The trend is doing the rounds again on social media right now, so we’ve put together a list of “no spend” activities you could try that benefit your bank balance, and also the planet.
Go for a walk
There’s arguably no better free activity than getting out into nature. It’s good for your health, your wellbeing, and you can do it alone or with friends. Studies show some people could spend £60 a month on takeaway coffees. Bring your own coffee or water bottles from home to avoid extra purchases and packaging, and bonus points if you can also turn your walk into a litter picking session!
Visit your local library
Make use of your local library to avoid purchasing new media. Choose a new book for a cosy reading session, or you can find films for your next at-home movie night with friends.
Forage your seasonal decorations
Instead of buying autumnal or winter decorations, you can forage and craft. You can collect beautiful leaves, conkers, pinecones or fruits to preserve and display in garlands or wreaths.
Bake for sweet treats for throughout the week
Look through your cupboards and see what ingredients you can use up for some autumnal baking. Batch baking treats on the weekend can prevent the amount of money you’re spending throughout the week, and also help reduce packaging consumption.
Sort through your wardrobe
As the seasons are changing, now is a great time of year to sort through your wardrobe. Did you know the average spend on clothes in the UK is £250 a month? You could host a clothing swap with your friends to refresh your wardrobe, or sell these items online using apps such as eBay or Vinted to encourage second-hand clothing markets.
Repair your clothes
Textile waste is an enormous pollution source globally. Whilst you’re clearing out, find those items that you avoid wearing because they need to be repaired. Watch online tutorials to learn how to resew a button, fix a zip, and patch or embroider over a hole in a jumper. You can also repurpose old clothing scraps for crafts, gift wrapping, or cleaning rags.
Clear out your inbox
Did you know that emails sat in your inbox are using both energy and water? Set aside some time for a digital clear out to reduce your carbon footprint. Delete old emails and use this time to unsubscribe from any newsletters you no longer want to receive – particularly ones that tempt you into unnecessary purchases.
Grow vegetables with your food scraps
Did you know you can grow new vegetables using food you’ve already got in your cupboards? You can propagate spring onions, celery, lettuces and herbs easily using only water, before planting them out to enjoy many more harvests.
Volunteer in your local area
Spending time volunteering can give back to your community and the environment. Many organisations need help with activities such as litter picking, gardening or food distribution.
Invest the money you’ve saved into a positive impact fund
One of the main benefits of a “no spend” challenge is saving money – and you can make that money go even further by investing into funds that do good for people and the planet. Triodos Impact Investments have been hand-picked to make sure the companies included are delivering a positive impact on society or the environment.
Explore how far the savings you make could impact your investment returns using our investment calculators. You will find one on the website page for each investment fund. Explore the Global Equities Impact Fund calculator here.
This is not financial advice. Please speak to a financial advisor if you would like personal recommendations about investments.
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