When it comes to finding new ways to save money, you have to mix it up every once in a while if you find something’s not working for you. One of the ways you can help curb your spending is by trying the “cash only challenge”. You’re probably wondering how this could help you save money, but when you hear how people are doing this, you will be surprised with how effective it can be.
So what is the “cash only challenge”?
A different take on budgeting, especially for those who are struggling financially or those who are finding that they are going over budget month to month, the cash only challenge is exactly what it sounds like. We use cards on a regular basis and there is not always a tangible way to see what we’re spending.
With the “cash only challenge”, you can only spend cash. And once you’re out of cash, you can’t spend any more. So how do you know where to start the cash only challenge? Start by setting up your monthly budget, including any bills and expenses that you know you have coming up. Once all of your spendings are laid out, you will know how much you will be spending that month and you can then break it down into weeks and what needs to be paid when.
Once you sort out your cash in a week by week basis, feel free to add a few extra dollars to each week’s budget for those “just in case” purchases. Adding extra funds to your weekly cash account only works if you’re willing to be reasonable about it and knowing it is only there for unforeseen purchases.
By using this cash only method, you are seeing first hand where your cash is going and by only having so much of it available, it will also help curb your spending habits on what may be unnecessary items that you never realized how much you were spending money on. This is also a great opportunity to pay off your credit cards and debt, and get out of that constant credit card cycle we’ve talked about before. Another downfall to the “cash only challenge” is you’re then not getting your loyalty points on your spending, but as we’ve also discussed, this may be a good thing since you then won’t be tempted to be buying items based on promotions.
How does the cash only challenge sound to you? Do you think you could go a month without your cards? Let us know in the comment section below.
