So I'm kind of being a cheater. I've seen this idea before but I'm totally copying one of the blogs I read and love, Notes From The Frugal Trenches – A Downshifting Journey. You can read her post about 31 days of nothing here. This is also where I got the ideas of no spending days, something I now do 3 or 4 days a week usually.
My goal for this 31 days of nothing is to buy only food, dog food and toilet paper/kleenex for the next month. I will try not to buy any clothes, books, magazines, or anything else we won't be consuming in the month of January.
I'm doing this for two reasons. First, I want to save some money this month. Second, I just want to see if we can do this for a month. If we can, I might try to do it for a second month later this year. Third, I want to start the year being very intentional about my spending while I still have lots of motivation. If I'm successful, I think it will help keep my motivation up.
There are some months this just won't work for us. There's a twice-a-year consignment sale for children's clothes. I buy most of the girls wardrobes there. I definitely need to be able to buy clothes during those times. My girls also wear school uniforms so I need to be able to buy them in July. Still, appropriately times, I think these months of buying nothing can be successful.
I've already thought of a couple of things I was planning to get next weekend that I'm going to hold off on. Blueberry is starting a second riding lesson each week and I was planning to get her a second pair of boots and another helmet so we don't have to be so careful about remembering to trade them off with my dad. We'll just have to remember that this month. I'll see how we do and reconsider the boots and helmet in February. I'd also thought about getting a guitar stand or something for Violet to hang her guitar on the wall. Again, we'll see how it goes this month (her new guitar case is better in some ways but a little less protective in her bedroom) and reconsider in February. I was wanting some new long sleeve tshirts but will hold off for now.
Even after I start buying again in February, I hope to buy more used stuff just to make less impact on the environment. We have a great Goodwill down the street from my work. It's hit or miss but I've found some awesome stuff there. I'm usually a lazy shopper. I need to be better about looking there when I need something, especially if my needs aren't too specific. I was unsuccessful when I went there looking for a navy blue hoodie. However, when I went looking for long sleeved tshirts, I was very successful. It just depends on my needs and my timeframe.
Anyway, that's my goal for January. I'm going to try to update weekly. Cross your fingers for me.
My goal for this 31 days of nothing is to buy only food, dog food and toilet paper/kleenex for the next month. I will try not to buy any clothes, books, magazines, or anything else we won't be consuming in the month of January.
I'm doing this for two reasons. First, I want to save some money this month. Second, I just want to see if we can do this for a month. If we can, I might try to do it for a second month later this year. Third, I want to start the year being very intentional about my spending while I still have lots of motivation. If I'm successful, I think it will help keep my motivation up.
There are some months this just won't work for us. There's a twice-a-year consignment sale for children's clothes. I buy most of the girls wardrobes there. I definitely need to be able to buy clothes during those times. My girls also wear school uniforms so I need to be able to buy them in July. Still, appropriately times, I think these months of buying nothing can be successful.
I've already thought of a couple of things I was planning to get next weekend that I'm going to hold off on. Blueberry is starting a second riding lesson each week and I was planning to get her a second pair of boots and another helmet so we don't have to be so careful about remembering to trade them off with my dad. We'll just have to remember that this month. I'll see how we do and reconsider the boots and helmet in February. I'd also thought about getting a guitar stand or something for Violet to hang her guitar on the wall. Again, we'll see how it goes this month (her new guitar case is better in some ways but a little less protective in her bedroom) and reconsider in February. I was wanting some new long sleeve tshirts but will hold off for now.
Even after I start buying again in February, I hope to buy more used stuff just to make less impact on the environment. We have a great Goodwill down the street from my work. It's hit or miss but I've found some awesome stuff there. I'm usually a lazy shopper. I need to be better about looking there when I need something, especially if my needs aren't too specific. I was unsuccessful when I went there looking for a navy blue hoodie. However, when I went looking for long sleeved tshirts, I was very successful. It just depends on my needs and my timeframe.
Anyway, that's my goal for January. I'm going to try to update weekly. Cross your fingers for me.
3 comments:
Great idea! I need more motivation as I try to set aside money each month toward our MOGUATE trip in August. :)
This is a great idea!
Girl do you know anyone heading your way from up here?? Because I just went through J's clothes and have 4 garbage bags full that were going to head to Goodwill that I'd much rather go to someone we know!!! For now I can just put the jeans and shirts in a box and mail by parcel post???
Suz
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