Having a no-spend day can be a fun exercise that leads to better frugal living. It is both harder and easier than you might think. Get the kids involved and come up with some fun ways to keep everyone accountable.
Having a no spend day can be harder than it might seem. Take the time to mentally track a week of spending. There are the snacks you may grab on the go, household items you pick up at Target, the gas that you put in the car, etc.
Pick your no spend day and circle it on the calendar. A weekend is a good place to start. You can find many free activities for families on the weekend, plus it is less likely to disrupt your regular routine. Later, you can add more no spend days and establish some good consistent habits that you can incorporate into your regular routine to save money on a monthly basis.
For example, doing your no spend day, you might challenge your family members to come up with a new meal just by using ingredients that you already have in your panty, fridge or freezer. You’ll use up items that might otherwise expire, and you’ll basically get a free meal out of it.
Another challenge might be figuring out how to entertain the whole family without spending any money. You’ll have to do some research in which you may find out about free activities such as community movies in the part, a music program at the library or just how much fun you can have from a family game night. Then the next time that you have the urge for entertainment, you know how to do it without spending a thing.
Saving just $30-$50 a month will add up quickly, and that money can be used for paying off debt or saving for a special family vacation or purchase.