Why It's Easier to Make an Extra $10k Than to Save the Same Amount

The fundamental financial lesson we learn from an early age is to save money. So, I thought saving was the way to go.

“Save 10% of your income.”

Whatever job I took or side hustle I built, my first rule was to save as much money as possible.

I’d cut back on eating out, cancel unwanted subscriptions, and even avoid hanging out with friends just to save some money.

Sure, it worked because I saved a few hundred dollars each month. However, it was never enough because I would never feel like I had enough.

Something deep hit me when I realized it would take me years of this frugal lifestyle to save a meaningful amount, like $10,000.

That’s when I became aware of my situation. Then, I asked myself, “What if instead of trying to save my way there, I focused on making more?” The surprising part was that I was actually able to make an extra $10k, realizing it was easier than saving the same amount.

Let me explain how I did it.

Saving Has a Ceiling. Earning Doesn’t.

No matter how good you are at cutting costs, there is a limit. For example, rent, utilities, groceries, etc., are fixed (and rising). Eventually, you can’t cut back any further without sacrificing your quality of life.

When I was in “extreme frugal mode,” I realized I was saying no to dinners with friends and experiences that actually made me happy. It felt restrictive, like I was playing defence all the time.

On the other hand, making more money doesn’t have the same ceiling. There is no limit to how much you can create, sell, or earn.

You can keep stacking income in ways you simply can’t do with saving.

Making Money Builds Skills

When I shifted my mindset from saving to earning, I began finding more ways to make money. For instance, I started writing online and building websites.

At first, these were side hustles that brought a few hundred dollars a month from freelancing.

But even that small win boosted my confidence.

Then,

$500 turned into $1,000.
$1,000 turned into $3,000.
$3,000 turned into $10,000.

The desire to make more money helped me build skills that would keep paying me for years.

Saving never taught me that. Cutting out Netflix didn’t increase my earning potential. But building a skill did.

Extra Income Scales Faster Than Savings

Let’s do some simple math:

To save $10,000 in one year, you must cut $833 from your monthly budget. That’s brutal.
To earn an extra $10,000 in one year, you must make $833 a month on the side. That could come from one freelance client, a small coaching gig, or a part-time project.

When you break it down like that, it feels more achievable.

Plus, the second option actually adds to your lifestyle instead of shrinking it.

Money From Earning Feels Better

Here’s something nobody talks about: saving feels like deprivation, but making money feels like freedom.

When I landed my first $1,000 freelance project, I felt unstoppable—not because of the money itself, but because I knew I had created something valuable out of thin air.

Compare that to the time I canceled my Spotify subscription. It didn’t feel like a smart move. Maybe for a day or two. But mostly, I just missed listening to my playlists.

The psychology of earning beats that of saving every time.

You Don’t Have to Work Harder; Just Smarter

When I tell people it is easier to earn an extra $10k than to save it, they often assume I mean “work more hours.” That is not the case.

The real key is leverage. Here are a few examples:

Freelancing: Use a skill you already have (writing, design, or marketing) and sell it online.
Digital Products: Write an e-book or create a course once, then sell it repeatedly.
Content Creation: Build an audience around something you enjoy. Eventually, that attention becomes income.

These don’t require 40 extra hours a week. They just need a smart system.