Trying the No-Buy Challenge for 30 Days Actually Made My Life Less Boring

A spending detox shifted my whole relationship with money. Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNET I had my doubts about the no-buy challenge. I'd been seeing it all over social media, but as a personal finance editor, I wasn't sure it could teach me anything new about managing my money. Still, prices are insane and a recession is looming, so I figured it couldn't hurt to try. So, for 30 days, I bought only essentials. And I was honestly amazed by how transformative it wound up being. Sure, it saved me a chunk of change. But it also changed my relationship with my money in a way that will serve me for months -- and years -- to come. And, even more surprising, it was actually kind of fun. Read more: The Simple $1 Trick Helped Me Pay Off Debt and Retire on My Terms. Here's How It Works Spending more mindfully: My no-buy rules "No-buy" doesn't mean spending no money at all. Obviously we can't avoid paying for essentials like housing, food and utilities. But we can be more mindful about how we budge ... Read full article.