Stretch your Dollars this Season with these 6 Easy Budget Challenges

We are about to enter one of the most expensive seasons of the year and, with prices skyrocketing everywhere, there’s potential for the holidays to break the bank. It can be difficult to figure out where to cut costs and save money, so I have some budget challenges that can help inspire you to save.

Budget Challenge #1: The Pantry Challenge

What is a pantry challenge?

A pantry challenge is a way to use up items that you purchased in past grocery shops but have been sitting unused in your cupboard.

How does it work?

Shop your cupboards! (And maybe the back of your fridge too). This is a way to get creative with recipes and you do this using up food that you already have on hand.

What are the benefits?

When you shop your cupboards you are saving money on groceries, saving time on grocery trips, and possibly on gas from driving to the store.

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your pantry challenge a success:

Save on Groceries With a Pantry Challenge

6 Easy appetizers you can make with pantry staples

Easy and Low Waste Meal Planning with Fulfill Shoppe Pantry Staples

10 Ways to Cook With Chickpeas and Lower Your Food Budget

Budget Challenge #2: The Homemade Gift Challenge

What is a homemade gift challenge?

A homemade gift challenge is a way to get creative with your gift giving where you try to make some or all of the gifts you plan to give.

How does it work?

Make a list of people you want to give presents to and then start generating ideas of what they might like from you. Thoughtful gifts don’t have to be overly elaborate. A simple handwritten letter can mean the world to someone and baking is always a hit.

What are the benefits?

Homemade gifts are often the most thoughtful because you’ve put a piece of yourself into the gift giving process. A number of thoughtful homemade gifts are less expensive than store bought ones, which helps save your budget, and there is an opportunity to use items you already have, which helps save the planet.

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your homemade gift challenge a success:

Words of Affirmation Gift that will Cost you Pennies!

Date Night Boxes–Fun DIY Christmas Gifts that Anyone can Make

Three Simple DIY Home Spa Day Gifts

Project DIY: Macramé Plant Hanger

12 Fun and Budget-Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids!

Your Ultimate Sustainable Gift Guide for the Holidays

Budget Challenge #3: The Reuse Challenge

What is a reuse challenge?

A reuse challenge is a chance to reuse anything and everything before tossing it in the bin.

How does it work?

Whenever you are about to throw something in the garbage bin, the recycle bin, or the green waste bin, pause and ask yourself if the item can be reused at least one more time before it is discarded.

What are the benefits?

The more use you get out of an item, the less you are likely spending on new things. This benefits the planet too because you’re less likely to be mindlessly wasting items or excessively purchasing new things. And plus it’s fun to get creative!

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your reuse challenge a success:

Your Ultimate Guide to Reusing Items and Why to do so

Budget Challenge #4: The Meal Planning Challenge

What is a meal planning challenge?

A meal planning challenge is where you commit to planning a set number of meals for your week in advance.

How does it work?

Set aside time to create a schedule of your meals for the upcoming few days, week, or month–whatever time period works for you. Base your grocery shops off of these planned meals.

What are the benefits?

Meal planning can help save you time during your weeks as the decisions about meals are taken care of. It can also help save you money as your grocery shops are focused on planned meals and will involve less impulse or convenience purchases.

An added benefit is there will likely be less food waste as your meals are all planned out and this will hopefully leave less leftovers hanging out in the fridge!

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your meal planning challenge a success:

Effortless meal planning in 5 easy steps

Why Food Waste is a Big Deal and How to Prevent it

Budget Challenge #5: The Power Smart Challenge

What is a power smart challenge?

The power smart challenge is where you try to reduce your energy usage every day.

How does it work?

Pay attention to where you can reduce your energy use at home and take steps to do so. This can be turning down the thermostat a couple degrees or it can mean unplugging appliances you do not regularly use. That coffee pot you only run on the weekends may have a clock or lights that are passively using up energy. All of these little actions will add up.

What are the benefits?

The benefits will be seen on your monthly energy bill—when your usage drops and so does your fee. You’ll be saving money and helping the planet all at the same time.

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your power smart challenge a success:

How I’m saving over $100 on my Energy Bill this Year with the BC Hydro Team Power Smart Challenge

10 Practical tips to save money on heating this winter

Budget Challenge #6: The Secondhand Challenge

What is a secondhand challenge?

A secondhand challenge is where you try to avoid buying anything new and instead find a secondhand source for items you need.

How does it work?

Whenever you need an item you don’t have–whether it is a tool for a project or an outfit for an event–you first look for a second hand option to obtain that item. This could be through borrowing an item from a friend, through your local buy nothing group, or through shopping at a thrift store.


What are the benefits?

The benefit to your wallet is huge! Second hand items will be less expensive than brand new ones. Buying or borrowing second hand can often create a sense of community too.

Check out these posts for some further inspiration on making your secondhand challenge a success:

Secondhand September: Embracing Conscious Consumption

10 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores (and 3 fun things I’ve found recently!)

8 Things You Should Buy Secondhand Instead of New

Budget Challenges and Having a Budget

I’m such a huge fan of having a budget and of finding creative ways to stay within my budget. Budget challenges are a great way to do that. If you’re interested in more ideas on budgets and finances, here are a couple postst to check out:

How to Create a Budget in 5 Easy Steps

Money Master Class: A Year of Financial Guidance

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