Earlier this month I joined in on the No Spend January Challenge and, to say the least, it’s been a challenge. Even though I did not go overboard for the holidays, I still managed to spend way more
money than I should have and looked forward to using January as a month to catch up.
My goals were:
1. Take lunch to work/school
2.Make coffee at home
3. Cook Dinner at home
4. No yarn purchases. (gulp!)
The results and my thoughts?
Packing Lunch
Overall I have been more disciplined than I thought I would be. Most days I have been taking lunch to work and of course The Bee has to take lunch. However there have been a few days that we found ourselves at Wawa grabbing something for lunch. You know that saying, “Failing to plan means planning to fail?” that is so true! In the beginning of the month I was unable to get to the market so preparing lunch for my picky tween was way more difficult than it needed to be. Since she is unable to heat up food, cold lunches are what she gets. Finding that magical combo of what we had at home that she would eat, that would not be too gross by lunch time was like a Tolkien voyage.
Coffee…oh Wawa!
This month it’s been dollar coffee at Wawa. In the beginning of the month I was doing my best to build time in my morning schedule to actually have time to make coffee. One fateful visit to Wawa and the site of dollar coffee and all bets were, well not off but reexamined. I justified my Wawa visits with the thought that the money spent was from a gift card I got as a Christmas gift, that I was only using change that I found in the car or that I was out of coffee at home (one day I was). Needless to say this challenge was lost.
Cooking dinner at home
Again, this was pretty easy but not without its own special challenges. I would pop something into the crock pot with various levels of success and voila! Dinner was served! I would create (what *I* thought were) sumptuous meals and was actually using things that have been in the cupboards. My crock pot meals are not always successful (the soup I attempted to make was greeted with, “Something smells like gasoline cooking!” from The Bee who then claimed her mouth was still sore from dental work she had done earlier in the week and was therefore unable to eat. On two occasions we had pizza (we ordered from Leandro’s as they make the best pizza in Delaware County). Once Effin Guy bought it and told me “it didn’t count” since he was bringing dinner. A second night was for a Family Movie Night with Mom and The Bee.
Weekends were tough. In the past we would treat weekends as “all out” treat day, running the streets and eating out (well doing something outside the home and eating out). In an effort to keep up with No Spending, we would stay home more. Lots of meals in. Lots of junky meals in. I need to keep quick meals that are good for weekends ready. There are really only so many times a gal should eat bacon in a day week.
Yarn Purchases.
I caved and bought yarn.
Twice.
No excuses, I just wanted those beautiful skeins that seemed to be calling out to me.
I had a coupon and have finished up a few projects.
I have to admit though that the yarn purchases, while exciting, left me feeling blah. I don’t mean to diss my usual superstore yarn joints but there is something about the feel and use of special Local Yarn Store yarn. When I bought yarn from Stash or Hidden River Yarns, I made it my business to actually complete the projects since one skein of that yarn was about the price I’d pay for three or four skeins at chain stores. With my less expensive yarns, I find that I am leaving all kinds of WIPs in my wake.
It’s time for another stash busting clean out; I think I’ll clean out yarn before my next crochet group meeting. I am sure that at least one of the ladies in my group will be happy to use the yarn that I am hoarding.
Now then.
I saw a challenge for February! This one is called No Buy Month and I think I am going to join in.
There is something to having money left over between pay weeks, using the things I have at home and treating eating out as a fun night out instead of a little thing I was calling weeknights.
I will not be so rigid with the rules. There were days when I felt guilt and some anxiety about making a purchase. For February I will:
Wish me luck!
If you decided to join the challenge, let me know. Leave a comment and I’m happy to support you.
Here’s to fat wallets and less cluttered houses,
-r
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