{"id":321564,"date":"2026-02-28T09:22:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T09:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/321564\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T09:22:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T09:22:16","slug":"the-right-way-to-do-a-no-spend-month-to-change-your-money-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/321564\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right Way To Do A No-Spend Month To Change Your Money Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent survey<\/a> by marketing network Stagewell found that 52% of Gen Z is actively looking for ways to \u201copt out\u201d of the economy by spending less overall \u2014 and with 62% of Gen Z<\/a> saying they receive financial advice from social media, it\u2019s no surprise that trends like no-spend months are increasing in popularity.<\/p>\n

A no-spend month \u2014 also referred to as a no-buy month \u2014 is an individual financial challenge to stop spending money on non-essentials. Non-essentials include little treats like coffee, takeout, and clothes, but it can also be things like streaming subscriptions, books, or even activities. Meanwhile, costs like rent, utilities, gas, and transportation are all considered essential and do not apply to that month\u2019s expenses.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo-spend challenges are a good mental reset for putting a hard stop on overconsumption and [to] prove to yourself you can say \u2018no,\u2019\u201d says Rebecca Sowden<\/a>, 28, a digital creator based in Southern California who helps others to become more financially responsible. She took this challenge a step further, implementing a no-spend year in 2025 to eliminate unnecessary spending on things like clothing, shoes, and makeup.<\/p>\n

Below, Sowden and other Gen Z influencers who\u2019ve finished a no-spend month share their top tips for doing the challenge \u2014 including what to prepare beforehand and how to set yourself up for success.<\/p>\n

Audit Your Finances<\/p>\n

New York City lifestyle creator Chiara Lucia<\/a>, 23, was inspired to share her no-spend challenge<\/a> on TikTok in November 2025. She completed her first no-spend month one year ago and has done two more since, after seeing her credit card bill cut almost in half. She says the best way to set yourself up for a successful no-spend month is to audit your finances ahead of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a good look at your credit card bill or your checking account and ask yourself what you\u2019re repeatedly spending on. Crunching the numbers, at least for one month of expenses, is eye-opening. You can see where your money actually goes and, if you see a lot in one column like monthly subscriptions, you can consider cutting down in that area.\u201d For Chiara, it was important to cut down on workday coffee runs, excessive dinners out, and online shopping.<\/p>\n

Identify Your Goals<\/p>\n

Tatyiana Gordon<\/a>, 27, is a NYC-based lifestyle creator who shares her no-spend challenges<\/a> online. Gordon has been doing no-spend months every January for four years now after getting the idea on social media. \u201c[These no-spend challenges] have been a good reset going into a new year. Being really intentional about saving money helps me a lot with my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Gordon, one of the best ways to ensure a successful no-buy challenge was to narrow down her goals. Whether it\u2019s to pay down credit card debt or get ahead on student loans, identifying the reason for your spending cutbacks can help you maintain motivation when things get tough. She notes that the first week can be the hardest, but leaning on your goals can help motivate you as you make no spending a daily habit.<\/p>\n

Be Realistic<\/p>\n

In line with setting a personal goal, Gordon says being realistic is an important part of setting yourself up for no-spend success. \u201cIf you’re going from someone who is frivolously spending all day, every day, it would be a complete change to not spend a single dime,\u201d she says. \u201cIf making that jump is too much, set rules for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re someone who buys five coffees a week when you go to work, Gordon suggests trying mini challenges like a no-spend day or week before trying to do a full month. Setting more realistic goals can help you get used to the idea of spending less without quitting cold turkey \u2014 plus, you\u2019ll be able to see the immediate effects of scaling back and help ease yourself into the saving mindset.<\/p>\n

Make Behavioral Changes<\/p>\n

Sowden says her first attempts at a no-buy challenge failed until she added \u201cbehavioral rules.\u201d These included mandatory changes to her everyday life that would allow her to successfully avoid unnecessary spending. A few of her behavioral rules include: no browsing online, no shopping without a list, no going to the mall for fun, unsubscribing from marketing emails, and deleting retailer apps on her phone. By implementing these changes, she allowed herself to avoid temptations like sales or new product drops.<\/p>\n

\u201cFocus on changing behavior, not just pausing it,\u201d Sowden says. \u201cWhile on your no-buy, find alternative hobbies or activities to solve the problem of boredom; that way, when your challenge is over, you are more equipped to not immediately backslide into old habits.\u201d<\/p>\n

To encourage herself to try new things and reinforce good behavior, Sowden would make herself \u201cearn\u201d her fun money by doing things like going to the gym for $10, decluttering an area for $5, or reading a chapter of a book for $5. She could put what she earned toward activities that cost money as a reward.<\/p>\n

Track Your Spending<\/p>\n

While auditing your finances is the first step toward better spending habits, Gordon recommends investing in a money notebook \u2014 or starting a spreadsheet \u2014 where you document each expense. \u201cIt gives you a different sense of [your money habits]; you can see every dollar you\u2019re spending and compare it to every dollar you\u2019re bringing in. I was able to save $2,000 after seeing my savings in small increments throughout the month,\u201d she says. Not only are you able to see the immediate effects of your no-spend challenge, but it can also be a great motivator, especially if you\u2019re someone who tends to spend without thinking.<\/p>\n

Do Things At Home<\/p>\n

One tip that each creator emphasized was doing things at home, whether it be cooking dinner, meal-prepping lunches, or even making your morning coffee. While these might be difficult habits to change, they will have the most impact when it comes to spending less money on unnecessary purchases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hardest part of my no-spend month was limiting dinners out,\u201d Lucia says. \u201cI made a rule of one dinner out per week so I\u2019d have to be more strategic. Coffee was pretty easy after I did the math on how much I\u2019d save buying Nespresso pods versus a $10 latte.\u201d She notes that planning \u2014 whether it\u2019s meal prepping or identifying free things to do ahead of the weekend \u2014 helps make the challenge feel more reasonable.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Limit Your Fun<\/p>\n

As someone who lives in a city, Lucia says she wanted to do a no-spend month without limiting her social life. In order to do that, she set specific rules that would allow her to have fun without breaking the bank. She implemented coffee purchases, but only if she was seeing friends, which helped eliminate unnecessary spending when she was by herself. She says she did the same thing with dinners. \u201cSometimes you have to meet friends at an establishment and spending money is not optional, but I did prioritize other hangouts that were free, like walks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opt For Free Events<\/p>\n

Speaking of fun, Lucia recommends leaning into free hangouts whenever possible \u2014 and finding friends who are on the same page as you financially. For her, looking up free events ahead of time helped her plan out affordable experiences during her no-spend months. \u201cThere are a lot of places that have so many options for free activities, you just have to take a little more time or effort to find them. Finding free things to do with your friends gets your brain outside of the overconsumption box a little bit, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take A Social Media Break<\/p>\n

As a creator and consumer, Gordon says being on social media can make materialism feel like a necessity. Constantly seeing what other people bought or watching hauls made her feel like she was almost missing out by not participating. \u201cIt can get to a level where you\u2019re so ingrained in social media culture that you almost feel like you have to emulate that lifestyle.\u201d She recommends turning to creators like King Kev<\/a>, who share low-cost ways of living. \u201cReframing your mindset and finding creators that motivate you to spend less can help. If the only thing you\u2019re seeing all day is over-consumption, it\u2019s hard to not want to repeat that pattern.\u201d Taking a social media break and deleting retailer apps from your phone can help curb this temptation during your no-spend month.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Be Hard On Yourself<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, both Lucia and Gordon emphasize the importance of kindness toward yourself during a no-spend month. \u201cLife happens,\u201d Lucia says. \u201cDon\u2019t give up after the first month, even if it didn\u2019t go the way you wanted it or you didn\u2019t see a lot of changes. This challenge is all about noticing unnecessary spending patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gordon echoes Lucia\u2019s sentiments, noting that during her no-spend January, she was in the middle of a move and had to purchase furniture for her apartment. Despite wanting to put it off until February to not break her no-buy rules, she ultimately bought the item and was happier for it. \u201cIn the moment, I felt like I failed, but it was a purchase that made our quality of life so much better,\u201d she says. \u201cIf something like that comes around, or if you have a really crappy day and you think a coffee is going to make you feel better, don\u2019t feel bad. Take it in stride and go to the next day and try again. Life is going to life at the most inconvenient times, so it\u2019s OK if something comes up.\u201d<\/p>\n

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