Some folks spend 20 lingots every week on Duolingo’s “Weekend Amulet” feature, to protect their streak if they forget to do a lesson or story on a Saturday or Sunday. That’s cool– I used to do the same, until I became low-key obsessed with “Legendary Levels.”
The thing about “Legendary Levels” is they cost 10 lingots per attempt, unless you are a member of Duolingo Plus. This makes the “Weekend Amulet” equivalent to two “Legendary Level” attempts, and suddenly I decided I needed to stop “wasting” lingots and make more of them.
This is where the “Double Or Nothing” feature comes in. Basically, at the start of the feature’s purchase, you’re obliged to participate for a seven-day streak. If you miss a day, you lose the 5 lingots purchase price. But if you nail all seven day’s participation, you get 10 lingots back as a reward. For me, it’s a no-brainer because I know I’m doing Duolingo every day, and why would I pass up the opportunity to get 5 “extra” lingots back in my pocket every week?
But here’s the catch– unless you buy “Double or Nothing” as the first activity of Duolingo in your day, the 7-day count starts on the following day.
In other words, if you:
- Do a lesson and/or story to maintain your current streak
- Buy “Double or Nothing”
You’ll be on “Day 0 of 7” until you do a story and/or lesson the following day.
But if you do this instead:
- Buy “Double or Nothing” first thing
- Then do a lesson or story
then Congratulations! Because you’ve just completed the first day of your seven day wager.
I know. Earning 5 lingots in 7 days instead of 8 isn’t the life changer you were likely hoping for when you started reading. However, if you internalize this habit and perform it consistently every week, in two months you’ll be 8 days/5 lingots “ahead” of anyone else who is doing the “Double Or Nothing” as the second thing in their Duolingo activities.
And when you’re aiming to take the #1 Spot in the Diamond League, sometimes being able to unlock one or two more legendary levels more than your competition in the final moments for the League cutoff can be what puts you over the top.