Try the no-spend challenge

It’s never been easier to spend money. Whether at home or in the street, we’ve either got devices which put us a few taps away from everything we’d ever need to buy or shops, bars, takeaways, and restaurants ready to welcome us in. And that’s even before considering how easy it is to just tap and pay!

With all of those factors clawing at our bank accounts, how can we break the cycle and stop buying so much new stuff? The ‘no-spend challenge’ is a budgeting technique that forces you to stop and consider your non-essential spending. It’s known to help curb impulse purchases and remind people of what they have already.

No matter if it’s a no-spend week, month, or year, how long you commit to the journey is up to you. Read on as we dive into the rules and benefits of the no-spend challenge, exploring how to cut down non-essential spending.

In this guide:

• What is the no-spend challenge?
• How can I stop shopping?
• Does the no-spend challenge work?
• No spend challenge rules
• Tips to help cut down unnecessary spending

What is the no-spend challenge?

The no-spend challenge is a budgeting technique that means pausing spending on anything that’s considered non-essential. It’s designed to help you save money and encourage positive spending habits.

No spending challenges are entirely flexible to you and your lifestyle. You could set yourself the challenge of a no-spend week, month, or set aside a dedicated day of the week where you don’t spend a penny. For instance, no-spend Saturdays for a month, or no-spend Wednesdays during the week.

How far you take the challenge is also your choice:

• No-spend day: If you’re only committing to one day at a time, you could plan your schedule to avoid spending any money at all.
• No-spend month: If you’re committing to a no-spend month challenge, you’ll need to limit spending to essential purchases only, such as groceries, utilities and transport costs.
• No-spend year: Meanwhile, others may commit to a whole year of conscious spending. It’s completely up to you and your goals!

How can I stop shopping?

Consumer spending is on the up once again, climbing each year following the declines caused by the pandemic. The latest ONS figures show that household spending from January to March 2025, even adjusted for inflation, increased by 0.4% when compared to figures from October to December 2024.

Compared to the same period last year (January to March 2024), spending has steadily increased by 0.9%. This shows that, despite the cost-of-living crisis, people are still spending more each year.

So why do we find it so satisfying to buy things? One of the primary reasons is that ‘comfort buying’ items like clothing, makeup, and technology can make us feel happier – even if it’s just for a fleeting moment. Evidence also shows that when we’re feeling down we’re likely to seek out spending more.

Researchers from four top US universities investigated the link between sadness and increased spending. They found that showing sad video clips to consumers resulted in them offering to spend four times as much for a water bottle than those who had been shown a neutral video. Sadness sells, and it’s easy to fall into the habit of impulse buying during difficult periods of your life, or times of socio-economic uncertainty.

Little by little, learning to focus on what you already have and separating essential from non-essential spending can help drive your goals and boost your savings. It can also help reduce waste and over-consumption. This is where the no-spend challenge can come in handy.

Does the no-spend challenge work?

Yes, it can! No-spend trends have become increasingly popular to help raise awareness of our impact as individuals – not just on our wallets, but on the environment too. The no-spend challenge has taken off in the UK as many of us look to reduce our contribution to fast fashion, waste, and over-production of plastics.

Many people have set themselves and their families the challenge of going an entire month or year without buying anything new, and most have succeeded. From self-help books to videos on social media, there are plenty of resources and first-hand accounts out there to help you cut back on non-essential items.

No-spend challenge rules

What every feature article, book, and vlog about cutting back on consumption has in common is that it’s generally fun and rewarding to take part in. A challenge like this can help you reassess what actually makes you happy, save some extra cash, and appreciate the simpler things in life.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a few steps and considerations to help you complete your own no-spend challenge, or simply cut down on unnecessary buying. Let’s explore how to do a no-spend month below:

1. Adapting the no-spend challenge to your lifestyle

The no-spend challenge can be a useful budgeting technique, helping to nurture a healthy mindset about the importance and value of purchases. You’ll hopefully be able to use the money you save to build up savings pots or pay down any outstanding debts.

If you’d like to take on the challenge, it’s important to consider your lifestyle and disposable income after your essential living expenses, without spreading yourself too thin. You can learn more about household budgeting with our disposable income guide.

Meanwhile, there are various third-party organisations that offer free support and advice to anyone who may need help with budgeting, savings and finances. For more guidance on money advice, reach out to MoneyHelper for free, independent support.

2. Make an exceptions list

Buying nothing new for an entire month – let alone a year – might be challenging without a few key exceptions. Break down your regular habits into necessary and unnecessary spending. Then create a budget for food, toiletries, utilities, priority bills, and transport costs. Meal planning is a great way to stick to a particular food shopping budget too.

You’ll also need to consider any big events coming up, and whether this is the right time to cut down non-critical spending. Have a think about potential deal breakers for each member of your household and whether you’d be willing to have a ‘no new things’ Christmas or birthday celebration.

3. Learn where to shop for second-hand items

If you’re wondering how to stop spending money on new clothes, second-hand shopping is a fantastic option. Local charity shops can be great for finding stylish bargains, but they can also be a mixed bag. Equally, how do you know whether you’re getting a good deal on eBay? Do your research and become a vintage clothing expert.

Read more about how shopping second-hand can help you save money with our complete guide.

4. Upskilling

If you’re committing to a long-term challenge, learning how to make do and mend is an essential skill. Learning skills like sewing and DIY can come in handy, and YouTube courses can be a great help too. For example, picking up advice from a gardening expert might help cut the costs involved with keeping your garden in tip-top condition without spending a penny on plants, flowers and supplies.

5. Treat yourself with experiences, not things

Spending and buying seem to become easier when we feel low, or when our mood is particularly high. Whether we’re commiserating or celebrating, buying stuff seems to be the natural next step.

If you have a special occasion to mark, or you feel like you need cheering up, create a list of free or inexpensive activities you enjoy. That way, you’ll have a go-to list of alternatives to help you feel good if you have the urge to make non-essential purchases.

6. Unsubscribe!

There are two parts to this step. The first is to unsubscribe from all those marketing emails sent to you on a daily basis, tempting you with deals and offers. Removing temptation is a massive part of a no-spending challenge – and it really is all around us. Every time you receive one of these emails, scroll to the bottom and there will be an unsubscribe button you can tap. Turn it into a bit of a game and see how many you can hit in a day!

If you think it might help, you might want to opt out of social media during your no-spend challenge too to help limit exposure to promotions and trends.

The second part of this step is to review all the subscriptions you’re signed up for. There are probably more than you realise. Consider subscriptions such as:

• Streaming services
• Online publications
• Food service apps
• Food delivery services
• Recipe kit subscriptions
• Audiobooks
• Paid-for bank accounts
• Music app subscriptions

For more tips and advice on how to find and cancel subscriptions you no longer use, head to our helpful guide. We’ll show you how to cancel your subscriptions properly and explore free swaps and alternatives.

7. Don’t give up

When setting any personal challenge, it can be tempting to give up entirely if you slip up just once. Whether it’s a healthy eating plan, Sober October, or a year without buying anything new, remember to give yourself a break if you slip up. Consistency is better than perfection, so if you need to buy something new one day, don’t let it derail all your efforts so far.

Tips to help cut down unnecessary spending

It’s possible you just want to cut down on your spending without taking on the no-spend challenge. In that case, whenever you’re queueing up at the tills or about to click ‘Add to cart’ when shopping online, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will I use/wear this more than 30 times?
• Am I buying this to impress other people?
• Do I have something similar at home already?
• Am I buying this mindfully?

The final question is key to making better purchasing decisions. Consider the feelings you get when buying something new and try to think of ways to create this feeling without consumption. Go for a walk, a coffee with a friend, gym session, or just relax at home with a good book or film instead. These mindful activities can be a positive influence on your wellbeing and your wallet – and the planet will thank you too!

Explore more tools and guides

Hopefully you’re now feeling a little more confident about how to take on the no-spend challenge. How you approach a no-spending challenge is entirely up to you and your goals, and it’s okay to make it your own.

Hoping to boost your financial learning further? Why not check out a couple more of our guides on simple ways to save money and effective monthly budgeting tips?

If you’re ever worried about money or debt, help is always available. Don’t forget you can access free, impartial advice from third-party organisations and charities such as:

• StepChange
• Citizens Advice
• MoneyHelper