See the estimated spending you could avoid by skipping a small purchase a few times a week. This free savings calculator shows monthly, yearly and five-year totals based on a steady weekly pattern.
How to use this calculator
Enter the cost each time and choose how often you plan to skip that purchase. Pick a change that suits your life, such as bringing a drink from home twice a week. If the substitute costs money, enter the difference rather than the full purchase price.
“Skip-a-Habit” Projector
See how pausing one small weekly habit stacks up into real cash over 1 year and 5 years.
Calculations run in your browser. Values are not saved by this calculator. No signup required.
A worked example
Skipping a $6.50 purchase twice a week avoids $13 in weekly spending. That equals $676 over 52 weeks and $3,380 over five years, assuming the cost and routine stay the same.
The calculation: Yearly estimate = cost each time × times skipped per week × 52. The monthly estimate uses 4.33 weeks; the five-year estimate is five times the yearly figure.
Are these guaranteed savings or investment returns?
No. These are spending estimates, with no interest, investment growth or inflation. Your actual result depends on sticking with the change and what you spend instead. Record actual spending to see whether the habit helped.
Put the result into practice
Build a routine with the savings challenge →
Ask Professor Cheap for ideas to help you plan your next step. For current prices and purchase terms, check the retailer.