"Hidden Money" Savings Jar

Sorry I'm a day late posting- every now and then sleep is more important than editing photos!

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Have you ever had to save up money for a "large" purchase- whether it be a vacation, new computer or just something fun you don't usually budget for?  My husband and I budget pretty well overall and set aside money for things like yearly vacations or for when the car breaks and needs a new part (we went through the Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University" and use that method of money management).  We even take out $30 a month of "fun money" for each of us to spend on whatever we want- no questions asked.  This can be used on take out coffee, special treats, "frivolous" non-necessities really. I usually spend mine on personal crafting supplies.

For the first time (maybe ever) though, I really want something that's going to cost me several hundred dollars.  It's hard not to spend cash as it sits in my hand so I needed to think of a way to "set the money aside" and stay focused on my goal.  Here's what I came up with: (psst- keep scrolling to see the side of the jar- you wont want to miss it!)

Why I like it:
1. It's a mason jar and I love all things mason jar.

2. You can't see inside it.  Not only is this good because it's less likely to get stolen if someone were to break into our home but it's also less likely to get broken into by me seeing all that cash not being spent on scrapbook paper and fabric! #noselfcontrol

3. Because it is covered in chalkboard paint, I can write little notes on it that continuously remind me of my goal.

4. The chalkboard paint also makes it easy to add a "progress bar" that can be used over and over again (just erase and start over!)

5. It isn't tacky.  I can set this out anywhere in my home and mix it in with the decor and it would just look like another piece of decoration.

Are you on board?  Here's how to make your own.


First, gather your materials:

At the most basic level all you need is:

- Mason jar with lid

- Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint (make sure you get the black- it also comes in green) Also- it lasts forever so it's worth the money for all the projects you can do with it!

- Sand paper/file

- Paintbrush.  I ended up using a foam brush instead of the brush pictured because I felt like it worked better.

*Optional Materials*

- Chalk

- Acrylic Paint

- Chalk Marker

- Anything you want to dress up the lid.  Check out this post to see how I made those pink flower tops!


Let's get started!

Step 1: Wash your mason jar so the surface is clean.  Once it is dry, mix up your chalk paint and start painting!
*at first it's going to look very see-through and you will think it's never going to work.  Let dry and put another layer on.  Now it's starting to look like it should. (It says to wait an hour in between coats but that is no necessary for this project.  I don't think I even waited 10 minutes in between them!)


Step 2: Once your jar looks like you want it to and is dry, get out your sandpaper.  Gently sand the lifted areas of your jar (for example: where it says "mason jar" or "ball" or "kerr").  For a distressed look, don't take all the paint off in these raised areas, just spots here and there.

{The darker spots you see are where the paint is sanded away.  That's the glass showing through.}

 Step 3: (Optional) Cover the entire jar with your chalk.  Turn it sideways and rub it on.  This is important if you want to write on it later with chalk because it creates a chalky-base that makes it easier to erase later!  Once finished, gently rub the jar with your hand or towel to rub in the chalk and get rid of the extra.

{I may have used my son's sidewalk chalk for this project when I couldn't find my own!  It works just as well!}

Step 4: (Optional) With the tiniest amount of acrylic paint on your finger, gently brush your finger over the raised areas that you previously distressed.  I like this because I think it brings out the distressing and the raised words better than leaving it with only the glass peeking through.

Step 5: (Optional) I added a "progress bar" to help me keep track of where I am in my saving.  Using the chalkboard marker, simply hand draw the outline and then fill in details with the regular chalk (doing this will allow you to easily erase the "progress" without erasing the progress bar every time you want to start over).  The chalkboard marker is also much brighter so it really stands out!

Step 6: Put your lid on and voila!  Now is the time to personalize your lid by painting it, covering it in fabric or adding a flower on top.  If you are going to be adding money frequently and want easy access without removing the cap, simply drill a hole in the lid before screwing it on.  Then you can roll up your money and drop it straight in!

That progress bar is my favorite part!  I even included a spot to keep track of my current total (since my bar only goes in units of 50)

...and the front again...

That's it!
What a cute and easy way to "hide your money in plain sight"!  I still haven't decided if I want to keep the flowers on top or do something else.  What would you do?