the coins, or add the day's amount to a pot as you go, and cross the day off. Because the first amounts are tiny, the early weeks cost almost nothing and most of the money comes in the second half of the year.

How much you save

1 + 2 + … + 365 is 66,795 pennies, which is 365 × 366 ÷ 2: £667.95, or $667.95 counted in dollars. With 366 days in a leap year it is 366 × 367 ÷ 2, which is 67,161 pennies or £671.61. These are the amounts you set aside; they do not include any interest your account may pay.

What to put aside each month

If you would rather pay once a month, add up the days of each month. The tables are for a challenge that starts on 1 January, counting up and counting down, in 2027 and in leap year 2028. A start on another day moves the months: put your date in the form above.

2027, 365 days from 1 January: what to set aside each month (pounds or dollars — the numbers are the same)
MonthDaysCounting upCounting down
January314.96108.50
February2812.7489.74
March3123.2590.21
April3031.6578.15
May3142.1671.30
June3049.9559.85
July3161.0752.39
August3170.6842.78
September3077.5532.25
October3189.5923.87
November3095.8513.95
December31108.504.96
Year365667.95667.95
2028, 366 days from 1 January: what to set aside each month (pounds or dollars — the numbers are the same)
MonthDaysCounting upCounting down
January314.96108.81
February2913.3493.09
March3123.5690.21
April3031.9578.15
May3142.4771.30
June3050.2559.85
July3161.3852.39
August3170.9942.78
September3077.8532.25
October3189.9023.87
November3096.1513.95
December31108.814.96
Year366671.61671.61

Counting down

Counting down puts the largest amounts first: £3.65 on day 1 and 1p on day 365. The year still adds up to £667.95. Paid monthly from 1 January 2027, January is £108.50 and December £4.96. Choose it if you would rather bank the big deposits early; the catch is that the first days need the most.

Bigger than a penny

To save more than £667.95, keep the idea and make the step bigger: day N saves N times 2p, 5p, 10p or any step you like. Each row is the penny challenge multiplied by its step.

The same challenge with a bigger step, over 365 days (pounds or dollars)
Day N savesDay 1Day 365The year adds up to
1p (1¢)0.013.65667.95
2p (2¢)0.027.301,335.90
5p (5¢)0.0518.253,339.75
10p (10¢)0.1036.506,679.50
£1 ($1)1.00365.0066,795.00

The penny challenge and Pennyjar

The Challenges tab of Pennyjar does not run a 365-day challenge. Its challenges count in weeks: the 52-week challenge and the 100-envelope challenge, and custom challenges of 2 to 156 weeks — one step a week, never one a day. For a penny a day, use paper, like the chart above.

The closest thing the app does is the weekly version of the same idea, the 52-week challenge: you choose a starting amount, mark each week as you set the amount aside, and the app shows which week you are in. Free Pennyjar runs one challenge at a time; Pennyjar Pro, one payment for the whole app, lets several run together and adds custom challenges of 2 to 156 weeks with your own amounts. Pennyjar is a record of what you set aside: it never holds or moves your money, and it is not financial advice.

Coming soon to the App Store

The Challenges part of Pennyjar → · All of Pennyjar →

The 52-week challenge in Pennyjar: the total saved, the next week to mark and a grid of weeks

More savings charts

More free savings tools

Last reviewed 8 October 2026