One thing I wanted to start adding into my weekly routine were "no spend days". After the past few months of moving, vacations, and starting a new job I felt like the financial aspect of my life wasn't as secure as it could be.
So, I decided to implement at least one "no-spend day" a week would really help me reset my finances and shift my mindset around money!
That being said, I'm sure it's going to take more than a single day to see a huge difference, but every little bit helps, and if it helps shift my mindset around money, I'm all for it!
Here are my tips for adding "no-spend" days into your weekly routine
⭐️ Figure out what day(s) of the week would work best
Listen, there are always certain days of the week I tend to spend more money. Sometimes it's because I have certain bills to pay, other times it's because I have dinner plans or want to go grab drinks with friends. We all have days like that. So, don't make those your "no-spend" days. It's so much easier to start adding these into your weekly routine by having them on days where you already don't spend a ton of money. Personally, I like to have Wednesdays and Thursdays as my routine no-spend days because they're in the middle of my work week, and it's easy for me!
⭐️ Plan ahead
By adding these days into your routine it's much easier for you to plan around them! Set your no-spend days on a Thursday but a friend wants to grab dinner? Check and see if they could grab dinner on a different day! Know you have a big event coming up and you need to get your nails done? Make sure you adjust your no-spend day so it doesn't fall on the same day as your appointment! By planning ahead you make it so much easier on yourself and eliminate the chance of having to spend money on what you thought would be your "no-spend" day!
⭐️ Eliminate temptation
If you struggle to drive past the Starbucks drive-thru without stopping, change your route on days you aren't spending money. Delete the Wallet app or any other app you can purchase things through on days you want to avoid spending. Make coffee at home and pack lunch before leaving for work. However you need to eliminate temptation, do it. It's so much easier to stick to this plan if you aren't constantly facing a million little temptations throughout the day!
⭐️ Add something new to your routine
If you're like me sometimes you find yourself spending money simply because it's become part of your routine. You know, you always go get coffee on your lunch break, you always buy lunch out, you always stop at Target on your way home, etc. So, try adding something new into your routine in place of these things. For me, instead of running to grab coffee or lunch on my break, I run home to let my dog out (plus then I can eat and make coffee at home), and instead of running into Target after/before my Pure Barre class, I call a friend or family member I haven't talked to in a while! This gives you something to focus on, plus it adds some variety into your routine - which is always nice!
⭐️ Find a way to keep yourself accountable
It's so much easier to stick with something if you have a way of holding yourself accountable. For some of you, maybe that's telling someone else about your "no-spend" days and having them check in to make sure you're sticking with it. For others, maybe it's keeping track of it on a cute template (you can find a bunch of free ones online) and hanging it somewhere. For me, I like to use my calendar/planner. I add them as all-day events on my Google calendar and write them as "Today's Focus" in my Passion Planner. Whatever way you can hold yourself accountable - do it!
⭐️ Start small
No one says you have to start by adding 4 "no-spend" days to your weekly routine. I started with 1 and worked my way up to 2 simply because it fit my schedule. Some people start with half-days and then move up to full days. There's no timeline and there's no right way to do this. Just as long as you're sticking with it, you're doing it right. For some, having a goal of multiple "no-spend days" is great! But, some people might only want 1-2 a week! Whatever the number is, as long as it works for you, that's fantastic!
Do you already have "no-spend" days in your routine? Are you going to start adding a few of them into your routine? Let me know on my latest Instagram!
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