No-Spend February - Part Deux!

Into the second week now: So far, so good! Just like last year, we sort of tightened up spending in the last week of January, so it was nice sitting down to do bills on Friday and seeing a marked difference in spending already.

Onward!

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I haven't been good at this. It has made me more cognizant of where money goes though. If anything it's helped me rationalize how I spend money and realize I needn't do it as much, not necessarily not at all, and it's kept my travel goal in sight. I've looked at things and thought, "If I get item A I can't get item B for a few months or until I sell something or whatever," and it's really helped me curtail an abundance of spending. I did need to replace something which cost a bit, so I decided to bump my goal of when I'll book my flight and hotel from October to November, which I don't think is too awful. I may even book them in October anyway, depending on how money lands.

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I destroyed the dastardly dairy dame! I made mad milk maid mulch!

I hate insomnia. Oh yeah. Last year I had four cases of it, and each time it lasted three months.

I admit I'm not as good at this as I had originally expected. But I also know I'm not really buying frivolous things and I haven't really spent very much non-necessary funds so far this month. The new guinea pig (rescued on Feb. 2/Groundhog Day) has meant buying some new "stuff" for housing/caring for her. I admit a few of those items weren't completely necessary (she would have survived without them), but they make cleaning her cage and feeding her easier, so I let those purchases go.

There were a few not-completely-necessary purchases so far:

1. One pair of my readers broke, so I bought a five-pack of new ones. Cheap, though, at least ($15 for all five).

2. Several purchases were gifts for other people. (I can't help when people were born.)

3. Over the years I've read Stephen King novels haphazardly (though I buy them faithfully as they are released). I joined a bunch of other King fans in reading/rereading starting with his first novel, Carrie, and going forward. That's when I realized I had started buying King's books years after he started publishing, so I didn't actually have Carrie or 'Salem's Lot. I purchased both of those used/cheap just to get moving on this personal challenge.

4. I spent a whopping $6.11 (total) on four Steam games on my wishlist that had prices slashed SO much that I couldn't pass them up (like, 80% or even 90% off).

I still have just under two weeks to be better, and I don't see anything I NEED to buy between now and March 1 that isn't part of grocery orders, car maintenance, or other basic bills.

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Linda's Author Website
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NAILED IT.

One thing I noticed about this exercise is that it's almost more to pay attention to where our money goes and to keep spending more focused than to actually not spend anything. I could be wrong of course. It just doesn't seem like we aren't supposed to spend a single penny.

I could only do a modified version where i spend no more than $100 on books or movies per month, with another $100 for burgers.

Well, we're allowed to spend on food, utilities, housing, etc. Just not extra stuff. And I suppose we don't all define "extra" quite the same way.

I more meant we're seeing where "extra stuff" money goes, but yeah, mostly that. I bought myself an early birthday present when on a whim I looked something up and learned what to do, and I bought a couple of replacement thingies I needed. I'm trying so hard not to spend on things that I don't necessarily need this second. The kiddos want me to get something I promised them I'd get so I need to do that once the site is back up.

We have been locked into an almost perfect month so far. No slipups yet save for a couple of birthday gifts.

I must report that some asshat bumped into our car in the parking lot, didn't leave a note, and fled the scene. I've reported the claim, it's minor damage, and it looks like I won't have to pay the deductible until March 10th, so we are still OK for the month! He hit the front passenger side of the front end, broke the black cladding around the bottom and also an 8 inch section of the front end itself,

Of course this is all one piece and is made of fiberglass, so they have to replace the entire thing. It contains sensors and the front camera, so not cheap! They also have to paint it that expensive red Mazda metallic color and blend it with the other panels. bah!

Lame!
@Austruck: We have had two birthdays as well. I mentioned that as an exception in the OP, as it is quite dangerous to not buy my mother-in-law a birthday gift.

Due to the impending extra costs coming up in March, we are going to keep the strategy rolling into March, leaving some of the spending locks in place. Still won't be eating out or spending randomly out and about!