tips for no spend weeks?

[Sara Noel]

There are a lot of newbies, so I thought we could share tips and ideas of what we do during no spend weeks.

As an example, if we're going to have a no spend week, I won't rent any movies. We'll watch regular programming instead and it's just fine. Painless and nothing spent.

[esther25]

I spend with my child play indoor games, Computer games, New recipe cooking, House decorating etc.

[Libby]

For me, no spend weeks are more manageable when I have chores to do around the house. Planning/researching a project. Number crunching over and over with varied situations. Decluttering project. Doing your once a month cooking through the week. Pre-planning your entertainment in advance - watch movies that you already own or have borrowed from the library etc and/or watching regularly scheduled programming. Also, visits with friends/family - at home.

Usually I assign one chore per night here and that keeps me hopping. I only have so much free time after work anyhow and I always need to have my "net" time lol which often takes up more then its alloted time.

[carlitasway]

We go to the park or library, cook with what we have, watch tv, play outside.

[mikandmari]

An important thing for me during a no-spend week is to pre-plan menus, so we don't waste $$ on convenience foods or restaurants, especially if it's a busy week:

*easy grab-on-the-go breakfasts
*stuff to pack for lunches, usually a chicken in the crockpot on Sunday for sandwich meat, snacks baked, etc, and pitchers of iced tea or juice
*enough in the pantry for dinners

Other than that, just ~staying home~ usually does the trick!

[baxjul]

I usually try not to have any cash on me. I make sure that we have everything we need for the week, groceries, toiletries, etc. Then I don't feel the need to go anywhere.

[Daisygirl]

I take only $10 out of the bank, and then I stay at home as uch as possible. I do all of my cooig in advance on the weekend and even if there is money in my account I pretend that there isnt.

I am glad this thread popped up, this week is one of those weeks!

[kittykatstrong]

we will go to the lib., do some extra cooking, cleaning. Keeping my self busy helps alot.

[Momto2Boyz]

Most of our weekends recently, have been "no spend" weekends. We have two young boys, so the trick is keeping them entertained. The easiest way to do that, I've found is to turn the TV off. When they are sitting and watching TV, they complain they are bored. When I turn it off, they end up playing together with their toys and don't complain.

We also have had fun nights having bass fishing "tournaments" on the playstation. Sounds weird, but it is alot of fun!

Or we invite neighbors over and have an impromtu potluck (bring what you have kind of a thing...no planning needed) and we play cards or a board game that we have on hand, while all the kids play together. Luckily, we have frugal friends, so no one expects a big spread when we do these impromptu things!

[LexTysMommy]

I think its easy to have a no spend week if you have food in your house. Everything else is not a neccesity. Use up what you have, no running to store for something you can make due without.

No renting movies, watch old home movies ( we did this for 4 hours last weekend!) , play board games, use coupons! LOL We went to walmart one day and spent $0 and used about 10 coupons! We didnt use all the things we got, but they were free and we can pass it along!

We also go to library and get books, games, toys ( they have large room that you can check out 2-3 toys and educational things..one time I got bean bag toss, and wooden doll house. Daycare kids loved it...I now do it with my own kids once a month!), and we rent old movies and cd's to listen to.

With kids you can dump out the toybox or empty a closet and guarantee you will find things you forgot you had. We went through the game closet one weekend and put things in baggies nad staped instructins to box, and played all games. Was fun!

Have friends come over to visit, or go there. They can bring a treat and you can whip up a treat. Pasta is something always on hand here. A couple months ago we had a clothing swap at my house. My 5 friends and I brought our old clothes, old kid clothes, old hubby/bf clothes over. We sorted in piles and each went home with at least a few things for each other. The leftover we dontated to charity!

Tip is to stay home and stay busy, because when you are bored you can always think of somewhere to go to eat, or something you need from store!

[pip]

I agree that staying busy helps keep me out of the stores. Deeper cleaning of the house, more walks, trying to cook meals from what is in the pantry/freezer. Also, just stay away from all stores!

[Brat]

does paying a bill due that week count as spending

[ms. frugal kugel]

~get sleep! Rushing around results in forgetting things, then I spend for coffee, breakfast, lunch etc when I know I have it at home and I just had to make it.

~keep up with dishes. No seaching for the last of the clean tupperware...

~program that coffee maker!

~use the crockpot. Eventually if I'm going a whole week, there will be a night I don't want to cook. If a yummy pork l'orange is waiting, it's easier to avoid take out.

~reserve items at the library. It may be waiting there for you on the no spend week. PS - a lot of libraries have local museum passes you can reserve and visit museums that may otherwise be budget breakers.

~count your riches. At the end of the week estimate how much you saved and pat yourself on the back!

[StaceyS]

No cash! I have "conditioned" myself that the only thing I use my debit card for are gas and groceries. If I want something from any other store, I use cash. No Cash = No Shopping. Sometimes, No GAS = No Shopping :-)