Mamas, I don’t know about you, but the holiday season has left me a little strapped for cash. Every year I promise I’ll do better, but still end up spending more than I’d like. This year, after the heavy months of spending I decided to try a No Spend Month. Now, I will admit I haven’t done it perfectly, but I believe it’s a step in the right direction and I always believe it’s important to give yourself grace (just don’t go on a major shopping spree)!
My main goal in my No Spend Month was to eliminate all unnecessary spending.
Of course, there’s no way to completely eliminate all spending, like food, gas, bills, preschool tuition, and utilities. But whenever possible, like when a coffee drink from a local coffee shop presented itself, I tried to say no, reminding myself that we have coffee at home. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Use your gift cards. Now is the time to cash in on all those gift cards you got in your Christmas stocking! Whenever possible, use gift cards on necessary items like food, gas, clothes, or gifts instead of spending money in the bank to further your savings even more. If you don’t have a gift card, consider waiting until No Spend Month is over. You may find the items aren’t so necessary after all!
2. Click unsubscribe. Unsubscribe from retailers’ email lists. I am guilty of falling victim to those promotions in my email inbox. Half the battle to curb excess spending is to remove the temptation. If you don’t see the deals, you won’t NEED to buy it. And you won’t miss it, I promise!
3. Snooze social media. Snoozing ads, influencers, or groups on Facebook just reduces the deals and products you’ll see, making it harder to engage in impulse buys.
4. Don’t pay for family outings. Instead, utilize any memberships you already have, like the zoo or the museum, or go on free outings to parks, friends’ houses, etc. My family’s new favorite way to save money is by taking advantage of free admission to places all around Cincinnati with our Cincinnati Pogo Passes! Before No Spend Month, if you buy these, you can get in free for 14 different experiences during one calendar year by just scanning your pass!
5. Join your local buy/sell/trade group or Buy Nothing Group! If you want to buy something, first see if someone is willing to part with it for free, or trade them with something that you no longer need.
6. Visit your local library! For books or movies, you can check them out at your library if you don’t use streaming services or want to take a break from them to save money. Plus you’ll be surprised at what other resources libraries can offer, like games for family game nights, toys, and craft kits you can take home!
7. Use up what you have. Use products you have on hand at home before buying more. If you’re like me, chances are you have lots of travel-size toiletries lying around from hotels or samples, like toothpaste from the dentist. Now is the time to use those up instead of buying more. Plus you’ll also reduce clutter at the same time!
What other tips do you have for a No Spend Month? Let us know if you plan to join in and let us know how it’s going in the comments! We’re rooting for you, mama!
