I officially made it through my Low Spend Year! Cue the applause!
My Low Spend Year hasn’t always been easy and my take-aways weren’t quite what I thought they’d be, but I am proud of myself. I do wish I had read more about other people’s experiences before I committed, so I’m sharing my best tips and tricks for you now. I 100% recommend folks try a Low or even No Spend for at least a month. You don’t have to commit to a full year if you don’t want to.
On to my best tips on how to do a low spend!
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How to Do a Low Spend
Make your own rules.
You’re the captain of your life and you know what is do-able for you. You don’t have to cut out everything good from your life. For me, I had a goal to make more friends this year. Part of making friends is going out and there are purchases associated with that. My low spend didn’t limit entertainment. I limited things like clothing, home decor and craft supplies. Those are all things I enjoy purchasing, but I knew weren’t necessary. And I still allowed myself 6 items, so I didn’t feel completely deprived. I know myself and when I feel deprived I get the urge to say “F it” and break all the rules. See my full rules here if you need some ideas.
Consider the Hierarchy
I know I said make your own rules, and you do get to do that! But, I would suggest checking out this hierarchy (below) and making any purchases you do make accordingly. You do you, but I truly think this hierarchy is a good way to evaluate your true needs.
Find your why.
For some folks, your why will be saving money. For others, it will be to evaluate your relationship with stuff. I’m a spiteful little thing, so for me it was a form of protest! Your why is essential because when times get tough, it’s what you’ll come back to.
Don’t buy a bunch of stuff beforehand.
Buying a bunch of stuff before a low spend feels a lot like binging before a diet. You don’t need to do that. The whole purpose it to help you reflect and question your purchases. If you anticipate needing underwear or something essential in the next year, add it to your “allowed” list! Don’t set yourself up for failure and don’t spend in anticipation of a problem that might not even happen!
It doesn’t have to be a year-long commitment.
It was difficult to commit to a full year. These past 5 years have really taught me that we can’t predict the future. We have no idea what’s going to happen in our country from day-to-day and that feels scary. If you feel overwhelmed or scared by a year commitment, try a quarter instead or even a month! For some folks, a month is long enough to realize their overconsumption and to reset. Or you can get to a month, discover it was a piece of cake and keep going. Again, you make the rules!
I hope this inspires you to at least evaluate your purchases. Purchasing power is one of our greatest powers and we can use it as a tool for good.
If you’re planning on doing a Low Spend, I’d love to hear your plans in the comments!
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