How I'm Preparing For A No Spend September

Since posting about my No Spend September challenge, so many of you have commented to say that you’re going to join me, which is fantastic. I think that a No Spend month will definitely help me get back on track after a somewhat disastrous August. I’m quite excited about it! It always seems like a good start when the schools go back. A new beginning, so to speak.

But, there are things you can do to prepare for a No Spend month, so I am trying to do that before September starts on Sunday.

Firstly, I’ve set up my budget. I have printed out my new September budget planner and gone through my budget. In fact, I uploaded a YouTube video yesterday with a walk through of it, but I’m hoping to come under budget in all categories, if I can.

Related post: How To Make A Budget

Secondly, I have looked through my cupboards. We don’t have much of a stockpile yet, so making meals from just store cupboard ingredients might be a bit tricky, but I definitely want to use some of what we already have. Just buying less each week will have a positive impact on my No Spend September.

Other things you can do to prepare for your No Spend September are:

- Meal plan as many meals as you can. Try and make a list of all the meals you want to make during the month. Sometimes, buying foods in bulk can be much cheaper than smaller amounts. If you can plan what the majority of your meals for the month are, you can probably buy some things in bulk in order to save some more money. You can also make double and freeze, if you’ve got the freezer space!
- Do things that don’t cost money.Try and find alternative activities to do that are free. Things like going out for a walk, taking a picnic, going to your local library. That way, you are spending less and hopefully doing more! Getting outside always seems to help somehow. Better than being stuck at home feeling miserable because you are trying not to spend.
- Fill up the car with petrol. This might seem a bit cheeky, but a full tank of petrol will help! At the moment I have about half a tank left so it’ll do for now. Although travel is a fixed expense in a way as I need the car to get to my work, petrol is still a cost throughout the month.
- Think about your No Spend Days vs Spend Days. So, for me, I’m going to try and have NSDs throughout the working week and then spend at the weekend. This gives me a clear distinction between spending and not. Give yourself an aim; if you want to try and have 3 NSDs during the working week then aim for that. Remember, the more days that are spend free, the better! I do find that it is much easier to have a No Spend day when I’m at work as I have less opportunity to spend money.
- Write down your goal for attempting the challenge. For me, it’s to try and get back on the No Spend wagon after a very spend-y August. Why are you doing this? What’s your motivation? Have this written down and somewhere visible, so on the days that are tough, you can see it!

I’m excited about this because I already feel more in control of my finances; since deciding to do a No Spend September last week I have reigned in my spending already and feel like I know what I’m doing. Sometimes when spending gets out of control, it’s easy just to keep going.

If you want to join in, then come across to Facebook where over 1,100 people are now joined in the challenge!