Melissa Walsh Interviewed for CNBC

Clarity Financial Design's Founder and President, Melissa Walsh, was recently interviewed by reporter Mike Winters for CNBC.com. In his article, "5 ways to trick yourself into saving money", Mike features Melissa's comments about committing to doing a spending cleanse.

"A spending cleanse or no-spend challenge is when you don’t spend money on anything other than absolute necessities like rent or groceries. Whether that’s for a week, a weekend, or a month is up to you.

The challenge is best-suited for people that have overspend or struggle with impulse shopping. It’s less effective for people or families who are already budgeting down to their last dollar.

The immediate benefit is that you’ll save money. But perhaps more importantly, a spending cleanse will force you to resist the daily temptation to spend, especially on impulse purchases. This encourages a more mindful approach that can help break bad spending habits even after the cleanse is over, says Melissa Walsh, a CFP in Florida.

Spending cleanses also encourage new zero-cost habits, like using the local library instead of buying books, or taking a hike outdoors rather than going to the movies or a bar."