During the entire month of February, I vow not to purchase ANYTHING that is not 100% necessary to my survival (including entertainment). Should I bring your smelling salts? Sounds impossible, right? It very well might be impossible, but I'm going to try.
Fortunately, I am not a notorious shop-a-holic (Alcoholic? 'Nother story, which is why alcohol is included on my list of things 100% necessary to my survival), but I do overspend on groceries regularly. The rest of my disposable income (you know, the $30 that's left after I pay my bills) generally just sneaks right past me and out into the world without my noticing, mostly on things like take-out dinners and car washes and hookers. Oh, and equine porn.
I did a little Google search for "month with no shopping" and I found a lot of interesting information, particularly this link to this article written by Liz Pulliam Weston in 2007. There was another link to a post on My Money Blog about all the forgotten pantry food items we buy, put away, and promptly forget about. This person chose to go a month without grocery shopping (except for milk and juice). I LOVE this idea, because the bulk of my cash is spent on groceries, some of which end up in the garbage or wasting away in the dusty corner of my kitchen cabinet.
I'm still working the kinks at this moment - thankfully I didn't go out of the house yesterday, or I probably would have bought something and ruined the whole plan before I got started. But here is a rough list of what I consider "necessary":
- Food items that perish in 30 days or less, and only those we completely consume in less than 30 days (milk, tomatoes, the like). All other meals must be prepared with what we already have at home.
- Booze. I just bought 4 bottles of wine from Trader Joe's on Saturday, so I should be set for at least 3 days. Bar hopping is verboten.
- Toilet paper, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, other household items we CANNOT run out of in order to maintain our gainful employment and pass the apartment inspection in two weeks.
- Rx's
- Gasoline
- Stamps
What else could I be forgetting? Surely there are other items that are 100% necessary! If not, what the fuck have I been buying all this time?
I do have two social engagements that I have already promised to attend (a friend's winter choral concert this coming Saturday, and a night with my Jill at the Water Park of America at the end of the month), and I don't feel right about cancelling either of those obligations and letting down my friends. But neither should be terribly costly, and...well...I'm probably going to crash and burn with this little experiment anyway, so I'm not going to beat myself up over it. My goal is to see how much money I would be able to save in a month if I really tightened my monetary belt.
Going into this, I anticipate the most difficult part of "no spending" month will be finding free activities to keep us occupied during the shortest, yet most unbearable month of the endless Minnesota winter. Fortunately, I have Landers to keep me busy, and plenty of reading assignments for school. I might have to break out the as of now unused stripper pole that Santa brought me. I might have to play any one of my thousands of different video games. I might have to write more.
I might also die, but that's what makes this exciting, don't you agree?
Hmmm this will be interesting! I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteEmailing you right now about the water park. I got some news on that front a few days ago that I forgot about.
We'll be tightening our collective belts around here also. Keep us informed on how it works for you.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck, you thrifty little thing you! I know what you mean about spending on perishables. We get food out way too often, and we throw away way too much.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a clean car and a Hooker. Also, your comments on other blogs always leave me rolling.
ReplyDeleteFinancially speaking, it can be done with some organization. Sorry, boring banker kicking in.
It sucks at first but you will get used to it. I've been living that way for 2 years and after about the first 3 months, it was habit.
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck! If you need any ideas on free things to do to entertain yourself, give me a buzz and I can help you out.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you need any ideas on what to do with whatever ingredients you have in the house, let me know that too and I'll help you out. I have a habit of overspending on groceries too thanks to being a snob about cooking my meals just right.
Also, I haven't bought tomatoes in months...it's not really a required ingredient and they are so expensive these days. What I do is buy canned crushed tomatoes and I can use that in soups, tomato sauce or whatever else might call for tomatoes. Unless of course you are having tacos or bruscetta...in that case, they must be fresh.
My ten year old son (major home body) has more than once frog-marched me to the pantry with all the dusty cans and said, "LOOK at all this food. Why do you want to go out to eat?" Of course he just wants to stay home and watch TV, but he has a point about the food.
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave woman.
I go to the grocery store as seldom as possible. I buy a bunch of red peppers at once, and slice and dice and freeze them for soups, pizzas, etc. Anything perishable gets eaten right up or frozen. There are green bags which I'm told really do extend the shelf life of your produce. Also,you can make your own wine. After the initial investment, it's all a saving. I have seen the carboys offered on freecycle. There are some items that you can buy at the dollar store as well. I buy in bulk whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteCat- You can shop online. I fill carts all the time, I just never hit the final check-out button.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing worse than being broke! I feel your pain friend!
Better you than me...I would just blow it on the first day and prove to myself that I am as much of a disappointment in the money department as I think I am (and everyone else knows I am). But I am pulling for you baby!
ReplyDeleteIs bacon on that list? Hmm, I have some extra I could send.
ReplyDeleteWho knew that thriftyness could be so...sexy. ;)
Good luck, kiddo. And give that writing thing some luv, you be aiight. :)
You left out "internet" as one of your necessary items.
ReplyDeleteYou left out "Street drugs" as a necessary items. A month with no shopping? you'll need em. Or at least I would.
ReplyDeleteAnd BTW...I'm happy to send some of my dusty food to you so you won't starve. How do egg noodles and weevils sound?
Ever thought of some small time extortion? A few extra bucks and the occasional work out.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from! We are shutting off cable this week just to save that extra 60 bucks!
ReplyDeleteI'm eager for spring and sunshine.... Hang in there, we'll get out of our debts eventually. If we could survive 8 years of Bush economics, we can get through anything!
I am amazed at how much money I save just because I don't drink pop.
ReplyDeleteI would buy it at 60 cents a can here at work. 3 cans or so a day.
And now - none. Well except my downfall of having a couple last week.
But when I reach into my purse and still have cash - I'm always like "Yes!" and it's all from giving up pop.
So I imagine if you are able to stick to your plan - you can save quite a bit.
curious... why would you go to a waterpark in february?
ReplyDeleteIs it indoors?
good luck with your idea! I have found a little hint that usually generates an extra 30 to 50 dollars a month. I don't use change. It all goes in a jar to be rolled at month's end. Surprising how it all adds up so quickly. :o)
ReplyDeleteYou like equine porn too?
ReplyDeleteI tried a no-taxi test for a month. I lasted 17 days and saved hundreds of dollars. But I promptly went back to taking taxis everywhere because I just despise the subway. I'm a total subway-snob but I don't care.
ReplyDeleteI did this a few months ago! It works! I sort of cheated though and went to Costco to buy vodka prior to the real start date.
ReplyDeleteYou will be shocked at how much you spend on random shit that you think you need, but don't.
Actually, since losing my job, my bank account has been at its highest in months!!! And I made my first house payment with it!! I'm really trying to do without... and I have a lot of nice people who have paid for meals... yeah. That helps.
ReplyDelete