Are you considering a no-spend month challenge?? A no-spend month means you need to be ready. There are three key things or rules to not spending money you must follow.
If you are keeping up with the blog, you probably saw I shared my Pantry Spending freeze. For two weeks I only spent $35, and it was glorious.
I’m slowly getting into grocery shopping for more again. To keep the temptation away, there are three key things that helped me avoid buying stuff I didn’t need at the grocery store.
For six months, we lived on a $100 total. It was our most life-changing spending freeze, and we learned a ton. At this point in our lives, we are currently on a pantry spending freeze.
These tips below can be applied to ANY type of spending freeze you are doing.
If you want to check out the details on the pantry spending freeze and how to do one – go here. It’s a quick and easy way of how to spend less on food this week.
Say No To Deals
I stopped looking through coupon/deal sites.
If you know me, then you are probably puzzled. How could I a coupon/deal blogger NOT look at coupon/deal sites? Well, I keep my blinders on. When I am working in the morning I stay focused on sharing deals for others and remind myself these deals are NOT for me right now.
I won’t scoot on over to my other favorite deal bloggers’ websites because I do not want to print out coupons and feel the need to run to Target.
It is easier to pass up deals, but for a real cheap frugal whatever kind of girl people label me as, it takes an effort to say no to deals.
Pick Your Shopping Partners Wisely
Each time I went grocery shopping, I shopped at our local grocery store Tops, and brought the kids with me. I find myself leisurely shopping when they are in school, and as much as I love it, this can create a budget buster. I can spot a deal and grab it, or see something on sale that will make my dinner delicious and not think twice.
My temptation is to shop alone.
You have to know your temptations, and shopping alone is one of mine. Is it easier for you to spend more money when you are shopping alone?
It could be the opposite for you. Maybe when you shop with your family they are constantly begging or asking you for things and you say yes, just to get the trip over faster. If that’s the case, your temptation would be to NOT shop with the family.
Cash Only
This is one of my tips in three easy and quick ways to instantly save on your groceries, but it is so important to follow through on. Take out cash each week for your grocery budget.
You don’t want to spend more when you see the cash you have to spend. When you go shopping only bring that cash allowance, you created in your budget.
Don’t allow yourself to be tempted by having your credit or debit card as backup. Remind yourself you are sticking to a budget this week, using what you already have, and you aren’t going to allow yourself to spend more.
It’s a good reminder to tell yourself this is it; there isn’t anymore. I know many times when my husband works a rate job or overtime, I would see that in our account and think, “bonus” now I can get some extra stuff.
That extra stuff led to $50 spent in things I didn’t need. All because of a mental shift.
If I didn’t know we had that bonus money, I would not have spent that extra $50. I would be more mindful. It’s all about the power of perspective. Which is one of my three p words that can change your finances instantly?
If you missed my Pantry Spending Freeze, hop on over here and check it out. Then share with us your temptations regarding a grocery budget below.
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Diane taber
Monday 27th of May 2019
Hi we are really really trying to live on the least amount of money for food for the month for us to have in our cupboards.for food