Chesterfield's defence set a new club record as their seventh consecutive clean sheet at home in the league was enough to keep Barnsley hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.
It is now 630 minutes since Dave Rushbury's team conceded a goal at Saltergate and they were rarely in danger against a Barnsley team who had plenty of possession but little in the way of craft.
The final ball was too often disappointing and the strikers were too easily shackled by Chesterfield's central defenders.
On the evidence of this display Barnsley are in for a long hard winter and the club can only hope for financial stability to lift their spirits.
Chesterfield have emerged from their cash crisis to take a few teams by surprise this season and Rushbury has forged an impressive unit on a shoestring budget.
Although they created few chances, they closed Barnsley down at every opportunity and denied them space around the penalty area although substitute Mike Sheron did get through nine minutes from time.
But the experienced forward lost his duel with keeper Carl Muggleton and that was the end of Barnsley's hopes of rescuing the game.
Chesterfield secured another home win with a tenth minute free kick from Jamie Burt that Andy Marriott could only help into the top left-hand corner of the net.
Chris Brandon had a firm 20-yard shot saved by Marriott and Kevin Betsy fired over from a good position in the 37th minute.
Chris Morgan headed a Mitch Ward corner wide in the 58th minute but despite plenty of possession they made little impact on Chesterfield's record-breaking defence