No-buy February.
One of my goals this year is to get rid of the "stuff" that's been accumulating in our house. We are not crazy cluttered, or even near Hoarders status by far, but it seems we've gotten a fair amount of stuff that's been shoved in a closet or cabinet or drawer and forgotten about. And we seem to keep getting more.
When we first moved into our house, we bought nothing that wasn't necessary. We had just bought the house, Gus was four months old, I was no longer working, and my husband had gotten a new job which came with a big pay cut. We were renovating the house on our own and we did nothing that we didn't have to do- we didn't get cable, we didn't go out to eat, we didn't do extra shopping. We just didn't allow for any little extras. And now that it's several years later and we aren't in such conditions, we've let those rules lax a little. It's not a bad thing, but over time has brought us some additional "stuff" around the house.
For the month of February I'm planning on doing a spending freeze on all non-necessary items. No looking at awesome sale clothes for the kids online, no little extras that the kids do not need. We have plenty of stuff to read and eat and wear, so it's a good time to take on this challenge and see what else we really don't need. It's going to be cutting those trips to stores that have no immediate purpose, like the grocery store, and also not wandering off in the likes of Walmart and Target. Hopefully this will save me from buying yet another neutral sweater that I really don't need.
Have you ever taken on a spending freeze? How did it go? Any advice you can pass on? Does anyone else feel like they need to try this? Anyone else have 1000 neutral-colored sweaters?
Follow me on Bloglovin'
In case you missed it: I Like My Job and lots and lots of wallpaper.
I NEED to do this. I think I will start now. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you do, let me know how it goes! I'm going to recap at the end of the month. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I took a new job (and a huge pay cut) last June we did this - but, old habits come back easy and let's just say it didn't stick. I have found it especially hard now that I'm pregnant! But, it's something we desperately need to get back to as we're still mid renovation and have lots of baby expenses coming up! Thanks for the inspiration my friend. xo
ReplyDeleteRenovation makes you budget like nothing else! We've been at it so long and cutting out the extra stuff so long that when I went to the outlets with my mother-in-law a couple months ago to buy some new work suits - it just felt weird and wasteful!
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally get this. I feel like that sometimes after we eat out. Like, why did we just do that when I could have just made something? So I think this will help me reign it in and see what we really need.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're able to get to it! Renovation is hard because then once you start one thing, you want to do all the things. Luckily people will help out with the baby stuff, but I tell you- I wish I had gotten a used stroller, a used pack and play, and not worried about having toys, etc. and asked for people to give me more diapers, wipes, and formula. That's the stuff you burn through!
ReplyDeleteI guess you can say we are always on a no-spend month. We budget for everything including random spending so unless its an emergency which always seem to happen we often expect it. Something that we budget for is our 'going out to dinner' money so we can eat out every so often but I would really like to cut it drastically so we can have some extra money for the wedding. It seems really simple but when we both work late it can be hard NOT to get dinner for take out. Good luck with the no spending month!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I know what you mean, though- sometimes there really isn't much to cut. I do think that we live pretty frugally, but then I see little things creep in here or there that we didn't used to do, or just things we don't need. So we'll see how it goes!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I saw your Instsgram of the sweater collection the other day. You know I just did this for clothing and shoes, but I think we need to hit the re-set button for house stuff. It's so easy for things to pile up when you only buy them one at a time, like I do because I'm picky, and then you have an art hoard.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll do great! Like you said, you already have enough to wear and eat and do, now it's just a matter of discovering the things you forgot about.
Or a matter of just getting rid of stuff I really don't need. I actually sent a few of those sweaters on their way- more than I thought I would. A lot of them had gotten short from washing them so many times. But I agree on the house stuff- it's hard to not just get a little something here, a little something there. But then you end up with a lot of somethings!
ReplyDelete