Amazing April's No-Spend Days Challenge!

cathybird
cathybird Posts: 15,330 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
edited 31 March 2024 at 2:25PM in Debt-free wannabe challenges
This challenge is all about helping people to save money by setting aside days every month where you deliberately don't spend unnecessary cash. Over the short term, it can help you have a more frugal month. Over the long term, if you stick with it, it can help change your mindset because you get out of the habit of frittering money away and start automatically holding off from spending instead. It also helps you delay purchases, which in turn means you lose interest in a lot of things you might otherwise impulse buy.

Another good thing with this challenge is we're all in it together, and people will help you on bad days and cheer you on on good days, and the support and accountability can really help make it easier to keep going with it. And if all else fails, there's always next month

To join, just post the number of no-spend days (NSDs) you're aiming for in April and you are on your way!

Tips for the challenge:
1. It's totally up to you but if you've never done the challenge before, it's probably simpler to start with a goal of 10 or (at most) 15.

2. It is fine to exclude necessary expenses eg petrol, groceries, pet food, etc, when it comes to deciding what is and isn't an NSD. It is also completely fine to exclude automated or recurring payments such as bills, mortgage or direct debits.

3. It does help to post every time you notch up an NSD, or at least every two or three days ... it's easy to lose track! If you want to keep track of your NSDs in your MSE signature, that can be really motivating too

4. It also helps to bookmark the thread, it's much easier to find.

5. NSDs are trickier than they seem and easily derailed. It can work better if you notch up as many days as you can in the first half of the month, or think of the month in thirds so if you're aiming for 10 NSDs, try to do 4 days in the first 10, 3 in the second and 3 in the third. And if you feel that you're falling behind, there's no shame in changing your target! Sometimes life just gets in the way, and the challenge should be fun, not a grind.

April

Off to a start = image
5 days = image
10 days = image

15 days = image
20 days = image
Target reached = image
Target beaten = image 

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Comments

  • cathybird
    cathybird Posts: 15,330 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 1 April 2024 at 1:31PM
    April targets

    AuntieL 15
    Balancinglife
    beanielou 19
    blubella 12
    Caeraugirl 20
    cathybird 15
    Couldsavemore
    Crazycatlady2 18
    Doris17 18
    Flying By 17
    GeorgianaCavendish
    Geriatricmum
    Honeysucklelou2 10
    HotDog2020 14
    ilovetea 20
    KajiKita 18
    keggie 15
    laura lau
    leftatthetrafficlights 24
    LemonadeBudget 10
    LittleMissDetermined 17
    madlyn 10
    Makingabobor2 15
    Money Choices
    Mrs Cautious 18
    Nervous1234 22
    Rupacomp
    SecondStar
    short bird 15
    Thevalueofless
    Worlds Worst Superhero


    :):) Newcomers welcome! :):)

  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 94,585 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    Thanks as always @cathybird for our shiny new thread & all your hard work xx
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • blubella
    blubella Posts: 581 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Yes thank you @cathybird for keeping the thread updated  <3

    I'm going to try for 12 this month..just managed to make 10 in March.
    #4 DFBXMAS24 - £2,322.85/£5,000
    NSD Challenge - Jan 15/12, Feb 3/12, Mar 10/10 Apr 10/12, May 5/12.
    SPC #44


    Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration & inspiration ~ Evan Esar
  • Caeraugirl
    Caeraugirl Posts: 576 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Early call for my first NSD of the month - no intention of going anywhere or buying anything today.
    #21 Save £12k in 2025 £8377.35/£20000

    April NSD Challenge 7/20
  • Doris17
    Doris17 Posts: 862 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Please can I join in?

    Aiming for 18 NSD's in April.

    Thanks 

    "Make Everyday Count"



  • MrsCautious
    MrsCautious Posts: 1,621 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Good morning and NSD number one for me today. 
  • Hi Cathybird, please could you put me down for 10 NSDs. Had a crazily busy time at work in March,  so little time to read on here or update. Managed about 5 NSDs in March but need to get back on track for 10.
    Thank you for all your hard work in running the thread.
    paydbx2025 #26 £890/£5000 . Mortgage start £148k June 23 - now £138k.
    2025 savings challenge £0/£2000
    EF £140. Savings 2 £30.00. 17
  • Returning after a bit of a break, hope you're well @cathybird :) Aiming for 10 NSDs for April.

    First being today as not going anywhere / spending anything
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 94,585 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    One today. 
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • madlyn
    madlyn Posts: 1,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hi everyone, could you put me down for 10 NSD again please?
    SPC 037
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