The Zero Euro Experiment
Can you spend 0 euros during 1 day?
Controlling my expenses is one of my main concern here in Madrid. My salary is low (compared to what i used to earn in Belgium and what i could earn in France) and cost of life here in Madrid is high… i’ll come back on this in another post… Plus, i had the great idea to want to live on my own for the first time ever. And i’m in Madrid, meaning im potentially out every night, having a beer or 5 copas.
So yes, i have to control my expenses…
And today, in the metro, i was thinking… is it possible to NOT spend money during an entire day? I mean, 24 full hours?
Im not talking about, let’s say, stuff you pay over the course of a month or a week, like gas for your car, or a metro monthly ticket, or hot water, or your rent. Obviously we indirectly spend money every day, from dawn til dusk, having a shower, watching TV, commuting to uni or work, using the light to read a book before sleeping… We can reduce some of this expenses (go by bike, don’t watch TV,…) but there will still remain some of them. So for me, that doesn’t count, as we need to spend money even just to get the minimum comfort.
What i’m talking about is actual expenses, the ones when you get your little hand in your wallet, and hand out to a machine or a person your debit/credit card or your cash.
Think about it.
You want a coffee? Need to go to the coffee machine and buy yourself a coffee.
You are hungry? Go get a sandwhich at the supermarket on the corner of your street.
You are a social person and want to have a beer with some friends? Go to a bar and get something.
Its the weekend. You can have your coffee at home, your lunch at home, your dinner at home. But maybe, at some point, you will go out, have a walk. If you have kids, very probably they will want a candy or a McDo burger. If you don’t have kids, then you are young enough to want the candy for yourself 
… So during weekends, you would have other opportunities to spend money.
Oh, sure you can always find alternatives. Bring your own jar of coffe in a isothermic bottle. Or prepare lunch the night before. Or invite your friends home.
But to have a expenses-free day, you would have to do all of this the same day… And if you really think about it, its not that common…
I can tell you: since im trying to control my expenses, every day i try to remember what i spent and wrote it down. There are some days that i get very good at not spending… and the only thing i buy is the coffee in that coffee machine. Well, then i lost. I spent money.
I can’t remember last time i didnt spend anything. Just thinking about this makes me realize i could probably try harder, but thats not the point of this article.
So, what do you think about this?
Even without being a person who spends a lot, do you happen to have expenses-free day? Or do you always find yourself spending for something? Do you have any interesting tips for spending less?
Are you ready to take the challenge? Let’s set a day and try to spend 0 euros.
Nicolas.
PS: For those interested, go check out Leo Babauta’s blog. I used to follow it a year ago and its pretty good. You can go read this article called 20 Money hacks: tips and tricks to improve your finances but they are plenty others
Comments
Leave a Reply
Adrien Joly on 27.10.2009
it reminds me that, a few months ago, we were proposed a « no-expense » day, in order to mobilize against capitalism. but, as you said, it makes no sense to buy nothing in a day, as some things that you consume everyday are paid monthly (e.g. accomodation, food in your fridge, books, tv…). can can try a « no-expense-month », but i’m sure that your landlord (and many other subsciption-based expenses) will not like that!
Nicolas on 27.10.2009
Well i think a « no expense » day actually makes sense … Of course you have to stay aware that whatever you do you will spend money, but at least you can try to spend it on useful stuff, try to avoid consuming that special day (you know: don’t go shopping, don’t buy online, …).
In my opinion, the point of any « no expense day » lies much more in getting aware of our consumption habits than trying to save money for one day.
But of course its not easy.
It also reminds me of such an initiative in INSA de Lyon, no? I remember something linked to the World Day without Purchase… But again… its not about not spending at all, its about consuming less.
Nico
Tweets that mention The Zero Euro Experiment | Nicolas Daudin's blog -- Topsy.com on 27.10.2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nicolas Daudin, Nicolas Daudin. Nicolas Daudin said: The Zero Euro Experiment. Take the challenge with me. http://bit.ly/12Pza7 #fb #money [...]
Irene on 27.10.2009
This link could be interesting… for reading, I wouldn´t trust your (or mine!) home made beer!
http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/save-money-by-making-your-own-beer/
Papagrieng on 28.10.2009
J’suis partant… jeudi ? vendredi ? lundi prochain ?
Nicolas on 29.10.2009
Thanks for the beer link. Maybe we could give it to Spanish breweries, no? Spanish beer is sooo aaaaarrrgghhh…
Hum Papag vendredi et lundi je suis à Bruxelles je pense que je dépenserai de l’argent.
)
Aujourd’hui on pourrait tester … mais bon j’ai besoin de ma drogue (café
Geo on 31.10.2009
For what it’s worth, you won’t take your money with you in the grave…
I don’t get the point to earn money if you don’t spend it ? It’s actually part of the *capitalism game*.
Think about the company that provides your company the famous coffee machine. If you would not introduce, each morning, your 40 cents to get one, the coffee guy would become useless for his boss… He then would be fired, would become homeless, would not have any interest in keeping his bank account at the BNP anymore… (you see where is my point?) That’s right: YOU would then become useless to the BNP, and consequently to your employer. You would join our coffee guy in the street…
So: spend your fuck*** 40 cents each morning to get you a coffee and if you really want to keep your job, offer ones to your colleagues
That’s the coffee machine paradigm…
Papagrieng on 01.11.2009
@Geo : ahem with this paradigm I think you could desmonstrate anything. But if Nico doesn’t spends 40 cents there, he would spend them somewhere else later, maybe with drum courses. Then, instead of a world with coffee-makers, maybe we’d have more employment for drum teachers.
@Nico: Why wouldn’t you buy some instant-coffee stickers ? It’s ~2€/50 units. Then you would offer some to your colleagues…
Nicolas on 13.11.2009
Well let’s say i would prefer to save it rather than spend it… or at least spend it on « useful » stuff… not on stuff big companies make us believe are useful but are actually just gadgets or glitter for your eyes (my macbook, your iphone, a coffee at starbucks..)
We are not all obliged to fully participate in the « capitalism game »… i am aware we are all part of the system at some point, but then… your coffee machine paradigm is a bit extreme, and yes Papagrieng that could demonstrate anything…
But that can be a loooong debate!
(And coffee was an example haha… just to all make you aware that there are solutions to not spend money, but we are all maybe a bit too lazy to think about them…)
Please go on that debate, im interested…
Nicolas on 13.11.2009
Oh and Geoffrey, i forgot to add one thing.
….
With your coffee machine paradigm, i could, directly or indirectly, prove you that you should leave a tip anywhere you go
Papagrieng on 15.11.2009
So, when do we make this no-money day
? (except u’re already spending 20€ a day for a flat…)
Quote: « … stuff big companies make us believe are useful but are actually just gadgets or glitter for your eyes (my macbook, your iphone, a coffee at starbucks..) »
lol, in my eyes Nico you’re still the guy who has a sense for fashion, through your nice jeans, macbook, tv series, going to starbucks… Did you change so much ?
Nicolas on 15.11.2009
Haha no no i didnt change that much… and i never said i was not this kind of person…
Although my jeans come from Celio, they are not Levi’s or Diesel’s
And i don’t do Starbucks anymore, they just steal money in exchange for shit beverages!