What Is A No Spend Challenge?

Today I want to answer the question – What Is A No Spend Challenge?

I also want to give you a FREE No-Spend printable that will help you with super simple daily activities that you can do without spending any money!

For the next two weeks, I will be sharing everything you need to know including pitfalls to avoid, how to deal with emergencies and negative people that would seek to derail your efforts, money mindsets that you’ll need to address and possibly change, and how to successfully make the No-Spend Challenge work for you!

Saving money is a goal for many of us.

Unfortunately, it can be a difficult one to consistently achieve. Old spending habits are hard to break. Sometimes you may wonder where all the cash even went.

One way to get a handle on your finances and to create new habits is to embark on a no-spend challenge.

The basic concept is just as the name suggests. For a period of time, you’ll only spend money on necessities.

What you can gain from this experience might surprise you. Keep reading to learn more about this type of challenge and how it can benefit you.

About a No-Spend Challenge

A no-spend challenge can be any length of time you choose it to be.

Common timeframes include a weekend, week or month. Some folks even choose to try the experiment for an entire year.

How long you decide to make your challenge will depend upon your goals and your fortitude.

There are many reasons people may take on such a challenge. Getting back on track after a large purchase or vacation is a common motivation.

Maybe you want to save money so you can make a large dent in a particular bill such as student loan debt or a large credit card balance.

Another reason may be to create better habits and to become more aware of your own spending.

I personally like to do a no-spend challenge just before the holidays, to save up some money and prepare myself to avoid overspending on unnecessary things during the holiday shopping season.

Benefits of the Challenge

There are a number of benefits to a no-spend challenge.

You get a sense of your financial habits and learn new ways to curb excess spending.

Often, we make purchases without giving them much thought. This challenge forces you to consider every penny you spend and shows that you can live without much of what you once took for granted.

You’ll develop discipline for the future. Refraining from spending for a period of time shows you what’s possible.

You’ll become accustomed to weighing your decisions more carefully. Determining between needs versus wants and prioritizing your choices are necessary skills when it comes to budgeting.

Another benefit is that you’ll save money. You can then use that windfall to put toward a large debt or to pad your savings account.

How It Works

The first thing you’ll need to decide is how long you want to make your challenge.

A weekend is good if you want to get a sense for where your money goes and to find new ways to save on entertainment and other small luxuries.

You may wish to challenge yourself for a week in order to make lasting changes in your everyday habits. The money you spend on things like a latte before work or snacks from the vending machine really adds up.

Going for a month or even a year will help you to truly address your relationship with money. You’ll discover what’s most important to you and that you can live a full, yet frugal life.

Clearly, this isn’t about spending absolutely no money.

You’ll decide what is allowed and prohibited in your own challenge.

Necessities such as housing, gas, groceries, utilities and phone are fine.

You may wish to examine how much you spend on each and make modifications throughout your challenge. It’s the non-essentials that you want to remove from your budget.

You’ll set the rules for yourself and your family.

This is a basic overview of what a no-spend challenge is all about. Hopefully, you’ll decide to give it a try. No matter how long you commit to, you’re bound to gain a great deal from the experience.