My current challenge for myself is to have a no-spend month for April. I am trying to save money for a trip to Disney. So I’ve decided to try a no-spend challenge. Some of you may be wondering, what is that? Well, let me tell you.
A No-Spend challenge is just like it sounds. It is a challenge that you give yourself to stop unnecessary spending. If a whole month is too much for you, try a no-spend week or day to start with. Just as long as you are spending less than you usually do. For one month I have to tell myself and my kids, that we don’t need it. Saying No can be very hard, but I have to do it. No more buying random things at the register, which I am very guilty of doing. There are several perks to a no-spend challenge. Here are some of them…..
- Save money
- Pay off debt
- understand your spending habits
- Develop new spending habits
- Build an emergency fund
- Finally take that vacation you’ve been wanting to go on
- and many more
There are some things that you are still allowed to spend money on during a no-spend challenge. Things that are necessary to live. Such as bills, medical expenses, food, gas to get to work, and toiletries. But there are ways to reduce your spending on some of these.
After you figure out what you can spend money on, it’s time to figure out what you are not allowed to spend money on. These are anything that is NOT necessary to live. this may include…..
- Fast food
- Hair/nails/lashes
- Clothing
- Starbucks/ Dunkin/ Tim Hortons
- Random things on Amazon or Temu
- Impulse Buys at the store
- Junk food (This one will also help you lose weight)
- Entertainment such as concerts and professional sporting events
I know some of those things may be hard to give up. But it’s not forever. It’s only for 1 month!
Instead of spending money on things to do, look up free things to do with your kids. I have found so many good ideas on Pinterest. Or just google “free things to do with kids in Ohio” or whatever state you live in. There are tons of free museums around and my son really enjoys those. Especially the art museum.
Another great tip to help with your no-spend challenge is to avoid going to the store. I don’t know about you, but every time I go to Walmart, I spend a couple hundred dollars. One way I have found to help with this is to order my groceries online and pick them up for free. This way I do not spend more money than I had planned. No more impulse buying. Many grocery stores have free curbside pick-up now.
The main thing that has helped me with my previous no-spend challenges, was Meal planning!!
When I get a day off of work towards the end of the month, I sit down and write out my calendar for the upcoming month. I Make sure that I know when my sons have practices and games, and what my work schedule is. This way I know what time we will be home each night. If we don’t get home until late at night, then I will cook something quick and easy that day. On the days that I do not have work, I will cook a bigger meal. After I have my calendar made, I write out a menu for the whole month! If you are struggling to think of 30 meals, search Pinterest. That is what I do.
A little tip for monthly meal planning is to have certain types of food on certain days. For example, on Mondays we have chicken. It could be fried chicken, chicken alfredo, shredded chicken sandwiches, homemade chicken noodle soup, or any other meal using chicken. On Tuesdays, we have tacos. One week will be tacos, the next taco bake, then taco hamburger helper then taco sticks (another yummy recipe that I found on Pinterest). This makes meal planning easier.
Once you have a menu made for the month, make a grocery list for everything on it. Then order those groceries online. This will save you time and money. Now you have everything you need to eat for the whole month! Some items you may have to buy again such as milk, bread, eggs, and fruit. Those things expire quickly, so you can’t buy them all at once.
If you are not able to buy a whole month of groceries at once, split it up. If you get paid bi-weekly, make a 2-week grocery list.
Another way to save money on groceries, is to use cashback apps such as Ibotta and Rakuten.
Another tip for your no-spend challenge is to follow the 48 hour rule. If you are tempted to buy something that you did not plan for, wait 48 hours before buying it. This gives you time to think about whether or not you truly need this item. Most of the time, after 2 days, I decide that I didn’t really need the item. So I saved money and cut back on unnecessary spending.
When doing a no-spend challenge, it can be hard. Just remember your goals. Remember why you are doing it. I am currently trying to save up money for a trip to Disney World. So i made my home screen on my phone a picture of the castle. I don’t know about you, but I look at my phone several times a day. So this is a constant reminder that I’m not supposed to spend any unnecessary money, so that I can go see the castle!
