I have 5 kids, so unexpected costs always come up. To stay on budget, we don't spend any money for a week.

"When my partner and I just finished a massive laundry room remodel that stretched our budget a bit, the worst happened. The contractor was putting the finishing touches on the floorboard. He pulled up a piece of wood and found black mold near the fridge from a leak, and kept finding more and more, down through the floorboards to the basement. We didn't know that our home remodel "part two" had just commenced, costing us thousands."

"How it works When our budget gets tight, the whole family takes a step back from spending for a certain amount of time. It can last a week or just a few days. Sometimes, we refer to it as "holding the line" - the line being the credit card balance. It works best with a clear goal and an end in sight, such as a few days from the end of a credit card cycle, when we are happy with how much we've spent."

A family of seven uses no-spend weeks as a deliberate response to unexpected costs like mold remediation, medical bills, and vehicle damage. The whole household pauses discretionary spending for a set period, typically a few days to a week, keeping only necessary purchases such as food. The practice is gamified for children and framed as "holding the line" against credit card balances. The strategy works best with a clear goal and end date, encourages using pantry items and free activities, and prioritizes intentional spending while preserving financial and emotional stability.

Read at Business Insider