No-Spend February

pig money box, originally uploaded by cupcakes for clara.

I'm going to join Amanda at housemade and kiddio in her attempt at a No-Spend February.  I will buy groceries and gas, and medicine, if necessary, but NOTHING else!  This is going to be especially tough for me right now, as I've just taken up knitting and I only have one set of needles. I'll have to see what I can scrounge up!  This might just be the month that I actually try Freecycle...

**Oma is getting better and better every day.  I think it's due to all of your good wishes and thoughts.  Thank you for your lovely words!

Comments

[zakka life]

Love the picture you chose for the post.

Good Luck!

P.S. You can get knitting needles for cheap at the thrift store. I always find tons of them there.

[Paper Dolls for Boys]

Well damn it, I'm late to this and I have already broken the rules. Maybe I will have a no spend February 4th- 28th. And just for clarification, does this include thrift store purchases?

[caroline]

Good luck with that! I am intrigued, but not tempted! ; )

[sherri/the claw]

wow, no spend feb. great idea. so glad to hear your mother is doing better!

[Kate in NY]

Awesome - you know I love these frugalista-type projects! I'm in, with a few caveats - 1) I promised Abi a new pair of sneakers, because his toes are coming through the ones he has now, and I don't think they'll last the month. 2) I have put off my hair coloring for so long that I am just flat-out two tone at this point, and I'm scheduled for this week. And I'm not canceling. (I know, I know, I could do it myself, but that hasn't worked out so well for me in the past) 3) May's birthday is this month, and I've just invited 25 six year olds for a birthday breakfast - but wait - that could count as necessary food spending, and we already got all the party favors back in January. 4) We are going to Ireland on the 26th, but I wont buy anything (other than food) there until March 1, so it should be OK. Maybe I just wont buy anything, period. Are those too many caveats, or can I still play?
xo
Khaite

[Andrea]

Good luck Alexis!!! Finding financial balance....hard, but worth it. I think it's a little like how some people describe trying to quit smoking. Every time you try to quit makes you more likely to succeed the next time. Each step toward financial sanity gives you a little more perspective, strength, experience, insight, etc. Hopefully each one builds on something before so that when you look back you see that something important has changed (e.g. more saving, less spending, spending on what matters, less materialism, more gratitude, more generosity, etc. etc.)

A hip hip hooray to you!

[Courtney]

I just found you through Jade's blog (I *had* to say hi to another book-obsessed mama)!

I'm inspired by no-spend February. Maybe even inspired enough to join in : )

[Anna of helylle]

Hi!
Updating comments:
Glad to her Oma is getting better!
Wonderful wall - what a terrific idea - must work on that for a while...
And finally; I have had a non-spending month regularly, to learn to think before I spend and also reflect over my needs. My experience is that you need to break it gently so you don't a built up need and compensate it all the following month!
Perhaps you can find someone who has the pair of needles you need and will swap something for them?
Good luck! (I have three birthdays in February so there will be spending...)

[nkp]

You can do it, yes you can! I've been thinking alot about this lately, and there is so little that we actually NEED, mostly just wants...good luck! I'm thrilled your mom is on the mend, I'll continue to keep her in my thoughts. By the way, if you're interested, I tagged you on my blog, my first one...play along if you're up for it. Have a wonderful week!

[Alexis]

The Orla Kiely thing might kill me, but I vow to stay strong in the face of temptation!

[patty]

but alexis! this is orla kiely month at target!!!!

[Alexandra Hedberg]

and good luck! I'm sure you'll do great!

[Alexandra Hedberg]

... and instead go coin hunting. (So you also had a bad fountain experience!)

about the knitting; you should take the yarn from old worn out sweaters, scarves etc. As they did in the old days. Though it works well if they are of good quality. I wish a was good at knitting. If I had been I would have give the wool sweater I'm wearing right now a new life. (it's 6 years old - good quality, but getting holes and loose pieces of yarn)

[Amy]

I love to hear you say 'I've taken up knitting'. Yea!

I've been in a no-spending pattern for months now and it sucks. I was never an extravagant person but it's the little things. (By the way - my no spending does NOT include one weekly visit to Perks.)

As for your knitting supplies, PLEASE please please come look through the yarn in my garage. I would so love it if it found a home. And needles - do I have needles! If I have doubles of anything, it's yours and if I don't, you can certainly borrow any size you need.

I hope your mom is mending quickly.

xo

[Raina]

I'm with Maiz - ours was a no-spend last quarter of the year (other than Hanukkah and birthday presents). It's amazing how quickly your checking account balance improves.

[jessica]

This is a great idea. I've really been trying to track my pennies, but no extra spending that's is a challenge. You'll do great. I might need to try a month of no spending as well. I'm glad Oma is doing better :)

[Maiz]

You can do it! I just survived a no-spend 2008. I'm kidding, but we did pare our spending down drastically. The quality of hand-me-downs for the kids we've been getting from friends are better than what I would have bought. There's a lot of free stuff on Craigslist. If you're motivated, you can do toy swaps and women's clothes swaps. The hardest part for me is the restaurants...

Give a big XO to Oma for us.