How To Take On A No Spend Challenge In 2021
If you’re looking to take up a No Spend Challenge in 2021, here’s a guide to why they are the BEST decision financially and how to rock your own No Spend challenge this year.
It seems that the no-spend challenge is crazy popular these days am I right?
It’s become somewhat of a the fad diet of the financial and frugal world.
Except, unlike fad diets, a no-spend challenge is an awesome financial diet that actually works.
Whether your looking to take up a no spend challenge in 2021to save some extra cashor jump start and establish along-term healthier financial lifestyle; a no-spend challenge is a great way to reign in your spending and take control of your budget.
It’s also an insanely eye-opening experience friends!
Keep on reading to find out why taking on a no spend challenge in 2021 is awesome idea and how you can easily start and stick to your very own no-spend challenge today!
Three Reasons A No Spend Challenge in 2021 Is The Best Idea Ever
A no-spend challenge is awesome for so many reasons folks.
Here are a couple of reasons why you should absolutely consider taking on ano spend challenge in 2021!
Reflection
When you commit to a no spend challenge in 2021 you’re guaranteed to reflect on your spending and make far more conscious choices when it comes to spending your hard earned cash.
If you’re committing to a no spend challenge in 2021 you’re being forced to scrutinize that impulse that pushes you to spend am I right?
When we first started out on our frugal journey it was a super eye awakening experience when we realized that we were dropping more money (a ton more actually) on things like store-bought coffee, restaurant meals and frivulous spending than we even thought.
It’s amazing how much money you can spend on things that don’t cost a fortune.
Relearning
By sticking to a no spend challenge in 2021you’re also evaluating your spending habits and relearning financialresponsibility.
Often times, we spend far more money than we think on things that we don’t even realize are bleeding our budget dry.
All those small purchases you make throughout the day add up quickly friends.
Things like cell phone add ons, cable package upgrades, store bought coffees and all those other tiny extras add up with time.
That quick trip to Starbucks, the drug store or target for “essentials” really adds up am I right?
The best part about a no-spend challenge is that more often than not you realize that you’re spending money on things that you probably don’t need which will help you get your needs and wants in check.
The whole notion of needs versus wants is often at the core of any overspending problem.
If you’re anything like I was, I’d buy things that I convinced myself I absolutely categorically without a doubt “needed”.
Most of the time, those “needs” were actually “wants” which led us down a very dark path of overspending and living beyond our means.
Discipline
No spend challenges help you become financially disciplined too.
How often have you made an impulse purchase, bought something you didn’t need but wanted because it was on sale?
The guilt sucks right? It’s the need versus want cycle all over again.
If you’re on a limited budget, that sort of spending can be disastrous to your financial health.
Trust me, I’ve been there and done that and the negative effect of overspending can be truly catastrophic. Nobody needs 30+ pairs of shoes!
No-spend challenges albeit temporary do help you become disciplined with your spending. Hopefully a no-spend challenge in 2021will also provide you with the structure that will help avoid the type of overspending that can lead to failing budgets and excessive consumer debt.
Three Easy Ways To Start A No Spend Challenge in 2021 That You Can Actually Stick To
The thing about no spend challenges is that they can be intimidating. Not spending any money above your true needs is a scary scary thought for many people.
From my own experience, the fear of taking on a no spend challenge was more about my loss of freedom with regards to spending. Knowing you can’t do something can sometimes trigger an intense desire to that very thing ya know?
The challenge itself isn’t the scary part am I right? It’s the fear of failure!
Whether you’re scared you can’t stick to it, will jump ship when faced with a deal that’s too good to be true or you’ll cave when faced with consumer temptation the reality is that most folks think they can’t cope with a true no-spend challenge.
I’m here to tell you that not only can you jump on board with a no-spend challenge in 2019 but, you can totally rock the experience and walk away feeling energized and pumped to continue down a cycle of healthy spending moving forward.
No spend challenges are like a food cleanse folks.
You head in with the resolve to stick to the strictest diet possible to cleanse yourself of the negativity and burden of poor money choices.
The no-spend challenge albeit restrictive, new and probably hard as hell will help you acknowledge, reflect on and make healthier and more intentional financial decisions moving forward.
So, how does one take up a no-spend challenge in 2021?
Time
No-spend challenges are flexible guys. You can adopt a no-spend challenge for a week, month or even year if that’s what you fancy.
If I had to start out on my frugal living journey again or take up a no-spend challenge right now I’d probably opt to jump on the bandwagon for at least an entire month.
A month seems like a great starting point for anyone taking on a no-spend challenge for the very first time.
Although a week would work fine, we’ve gotta consider that statistically speaking it takes somewere around 66 days to eliminate a bad habit. With that in mind, a month or even two would be the ideal amount of time to commit to a no-spend challenge.
Sure, there are stories all over the internets about individuals, couples and even families sticking to a no-spend challenge for years at a time.
That’s cool and their stories are inspiring but for the average individual, couple or family that sort of restrictiveness is simply unrealistic.
With the 66-day rule in mind, pick an amount of time that gives you an opportunity to really gain insight into your spending habits.
Ideally, committing for a month and by consequence an entire cycle of living expenses would be a great starting point for anyone trying to do a financial cleanse!
Constraints
No-spend challenges are all about not spending. But, not spending doesn’t mean depriving yourself of basic necessities like food and shelter.
When you enter into a no-spend challenge the idea is that you don’t spend on anything beyond your very basic needs. So, it’s very important to set constraints that make sense for you and your lifestyle.
It would make no sense to reduce your grocery bill below limits that make sense for your family. Sure, it would be great to feed your family of 6 on 50$ a week but that simply wouldn’t work for most people.
The point is that you need to be realistic about what you’re actually going to spend on the basic necessities that you need to run your household.
Constraints that are too rigid aren’t the point here. A no-spend challenge isn’t necessarily about skipping spending on basic needs. It’s more a question of cutting out the unnecessary spending.
Support
No spend challenges can be tough. There are always moments where our impulse to spend unnecessarily gets the better of us. Whether that spending looks like take out, a fancy restaurant coffee or a new pair of shoes – the impulse will still be there.
Having a solid support system while taking on a no-spend challenge is essential. Having someone to talk to about your experience, challenges and obstacles is a vital part of being successful at a no-spend challenge!
Honesty
I’m all about progress and not perfection.
Sure, in an ideal world taking on a no-spend challenge would look like a month or two of absolutely zero spending beyond the most basic necessities in your life.
But, we’re human and we’re flawed and slip ups do happen.
If you fall off the bandwagon and do slip up it’s vital that you don’t call it quits. Instead, jump right back into your no-spend challenge. Reflect on your choices, your triggers and your spending and learn from those experiences.
No-spend challenges are meant to be a learning experience and should be treated as such.
It’s a wonderful way to analyze and evaluate your own spending habits and make intentional choices with your money!
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