The ruminations of an artist on art & life...art quilts, beading, knitting, drawing, painting, printmaking, bookmaking are all my passions, I love to explore creating....

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

SPEND NOTHING Days PLEDGE

If you have followed this blog for awhile you know that one year (not too long ago) I went 9 months without buying anything new. This year---2009---I have decided to declare ALL Tuesdays and Thursdays as "spend nothing" days. How will this work? well, on those days I will not spend any money---with the exception being only $$$ spent on transportation--since I do not own a car, so I pay for public transportation. I will do this for the rest of the year 2009.


This means that if I feel the urge to eat out on those days--I won't. Or buy that latte, or go to a movie....or buy a book, magazine, or newspaper...and I will have to plan ahead so I have adequate groceries on hand. Now, you may be wondering what difference will this make--since I can just wait and spend money on Wednesday? or another day?

First of all, I know from my "buy nothing new" experience--that this will prove to be a consciousness raising experience for me---this will help me become more aware of when and how I do spend money.

Secondly, how many of us have had the experience of putting off purchasing something and then realizing that we don't really need that item we were going to buy? (Thinking it over...always a good plan.) So, I imagine this will cut down on some of my impulse buying...whether it is the impulse to buy a latte or some other doo-dah I don't really need. This will be 102 days in the year where I do not spend any money---imagine that I would have spent an average of $15 on each of those days----that is $1530.00 I am saving!

In addition, this will curb that impulse I have to eat out---rather than just cook for myself....(at least 2 nights a week.) This is a way to force myself to become more frugal---which I need to do right now. Frugality is the word for 2009!


Quote for the day: "If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."---Dorothy Parker

4 comments:

jgodsey said...

i can do you one better.
I can declare everyday BUT tuesday and thursday as spend nothing day.

I have found it easier to track myself in winter. i only go out and spend about 2 days a week. on these days I do my errands and buy my groceries. the days change but 2 days aweek should work fine.

Oldie said...

Man, you're a glutton for punishment. No local beer, Laurelhurst theater, food carts, Stumptown lattes, or Powell's purchases two days out of the week? I don't think I could do it:)

Anonymous said...

I think this is such a great pledge and so doable. The whole eating out thing is where we get stuck in our house. It is so easy on nights when you feel tired to run to the store for a quick pre-packaged meal or to the fast food places for take out.
Good luck, though I doubt you will need it!
Peace~
Dawn

Anonymous said...

Sounds doable ! My goal was to not buy anything this week that wasn't an absolute need...like medicine or the ilk. There is plenty of food in the house, I have enough UFO's to do....
So I will chime along with you on Tuesdays and Thursday !
Let's see how it goes !