The influencers, with their gleeful screams and jaw drops, are quite convincingyouneedthat product.

Its a never-ending cycle of dropping cash on items you dont actually benefit from.

One way people are reclaiming control over their finances and well-being?

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Still, theres room for flexibility.

Here, challenge-takers share the payoff theyve seen from no-spend months.

The benefits of a no-spend month

1.

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founder ofThe Savvy Sagittarius

She canceled unnecessary subscriptions and got rid of other services she could live without.

For nine no-spend months, she purchased nothing outside her regular monthly bills.

She paid in cash so shed be more likely to stick to her weekly budgets.

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And she also looked at ways to bring in more income.

In that year, Waller says she paid off about $17,000 of debt.

And that can have lasting changes.

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Traci Williams, PsyD

2.

Shes not alone: A2023 study1of nearly 23,000 adults found that financial worries are significantly linked with psychological distress.

Im not running away from my phone.

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founder ofThe Savvy Sagittarius

Im not running away from 1-800 numbers.

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The stress levels dropped dramatically.

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But theres a deeper motivation, too.

Now my mindset is, like, I very much do have money.

I have an abundance of things already in my house.

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I have a bookshelf full of books.

I have a closet full of clothes.

I should be using those things to the best of their ability before I buy new things.

Lets just say youre used to going out every Friday night or to brunch every Saturday morning.

What else can I do on Saturday mornings?

That can create a whole new experience for you in your life.

Lyons has found herself focusing on creating unique memories that dont cost an arm and a leg.

I think its forced me to kind of get creative with the time that we spend together.

There are long-lasting effects of a no-spend month, too.

Over the years of practicing no-spend months, Lyons says shes become less of an impulse shopper.

Shell borrow items from friends if she needs them only once.

And when she does purchase a non-essential item, she tries to shop secondhand.

She finds herself enjoying and using her purchases more than she did before she practiced no-spend months, too.

Youre always on to the next thing to purchase, rather than truly appreciating a purchase.

I have an abundance of things already in my house.

I have a bookshelf full of books.

I have a closet full of clothes.

I should be using those things to the best of their ability before I buy new things.

How is your behavior after the no-spend going to be?

Dont get wrapped up in perfectionyoure gonna spend money.

Its gonna happen, Lyons says.

If you did slip up and purchase something you didnt mean to, [ask yourself], Why?

Was it habitual or was it just something I didnt plan for?

And use that information to go forward into the next month.

Ryu S, Fan L. The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. J Fam Econ Issues.

2023;44(1):16-33. doi: 10.1007/s10834-022-09820-9.

Epub 2022 Feb 1.

PMID: 35125855; PMCID: PMC8806009.

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