Have you heard of the no-spend chalenge? It’s a popular concept among budget-minded and minimalist bloggers who encourage us to save more and declutter our lives. The idea is simple: stop spending on non-essentials for a set period and see how much you can save. The more you save (and invest), the sooner you’ll achieve financial freedom.

For the most part, I haven’t needed to try it. I don’t buy much aside from athletic gear that wears out every 6–12 months since I play a lot of tennis and pickleball. The last time I bought a pair of jeans was over a decade ago, and I can’t even remember the last time I bought a dress shirt.

Since 1999, I’ve averaged a ~50% saving rate. During my final year of full-time work, I pushed it to 80% to prepare for my exit. So while I’ve always been frugal, I’ve never