If you’ve never done a spending freeze before, then these spending freeze tips are for you!
A spending freeze can be a great way to reduce your spending and give your savings a quick boost.
You might not realize how much those little expenses add up, and before you know it, you’ve spent hundreds of dollars!
The Starbucks coffee you used to grab every single day, was costing you about four dollars a day, twenty dollars a week, and eighty dollars a month! Over the course of the year, you will have spent $960 on just coffee before work!
As you can see these small expenses can add up very quickly!
Not only will a spending freeze help you realize some of these little habits you have, but it can also help you become a bit pickier about how and where you spend your money.
So let me share my best no-spend challenge tips with you so you can set yourself up for success!
Plus, with these money-saving tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful Spending Freeze Challenge!
And, with my saving money challenge tips, you’ll learn more about your spending habits so you can fix them for good!
If you think you’re ready to try a spending freeze, here are the best spending freeze tips to help you be successful.
Figure Out Your Why
Why do you want to have a spending freeze in the first place?
Are you saving money for a house?
Do you want to pay off your debt once and for all?
Maybe you just want to have enough money saved to take a vacation finally.
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Whatever your reason for choosing a no-spend challenge, you want to make sure you have ONE.
As appealing as the idea of saving money is, this won’t be enough reason to keep you out of the store when temptation hits.
One of the best spending freeze tips that have helped our family is to post our “Why” everywhere. On our fridge, the back of the doors as we leave, and even during our family dinners we’ll discuss our why with each other. This was it gets the family involved in the discussion and the reasoning behind the no-spend challenge.
The Point Is Not To Stock Up For A Spending Freeze
One of the most common reasons people choose not to do a spending freeze is because they are under the assumption that you are just buying everything before the first of the month.
This could not be further from the truth!
The point of your spending freeze is to rely on what you have on hand and work on buying only what you need.
This can mean still shopping at the grocery store each week, but only buying a few supplies so you can use up what you have on hand.
The goal of a spending freeze is not to just fill up your pantry and eat it all month.
The best spending freeze tips that work for our family is to eat up everything we have in the pantry and freezer. Even if that means eating up those 15 bags of Brussel sprouts. And yes, we ate them all!
These saving money challenge tips, do come with caution. If you don’t think you can go into a store without spending money on just what you need, use the pickup option at your local store. That way you can only order what is on your list and you don’t spend extra money.
Challenge Your Spending Choices
Before you spend money during your spending freeze stop for a minute.
Ask yourself why you are spending money on this?
Is it because this is a bill you need to pay?
Do you need to buy this right now or can it wait till next month?
For most of us, we need instant gratification for our wants to feel satisfied.
Stop for a minute and question your purchase before spending, and make sure it is something you need.
There are several other spending freeze tips that can help with your instant gratification.
One is the 5-minute rule. Put the item back on the shelf and walk away from it. If after 5 minutes you have determined that you are in need of it and not just want it, then you can determine if you are going to purchase it now or later. This somewhat delayed gratification helps you to really think through the purchase and help to curb the gotta have it now mentality.
Plan For Entertainment
When you’re in the middle of a spending freeze, the idea of sitting home for another night is going to get old quick.
You need to come up with a few ideas for free entertainment that can get your family out of the house from time to time, as well as a few ideas for when you stay in.
Plan themed nights, have a movie or date night at home, go hiking or camping, and remember to check your community calendar for free entertainment.
Plan some fun free outings, and some easy out of the house activities to keep your family from getting bored.
These spending freeze tips will really help keep your family on board during the no-spend challenge. And if they are busy, they won’t know they aren’t spending money.
Learn From Your Spending Past
A spending freeze will not only teach you how to survive during tight times but also what you truly need to spend each month.
After the spending freeze is over, don’t just go back to your old habits when the month is over. Keep doing some of your habits that you learned while on the spending freeze.
Realize that some of the habits you were doing before the spending freeze were bad for your wallet, and make those changes long term.
BONUS DOWNLOAD
Feel Less Stress While Paying Off Debt
Download this FREE Guide to have more peace & less stress while getting out of debt.
One of the spending freeze tips that my friend learned, is that they didn’t watch enough cable to pay the $180 bill each month. They cut the cable bill over 7 years ago. Just think…in these last 7 years they have saved almost $12,000! Amazing, right?!
It’s these money-saving tips that you learn during your no-spend challenge that can help set you up for financial success year after year!
If You Mess Up, Start Again
If you are in the middle of a spending freeze and you accidentally go out to eat one night, don’t just give up and throw in the towel for the rest of the month.
Start over and keep going!
Just because it’s not the first of the month doesn’t mean you can’t start again.
Understand your mistake, and that you are only human, and start again!
These spending freeze tips are to help guide you so you can be successful!
Spending freezes can be a great way to save money, but if done incorrectly, it could end up costing you a lot in the end. The last thing you want to happen is to spend even more money when your spending freeze is over or to give up halfway.
So I hope you’ve learned from my best no-spend challenge tips with you so you can set yourself up for success!
Plus, with these money-saving tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful Spending Freeze Challenge!
And, with my saving money challenge tips, you’ll learn more about your spending habits so you can fix them for good!