DUBUQUE, Iowa–Over the course of 21 days, participants in Dupaco Credit Union’s Sprint-to-Savings challenge took meaningful steps toward improving their financial well-being.
The challenge, which ran from June 2 to June 22, encouraged individuals to build stronger savings habits through small, consistent actions—and the results speak for themselves, according to the credit union.
“Sprinters engaged in a variety of hands-on activities, including creating budgets, tracking spending, identifying and plugging leaks and taking part in ‘No-Spend Saturdays’,” Dupaco CCU said. “These simple, yet powerful strategies helped participants move closer to the financial goals that matter most to them.”
The randomly selected winners of the challenge’s weekly and grand-prize drawings are:
- Week 1-$50 Winner: Kellie Cook
- Week 2-$50 Winner: Jessica Ambrosy
- Week 3-$50 Winner: Mika McCool
- Grand Prize-$500 Winner: Lisa Klees
Wide Range of Goals
“Participants set a wide range of savings goals—from vacations and emergency funds to paying off debt, college expenses, weddings, new vehicles and even a headstone,” Dupaco said. “Along the way, they discovered meaningful ways to cut costs and rethink spending.
“When asked what change made the biggest impact, many cited meal planning and sticking to a grocery list as key strategies. Others became more mindful of impulse purchases, using tactics like leaving items in online shopping carts for a few days before deciding to buy. One participant shared that by reviewing their subscriptions, they’ll save $720 over the rest of the year.”
Dupaco added that a fan favorite was thoughtful participation in the No-Spend Saturday challenge, which many participants found both fun and transformative. One sprinter said, “I really enjoyed implementing a No-Spend Saturday. Weekends are usually when we tend to spend the most, so turning it into a fun family challenge to avoid spending was both rewarding and effective.”
“Another sprinter who implemented No-Spend Saturday commented, ‘Weekends are when I do most of my shopping. I followed it (No-Spend Saturday)!,” Dupaco CCU shared. “I made a picnic as my way of getting out of the house, cleaned the house that night instead of going out. Cooked a nice home-cooked meal out of what I had in the cupboard instead of doing my weekly out-to-eat day! It definitely changed the pace of my normal schedule.”
“Over the last three weeks, sprinters showed up, took action and made meaningful progress towards their savings goal,” Tara McDermott, senior marketing communication specialist, said in a statement. “Our sprinters should celebrate their success. Building your savings takes dedication. We all need those reminders that building your savings is a marathon, not a sprint. The participants of this challenge are off to a strong start to keep their savings momentum going.”
