9 Tips for Completing a No-Spend Challenge

A no-spend challenge isn't just a trendy thing on Pinterest. It involves not spending money on non-essentials for a specific amount of time. It's good for being intentional about how we spend our money.

Choose Your Timeframe. Maybe you’re trying to just kick a bad spending habit – and you know that habits starts + ends with your daily Starbucks Venti and your snack shop pick me up on the train home from work. Or maybe it's something bigger: out of control spending habits or something you're saving toward so you choose a month or more.

Take solid inventory of your closet, cabinet, and freezer situations. Put outfits together so you can't use the "I have nothing to wear excuse." Take a look at what's in your pantry and start using things up before you go out to buy more.

Start Meal Prepping. In my house, if we’re both experiencing particularly busy weeks and don’t get around to a solid meal plan session, you can find us calling for takeout at 8 pm on a Monday night. We typically plan a meal for every other day with leftovers in between.

Fill Your Calendar with Free Things. Since spending on activities will be a no go in your no-spend challenge, plan ahead with anything + everything that won’t cost a cent – but mix it up so that you still have FUN while keeping things fresh.

Create a Safe Space for Saving. If the whole point of your no-spend challenge is to have MORE money at the end for something specific it’s important to ensure you’re actually ending up with that extra cash in the end. Open a dedicated account or start a spreadsheet to track that money.

Stock Up on Freebies. This is the time to start using coupons you're sent and usually throw away or finally break out all those gift cards you receive and have stored in a drawer.

Unsubscribe. Beyond going through your email for coupons, you ALSO might want to hit unsubscribe on any retailers whose promotional emails are too tempting.

Don't Open Up Any New Accounts. Sure – having multiple credit accounts can be a good thing for your credit score. But TOO many accounts too quickly can be the opposite.

Stock Up on Freebies. This is the time to start using coupons you're sent and usually throw away or finally break out all those gift cards you receive and have stored in a drawer.

Watch Out for Wants. Of course, it’s natural to have things catch your eye! Since you’re now in a season of NO, though, get in the habit now of starting a list on your phone or in your favorite notebook of those things that stop you in your scroll-tracks in your next online window shopping session.

Take the Time NOT Spending and Make it Productive. Beyond swapping those spends for saves in other area, do a deep dive into your personal finances to see where you can go above and beyond, and where you can be more proactive.

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