Earlier this year, I embarked on a 100-day No-Spend Challenge.
The No Spend Challenge was something I did alone. I didn’t punish the rest of my family by asking them to join in.
However, whenever I embark on a new journey, everyone tends to follow my lead even though they are free to wonder. I kept this in mind while I set aside some rules for myself.
I go through phases of being very reserved in spending, and then other times, I am being led by what seems to be an alter ego; spending money I don’t feel necessary to spend, but at the moment, it feels right.
After Christmas is when I am most apt to reel in my spending. At this point, I’ve spent months leading up to the Holidays “intentionally spending,” but I also regret not sticking to my stringent Christmas list. Last year was no different, so I jumped into 100 days of no spending.
During that time, these are things that I noticed about my shopping habits.
It’s easier not to shop when you are not perusing the stores.
It sounds like a duh moment, but I never realized how much my family wanted to go to Target to have something to do.
I always asked what are you going to the store to get, but if there is no good reason, I began to suggest other sources of entertainment. That’s what shopping is, a source of entertainment.
It’s also a habit. To replace one pattern, you must be ready to commit to another. I had to have some ideas in my back pocket.
We need less than we think.
Whenever I wanted to purchase something, it wasn’t out of necessity. It was out of desire. The thing was so cute, sparkly, and valuable.
At least, that is what I told myself. The truth is the thing would add visual clutter, take up my resources, i.e., time and money, and eventually when I was done with the joy, I’d have to find it a new home. I
quickly began to notice what was worth my time and what wasn’t.
Waiting to spend helps me clarify what I want.
I kept thinking, “I should have bought some plates ahead of time.” I was never thrilled with our set of dishes, and even more, I was not spending money. I realized that the one thing I wanted to change, I’d never spent the effort on buying because I spent money on other things I didn’t want or need.
By the time I considered the dishes, I’d already spent too much for the month or pay period. I decided to put off the plates. The thing I wanted the most. I now have those dishes. Even when the 100 days were up, I found myself being patient, Thrifting instead of buying new, and at the end of November came upon the perfect set of white plates, bowls, and soup bowls.
I paid less than half of what they retail for and felt good about supporting my local economy.
I am capable of waiting.
I could do anything I set my mind to, but I knew this would be challenging. I tried going for round number two mid-way through the year and quit. There is something, however, to commit to yourself that you will make some complex changes in your life and get the lesson as it comes.
The lessons, however tiny, changed how I viewed consumerism and marketing.
It changed the way I saw myself and my values. Two of my values are financial freedom and simplicity.
So I asked myself some questions. I was shopping for things I didn’t need or value as a part of my intrinsic system. How am I supporting my community with these purchases? Am I contributing to the community or the landfill? What am I teaching my children about shopping? Will they value things over experiences? Will they choose Target over a day at the park with their kids? Target should not be our haven.
Admittedly toward the end of this year, I found myself in a position where I was “Consumed” again. I could have been more intentional about purchases. I buy on a whim and make excuses for every purchase. I even upgraded my phone (this I do not regret). I see how easy it is to backslide into a life of consumerism.
I want to think I’m AD savvy, and unpersuaded by marketing; however, Sometimes it’s people in cute clothes, with adorable homes and expensive cars that make me question adding something else.
In the Future
I will be doing another no-spend challenge in the New Year. I plan to curb my spending habits by building new habits. Stepping away from shopping is a detox. It will be complicated and annoying in the beginning… until it’s not. If you want to start your no-spend challenge, start with how long and the rules for your spending. Have you ever completed a no-spend challenge? How did it go for you? What would you change if you did it again?
