No spend challenge

@Debi Hoyt, congrats on your commitment to do a no-spend challenge! Making that conscious effort to pause spending for a month can definitely boost your savings.

Did you know that there are multiple ways to do a no-spend challenge? I wrote about it here: https://www.thepennyhoarder.co.../no-spend-challenge/

This year, I tracked my no-spend days rather than vowing to do a whole no-spend month. My average has been about 19 no-spend days each month, and I've managed to save about a quarter of my net income.

Having a savings goal to fuel your no-spend challenge definitely helps. That way, you won't go crazy in February buying all the things you wanted to purchase in January but couldn't.

Good luck!

Thanks Nicole! 

I'm excited to get started!  If I wasn't traveling this month, I would start now, but I'll stick with my goal of January.

Somehow, I have a feeling a no spend challenge will be necessary after the kind of year we've had🙂.

I have never done a month, but I have done pay periods (2 weeks) several times before. Its amazing how much we spend without thinking. I use it as a way to 'reset' myself.

My sister and I are going to try it.  She said "As long as I can buy fast food once a week".  lol

That sounds like a great idea!  I'm just not sure I can resist the after Christmas markdowns since I shop for next year's gifts!

wow i am in this is real interesting

I'm in. I've got debt to kill. I have to be more intentional with the funds I have.

Good luck to everyone doing the No Spend Challenge in January! Hopefully this will be a good reset to start 2021 off right. 🙂

I'm going to do this also. We don't have any debt and have actually saved substantially this past 9 months. Good luck to everyone else who's doing this!

This was a great test for me everyone this how I know that I am stil living paycheck to paycheck  I can not afford not to use my paycheck as yet so I need to build a month of saving before I can join you, perhaps next year In the mean time let's make this year count, everyone who knows me will tell you that this year let's have a secret friend yourself , do something special for you , ok to all of you that is doing this let me tell you what I did for me I bought  me jewelry , bought me a bedroom set , so lets  continue to do something nice for ourselves each week Happy Holiday Chantal Voltaire

I joined Facebook group, 2021 No Spend Challenge. I also joined a Facebook mortgage payoff group ($51, 274). I am on Dave Ramsey Facebook groups. Best of luck, and Happy New Year!

I'm so happy so many are joining me in this no spend challenge! 

PLEASE, share your successes, challenges, and fails with me. 

January 4th is my day 1.  Just got home from out of town last night.  Forgot about doing this.  Went to Sonic for breakfast.  Not a good start. 🙁  BUT, for lunch, instead of grabbing something on the go as usual, I made myself lunch with what I already had here at home.  So far, 1 fail, 1 success.  Off to a rocky start.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day.  🙂

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

Here to building my emergency fund goal amount 500 dollars now 470 dollars,  wish me luck , Happy new year everyone Chantal Voltaire

I have to build my emergency funds in order to  partake in a no spend challenged

In a no spend challenge do we pay our bills rent cable con Ed etc

I’ve never done this, but I’m assuming you just don’t spend on something you can live without.  Pay your bills for sure!  Buy groceries and cook instead of going out to eat.  If you see a pair of shoes you would normally buy, but don’t need them...don’t buy them!  
I hope this helps.

I challenged, by myself last year, to put into savings $100 a month, auto deducted from my monthly income check auto-deposit - it worked great and I hape some pricey car

repairs, and I easily had the money.  Now I am excited to do even better. Still the monthly deduction, and I'm going to do 2 things to eradicate my credit card debt, which overall is $4000.  I have dedicated every other month as NO SPEND - so Jan,

Mar, May, July, Sept, Oct 2021. I know I have dedicated expenses in Nov, Dec 2021

The 2nd things I will do, is to put every $5 bill I get as change in a specific place, not to spend until 2022, or to put in Savings avery month so I'm not tempted! I've really worked on my impulsive shopping, and I've made better choices this whole traumatic year. I support everyone else to do what they can do. The feeling of ease of having enough money this year to handle the car problems sold me.  I wish everyone a wonderful prosperous year 2021- BYE!

I LOVE the idea of putting every $5 bill aside.  That can grow quickly!  Thanks for the tip!

Low spend January for me.   Paying the bills and $50 a month for groceries (milk, bread, fresh fruits & veggies).  Hubby not happy as no extra snacks and maybe we can drop a few winter pounds.

I love the tips I am considering the 100 dollars per month savings also I understood the no spend means it is ok to pay the bills and essential expenses such as grocery transportation laundry but to refrain from using our money for non discretionary expenses such eating at the restaurants buying things because its cute someday you may find some use for it or when I lose the weight it will fit  and my favorite it is on sale Chantal Voltaire

I'm going to start next month as a No Spend Month! Never done this before, ready for the challenge!!

We found a way to save on auto repairs, in the past we bought tires from an auto chain store, this gave us an "in" because we were in their data base. So we can go there and they do the free tire rotation, inspection, and brake check. They also do a workup for safety. They print out their recommendations and we follow through at the garage across the street. For example, we thought the muffler was blown out, the chain took a look at the underside of the car and it was a hole in the pipe just before the muffler. They wanted to put in a whole new exhaust system from the engine back, and it was not cheap. We took their diagnosis to the non-chain store, the mechanic went to the local auto store and bought a pipe connector, soldered and bolted it in for a fraction of the cost. Other problems, they look over the car, tell you what is wrong, you purchase the part and they install it, cheap.

How is everyone doing on the no spend challenge? I had to purchase new curtain rod brackets because one broke but other than that I have not spent any money except for essentials. Hope all on the challenge are doing well.

redcatcec Great job on savings on car repair!

I’m doing pretty good on the no spend January. I just got a new garage door, insurance paid, and it has windows in the top. It needs tinted so I did splurge a little for tint yesterday. And I bought one little thing to do a craft. It was $10 that I probably could not have spent, but I did. It’s not perfect but it’s a whole lot better than last month, and every month before that also! I actually have extra money in my account! Yay!

and how are you doing?

Good evening family ,

I hope everyone is well.  But if not, I pray that you will be  soon. I missed reading this thread for January 2021 but I’m determined to do this for March!  I have a monthly budget for myself but I’ve already spent funds for upcoming month. So in being fair , I will do this for March 2021.  This is really going  to be interesting!  Thank you for the $ challenge!

Baht 😊

With my emergency refunding , I am doing ok now; I have 450 to go. Wish me luck. Oh yeah good luck with the no spending challenge ! Chantal Voltaire

I <3 this idea, but I wasn't able to do it in January. Maybe February will be better? What's included in this? No takeout food in addition to everything else?

@Shannon H posted:

Low spend January for me.   Paying the bills and $50 a month for groceries (milk, bread, fresh fruits & veggies).  Hubby not happy as no extra snacks and maybe we can drop a few winter pounds.

Wow, did I read that right? You spend $50 a month for groceries? What's your secret? Inquiring minds want to know!!!

To Shannon H:

$50/ month is remarkable for groceries! How do you do it? Would like to see how you structure that for you and your husband, can you offer an outline to get a general idea? Thanks in advance.