February – How I survived a No-Spending Challenge and 5 tips for how you can too!

So, I was a little late to kicking this year off in January (when most people start a no-spending challenge) But, better late than never.

Here are my top tips for surviving a month without spending.

Create a realistic budget

Unless you are fortunate enough to not have any bills or responsibilities, you are going to have to spend some money this month.

• Write down all of your mandatory expenses (Rent/Mortgage, Electric/Hydro, Internet, phone, car payments, insurance etc.)
• Decide what you will spend on other flexible-necessary costs such as: Debt/Credit Card payments and groceries. I only allowed myself to spend $40/week on groceries. I know! Crazy!
• Remove any unnecessary costs from your standard budget. Even if you usually budget expenses for entertainment, eating out, clothing, household items, etc. really ask yourself “is this something I NEED this month?” usually it can wait for another month.
• Remember, it’s supposed to be a challenge.

Share with people around you what you are doing

Telling your friends, family, and colleges about your challenge will help them understand why you may not be as eager to grab lunch or go shopping with them this month. I also shared some posts on my social media and had many people asking me for tips and advice so they could do their own challenge. Let’s face it, who doesn’t want to save some money? I also had many people gift me small things like a coffee, some chocolate and even had one friend surprise me with ballet tickets because she knew I wasn’t taking myself.

I think you will be surprised how supportive people will be and you might possibly inspire others to do their own challenge or join you in yours.

Plan Ahead

Make sure you plan your meals ahead of time. You will need to make enough food for all of your meals plus snacks and you are going to have to stretch your budget as far as possible.

Always have a snack with you and bring a travel mug of coffee or tea so you are not tempted to go grab something during the day. Plan social activities or exercise to keep yourself busy and don’t let yourself get distracted while killing time or at the grocery store (Joe Fresh at Superstore is my no-spending nemesis).

Get creative with your social activities

Instead of going out for lunch with a friend or date night out at a restaurant, I had to get creative.

• I had girlfriends over to my place for some tea or wine (that I already had in my cupboards, not purchased that month). It’s just as fun to catch up on a couch than it is in a bar sometimes. Plus, you can wear your leggings and topknot without even questioning it.
• I invited friends to do a workout with me. I already had paid for a year of gym membership but outdoor workouts are lots of fun (unless you live in Canada in February), living-room workouts are also great. You can find free videos to follow on YouTube. Three Birds- One Stone!
• Look for free events in your area. Depending on what city you live in and what time of year it is, there are probably lots of free events going on in your area. Just a quick google search and you are bound to find something to do. One of my favourites in Calgary is the Glenbow Museum has the first Thursday of the Month Free which you can check out here.
• Apply for contests and giveaways. You wouldn’t believe how many giveaways happen daily on Social Media and many other places. I follow a lot of local bloggers, shops and restaurants and they all host giveaways at some point. I didn’t actually win anything but hey, it’s free to enter and who knows, maybe you can go check out that new restaurant or boutique shop without spending a penny.
• Host a clothing swap. Okay, I have a friend who is the queen of hosting clothing swaps. Every couple of months, she gets us all together, makes some tea and cookies and we all bring a bag of clothes we no longer want. It’s a great way to “shop” for free, hang out with old friends and get rid of stuff you no longer use. After the event, she takes any leftover items to the donation centre so that we can just leave without taking things back home.

Use what you already have

• Use up your giftcards. I have so many unused giftcards and coupons in my wallet. This was a great time to use them up if I “needed” anything. Did you know that you could also trade in unused giftcards for ones you may use? Look online for a company that will do that in your area like CardSwap.
• Use what you have in your pantry and freezer. This was a big one for me. I had so many grains and sauces in my pantry as well as burgers, fruit and veggies in my freezer. I tried my best to use these things up before planning my meals to stretch that small $40/week meal budget.
• Use up your products before buying new ones. If you’re anything like me, even if I have half of a toothpaste tube left, I go buy my next one just to have it on hand. I guarantee that you can squeeze out every last bit of that tube before you need to buy another one. Same goes for lotions, soaps, shampoo, cosmetics, laundry soap etc. use what you have before you go buy some more.

 

Don’t Stress about getting it perfect. If you forgot to add an essential item to your budget or an unexpected expense comes up, that’s okay. Just keep up the good work and don’t stop trying.

Comment Below with a tip on how you save money.

Thanks for reading and good luck with your challenge!