When the holiday season approaches, the endless shopping ads and sales can easily lead people to empty their savings accounts and rack up tons of credit card debt. However, every year thousands of people say NO to overspending and take control of their finances through the “No Spend November” challenge.
Like many other savings challenges, No Spend November offers you the chance to strengthen your willpower muscle, understand your wants versus your needs, and save money for things that actually matter to you.
Today, I’ll walk you through a blueprint for your entire month of November. I’ll explain the challenge in detail, help you write your own rules, and offer some practical tips to roll into December richer than you started.
The “No Spend November” Challenge
The goal of “No Spend November” is simple but powerful: for the entire month of November, you commit to only buy the essentials.
A no spend month isn’t just one of many frugal living tips, though; it’s about gaining control over your finances, breaking free from tricky marketing, and spending money mindfully, not mindlessly. By taking a break from spending, you can start reflecting on what’s really important to you now, and what goals you might achieve with some extra savings.
Unlike other monthly no spend challenges like No Buy July though, No Spend November is a challenge on hard mode. Because it’s so close to the Christmas & holiday shopping season, you’ll need to resist tempting ad after tempting ad, sale after sale.
But November is where the magic of a no spend challenge really shines. All too often, those sales only encourage you to buy what you don’t need or even want. The “ONE DAY ONLY” nature of Black Friday leaves you feeling like you’re missing out if you don’t buy that giant stuffed hippo for your kid, or fancy grill thermometer for your dad.
When you choose to do No Spend November, it gives you permission (and an excuse, if you need it) to say “no” to the advertisers and keep more of your hard-earned money.
No Spend November Rules
First, it’s important to remember No Spend November is 100% on your terms. There’s no trophy or certificate you’ll earn on December 1st for completing the challenge, after all.
This means you can still “win” the challenge with a variety of different rules. All versions agree on what you should pay for, like bills, rent, and groceries. But there are a few different versions of what you can’t buy during November. Here are some examples:
- In the simplest version of the rules, you can simply cut out one category of spending, like “no eating out,” “no shopping on Amazon,” or “no buying clothes/makeup/gadgets.” Whatever!
- In a slightly harder version, you can make all non-essential purchases off-limits, EXCEPT anything you’ve approved by the first day of your challenge. This allows you to still buy a few select items like Christmas presents or special holiday foods that go above and beyond your normal grocery budget.
- The final, hardest version of the No Spend November rules includes absolutely NO spending money on things other than bills and essential groceries, and NO holiday shopping. In order to play by these rules and still “win,” you’d need to do your shopping in October or earlier, December only, or even do all homemade presents for a year.
You can play by any of the above rule sets and still succeed, because in every version you’re saving money you’d otherwise spend! If you need more detailed explanation of the rules though, I’ve done an entire article breaking the no spend month rules down in detail.
How to Win the “No Spend November” Challenge: Tips
Though I’ve also done an entire article on tips to crush your no spend month, here are a few that are specific to No Spend November:
Establish your “why.”
Are you trying to save money for holiday shopping? Avoid debt? Learn more about your spending habits? Knowing why you’re doing such a crazy challenge will help motivate you when the temptations to spend get strong. You can even print pictures, cut magazine pictures, or write your “why” on a note card and use them as reminders by your mirror or taped to your credit card!
Make your list of rules.
Look at the above section and actually write down the rules you’ll use. Can you spend money on any holiday shopping? What about using gift cards to shop for non-essentials? Having written rules will help you not “cheat” later on in the month when you get really tempted.
Look at your calendar.
This one is important! Do you have any holiday parties that will fall during November? Is it anyone’s birthday or anniversary? Will you want to play “secret Santa” at work? Make sure you look ahead at what’s coming up so you can plan ahead for any potential expenses.
Prepare your budget.
Before November begins, create a budget that lists essential expenses such as rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, and any other fixed costs. Then, be sure to plan for your increased savings. Are you going to put the money you save into a sinking fund? Throw it at existing debt?
Eliminate temptations.
Unsubscribe from promo and store emails, avoid online shopping websites, and steer clear of physical stores unless necessary. (One great way is to limit grocery shopping to once a week!) You can also delete or “hide” the shopping apps on your phone so you don’t see them as easily. Reducing exposure to temptations will make it easier to stay on track.
Tell your friends and family.
The last thing you want is your Aunt to try guilting you into shopping on Black Friday, or your friends from work constantly asking you to happy hour. Tell them whatever you’re comfortable with, but a simple, “I’m doing a challenge this month to not spend any extra money. Maybe I’ll catch you in December!” should do the trick.
Do free activities.
Of course, a no spend challenge doesn’t mean your social life dies. Invite friends over to binge watch your favorite shows or have a board game night, or take advantage of community events and local parks. Don’t forget about your local library for renting books, e-books, DVDs, video games, and even physical games, tools, and activities!
Embrace meal planning.
Cooking at home is not only cost-effective but also healthier. Use meal planning to reduce the temptation of eating out and wasting food. You can look up ‘copy cat recipes’ from your favorite restaurants if you still have a hankering for Olive Garden or Taco Bell.
Seek support and accountability.
In addition to telling friends and family about your goals to avoid temptation, you might also consider finding an accountability buddy. They might even be an online friend only, but having someone to check in and ask about your progress can keep you accountable and motivated throughout the challenge.
Celebrate success.
As you progress through November, celebrate your achievements, whether it’s saving a specific amount, resisting a tempting sale, or paying off a debt. Acknowledging these milestones will reinforce your dedication to the challenge.
Remember, “No Spend November” is not about depriving yourself; it’s about making intentional choices and redefining your relationship with money. Embrace the challenge, stay mindful of your spending, and then take what you learn in November and apply it to every month going forward (even if you give yourself some more wiggle room in your budget).
That’s all from me for today! If you’d like to get notified the next time I post money-saving content (especially if you’re trying to do family life on a budget), you can subscribe to my weekly email newsletter below.
