Dinero Detox to get fat
There are detoxes to clean you out and detoxes to make you lose weight. No one typically looks for a fattening detox until now. Our Dinero Detox will make your wallet fat!
Kickstart financial success with a Dinero Detox
We don’t know about you, but we hate dieting. And starting a diet? Absolute torture.
The stars must be perfectly aligned, Mercury must not be in retrograde, and—most importantly—it has to be a Monday. Who in their right mind starts a diet on a Wednesday? That’s just chaos. And don’t even get me started on Sundays. “Hey, great game!” clinks celery sticks—no, thank you.
Instead of dieting, we prefer to maintain a generally healthy way of eating. Of course, we have our weak moments (hello, holiday cookie platters), but when we need a reset, we kick things off with a detox. Sounds healthy, right? We clear out the junk, reset our systems, and convince ourselves this is it! No more excuses.
Enter the Dinero Detox—but don’t worry, this isn’t about shrinking anything (except maybe your unnecessary expenses). Instead of cutting calories, we’re increasing your cash flow. Instead of portion control, we’re taking control of your finances. You’ll be shocked at how easy it is to trim the financial fat and how much money you save when you kickstart your money diet into high gear.
But where the hell did the Dinero Detox come from, anyway?
In addition to being money-conscious, we’ve always been health-conscious. My dad bought me a weight bench when I was fourteen, and we set up a state-of-the-art garage gym (read: a bench, some rusty weights, and motivational posters). I plastered my bedroom walls with pictures of bodybuilders and healthy-looking men. I was very committed to fitness… though, in hindsight, maybe my fascination with those men wasn’t just about motivation. But I digress.
Since we’ve been together, we’ve cycled through various fitness routines and food trends. It’s not that we’re searching for the one—we just like to keep things fresh. Because let’s be honest: doing the same thing over and over gets boring. And if we need variety to stay engaged with our health, why wouldn’t the same logic apply to our finances?
The Dinero Detox is the financial version of switching up your workout routine—except instead of cutting carbs, you’re cutting out those sneaky expenses weighing down your budget. No kale smoothies required.
Are you ready for the reset? Let’s do this. (And yes, we’re starting on a Monday.)
The Dinero Detox inspiration
One night, we had a friend over for dinner, and between bites of whatever delicious-yet-probably-not-detox-approved meal we served, she told us about The Conscious Cleanse. Now, before you roll your eyes and assume this is another trendy diet promising eternal youth and a six-pack overnight, let us clarify—it’s not a diet; it’s a detoxification.
The gist? You cut out all high-allergen and processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar (yes, that means no coffee—we panicked, too) and replace them with a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit for two weeks. Then, like a slow-motion food reunion, you gently reintroduce the banned foods, one by one, while paying close attention to how your body reacts. If something makes you feel like a bloated sea creature or sends your energy levels downward, congratulations—you’ve identified a food that doesn’t love you back.
Being the overachievers we are, we decided to give it a go. And while we were busy eating like enlightened rabbits and dreaming about coffee, we had an epiphany: What if we applied this same concept to our finances?
💡 And just like that, the Dinero Detox was born.
The Dinero Detox is like the Conscious Cleanse, but we’re cutting out financial junk instead of eliminating gluten or dairy. These unnecessary, mindless, wallet-draining expenses sneak into our lives like ninjas disguised as lattes, late-night Amazon purchases, and streaming subscriptions we forgot we even had.
Of course, a full-on $0 spending plan isn’t realistic (unless you plan to live off the land, and if that’s the case, please let us know how you’re doing it). We still have ongoing bills, rent, groceries, and—let’s be honest—basic human survival needs. But much like a food detox eliminates waste from your body, the Dinero Detox reduces financial waste and superfluous spending.
For a set period (you choose the timeframe—two weeks, a month, whatever feels right), you hit pause on discretionary spending. That means no impulse purchases, “treat yo’ self” splurges, and no convincing yourself that a new gadget will finally make you organized. Instead, you pay attention to how it feels not to spend money mindlessly. You become hyper-aware of where your cash really goes.
And, just like with the Conscious Cleanse, when you slowly reintroduce spending, you’ll notice which expenses genuinely add value to your life and which were just there, lurking in your budget like a toxic ex.
So, if you’re ready to kickstart your financial health and shed those unnecessary expenses, welcome to the Dinero Detox—no green juice required.
The Dinero Detox: A No-Spend Challenge That Won’t Make You Miserable
Pick a timeframe that works for you—anywhere from a weekend to a whole month—and commit to spending zero discretionary money. That means you still pay your bills (because landlords tend to frown upon rent-free living), still feed yourself and your family (because hunger isn’t a vibe), and still donate to your favorite charity (because generosity shouldn’t be sacrificed).
But here’s what you won’t be doing:
❌ No dining out.
❌ No retail therapy spirals.
❌ No entertainment splurges.
❌ No spending just because you’re bored.
Alternative Life Choices (a.k.a. How to Have Fun Without Your Wallet)
💡 Walk or Bike Instead of Driving
If you live in a city, this is easy—bonus points for smugly passing people stuck in traffic. If you’re in the suburbs, plan ahead and stock up on essentials so you don’t have to make multiple trips (or gasp use the car unnecessarily).
🥑 Cook All Your Meals at Home
Think of it this way: every meal you make is money not leaving your bank account. Instead of dropping cash at restaurants, host a DIY dinner night with friends. Cooking together is surprisingly fun, even if someone sets off the smoke alarm. Plus, bonus health points—because nothing screams “portion control” like realizing you actually have to chop all those veggies yourself.
📺 Netflix and Chill (Without the $15 Popcorn)
Movie night at home is vastly superior to paying for overpriced tickets and popcorn that somehow costs as much as a small mortgage. Grab your favorite streaming service (or, let’s be real, use your ex’s password), pop your popcorn, and revel in the joy of not paying $7 for a water bottle.
🎲 Game Nights Are the New Club Nights
Gather your friends and unleash the chaos that is Cards Against Humanity. It’s free, it’s hilarious, and no one has to yell over bad bar music to be heard. If card games aren’t your thing, try charades—nothing bonds people like watching someone attempt to act out Sharknado in total silence.
🛑 No Boredom Shopping
Listen, we’ve all been there. One moment, you’re innocently browsing online, and the next, you’re justifying a third pair of nearly identical black boots because these ones have a slightly different heel. Instead, read a free book on Kindle or iTunes, take a walk, or—wild thought—declutter your closet and rediscover items you forgot you owned.
🧘 Skip the Studio, Sweat for Free
If you’re paying per class for yoga or aerobics, consider doing workouts at home. YouTube is a goldmine for free fitness routines. We haven’t renewed my yoga membership in years because we love Breathe & Flow on YouTube—he’s just the right amount of stuff to keep us from realizing we’re exercising.
How to Survive (and Actually Enjoy) Your Dinero Detox
The key to not losing your mind during your Dinero Detox is having a plan. Because let’s be honest—if you don’t have a game plan, you’re going to find yourself staring at the ceiling, contemplating the meaning of life, and fighting the overwhelming urge to “just take a little walk” that mysteriously ends at your favorite coffee shop with a $6 oat milk latte in hand.
To avoid falling into the “boredom = spending” trap, do yourself a favor and plan ahead like your financial well-being depends on it—because, well, it kind of does.
1. Have a List of Free (or Almost Free) Activities
Think of this as your survival kit. If left to your own devices, your brain will convince you that spending money = entertainment—which is exactly how you ended up buying that overpriced candle that smells like “mystical forest dew” last time. Instead, make a list of free or super cheap things to do, like:
- Going for a walk in a park (bonus points if you bring a dog, borrowed or otherwise).
- Visiting a free museum day or community event.
- Having a game night—because nothing bonds people like destroying friendships over Monopoly.
- Binge-watching a TV series you already pay for but never finished (looking at you, Schitt’s Creek).
- Doing a digital detox and actually finishing that book you started three months ago.
- Finally organizing your closet and rediscovering outfits you forgot you owned.
2. Meal Prep Like You’re on a Reality Cooking Show
If your fridge is empty and your stomach growls, what will happen? You’re going to convince yourself that ordering takeout is an emergency expense—and suddenly, your Dinero Detox is over before it started.
Avoid the temptation by:
✔️ Planning your meals ahead of time.
✔️ Cooking in bulk so there’s always something ready to eat.
✔️ Learning how to make fancy coffee at home (because if you can froth milk, you’ve mastered Starbucks).
✔️ Making dining in feel like dining out—light a candle, play music, and pretend you’re at a five-star restaurant instead of your kitchen.
And if you’re worried about missing the social aspect of going out? Turn dinner into an event—invite friends for a potluck or a DIY pizza night. It’s cheaper, it’s healthier, and you won’t have to tip anyone.
3. Mentally Prepare for FOMO and Have a Comeback Ready
At some point, someone will invite you to brunch, happy hour, or an unnecessary Target run (let’s be honest, there is no such thing as a small Target purchase). Instead of crumbling under peer pressure and wrecking your budget, have a response locked and loaded:
Friend: “Hey, let’s grab brunch this weekend!”
You: “I would, but I’m on a financial cleanse. Instead, come for a ridiculously affordable, mimosa-free breakfast at my place!”
Friend: “Let’s go shopping!”
You: “Let’s go for a walk instead! Same cardio, but without the credit card damage.”
Friend: “We should go see that new movie in theaters!”
You: “How about a movie night at home? I’ve got Netflix, homemade popcorn, and an aggressively comfy couch.”
This way, you still get the social experience without spending money—and you might even convert your friends to the no-spend challenge life.
4. Remember, It’s Not About Deprivation—It’s About Control
This isn’t about suffering or depriving yourself of joy—it’s about resetting your habits, realizing how much fun you can have without spending money, and proving that you’re not financially handcuffed to every whim, craving, and impulse buy.
When the Dinero Detox is over, you’ll have a clearer idea of what expenses add value to your life and which ones were just expensive distractions. Plus, when you check your bank account, do you see how much you didn’t spend? Oh, that’s a flex.
So plan ahead, have fun, and get creative—your future, wealthier self is already high-fiving you.
The Dinero Detox Rewards: A Break from the Madness (and More Money in Your Pocket)
The first (and possibly most underrated) reward of the Dinero Detox is a much-needed vacation from consumerism—because let’s be real, Americans are consumption machines.
We consume food (and then stress about consuming too much food).
We consume natural resources like we’ve got a spare planet on layaway.
We consume unnatural resources (why is there so much plastic?).
We consume entertainment until we’re drowning in streaming subscriptions.
We buy, buy, buy and spend, spend, spend—convinced that if we just get one more thing, we’ll finally have enough… only to realize that enough never actually arrives.
As the ever-wise Susan Powter once screamed in the ‘90s: “STOP THE INSANITY!”
A consumption detox isn’t just good for your bank account—it’s good for your mind and soul. It’s a break from the relentless cycle of hunting and gathering for things you don’t need with money you don’t have. It’s a chance to step back and ask, Do I really need another trendy kitchen gadget that will inevitably live in my junk drawer?
The Second Reward: More Money, Less Stress
Let’s get to the real reason you’re here: the money.
By the end of your Dinero Detox, you’ll notice something shocking—you actually have more money in your bank account. It’s like magic, but instead of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, you just stopped buying unnecessary crap for a few weeks.
And the best part? You can now put that saved (or as Benji in Jerry Maguire would say, “earned”) money** toward something that moves you forward financially:
- Paying off debt (credit cards, loans, or that one bill you’ve been ignoring).
- Building your emergency fund (because “life happens” money is a game-changer).
- Investing in your future self (retirement, real estate, or starting that side hustle).
Make It a Habit, Reap the Rewards
Doing a Dinero Detox a few times a year is like giving your finances a power-up—it helps you fast-track your way to financial success without the pain of extreme frugality.
And if nothing else? At least your fatter wallet will make your waistline look smaller—a financial and optical win-win.
More ways to 10X your Dinero Detox:
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