8 Powerful Tips for
Month!
For those who don’t know…….
What is a No-Spend Month?
It is a month—or a certain period—where you promise yourself to spend only on your needs and unexpected emergencies, no matter what happens. To help you achieve your no-spend goal, I’ve put together seven 100% working tips that are easy to follow.
But before we dive deeper into the post, I want you to make yourself a mirror promise: look into the mirror and make yourself a promise that no matter what happens—aside from emergencies and essential needs—you will not dip into your savings.
Great… Now, that you’ve made the promise, let me spill the beans so you can take a step closer to your financial freedom.
Table of Contents
1
List All Monthly Essentials
This means listing all essential expenses you must make for your living (house/apartment rent, utilities, car payment, auto & health insurance, groceries, etc.).
To simplify the budgeting process, I’ve put together a basic living expense sheet below to help you create your own customized expense list. And the best part? You can download it for free!
2
Give Yourself a Salary
Whaaaat? Yes, if you don’t, nobody will…
Let me explain. Now that you know the minimum $$$ you need to survive each month, right?
Put the required amount for your monthly survival into a separate account and lock the rest in a HYSA (High-Yield Savings Account).
3
Build a “Boredom Backup List”
This is a list of free activities you’ll use to replace spending habits.
For example, I have a list of 30 no-cost things I enjoy whenever I feel bored. Instead of scrolling Amazon, I look up my list and pick something that suits my mood. You can access it—I think it will help you create your own list too.
4
Gamify Your Fridge
We’ve all watched cooking shows, right?
Similarly, Treat your fridge and pantry like a cooking show challenge: cook with whatever you have available until your next grocery run.
Personally, I create a weekly menu and shop for ingredients only once a week, so I don’t have to compromise on meals.
5
Lock Tempting Apps
Social media ads and food delivery notifications are psychologically designed to trigger your temptation, which leads to impulse purchases.
Guard yourself by using screen time blockers that help block tempting apps like Uber Eats, Instagram, Amazon, and so on.
If you’re an iPhone user, Apple’s Screen Time Restrictions can be a great help.
6
“If I Still Want It” List
During the no-spend period, your eyes will catch discount offers and your brain may try to convince you to buy non-essentials.
But the core purpose of the no-spend month is to kill those unwanted urges. The best way to fight back? Create an “If I Still Want It” list.
Write down the items you think you want to buy. Revisit the list after 30 days—and see if you still want them.
7
Sell Before You Buy
During a no-spend week or month, look around your space—you’ll probably find many items that have been sitting unused for over six months. Try selling them on Facebook Marketplace or another platform and use that money to purchase the item you want.
The idea behind this is to kill the impulse to buy. While you wait for your unused items to be sold, your urge will likely fade. And if you still think you need the item, you can buy it without dipping into your savings or going into debt.
8
Give Your Money a Job Right Now
Hands down to this tip. Why? Because it encourages a total paradigm shift in how you respond to the urge to buy things around you. Whenever you’re tempted by ads, glamorous, flashy beauty products, or trendy accessories, skip the purchase and immediately transfer that money—$25 or $40—into your savings account.
This positive shift will grow your savings account surprisingly faster than you’d expect. Trust me, this habit will make you feel empowered, not deprived.
Final Thoughts
After completing my no-spend month, I’m feeling smart within myself.
I discovered that I can be happy without spending on my wants, I got creative on using available resources, rewired my habits and relationship with money, and achieved my goal of saving $400 every month.
