How To Spend No Money On Food

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Accept you tried a no spend calendar month? It's a keen fashion to give your savings a boost!

These are simple tips for no spend month success to go yous started, just there are really no set rules.

Choose a calendar month that works for your family unit even though yous may commonly hear the phrase "no spend Nov."

What is a no spend month?

In a nutshell, a no spend month is accomplished past merely spending on necessities for a calendar month.

Necessities would include things such equally:

bills
gas
insurance
food (milk, produce and perishables are priority)
emergency essentials (medical, car/dwelling house repair, etc)
priority school expenses (lunch, field trips, etc.)

The non-essentials are those things that do not fall into one of the categories above and get cut out during a no spend month.

It means skipping the lattes, eating out, new clothes or shoes, and impulse buys.

Honestly, I went into our no spend calendar month thinking it wouldn't exist much dissimilar from whatsoever other month. Then I quickly realized that sticking to a monthly budget is not the same as efforts to cutting out non-essentials built into the upkeep!

Information technology really takes self-discipline to skip routine things like the occasional tiffin out with co-workers or an afternoon snack from the vending machine.

Our family unit started doing this once or twice throughout the year and it has had more benefits than just boosting the budget.

In add-on to growing your savings, there are other benefits such every bit:

more quality time together
eating healthier
accomplishing household goals
using more creativity

No matter what month you cull to do a no spend calendar month, these tips are meant to aid you in achieving your goals.

A no spend calendar month is like a diet for your budget! It'south not like shooting fish in a barrel, just the results are worth information technology!

1. Employ upwards foods in your pantry and freezer.

"Shop" and program your meals during the no spend calendar month from what you have on hand.

While groceries are on the necessity side, chances are you tin can cut the normal grocery budget in one-half past using up what yous already have. You could also programme more frugal meals, such every bit breakfast for supper.

My friend Julie from Dogwoods & Dandelions has a bang-up list of frugal meals for a calendar week for less than $75 to aid requite you some ideas!

2. Consume at home.

During the no spend month, plan to consume at home equally much equally possible.

Restaurants are full of temptations and ads to convince us we demand to super size our meals, or add an detail for just $1.00 more.

The all-time way to gainsay that temptation is to avoid eating out during this calendar month.

three. Make coffee at habitation.

Skip the gourmet coffee or lattes during the no spend calendar month and brand your coffee at home. Information technology's amazing how much merely a few lattes adds up over time!

There's actually a whole study about information technology called "The Latte Cistron" from personal finance author David Bach. His volume is great and actually makes y'all think about how much minor purchases add up over time.

4. Use whatever souvenir cards for something you want.

If you lot've really got to have the gourmet coffee, look for that Starbucks gift card you've had in your wallet for awhile!

This is a time to accept inventory of any gift cards you may accept and apply them for things that popular up during the no spend calendar month.

This is a style to [legally] cheat the no spend month system 😉

5. Plan your meals in accelerate.

No spend months require planning your meals in advance. Make a list of your pantry and freezer inventory and use that list as a starting place to program your meals for the calendar month.

Since food is a necessity, the goal will be to use what you have (tip #1) and go on the grocery items to a minimum. This requires some planning in accelerate.

I have an editable meal planning template in the resource library. It looks just like the template below and you tin type directly in the boxes. It's located in the "Organize" folder once you're in my shared Google Drive folders.

Everything in the resource library is free and easy to save to your files.

6. Watch movies at dwelling house.

Movies at home are a great option for free entertainment.

This is a fourth dimension to pull out some favorites or find some movies you lot haven't seen withal on Netflix or Sling Idiot box (considered a monthly nib for those who accept opted for these streaming services over cable).

This tin be a fun activity for the whole family!

7. Spend time decluttering, organizing, reading, or learning a new skill.

A no spend calendar month typically ways more than time at home and away from stores.

Spend that time at home on things you've been meaning to practice such as decluttering, organizing, reading, and/or learning a new skill.

In fact, this is a great time to accept a yard auction and not only salve money, just earn more than too!

8. Borrow an item yous demand from family or friends.

If you lot come across an item y'all only really must have, cheque with friends or family first to run across if information technology's something you tin borrow temporarily. This is great to do anytime of the year to save more money.

This by summer, we signed upwardly for ice cream at a family gathering. Nosotros idea bootleg ice cream would exist a care for for everyone, but didn't have an water ice cream maker. We simply borrowed 1 from a family member and information technology worked out great. A few days later, we returned a clean water ice cream maker forth with some ice foam and anybody was happy!

nine. Bandy complimentary items.

There are many community Facebook groups and sites like freecycle.org where you can both requite items away and look for items you may need.

It'south a modern day fashion swap store!

10. Make a list of things you desire.

This strategy is very constructive during a no spend month. It works by making a list of things you want and seeing if you withal want them next month.

Yous will about likely find out yous didn't really demand those things every bit much as you thought.

11. Don't carry cash.

If yous spend cash too quickly, then don't behave cash during the no spend month.

The alternative to this is just carrying enough cash for anything on your essential list and making sure it's used for that purpose.

12. Take tiffin to piece of work.

Make and have luncheon to work during the no spend month.

This is a groovy time to "brown pocketbook it" and either take leftovers since y'all're eating at abode during this time, or pack a simple sandwich and some fruits or veggies.

xiii. Skip the stores.

Every bit much equally possible, continue your shopping to those places where you lot need the essentials- mainly the grocery store.

I wrote an entire mail service about how to avoid department stores equally much as possible. Their job is to design and market to consumers in every way from the entrance (retrieve dollar section at Target) to the exit (notice motion LED lights on the gum).

Skip the stores as much as you tin during the no spend month and pay yourself instead!

via GIPHY

xiv. Keep snacks and h2o at work.

My desk at work is literally just a few steps away from a vending machine.

I take bought soft drinks when I wasn't even really thinking almost information technology until I heard the someone opening a tab!

The best way I've found to be healthier and resist the soda pop pressure is to go on h2o and snacks within accomplish at work.

15. Have meatless days worked into the meal plan.

During a no spend month, you lot may want to have more than a "Meatless Monday" worked into the meal plan.

Add more hearty soups and beans to the menu during this time and you lot probably won't even notice when these meatless meals are spread out throughout the calendar month.

16. Turn it into a challenge with the whole family unit.

Earlier the no spend calendar month starts, talk most it as a family. Even immature kids can sympathize the concept of saving more than money.

I call back this is a dandy opportunity for teachable moments and a challenge for the whole family unit when information technology comes to personal finance.

17. Find free activities to practice with the kids and family.

Get creative during the no spend calendar month and find free activities to exercise with the kids and family.

Have a family movie or game night. Check out the community calendar to meet if at that place are any free local events in your area.

Some of these free activities will become experiences that your family volition remember for years to come.

18. Get an accountability partner.

Tell someone who you know volition be supportive most your no spend month for an accountability partner.

Keep this person updated with your progress and share anything you've learned along the way. This person will may very well decide to bring together you the next time!

19. Make cleaning supplies.

A elementary solution of vinegar and water can clean just about anything. Yous can add blistering soda or dish lather when a stronger scrub is needed.

These are items yous probably already accept on hand and they another bonus is avoiding strong chemicals of shop bought cleaners.

twenty. Use upward trial size items on hand.

The other place to "shop" during a no spend calendar month is in your bathroom cabinets.

Look for trial size items you have on hand to use upwardly. These ordinarily accumulate in baggage from past trips and finish up existence thrown away as they elapse.

A no spend month is a great fourth dimension to use upward things you already take and save more money.

21. Spend less time online.

Have you e'er idea your computer is getting to know you a little more than y'all would like? That'south ad targeting at its best.

Websites track things you search for and use that information to send you an advertising for the same item just a short time later on. This makes a no spend month more than difficult so spending less time online ways less temptation of online purchases.

Hopefully this gave you some ideas every bit y'all programme to take a no spend month. If you lot have other tips for a no spend month success, delight experience free to get out them in the comments!