I thought this would be easy.
One full day without spending money? No coffee, no takeout, no mindless Amazon orders that somehow show up on my doorstep before I even remember checking out? I figured I’d breeze through it.
It’s just one day—how hard could it be?
Turns out, really hard.
I didn’t realize how much of modern life is built around spending money until I actively tried not to. Even when you’re not thinking about it, you’re spending—a quick snack, a forgotten subscription, an “urgent” $12 purchase that somehow feels non-negotiable in the moment.
So, I made it a challenge. 24 hours. No cash, no card, not even using up a lingering gift card with $3.78 left on it. If I spent a single penny, I failed.
Here’s how that disaster played out.
The Rules (Or, How I Set Myself Up for Failure)
I figured if I was going to do this, I needed ground rules. Simple ones:
- No money leaves my hands, my bank, or my credit card. Zero.
- No sneaky loopholes. No “free trials,” no having a friend cover me, no grabbing something and saying “I’ll Venmo you later.”
- I have to live my normal life. Sitting in bed all day would be cheating.
I woke up feeling confident. I went to bed a changed person.
Hour 1: Morning Optimism Meets Its First Challenge
I woke up, stretched, and immediately hit my first crisis:
☕ No coffee.
Had I planned ahead? No. Did I even think about how much I rely on spending money first thing in the morning? Also no.
My usual iced coffee? Costs money. The backup emergency Keurig pods? Gone.
So now I had two choices:
- Go without caffeine and risk my brain staging a full-on shutdown.
- Scavenge my kitchen like a caffeine-deprived raccoon.
I dug through my cabinets and found a single jar of instant coffee. I didn’t even know I owned this. It tasted like disappointment and regret, but it was free. Crisis averted.
Mood: 8/10. Still optimistic.
Hour 3: My Brain Tries to Spend Money Without Me
Turns out, I spend money without even thinking.
I was working on my laptop, minding my own business, when I almost instinctively ordered DoorDash. Not because I was particularly hungry. Just… because.
Luckily, I caught myself. No spending today.
Instead, I raided my fridge. The results were sad. I ended up eating:
- Leftover rice
- Half an avocado that was on the verge of becoming soup
- A spoonful of almond butter straight from the jar
Would I call it a meal? Not really. But it was free.
Mood: 6/10. Feeling cheap, but still in the game.
Hour 6: The Social Life Problem
A friend texted me:
“Want to grab a drink?”
Yes. Yes, I did. But I had to explain I was doing a self-imposed financial starvation challenge and couldn’t spend money.
Alternative solution? I invited them over for a “free” hangout. Which ended up being:
- Drinking tap water like peasants.
- Watching YouTube instead of Netflix.
- Me aggressively defending my life choices.
Would it have been easier to just spend $5 on coffee and socialize like a normal person? Absolutely. But rules are rules.
Mood: 4/10. I miss capitalism.
Hour 10: The Unexpected Trap That Almost Ended Me
I was driving home when it hit me:
Gas isn’t free.
And my tank? Borderline empty.
I started doing mental math—could I make it home? Could I just… coast in neutral down any hills? Would AAA show up if I called and just pretended I didn’t know how cars work?
Miraculously, I made it back without spending anything. But barely.
Mood: 3/10. The universe is testing me.
Hour 16: The Amazon Temptation Spiral
Boredom is dangerous. Because when you’re bored, your brain tells you to shop.
I found myself scrolling Amazon without even thinking about it. I had a full cart ready to check out before I even remembered I wasn’t allowed to spend money.
$0 Day Challenge Status: Almost failed over a pack of LED lights I didn’t need.
Mood: 2/10. Someone take my internet away.
Hour 22: I Became the Person I Swore I’d Never Be
At this point, I was hungry, exhausted, and rethinking all my life choices.
And then I saw it. A free food sample station at the grocery store.
Would a billionaire ever treat a single cheese cube as a full meal? Probably not.
Did I care? Absolutely not.
I lingered way too long at that sample table. I may have gone back for seconds. The employee knew exactly what I was doing and let me pretend we didn’t both know.
Mood: 1/10. This is rock bottom. But at least it’s free.
Hour 24: I Survived (But At What Cost?)
When the clock hit midnight, I had officially completed the $0 Day Challenge.
Total money spent: $0.00
Total dignity lost: Most of it.
Final Thoughts—Would I Do This Again?
Would I recommend this challenge? Yes. But also no.
What I learned:
- I spend way more money than I realize on tiny, daily things.
- You can make it work without spending, but it’s a lot less fun.
- I should probably start stocking my house with actual food.
What made it painful:
- Socializing is almost impossible without money.
- I became a free sample scavenger in under 24 hours.
- Gas is a financial time bomb.
Will I do this again? Yes.
Will I plan ahead next time so I don’t end up drinking instant coffee and making a meal out of almond butter? Also yes.
Could YOU survive a $0 Day?
No coffee. No gas. No small impulse purchases.
Or would you crack under the weight of modern convenience and cave?