Have you heard of the people who do a no-spend month? They go an entire month without buying anything, kind of
like a consumer fast. I’ve always thought the idea was intriguing, but impractical for a family of our size. Something always comes up – someone’s toe suddenly pokes through their shoe or I notice we have fewer forks than family members (seriously, WHERE do those things go?) and let’s not even get started on groceries.
Preparedness Pro did a similar challenge last month. She cut everyone off at the beginning of a month, challenging them to live on what they had as an eye-opening exercise to judge just how prepared they were. If there was a disaster in the night tonight, and you couldn’t go to the store, how would you fare?
I am a weakling who is running scared, and don’t think I could go a month. At least not at this point. However, I think maybe I can do a junior version. I will valiantly plan to not shop until payday, which is Friday after next. My husband got paid last Friday, and I did buy new tires for our van (living on the edge, oh yes I am!), grocery shopped, and went out to eat. And bought shoes for three small people. But starting Monday, I will try to not spend money or shop until Friday, Aug. 6.
Wish me luck!
Caveats: I am pledging not to spend at the store. I still plan to pay the rent on the first and keep up with bills. I also have a meeting tomorrow- long planned – at a restaurant and will not include that in the challenge. I already have the money I set aside for it in my hot little hand! I will buy some groceries but will only use WIC, which means no out of pocket expenditures.
Have you ever done a no-spend month? Any tips?
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Karen (1)
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m pretty sure I could do it. It’s just the husband and I. But my husband couldn’t do it. When he wants something, he buys it. It’s frustrating, yes. But I could definitely go at least 2 weeks without grocery shopping. I need my fresh veggies though. If I had my mom’s garden, I’d be totally fine for a month, maybe more.
I did a version of the no spend month in June. I vowed the only shopping I would do was food shopping. I swore not to step foot into a Drugstore, discount store, Mall (not that hard for me) or thrift store/consignment store (a lot more hard for me). Probably the biggest thing I did to relieve temptation was to avoid the Sunday sales flyers and avoid reading the frugal/good deal blogs. I spent alot of time cleaning out closets and re-organizing stuff to help remind myself that I didn’t need anything else.
Good luck!
OH, I will be following this one closely! We have done some low-spend months before, but never a no-spend month. I would like to try it!
I am already tempted by a killer Neutrogena CVS deal everyone’s blogging about. But I have no ECBs so I will not do it! Stayin’ strong, lol
Good luck!
We did a no spend month in July-only things didn’t work out so well. We’re starting a new one in August. July has been so busy with VBS and fair and getting chickens processed money was leaking out everywhere!!
I’ve done a week at a time. I don’t think I could do a whole month while my kids are living with me. There are too many things that seem to come up!
I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. Maybe we’ll start with a week and move up from there. We’re close on the food front, but we couldn’t make a month. Good luck to you. I can’t wait to see how it goes!
For 8 years now (since I moved away from my parents’ home), I have been spending on household items only once every 6-8 weeks. In between these *shopping* trips, the only items I purchase are gasoline, prescriptions (except that’s paid for with my Flexible Spending Account card, not the debit card), dairy, lunchmeat, & fresh produce. I buy bread/bagels on my big *shopping* trips & freeze it.
With my fibromyalgia (& chronic fatigue syndrome), I try to limit the number of items I purchase during each shopping trip, & only go on the large *shopping* trips when DH is home, so he can bring it all up.
It’s not a challenge for me, as only DH & I live here, with our two kitties & no kiddies.