I love a challenge, and I love tracking my spending and budgeting, so I was all in two years ago when I heard about “No Spend February” from a favorite podcaster, Gretchen Rubin. The goal for this challenge is to only spend money on necessities for one month. Necessities for most people would include food, medicines, and the gas needed to get back and forth from work.  I had a fabulous February. I reduced my spending on food and gas by 75% and spent zero dollars on anything else. Read below to learn how I did it.

I used the food I had 

I knew from my first experience with “No Spend February” that I could go a very long time without going to the grocery store. My refrigerator, two freezers, and large pantry were full of food I’d purchased over the last weeks and months. Many items would spoil or expire within the month if not eaten, so, starting with the refrigerator, which contained the most perishable food, I creatively used up what would spoil first, and then moved to the freezers and pantry. After all the fresh food was gone, I did go to the store for bananas, green apples, and greens so I could make green smoothies like the ones I drank during the detox in January. See my last blog post to learn about that!

I got a lot for free 

I did not feel deprived during February. I still had fun and did things that needed to be done. My husband and I used free passes we got last November to see a movie; I took advantage of a free intro class at a local gym; I had some safety recalls serviced for free at my dealership and used their free car wash coupon to wash the February muck off my car; I read books from the library, had friends over for games and potluck snacks, and I finished a crochet project while watching free movies on TV. And back to food – my son brought home dessert from his restaurant that had been ordered to go and forgotten. It was my first time eating tiramisu!

I went without 

Sometimes, I buy things just because it’s tradition to always have them on hand – like gallon-size Ziploc bags. I ran out in December and had them on my list for my next Costco trip. I went to Costco in January but forgot to buy them, so I decided I would try to get through February without them as an experiment to see if we really needed them. We don’t.  I also went without purchasing anything from Amazon, and I stayed away from a major temptation for me – thrift stores.  I’m really glad my local Girl Scout cookie dealer waited until March to show up at my house. Last year I told her I couldn’t buy any because of No Spend February, but I’m not sure I could have resisted her cute face two years in a row.  

We managed an emergency on our own

I got a call one cold night last month from my husband, who needed a ride home from work because his car battery was dead. I drove over there, and we tried to jump start the battery but had no luck. We don’t have AAA, and if it hadn’t been February my husband would likely have called a tow truck to take the car to get a new battery. Thankfully, in a show of support for my no spending adventure, he figured out which battery fit his car, bought it, and installed it himself. All fixed, money saved.  

I became more mindful of my spending

This was the best benefit of “No Spend February.” I evaluate every purchase now with the thoughts, “do I really need this?” and “do I already have one?” running in the background…  I go thrifting with a list of things I know we need. I look on Amazon with purpose, and everything I used to add to my cart and purchase right away now goes on my wish list and sits there for at least a week or two. I’m proud of my newfound discipline! 

Tips for a successful “No Spend” month

If you decide to do a no spending challenge, go through your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and make meal plans that focus on food that is on its last legs. Decide ahead of time what you will and will not buy as your reserves dwindle. Make sure you have enough quality food on hand, so you don’t feel deprived and give in to a splurge.  For entertainment, look in advance to find out about free days at local museums, free street entertainment, library events, and meetups.  Make a plan to explore parks and hiking trails in your area. Get out your board games and invite friends over to play. Make it potluck! If you run out of things to do, finish a project. Decluttering and hauling boxes of stuff to charity is a great way to become more mindful of your real needs. Lastly, track your spending during the month so you can give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.    

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