No-Spend March Update

As you might recall, last month my family and I tried a little experiment by doing a no-spend month. The goal was to only spend money on things we really needed and to curb those impulsive spending habits.
​Here's the update I promised on how our no-spend March went. Though slightly delayed, I'm excited to share our journey.

While we're not typically big spenders, the no-spend month prompted us to rethink our purchases, emphasizing intentionality over impulse buys.

Date Nights
Initially, our date nights were more creative and elaborate, filled with planning, shopping (for a few fresh ingredients) and cooking together. I even made the table look a little more special than usual. However, as the month progressed, we found joy in simpler pleasures like homemade popcorn and ice cream. That counts as dinner, right?

Family Vacation
Despite the no-spend commitment, we still enjoyed our pre-planned family Christmas vacation. It had been planned and mostly paid for months earlier.
Tangent: We decided as a family a few years ago to buy less Christmas gifts and spend most of our Christmas budget on a family trip instead. Opting for quality time instead of quantity of gifts has been a nice change. Tangent over.
We opted for snacks and cold cereal from the grocery store rather than eating out every meal. We chose free activities in the area and the only souvenirs we brought home were some dirt, pictures and fun memories. 

Kids' Perspective
When I asked my kids about the no-spend month, they expressed that it didn't feel significantly different for them. It seems they've grown accustomed to adhering to our spending plan and hearing, "not right now."

Husband's Reflection
My husband, who was the instigator of this little experiment had this to say, “I found myself holding back on what would otherwise be impulsive buys. It made me think about what I really needed vs wanted.” He held off on buying some high-priced tools he really wanted, but knew it wasn't the priority (I'm sure they will make their way into his shop eventually).

Conclusion
Reflecting on our experience, a no-spend month proved valuable in realigning our spending with our values. It's a chance to assess priorities and ensure our financial decisions enhance our lives in meaningful ways. A lot of the stress people experience with regard to finances is due to the misalignment between our spending and our values. Are we really spending with intention on those things which will enhance and improve our lives; or are we spending on things that will give us a quick thrill, but don't add much value? We plan to try this again.

What are your thoughts? Would you consider embarking on a no-spend month with us the next time we give it a go?