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
