A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart. (Jonathan Swift)
Here at living in clover I understand that talking about money does not feel comfortable for a lot of people. It is something that I struggle with too sometimes and it can often be a source of conflict and stress. However I do believe that money is important, and the small decisions we make about money today can be totally life changing in the future. As with health, small habits repeated daily can add up to big results.
Money does not make the world go around, but it can influence how comfortable our journey on this earth can be. Whatever our income, it is important to be mindful of how we use our money. Every day we are bombarded with advertisements encouraging us to part with our money and unless we are careful it can be easy to fall into the trap of wasting money on things we don’t really need. This is why, at this time of year, I like to focus on mindful spending to make sure those all important pennies are saved for when they are really needed.
This is where my no spend November comes in. For 30 days I will buy only the essentials, no spontaneous purchases, no junk food, and no coffee shops or takeaway food.
I’ve done these challenges in the past and I find it helps to focus on what I can do rather than what I can’t. It doesn’t make for a happy month to sit home wishing I could go shopping, so I like to keep busy doing things that will ultimately make the challenge easier and perhaps even fun. Occasionally these habits become built into my routine and the benefits of the no spend month last far longer.
Focusing on planning meals, cooking from scratch and making packed lunches to take out to work are all good activities to keep busy and make the most of my money during a no spend month. I always start by taking an inventory of all the food that is already in the house and plan the next weeks meals around that. Planning my next food shop is a task that I find hard, but it is always worth it in terms of cost. It also often saves time as well in the long run as we are less likely to find ourselves short of food for dinner, so there are less occasions where a quick trip to the shops is needed.
Another thing I like to do while I’m doing a no spend challenge is to read books about money to help maintain focus. This is the book, which came from a charity shop that I am planning to read this November to educate myself about my finances.
Another good activity to do this time of year is planning for Christmas. Look at the budget, write a list of everything you need to buy and start looking for the cheapest deals. Sometimes if you add a product to an online cart then don’t check out, the company will get in touch and offer you a discount. Not always, but it’s worth a try. Perhaps avoid doing this in places where you may be tempted to make a spontaneous purchase. I allow myself the opportunity to buy gifts for others on a no spend month if there are birthdays coming up, but no purchases for myself or the house. Those are my rules, but you are of course free to make your own!
To keep motivated I like to print off a habit tracker check list. This is something I learnt from reading the book Atomic habits (which I highly recommend by the way). It’s a small thing putting a tick in a box each day, but it reduces the desire to cheat or give up on the challenge and rob myself of that satisfaction. There are digital habit trackers available too that you can use if you are trying to be paper free.
Selling stuff is good at any time of year, but in November it can free up space in your house and cash in the bank in preparation for the festive season. Try Vinted, try eBay, try a local tabletop sale. Just turn your trash into cash and boost the second hand market. Good for you and good for the planet.
Taking care of money can be exciting, fun and empowering. Why don’t you give it a try??
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