How the schedule works
In a rotating savings circle, every member pays the same amount each round, and one member receives the whole pot. With 8 members paying 50 a week, the pot is 400, the cycle lasts 8 weeks, and everyone pays in 400 and receives 400 once.
Nobody gains or loses money: the circle changes when you get it. The first recipients get an interest-free advance; the last ones save with discipline, but their money earns nothing during the cycle.
Choosing the order
- Draw: the fairest if nobody has an urgent need. The button above shuffles the list at random.
- Need: a birth, school fees or rent can justify an early turn, if the group agrees.
- Trust: put newcomers and members the group knows least at the end. Jamaican "partner" bankers do exactly this: a member who has already received the pot is the main risk if they stop paying.
Write the order down and share it before the first payment. Changes later are the most common source of disputes.
Before you start
Agree in writing on late payments, penalties, replacements and any fee for the organiser. Our organiser's guide has a rules template and a ledger: how to run a savings circle. For the names and history of circles around the world, read the global guide to savings circles.
About this planner
It runs in your browser: names and amounts aren't sent or stored. It plans the calendar only; it doesn't collect or move money.
Frequently asked questions
How big should the circle be?
Usually 6 to 12 people. More members means a bigger pot but a longer cycle, with more chances that someone drops out along the way.
Can one person take two turns?
Yes: list them twice. They pay two contributions per round and receive the pot twice.
Is a savings circle legal?
Informal circles among people who know each other are common and generally allowed, but rules differ by country. Be wary of any 'circle' promising to pay out more than members pay in: regulators like the US FTC describe those as pyramid schemes.