I created no-spend days for my kids. They were easier for them than for me.

The author created no-spend days when her kids were little.

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I created monthly "spend-no-money days" when my three children were ages 6, 9, and 10 to teach them financial responsibility. I wanted them to understand that not every want needed to become a purchase, and that family fun did not have to come with a receipt.On those days, we couldn't use cash, credit cards, or make online purchases. No fast food. No quick Target run. No app purchase. No "just this one thing." If we needed entertainment, snacks, supplies, or a way to fill the afternoon, we had to use what we could find around the house.My kids were used to convenience The idea came from a pattern I started to notice. My kids were not ungrateful, but they were becoming very accustomed to convenience. A trip to the store came with the expectation that someone would ask for a toy, a book, a candy, or a gadget that one of their friends had gotten during the week. Outings seemed to require a purchase to feel complete. Boredom had started to sound like a shopping list.

The author says she also learned a lesson from her no-spend days.

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