no money for a week...voluntarily???

jodi · #1 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 07:11 PM

Another post got me thinking (thanks kris10leigh)...what if I voluntarily gave up spending for a week? Could I do it? What would be the ground rules (i.e. is gas allowed? For me it would need to be as DH needs to get to school and we fill up more than once per week). You would have to pay normally scheduled bills, like the mortgage, car payment, etc. so would it only be a ban on discretionary spending? Hmmm...anyone care to discuss and possibly join my ban? We can pick a date to start and report on progress...

Did this get you thinking at least?

zoe · #2 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 07:28 PM

I would like to join you, I was thinking the same thing.

For me, I would do something like:

No food - eat what's in cupboard and get creative
Gas - just enough to get to places you HAVE to go - walk to other places/combine trips
Normal bills paid

Broken Arrow · #3 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 07:39 PM

I suppose if I were to attempt something like this, I would fill up the tank and buy a week's worth of groceries, and see if I can't cruise on by to the end of the week. It may be possible for me to do so, but... it also feels a bit too unnecessarily stressful for my taste....

You know what? Scratch that! I'LL TAKE THAT CHALLENGE! Who's with me!

getforfree · #4 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 07:57 PM

Ok, but let me stock up on milk first. If we would run out, Dh will go and buy it. And it's dangerous to let him into a grocery store, he doesn't look at the prices. My dh won't drink anything except for whole kind. Kids would, I guess. I can live without it, I just drink some for health reasons.

Kris10Leigh · #5 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 08:21 PM

Hehe! Well, for me it means all bills paid, and I had $30 to spend for bare necesseties...like toilet paper.

That money was to be used for only absolute necessities. So of course I bought popcorn.

But if I were taking it on as a challenge, I'd ditch the $30 "allowance". I think allowable spending for me would include transportation (gas) as that is our means for making money, getting to and from work. I would also allow spending for running out of things like toilet paper, but I would try to be a little more stingy with what I have first and see just how far I could stretch it. Basically, I wouldn't (me personally) resort to rags, but I would feel like I was cheating if I spent the money.

I would like to take on the challenge again once DH returns home. It's a whole lot easier when I am the only adult making the decisions. I will need to go to the grocery store on Friday, because I'm hearing echos in my cupboards these days, but after that, I'd like to see just how well my shopping trip went. Forgot the butter? Hmmm...guess the mac and cheese will be butter-free.

I'm in! again...

robex · #6 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 11:13 PM

Oh, yeah, count me in! I think we could all do it easily, especially with the support of oneanother.

Let me know the date and I'll alert dh and stock the cupboards!

Crystallas · #7 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 02:11 AM

I used to do this a lot. But I didnt do it on my own, I had to go crazy and work overtime. This left me time to just unwind at the tube or net and do whatever hygine items that were needed. Plus its a real test to see if you have the right job. I took paycuts to work at places that I liked so I could live a happy life. I cant do this anymore with the business and all, but it did help me a lot when I was younger.

Broken Arrow · #8 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 04:24 AM

Uh, did I just volunteer myself for a challenge last night? While half asleep and not knowing what I typed?

Um, now that I've had some sleep, I've been thinking. What if something catastrophic happens? You know, like, what if a polar bear accidentally escapes from the local zoo, and you needed to buy lots of lawn penguins as act as decoys so you can lure him away while you make your escape or something?

I can't believe I just volunteered myself for something like this. Well, alright if we are to do this, here's what I propose. I propose that we get our very short-term finances straightened out by Sunday (July 30th, 2006). We fill up our gas tanks, visit our grocery stores, make sure our bills are straight, and whatever else we need to do to get ready.

Then, come Monday, we cruise for the rest of the week without spending a dime. Everyday, we'll come back to this thread and report on our status. Obviously, we'll have to use the honor system, but it's OK if we don't make it either. Let's just see how far we can go for ourselves....

Let's make the deadline Sunday night, say, at 6pm. I know it's not a full week, but that way, if we make it, we'll have time to celebrate in our own small ways. For example, IF I make it, I'll probably dine out that night. If not, I cook at home.

What do you think?

(There is one small caveat for me. I am planning to visit my parents this weekend. Most likely, they will be cooking so I won't have to pay for food, but driving there will eat up more gas than usual. I'll have to be really careful about my gas usage, but... I guess it wouldn't be a challenge if there wasn't at least a snag or two along the way? Anyways, if I don't report promptly during on Friday and Saturday, that'll be the reason why.)

poundwise · #9 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 04:57 AM

A way you could not spend any in the week and still fill up more than once at the gas station is to buy a gift card at your local BP or Shell or whatever. In the same way some have said they would need to stock up on milk before beginning, you could stock up on gasoline.

You'd need to be wary though, it hardly counts as a week without spending if you just spend it all the week before. In the week without spending you might determine not to drive anywhere deemed not necessary, to eat inexpensive meals prepared at home (obviously), etc.

sweeps · #10 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poundwise

You'd need to be wary though, it hardly counts as a week without spending if you just spend it all the week before.

Exactly. It wouldn't violate the letter of the challenge, but it would definitely violate the spirit of the challenge.

boefixepa · #11 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 07:33 AM

Okay, after what I spent this weekend with family visiting I need no pushing. I'm in when are we starting.

robex · #12 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 07:36 AM

I'm in for Monday through Sunday...if we make our challenge then we'll be getting KFC and taking it to the lake for dinner on Monday, August 7!!!

If not...my family will make me SUFFER!

PrincessPerky · #13 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 07:51 AM

I would join in but for me going 6 days without spending is pretty normal, so going one more day isn't all that hard....

See we go to the store on Monday usually (this week was odd we went to two different stores, one sunday one monday) that means we fill up on gas on Monday...and that is generally it.. I would say once a month we go somewhere costing money on Saturday (this saturday in fact) other than that..sure I' ll join you, make DH go early for groceries then wait an extra day back to my normal..no problem

But in all seriousness the reason we do it all the time is the simple in store =spent money..so we don't. We might run out of milk on Saturday, or Sunday but we generally just wait a day, one day wont kill us..We have learned just how much milk we tend to need, and just how often we have to buy peanut butter or chocolate. other than that I rearely have troubles....except this week. I thought DH was going to skip the store yesterday and go today...he didn't...he went without the list..meaning no craisins...no butter...no english muffins.....not cool..but hey if I can't make it a week without those two things I am not very creative! (is good for the budget to suffer on occassion..)

Having said all that, I think the challenge is a great idea, might help some people think of creative ways to deal with polar bears escaping from zoos!

boefixepa · #14 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 08:15 AM

Myabe there would those who are willing to go for a little longer so that it would be more of a challenge? Really a week for me simply means I can't go out for lunch....anyone up to try for two weeks?

Broken Arrow · #15 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

I would join in but for me going 6 days without spending is pretty normal, so going one more day isn't all that hard....

...

Having said all that, I think the challenge is a great idea, might help some people think of creative ways to deal with polar bears escaping from zoos!

Yeah, rub it in Mrs. "I have lawn ornament coupons and you don't"!

Broken Arrow · #16 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boefixepa

Myabe there would those who are willing to go for a little longer so that it would be more of a challenge? Really a week for me simply means I can't go out for lunch....anyone up to try for two weeks?

Well, I suppose the whole idea is so that we (or at least I) could learn to transition to a simpler lifestyle that eventually consists of me buying only what I need each week, and living off of that. If successful, I will be doing this for the... rest of my life?

Or, maybe it will turn out that it won't work for me or that it may not make too much difference in my lifestyle? Who knows? Either way, I guess I won't know until I try.

One week to start out seems sensible enough.

Kris10Leigh · #17 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:33 AM

I am NOT a shopper, but somehow we seem to make frequent errand runs for things that pop up. In our household expenses pop up beyond the normal grocery run. There are things I have to say "no" to. For instance, just this week while trying to keep myself in check....

My friend wanted me to take a 1 1/2 hour trip with her for the day. That would entail eating out and so I had to say no. (I could have packed food for us if I really wanted to, but I guess I didn't REALLY want to.)

I ran an errand to drop off a picture at our church around lunch time. I was hungry and passed Chipotle's, which is a treat for us because it is not close to our house. I had to say "no".

The dog needs to be groomed and the kids need hair cuts. Not this week.

All those things are things I normally would have done as the need arose. I would have spent around $65 on all that and I wouldn't call any of it "shopping". Things like that just pop around here. So for us, it is definitely a challenge.

sweeps · #18 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:33 AM

Maybe the start date should be a surprise?

boefixepa · #19 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 09:54 AM

OOooo. That's a good idea. That way we can't 'stock up' and have to make due with what we have! Afterall if you buy what you would spend that week in advance, what's the challenge....

Ima saver · #20 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 10:55 AM

I don't think i could go a whole week without eating out. I know when i was younger, we ate out very rarely, but in the past twenty years, that has become our only form of entertainment.
I could not include my husband in this challenge. He is a builder and makes lots of trips to pick up materials. When he needs gas, he needs gas, or he earns NO money!
But, I might last a day or two!!