Hello readers!

I’m excited to announce a 2nd Challenge! I have completed this mini-challenge twice in the past 3 months. Let’s me outline the details for ya!

Good morning readers. Your mission challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to take a spending break for one week. What’s that you ask? It’s as simple as it sounds. Set yourself on a strict diet of zero money! Read on for more info!

Objective: Refuse to spend money of anything not deemed absolutely necessary. Like that morning coffee or that shirt that is so cute and on clearance! I promise I’m not a fun-sucker. This is a neat challenge and you feel accomplished at the end of the week!

Bonus Challenge: Keep track of the purchases you would have bought if you hadn’t been on a spending break. You can track on your phone or on the back of a receipt. Whatever method works for you. Round up to the nearest dollar amount and see how much money you saved during the challenge.

Caveat (exception): I’m not advocating getting behind on bills because you’re trying to complete this challenge. By all means pay your rent/mortgage and other necessary bills during this one week. Take a list of the things I’m don’t consider necessary: fast food/meal out, movies, alcohol, snacks, clothing etc.*

Purpose: Like it or not we live in a society of excess consumption. There are ads everywhere telling us to buy, buy , BUY! It will make our lives _____ (insert adjective here, easier, better, healthier) Try to go one week without those tiny little purchases that add up to a chunk of change over the course of the week.

Pointers: I don’t know about you but many of my spontaneous purchases revolve around food. If I don’t take the time to do a little planning I find myself buying fast food lunches that aren’t healthy or worth the money. Then I feel yucky because I’ve consumed junk and guilty for consuming junk and its just a giant guilt cycle. Or it could be some great deal-something you’d only purchase because its marked down with a big red sticker showing how much its discounted!

Shop Ahead: I’m a great meal planner so long as I do my shopping on weekends. If I go shopping during the week I can’t seem to bring myself to prep any meals in advance. For a list of my go-to prepped meals check here.

Make a List:How often do we hear advice that is very sensible and yet we ignore it? Case in point for me. I’ve been out of the nest completely for several years and I’ve only recently last year discovered that making a list is truly helpful! It can help you save money and keep you from over-buying.

Prep Meals: The first two tips are great but they won’t really help if you don’t complete this step. As soon as I get home from the store I dedicate some time to washing fruit, cutting veggies and divvying into containers for the next few days. I also make enough dinner that evening to have leftovers for lunch. I’m thrilled if there’s enough for 2 or 3 other meals. I also am a huge fan of mason jar oatmeal. Its super easy to make ahead and gives me a bit more time in the morning if I run short on time. I microwave at work and eat while perusing my morning emails.

No Window Shopping: Do you like to shop when you’re sad? When you’re happy? When you have extra cash burning a hole in your pocket? Then you’re like me! You can check out this link for info on spending triggers. If you remove the temptation to spend you’ll get through this challenge just fine! So this one is simple-stay out of stores unless you absolutely have to be there but hopefully you’ll have planned ahead and completed your shopping before this challenge!

Buying Happiness: How much of the stuff do we buy because its there? Stores have great marketing ploys to get you to spend money! Didn’t know you needed that until you saw it on a shelf? Buy it right away for the low price of $9.99! Do you truly need the thing in your hand? Can you live without it? Will it make you deliriously happy? Try holding off on purchasing it for one week. See if you’re still tempted to buy it the next time you see it.

Track Money Saved: Saving money is tough. Its so easy to buy something right now instead of imagining the long-term payoff. The trick for me is keeping an eye on my accounts and knowing the money I didn’t spend this week will go towards something fun in the future. There is also the palpable relief I feel of having escaped (if only temporarily) the hamster wheel of consumption.

I’ll save my soapbox speech on our consumer-driven society for another day. Best of luck with this mission challenge!

Au revoir!

K.

*This is just my opinion, based on your financial situation you may choose to differentiate necessary items differently-and that is okay!