In many ways, No-Spendtember goes against what I teach my clients. In general, Dr. Budgets is not about cutting out the things you love and drastically cutting your spending. However, what I like about No-Spendtember is that it is like a spending “cleanse,” and by participating in “No-Spendtember,” you see how freely you spend your money on things that aren’t that important to you. The side benefit is that you can jump-start your debt repayment or savings goals by participating in a one-month spending cleanse. No-Spendtember really challenges you to plan ahead and to get creative… two habits that can save you lots of money with a little effort. Here’s how:
Plan Ahead. How many times do you know you are going to attend a birthday party, but you put off buying a gift until you are on your way? Then, you pick up the gift (say, $35) but you also need a card ($5), a gift bag ($3), and tissue paper ($2). You know you could have purchased the gift online for $25 if you had ordered it ahead of time. You also could have used the gift bag and tissue paper you had from the last time you purchased a gift last minute. And the best greeting cards are either handmade or purchased from Trader Joe’s (99 cents!) or Home Goods (their fancy cards are HALF the cost of a regular card at Target). All of which would have saved you $15-$20! Do that once or twice a month over the year and it starts to add up! Another scenario where planning ahead saves you money: packing snacks and water for a day at the zoo, park, ballgame, airport, etc. can easily save you $40 for a small family. Planning ahead definitely saves you money!
Get Creative. Often, spending money is an easy solution to lots of life’s situations. I have found, if you take a little time to get creative, you can solve a problem or improve your life without spending money (or without spending a lot of money). For example, say you want to buy a new kitchen appliance (let’s say a juicer). You could jump on Amazon or head to the mall to pay full price, and then likely be upsold or give into an impulse buy and spend even more money! Then, you may not even use it as often as you thought you would and regret the purchase entirely. An alternative might be to borrow the appliance from a friend or family member to try it out for a week. If you love it and still want to buy one of your own, maybe you can find a discounted one on Craigslist or eBay (and save some money purchasing it from people who didn’t end up using it as often as they thought they would!). Another scenario where getting creative saves money is getting friends together for a potluck at your house instead of going out to dinner at a restaurant. You can easily save $50-$100 by doing that, and you’re able to let the wine flow freely!
The challenge to not spend money for a month during No-Spendtember simply encourages you to plan ahead and get creative, which in turn builds good habits that you can use all year. What are some ways you’ve planned ahead or gotten creative to save money? Please share in the comments section below. If you need a money coach to hold you accountable to your financial cleanse, click here to schedule your complimentary consultation.