44 The No-Spend Year (and alternatives)

Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about something that most crafters will probably consider at some point in their lives … a no spend year. Sometimes it's a month, a quarter, six months … but most commonly I see people setting this goal for a whole year. It might sound drastic, even unthinkable to some, but in this economy, especially with the rising prices of craft supplies, there are plenty of people doing a no-spend year. I'm not trying to talk anyone into such a dramatic situation, and, of course, there are some alternatives, so let's talk about the difference between a no spend, low spend and mindful spend year, the reasons you might consider them, and how you can succeed at such a challenge.

If you've never heard of a no-spend year, the goal is to spend zero dollars on non-essential items for a full calendar year. On TikTok I see a lot of people doing this specifically for fashion, beauty products or home decor, but as this is a crafting podcast, we are talking about spending zero dollars on craft supplies. There are a lot of reasons why someone might go no-spend, usually falling into one of two categories … voluntary or involuntary.

For involuntary, it's usually due to a lack of finances, but I have known people forced to stop their retail therapy due to a lack of space, downsizing or moving house, travel or loss of employment.

For voluntary, again, there could be any number of reasons … including a change in lifestyle, lack of time, change of craft preference, injury or illness, change in family dynamics, personal challenge or even a dare.

Whatever your reason, if you are considering a no-spend year, there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success.

1. Create your roadmap

2.Assess your craft stash

3. Set the Rules

4. Remove Temptation

5. Have a support person

6. Gamify it

7. Look for freebies