Have you heard about Shaling, not soaked? It is a common concept among bloggers who think about the budget and simple who encourage us to save more and decline in our lives. The idea is simple: stop spending unnecessary for a specific period and know the amount you can save. The more (and invested), the more financial freedom achieves.
For the largest part, I didn’t need to try it. I don’t buy a lot of sports equipment that wears every 6-12 months since I play a lot of tennis and pickle. It was the last time I bought jeans more than a decade ago, and I couldn’t even remember the last time I bought a dress shirt.
Since 1999, I have made the average savings average by 50 %. During the last year of my full -time work, I pushed it to 80 % to prepare for my exit. So, although I was always economical, I have never faced official challenge without spending.
But if there is time for one experience, this time has come now.
Let us challenge the non -spending
Here are some convincing reasons for participation:
- An inflation expectations riseThe meaning is likely that goods and services will continue to become more expensive. Adjust now helps adapt.
- There is an opportunity ~ 30 % of stagnation or stagnation Over the next 12 months due to continuous trade tensions and geopolitical certainty. As a result, it can be discharged and struggled to find work for a long period of time.
- At the price of the stock market at a price of about 22x forwardWhich makes it vulnerable to another correction. Hold more cash gives you options.
- Maybe you missed the Dip. Savings now give you an opportunity to be ready for the next one.
- You suffer from investing in the future of your children’s financial. The month of non -spending can help redirect money to Roth IRAS, guard calculations, or 529 plannings.
- You are working to become my mother and Abi ThrieGive your children a stronger launch platform for the future.
- Your local housing market slows downWith excessive construction of constantly high mortgage rates. Develop the first batch to take advantage of the best deals.
- You may be a salary on the salary Due to the last lifestyle or the purchase of large tickets. Restoring spending helps to rebuild liquidity.

More reasons for trying a challenge of non -spending
If the above practical reasons are not good enough to help you reduce spending, here are some other reasons that deserve to be considered.
- Test your financial flexibility Before life imposes on that.
- Enhancing your money discipline. It is a muscle. The more it folds it, the greater the stronger.
- Take your basic line for happiness. You may realize that you do not miss spending nearly as you think.
- Reducing fatigue in the decision By eliminating what to purchase – and concentrating the energy elsewhere.
- Learn if you really need to earn as much as you do. When I left the work in 2012, I did approximately 80 % over the first two years (except for my Severance package, which has invested 100 %). But because I was saved 70 % – 80 % of my income for years, my life style was not affected. In fact, it has improved significantly. I felt freedom and less pressure, and I had time to recover mentally and physically.
Challenge period: at least 3 months
Anyone can do something difficult for a week. But to really change behavior, the challenge must last for at least three months – for a long time enough to form new habits and make meaningful progress.
Here is what I brought out for at least three months:
- Cesterger, potato chips, French onion retreat, dessert
- Tennis shoes so that I can finally go to my stocks
- Hair shave (I will use Clippers and do it myself)
- Flights more than economics
- Holiday rental in the budget
- Electronics (laptop, phone, earphones, games)
- Domestic workers for the basic house or rents (gardening, cleaning, etc.)
- Inside game purchases, such as Pokémon Go
Of course, I still spend on necessities: shelter, insurance (health, life, property, cars, umbrella), school tuition fees, and basic food. I will also spend what is necessary to make the ADU unit of my father residence again, such as buying a new refrigerator and scope.
However, the additional savings will go directly to the stocks and treasury bonds, Private real estateand and Investment capital. My goal is to reduce estimated spending of at least $ 1500 a month, or $ 4,500 during this challenge.
With artificial intelligence to pick up the speed again, I want to invest as much as possible now. One of the easiest ways I do The donation projectWhich has a higher -class AI companies like Openai, anthropic, databricks, Anduril, and more.

If you provide less than 20 % of your income …
You have a great opportunity.
To build financial freedom faster, aims at The maximum tax retirement accounts Preserve An additional 20 % or more. If you earn less than $ 100,000 a year, this may feel tightly, but try it. You may surprise yourself as you really need.
If you already save 20 %, learn yourself to photograph it to 25 % to 30 % during the lack of materials. Providing this amount of means every year you work and save it can buy you from 3 to 4 years of freedom in the future.
The savings rate scheme for financial freedom
To motivate you to provide more, check this financial freedom saving scheme. Just raise your 5 % savings rate can fly years of your working life.
If you can pay the savings rate to 50 % or more, you can retire within 20 years of starting your career, and perhaps even within 10 years of today. The graph does not include possible investment returns, which speeds your way to financial freedom.

Believe me, you will adapt quickly to living at theicown. Don’t be afraid of spending less now for freedom later. The achievement of financial independence requires difficult options, but once you look at it and look back, they will not feel strong after all.
When I looked back in the progress of net value, I often surprised how much it grows several years after the strong investment returns. It does not seem real, and I end up checking the numbers a lot. You will be completely surprised by the strength of your clear wealth over time.
If you want to cheat the challenge that does not extend
There is a loophole, But only if you earn it. If you cannot resist spending on something unnecessary, you will allow you to cheat only If you create additional income through side bustle or new smart investment.
For example, if I want to boast of first -class tickets to Honolulu, I will need to earn an additional $ 1200 per person, perhaps through financial consultations or tennis teaching. By associating the challenge with the earning, I will always realize whether the additional spending is really worth it.
So, will you join me? What do you want to reduce?
Let’s face a challenge that does not exceed and see where it leads.
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