What I learnt from no-spend January
Happy February!
It's staying lighter for longer, the weather is warming up and no-spend January is officially over! If you are late to the party, I spent the whole of January only spending money on essentials (rent, council tax etc). I also reduced my food shopping and began living a more frugal lifestyle.
It's certainly been a challenge at times, but I've learnt a lot over the past 31 days and my money mindset has definitely changed - so much so, I'm looking to continue living more frugally, and saving money. Here's what I've learnt from taking part in no-spend January:
No-spend January has changed my money mindset
We all know what December is like... busy, and expensive! I feel like I spent most of December tapping my card and spending a fortune for Christmas, and that was with me buying secondhand and throughout the year, too!
Going no-spend completely changed the way I thought about money. I have spoken before about impulse shopping, but if I felt down or anxious (which is often!) I would take myself off shopping and get a dopamine hit from buying stuff to try and make myself feel better. Stuff that I didn't really need!
But what I didn't realise is how easily tempted I am by the things I see online! I cannot tell you the amount of times I went to buy something from TikTok Shop or from a Facebook ad. The dangerous thing for me is when they tailor ads to things I have looked at or spoken about, but forcing myself not to spend made me realise how many unnecessary purchases I make on a whim.
My life became a lot slower throughout January
Throughout January, I began to appreciate all the little things. Life felt a lot more wholesome.
By that I mean, weekends were no longer spent rushing from A to B. We didn't just pop out for lunch or pop into town. The things we did do were much calmer.
We went on a lot of park trips and walks. We used the car much less too! We spent more time at home and enjoying each other's company rather than spending money on a day out and getting wrapped up in what we were doing.
This month has definitely taught me that we don't have to have exciting days out planned every single weekend.
Saying no is okay
You might not know my life story, but I spent a huge part of my life stuck inside with crippling anxiety (later realising it's due to undiagnosed neurodiversity).
I got into the mindset of just saying 'yes' to things, then when it came down to it I would panic because I couldn't do it. For example, as a teenager, I would always say yes to going to parties and then cancel on the day because the thought of it was just too overwhelming.
Well this month I had 'no-spend January' as my shield. There were lots of events we declined because we were on our no-spend challenge. My anxiety levels began to drop and I realised it was because I wasn't committing to social events which induced anxiety.
So this month I realised it's ok to set boundaries and know your limits. If you can't afford something or don't want to go, just say no!
We cannot save ourselves out of the situation...
I read somewhere that most people are a paycheck away from being homeless... and it really hit me.
I receive messages daily from families who just cannot pay their bills, families who are so far into debt it feels like they are drowning and from people who are guilt-ridden that they can't buy their children more birthday presents. The economy is pretty rubbish right now and no matter how much you don't spend on non-essentials, our essential bills are still rising. You might have decided to do no-spend January and not actually saved anything, and trust me, you won't be the only one.
No amount of scrimping and saving is going to change the cost of living crisis - that needs to come from the government.
The nasty comments...
I was in a few newspapers this month as people were intrigued by no-spend January, and I truly experienced the world of trolls!
I had so many nasty comments from people judging my entire life from the article title alone! I had lots of, "it's alright for her being an influencer, she doesn't need to worry about bills' (which is so far from the truth it's laughable) and 'this is what most people have to do every month anyway'.
I am VERY aware of the financial crisis people are in.
As an ex-teacher, I have seen firsthand the hardships so many families face. But I have said all along that no spend January isn't about saving thousands, it's about teaching people how to budget and helping people!
We don't teach budgeting in schools, so many young adults are plopped into the adult world without any knowledge about how the world works. I hope that this month has helped families learn about money and how to budget. If I have managed to help one person not get into debt this month, then I count that as a success!
Will you be trying a no-spend challenge?
They aren't for everyone, but they can be tailored to what works for your lifestyle. Maybe you'll set yourself a challenge of not spending money three days a week, or an entire month - or maybe even a whole quarter. Perhaps you'll review what you think of as non-essential vs essential spending, and limit yourself to essentials only for a period of time.
I personally loved taking part in no-spend January, and while it was difficult at times, I'm so grateful I did it. Yes, the money I saved was a bonus, but actually the real win for me were my changes in money mindset, which will serve me well into the year and beyond.
