No Spend November

I was a tad reckless with my credit cards last month. I had to dip heavily into my extra account to pay them off. Can’t tell you how much I hate that! The worst part is it wasn’t large purchases. I went out to eat a bit more, bought some shoes, shirts & pants. It’s crazy how it adds up.

So, it’s a good time to enter the No Spend Zone! A month of spending only on necessities. In case it sounds painful, rest assured I can still buy what I need, can still go out to eat, but there’s a level of awareness that comes when following the simple guidelines.

In a no spend month, if I have tasty food at home, I give serious thought to whether stopping for dinner or carryout is a good choice. If I’m exhausted, and there’s nothing prepped at home, it might be the perfect choice. If, on the other hand, I’m not tired and I have food I can prepare, it’s definitely not.

If a good friend calls and wants to meet for dinner, chances are I am saying yes! Mental health is as important as physical and financial health.

As I scroll through social media and see an ad for a cute top. blanket, or gadget, the answer is a hard no. However, I can add an items to my Amazon shopping cart to save them for later. It’s interesting that when I go back to my saved items, I am rarely as enthralled.

When I spend a month in the No Spend Zone it’s a time of gratitude. I learn about my spending habits and with inflation out of control on food and gasoline, the more I learn the longer my dollars will last. I am grateful that I have enough to weather the storm while allowing me to continue charitable giving at a time when it is most needed.

This holiday season, when food prices are going up, sometimes daily, consider donating to a food pantry near you, or adopt a family through your church or community center.

Simple No Spend Zone Guidelines:

• Quit spending on things you want and focus your spending only on things you need.
• Every day spend a little time in gratitude for what you do have.