• Home
  • About Women With Intention
  • FAQs
  • Contact Me

Women With Intention

For women seeking purpose, simplicity, and balance in life.

  • Intentional Living
    • Goals
    • Self-Care
      • Self-Care Calendars
    • Time Management
    • Living Your Best Life
      • Putting Yourself First (Self-Care)
      • 31 Days Of Intentional Living
      • Smart Choices (Fitness & Diet)
  • Homemaking
    • Decluttering, Organizing & Simplifying
      • 31 Days Of Decuttering In December
    • Intentional In The Kitchen
      • Meal Planning
        • Meal Plan Monday
        • Meal Planning Master List
      • Canning & Preserving Food
      • Freezer Cooking
      • Recipes
    • Holidays & Special Occasions
    • Seasonal Fun
    • Home Management
  • Saving Money
    • Budgeting
    • 14 Day No Spend Challenge
    • Grocery Shopping
    • Income Producing Ideas
    • Store Deals
    • Do It Yourself Projects
  • Relationships
    • Christian Living & Biblical Womanhood
    • Family Fun
    • Marriage
    • Mentoring
    • Parenting
  • Resources
    • 31 Day Challenges
    • Building A Stockpile
    • Master Meal Planning Lists
    • Printables
    • Blog Party Directory
    • Self-Care Calendars
    • My Reading List
    • Things I Love

14 Day No Spending Challenge

January 1, 2014 by Jenny 21 Comments

Have you ever done a 14 day no spend challenge? This challenge can eliminate unneeded expenses & help save your money! Here's what you need to get started!

Have you ever thought about trying a 14 day no spend challenge?

I like to do these every once in awhile to save money, clean out the pantry, and to have extra money for upcoming holidays and events (like back to school).  If you need help preparing for a no spend challenge look here!

Here is my explanation of the 2 Week No Spend Challenge:

For some of you, a No Spend Challenge will be spending NO money on anything that isn’t essential for 14 days.  The only thing you will spend is paying your bills.

If you are able to be that disciplined, that is awesome and I’d love to hear how much you are able to save during this time!

For the rest of us, a no spend challenge probably means paying your bills, and eliminating as much as you can from the non-essential category and maybe even trying to trim your essential category.  (Paying your bills are essential, cookies at the grocery store when you are grocery shopping, probably are not!)

For me Coke Zero stops at the gas station or a clearance deal at Target both seem like small expenses at the time but can quickly add up!

A no spend challenge can eliminate those expenses and help save your money!

Essentials will be different for everyone, for some people tithing at church would be non-essential, for some it would be essential. This challenge is for you and is designed for you!

If you can live out of your fridge, pantry, and freezer for a week, I challenge you to not go to the grocery store. The purpose of this challenge is to save you money but when you are out of milk for your kids, please go buy some.

You can get meal planning help for this challenge here!  I have a sample of my own plan here!  I will be posting on maximizing your pantry, freezer, and eating what you already have to help you out (and there will also be some organizing, some decluttering (in case you didn’t participate last month or have more to go), and I’d like to share frugal recipes! I hope that makes sense to everyone!  If not, please ask questions!

Here are some expenses that I would cut during this time: buying soda, coffees at Starbucks, eating out, clothing (the exception to this is that I know my oldest daughter is going to be buying a jersey for her basketball league), playing the lottery, buying alcohol, toys, and items that I should already have on hand like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and any other impulse items.

As you think about participating here are a few questions I think you should answer (and these will be different for everyone!):

1. When I go to the grocery store/ Target, Wal-Mart, etc. what can I not buy that would help me save money that our family either can live without for 2 weeks or that isn’t beneficial to my family?

This is where the soda, candy, and mainly junk food comes in. (I’m not saying you can’t drink soda at all during the challenge, I’m saying not to buy more during the challenge!  So in my case, I may have to stock up at be sure I take something to drink when I drive in the car.)

2. What expenses do I know that are coming up in the next 2 weeks that I will need to account for?

Here is where the basketball jersey, maybe a birthday gift you need to buy during this time, or if you have an engagement that you have already planned come into play.  These were arrangements made before this challenge and you need to honor them.

3. What will I NOT buy during these 2 weeks?

4. Is my partner on board?

I have a hard time getting Jason on board for these challenges and I understand why.

Being a farmer, life is very unpredictable.  The weather, your animals, and other factors outside of your control dictate your life.  Farm expenses are frequent as machines break, animals need fed, and vehicles need fuel.  Sometimes you need to purchase things that you don’t plan on and that’s ok.  Almost all of the money he spends is out of the farm account anyway so it doesn’t really make a difference to our personal account.

I know there are areas of my spending I can cut back on regardless of if he participates or not and my job is being the manager of my home where my goal is to do a better job saving so I have more money for other things that are more important.

5. Are there any other exceptions or rules that I want to use in this challenge?

This is your challenge. There’s no judging from me, I just want to help you reach your goals! The more you stretch yourself, the more helpful this challenge will be.

Date night is not optional in my home. It gets me out of the house, be a better mother, and allows me to spend time with my husband. However, instead of going to Red Lobster, we can choose to go somewhere less expensive or eat at home before going out.

There are many date options that are reasonable or don’t cost a thing. I’m going to try to be really creative and think outside the box.

I think that’s about it.  If you have questions, leave them in the comments, Facebook me or email me (womenwithintention@gmail.com).

I sincerely hope you will consider your own no spending 14 day challenge and watch for an upcoming group challenge for those of you who wish to participate!

Have you tried a no spend challenge?

Filed Under: 14 Day No Spend Challenge, Budgeting, Intentional Frugality

Comments

  1. Nicole says

    January 1, 2014 at 3:09 PM

    I love this post. I myself have been looking of ways to just curb any unnecessary spending. I decided to just take whatever money that would be spent on a soda, etc and put it in a jar and see how much is there at the end of each month.

    Reply
  2. Opal says

    January 1, 2014 at 9:49 PM

    This sounds great! Just what I need… I’m in!

    Reply
    • Jenny says

      January 1, 2014 at 10:02 PM

      I created a private Facebook group called Women With Intention 14 Day No Spending Challenge for those of you who want to participate! Please request to join and we’d love to have you share your ideas on frugal recipes, money saving tips, and be able to encourage each other on our goals!

      Reply
  3. Theresa says

    January 1, 2014 at 10:14 PM

    Add me too, was just thinking about this after Christmas “after-math”! Going to Vegas in February and would like to get rid of the leftover Christmas debt and take cash instead cards!

    Reply
  4. Michele says

    January 2, 2014 at 1:15 AM

    I’m IN!! Once I mentioned it to my husband, he was high fivin’ me. I’ve totally been thinking to do this anyway. Thank you!! I will be keeping tabs on your tips and tricks. Here’s to 2014, spending less and living a happier life. 😉

    Reply
  5. Melissa Gaines-Mow says

    January 4, 2014 at 11:16 PM

    I could totally do this! I try to keep the cash I start the week with at the end of the week, really what do I need through the week? However my husband does a lot of grocery shopping and he does not follow my healthy lifestyle so there is a lot of junk he could be saving money on…and don’t get me started on the cigars! Stopping in from Sweet Saturday blog hop!

    Reply
  6. Tamara says

    January 5, 2014 at 3:58 PM

    I just might join in on this challenge! Such a great idea to challenge yourself on this.

    Reply
    • Jenny says

      January 5, 2014 at 4:01 PM

      I’d love it if you do! We have a private Facebook group that is sharing a lot of nice ideas on how to save money! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Tammy says

    January 5, 2014 at 4:08 PM

    We’ve been doing this off and on for about 5 years now because of financial problems then. Not only are we a cash only family now we are out of debt and in better shape than ever by the grace if God. Great post.

    Reply
  8. Renew Your Space says

    January 5, 2014 at 5:42 PM

    This is a great challenge! I think the most important aspect is making sure your partner is on the same page – when it’s only one of you, it’s impossible to make progress… I’d love to join in! ~ Renee

    Reply
  9. Vita @ VitaLivesFree says

    January 5, 2014 at 7:17 PM

    Love your post, Jenny! I’ve been doing the no spending challenge since the 1st pf January as well. But I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I simply wanted to use up everything i had in the fridge and in the pantry. It’s a great feeling when everything gets emptied out, and then I can start from scratch. It’s also the first month where we have a budget (first time ever), so if I manage to stick to it, I’ll be very proud!

    Reply
    • Jenny says

      January 5, 2014 at 7:25 PM

      I’d be proud too 🙂 Good for you!

      Reply
  10. MommySue says

    January 5, 2014 at 10:43 PM

    I love this idea! What is easy to forget is that there are ALOT of people who live this way ALL the time. And what is REEAALLYYY cool is how God provides for you during those times … in ways you know it is ONLY from Him! : ) I’d love for you to come read “A Project for 2014 : God’s Economy” over at my site. chaoticsimplicity.com/gods-economy/ It builds upon exactly what you are doing here.

    God bless you!!

    Reply
  11. Angela @ Joy Focused Learning says

    January 8, 2014 at 8:28 AM

    Thanks so much for linking up at last week’s Anything Goes Link-up! I featured this post at this week’s linky. Feel free to grab a button(not required) when you stop by to link-up!

    Reply
    • Angela @ Joy Focused Learning says

      January 8, 2014 at 8:28 AM

      forgot the link to this week’s link-up: http://www.joyfocusedlearning.com/2014/01/anything-goes-link-up-7.html

      Reply
  12. Accidentally Wonderful says

    January 8, 2014 at 11:44 AM

    Great idea! I’d love it if you’d link this up to my very first linky party!

    http://accidentallywonderful.blogspot.com/2014/01/accidentally-wonderful-wednesday-1.html

    Reply
  13. Alison at NOVA Frugal Family says

    January 14, 2014 at 10:41 PM

    I always look at these and think that I should join up but I guess that I do this all the time. We only eat out once a month or less and it is usually a take out pizza for $5. We don’t get soda, fast food or coffee. These were all decisions that we made when I decided to be a stay at home mom. I think that I need to do the make a crazy purchase purchase once a week group like don’t pack a cooler just to go to the store because you might need an extra drink 🙂 I guess it is good to have everything in moderation. I wonder if I could go two weeks without buying anything other than gas for the car. I missed your 2 week period but I might have to see if I can do it 🙂

    Reply
  14. Heather @ My Overflowing Cup says

    January 1, 2015 at 5:52 PM

    I love posts like this that challenge us to save money in No-Spend Challenges or Pantry Challenges. I like the approach you are taking, as well. It’s nice to see how everyone else does it, but to be successful, it is important to feel that we have the freedom to tailor it to our needs and that of our family.

    I wrote about doing a Pantry Challenge on my blog, if you’d like to check it out. For me, these challenges are about determining the difference between wants and needs. In a post about why we kissed Costco goodbye, I talked about how we need to let the wants go and keep the needs when we are looking to spend less.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and tips with us.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Weekend Retreat Features - MOMMY ON DEMAND says:
    January 9, 2014 at 11:17 AM

    […] Julius from the Scent of Oranges 14 Day No Spending Challenge from Women with Intention If you were featured we’d love if you would grab a button HERE Filed Under: […]

    Reply
  2. Save Money Monday Frugal Link-Up Week #7 - Frugality Gal says:
    June 13, 2014 at 2:34 PM

    […] 12 Ways to be More Self-Sufficient by Homestead Mania2. 14 Day No-Spending Challenge by Women with Intention3. New Year’s Eve Party Invitations (Free Cut File) by Black and White […]

    Reply
  3. The Weekend re-Treat Link Party #48 FEATURES | The Best Blog Recipes says:
    December 26, 2014 at 10:11 AM

    […] 14 Day No Spending Challenge from Women with Intention   If you were featured we’d love if you would grab a button HERE Hey Food […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I’m Jenny!

I'm a wife, a mom of 6 and daughter of the King. I love my chocolate, cute cloth diapers, DIY and self-improvement projects, and curling up with a great book!

I'm excited to have you join me on my journey of saving money, living the good life while balancing family, relationships and homemaking! Learn more about me and this site here!

Would You Like More Tips & Tricks To Live YOUR Live With Intention?

Subscribe By Email!

* indicates required
 photo 9e35b669-0746-4500-97cd-440272ae0979_zps8ac4d98e.jpg Each month, I post a FREE monthly self-care calendar. I hope to help you all live with purpose is by loving yourself enough to take time for self care! As parents, it is our job to prepare our children to leave the home when they are grown. Here are the life skills I feel are essential to know.  photo 31 Days of Purpose 300 button_zpsj2vb9hrn.png Are you snowed in and looking for something fun and tasty? Snow ice cream might be just want you need! Here are 3 snow ice cream recipes! Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • 5 Daily Sanity Saving Tips To Help You Escape Survival Mode
  • April 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • March 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • February 2017 Self-Care Calendar
  • What I’m Into…January 2017 Edition
Pied-a-terre Loft Furniture

Archives

  • March 2018
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
shareasale.com Blogorama - The Blog Directory

**This site contains affiliate links. See the disclosures page for additional information. Copyright © 2013-2018 Women With Intention

Pages

  • 31 Day Challenges & Series
  • About Women With Intention
  • Blog Party Directory
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure Policy
  • FAQs
  • Master Meal Planning Lists
  • Self-Care Calendars

Family Blogs
top blog directory

Home & Garden Blogs - Blog Rankings

Copyright © 2025 · Lifestyle Pro Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in