MoneyTalks Monday: My ₹500 Challenge & What I Learned

 

(How I Saved and Earned ₹500 in 7 Days Without Cutting My Lifestyle)

🔹 Introduction: Why This Challenge Matters

If you're struggling to save, trying to earn a little extra, or just want to improve your money habits, this challenge is for you.

The ₹500 Challenge is not about how much you make, it's about how much you keep and create from what you already have.

In India, ₹500 may not sound like a big amount — but when you do it smartly, it becomes the first step to financial control.
This blog is for every student, salaried person, homemaker, or freelancer who wants to test their money mindset.

Let’s dive deep into how I took this challenge, what tools I used, the exact steps I followed, and how you can do it too — even better than me.

🔹 My Rules for the ₹500 Challenge

To keep this challenge real and repeatable for anyone, I followed these 3 rules:

  1. No lifestyle cutbacks. I didn’t skip meals or give up my daily chai.

  2. No help or borrowing. I had to rely only on my ideas and effort.

  3. No spending money to earn. I used only free apps, websites, and resources.

🔹 Full Day-by-Day Breakdown: Earned + Saved = ₹680

Let’s expand and break down exactly what I did, how I did it, and how you can too.

📅 Day 1: Sold an Old Book — ₹150 Earned

I had a used copy of Rich Dad Poor Dad and listed it on:

  • OLX

  • Quikr

  • Facebook Marketplace

💡 Why it worked:
Books sell well if they’re popular and listed with a clean photo + short description.

📌 My Tip:
Take 3–5 clear photos. Mention condition honestly (“Used – Good condition”). Price it 20–30% lower than Amazon.

✅ Bonus idea: Sell old T-shirts, phone covers, chargers, toys, or even spare plastic chairs — anything unused!

📅 Day 2: Cashback Rewards — ₹80 Saved

I used:

  • Paytm for mobile recharge → ₹50 cashback

  • CRED for electricity bill → ₹30 cashback

🛠️ Tools Used:

  • CashKaro (also useful for Amazon/Flipkart cashback)

  • MagicPin (for food, groceries cashback)

📌 Important: Never buy things just to earn cashback. Only use it for purchases you were already going to make.

📅 Day 3: Shared Referral Links — ₹100 Earned

I sent referral links of 2 apps to friends:

  • Groww → ₹50 reward

  • PhonePe → ₹50 reward

💡 Smart Tip: Share your links with value. Instead of “use my code,” say:
👉 “Hey, I use this app for mutual funds / recharges, and they’re giving ₹50 if you sign up. Win-win!”

🔗 Other referral apps to try:

  • Paytm Money

  • Upstox

  • Meesho

  • Amazon Pay Later

  • Zingoy

📅 Day 4: Cancelled Unused Subscription — ₹120 Saved

I checked Google Play → Subscriptions and found:
➡️ I was paying ₹120/month for a music app I barely used.

What to do:

  1. Check your UPI/SMS alerts for auto-debits.

  2. Cancel anything you don’t use 3x/week.

  3. Replace paid tools with free ones.

✅ Alternatives:

  • Spotify Free (ads okay if it’s occasional)

  • YouTube Music Free

  • Canva Free for design tools

  • Google Keep instead of Notion Pro

📅 Day 5: Shared Blog on LinkedIn — Freelance ₹100

I wrote a helpful post on LinkedIn about “How I Saved ₹500 This Week,” and added my blog link.
One reader asked if I do content writing → I said yes → got ₹100 for a 500-word sample article.

🔗 Why LinkedIn works:

  • It’s full of professionals looking for help

  • Even if you have 100 connections, your post can go viral with engagement

🎯 Tips to grow LinkedIn:

  • Post 2–3 times a week

  • Share helpful finance tips

  • Use 3–5 relatable hashtags like #moneytips #sidehustleindia

📅 Day 6: Google Opinion Rewards — ₹50

I downloaded Google Opinion Rewards and got ₹50 in 2 surveys.

🛠️ Apps That Actually Work:

  • PollPay – Small tasks & surveys

  • Swagbucks – International but pays via PayPal

  • TimeBucks – Takes time, but legit

📝 Note: Surveys won’t make you rich — but they’re great for mobile recharge or app purchases.

📅 Day 7: Sold USB Cable + Pen Drive — ₹80

I posted old electronics (USB cable, 8GB pen drive) on WhatsApp status with a caption:
👉 “Selling unused USB & pen drive – DM if interested!”

Within 2 hours, I got a ping and sold it for ₹80.

📌 Why WhatsApp Status works:

  • Your network knows & trusts you

  • You don’t need any listing app

  • You get instant interest

💡 Bonus idea: Try the same with old phone covers, bottles, sunglasses, unused clothes, etc.

🔹 Total ₹680: Proof That Small Wins Add Up

MethodAmount (₹)Type
Sold book₹150Earned
Cashback apps₹80Saved
Referrals₹100Earned
Subscription cancelled₹120Saved
Freelance article₹100Earned
Survey app₹50Earned
Old electronics₹80Earned
Total₹680✅ Challenge Passed!

🔍 What I Learned From This Challenge

✅ 1. Saving Is a Skill, Not Just a Habit

You don’t need to change your lifestyle — just change your observation and action.

✅ 2. Your Phone is a Goldmine

From referral apps to selling stuff, your smartphone is your side hustle toolkit.

✅ 3. The Internet Pays Attention to Action

When I shared my journey on LinkedIn, it got me real work.
People love real stories — not theories.

✅ 4. ₹500 a Week = ₹2000/Month = ₹24,000/Year

If you repeat this every week, it becomes a financial cushion.
💸 That's enough to pay for:

  • Emergency fund

  • 1-year Netflix + Spotify + Amazon Prime

  • Festive shopping

  • Travel plans

🧠 Want to Try the ₹500 Challenge?

Here’s your simple roadmap to follow:

📋 Step-by-Step Action Plan

  1. List 3 things to sell this week

  2. Identify 2 cashback offers

  3. Share 2 referral codes

  4. Cancel 1 unwanted subscription

  5. Post a value-based message on LinkedIn/WhatsApp

  6. Try 1 survey app

  7. Track it all in a Google Sheet (download link below)

📎 Download Free ₹500 Challenge Tracker Sheet:
👉 Click here to download (Google Sheets)

🧲 Final Thoughts: Small Wins Build Big Confidence

This challenge taught me more than just how to make or save ₹500 — it taught me how to respect my money.

If you can manage ₹500 well, you can handle ₹5,000.
If you can earn ₹500 from effort, you can build a side hustle.

It’s all about starting small, staying consistent, and believing that you’re capable.

💬 Comment Section Prompt

Will you try the ₹500 Challenge this week?
Drop a comment:
💬 “I’m IN for the ₹500 Challenge!” — and I’ll cheer you on!

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