One of my favorite ways to get back in control of my spending habits is to do a quick 30 day no spend challenge. 

Here’s why I love it: it’s an easy to follow method for getting back on track (no complicated rules to follow- just don’t spend on the non-essentials for 30 days) and the reward is definitely worth it: extra money saved up at the end of the month!

It also acts like a spending reset- once I get out of the habit of impulse buying everyday, it’s much easier to stop doing it and build new habits that serve me better. 

So, what is a 30 day no spend challenge?

A 30 day no spend challenge is where you don’t buy anything non-essential for one month. 

You only spend your money on the things you actually need, like your monthly bills and groceries. 

This means you’re challenging yourself not to buy anything extra for one month- which is a great way to boost your savings and see just how much you are spending on extras without even realizing it!

Here’s how to start: 

  1. Know your “why”

If you’re reading this and want to do a no spend challenge, I bet there’s a good reason for it- maybe your behind on your bills and need to catch up, maybe you don’t have any money saved and want to start your savings, or maybe your credit cards are out of control and you need to stop going further into debt. And maybe it’s more than one of these reasons! There is no right or wrong answer here, just make sure to make a mental note of your biggest “why” for embarking on this challenge. It will keep you motivated when you’re 2 weeks in and tempted to buy something that you really don’t need- and that really doesn’t serve your goals in the long run. 

  1. Make it EASY to stop excess spending

If you keep up the same habits and live your life the same way as you have been, it will be harder to succeed at this for a whole month. Here’s how you can make it easy peasy: 

  1. Unsubscribe from emails that tempt you to buy from your usual stores. 
  2. Delete the social media apps from your phone (so you aren’t tempted by ads or posts with new products)
  3. If you’re a Youtube fanatic like me, try to stop watching videos that review new products or that you know tempt you to buy things you don’t need (this was a surprisingly big source of my excess spending)
  4. Don’t go to the mall to “window shop”. To keep shopping out of your mind, go for a walk at a park instead. 
  5. Keep your credit cards out of your wallet and out of reach, like at home in a drawer. Focus on spending with your debit card and/or cash only.
  6. Cancel the unnecessary or unused monthly subscriptions you’re paying for- this can be things like a fitness app you don’t use, a streaming service you never watch, etc.
  7. Get your coffee maker ready the night before so when you wake up in the morning, all you have to do is press the button to have your coffee (this will help avoid temptation to go to a coffee shop!)
  8. When you’re grocery shopping, pick up some cheap freezer meals that only need to be popped in the oven for a few minutes (think frozen pizzas, for example). This will be a life saver for those nights when you have no energy to cook and are tempted to eat out. 
  9. Make a list of 10 free activities you can do when you’re bored, like going to the park for a walk, going to a friend’s house, going to the library, working out, reading, or volunteering. Bonus points if you use some of your free time to work on a side hustle and grow your savings even more!

3. Know what you can and can’t buy

Examples of the essentials that you can spend on: 

-monthly bills, like your rent, insurance, utilities, phone, internet 

-groceries

-gas

-medical expenses

-cleaning products

Examples of non-essential spending that you should skip:

-impulse buys just because something is new, on sale, limited time, etc. 

-eating out at restaurants or fast food

-coffee shops

-entertainment like the movies, bars, pubs

-monthly subscription box that you don’t need

Important things to remember before you start:

You can start your challenge whenever you like, or you can start it on the first day of a new month if that makes it easier for you to follow. 

Remember that this is only for 30 days, so if you’re really tempted to spend along the way, write down the item you want to buy- and tell yourself that if you really do need it, you can buy it at the end of the 30 days (most often, you’ll forget about it or realize you don’t want it all that much in the first place). 

Even though this exercise can be tough at first, the best part is seeing how much money you were able to save at the end! Focus on this and you might actually find yourself hooked on the extra savings and ready to do a second monthly challenge (or 3, 4, or 12!)