savings for some people who only bought the basic nescessites

[Snoopy2645]

Message Boards: Your Money with Personal Finance columnist Liz Pulliam Weston - MSN Money


this kinda shows how much you can save when you only buy what you need

[pearlieq]

It is really amazing how little we actually "need". It's quite liberating to know that there's almost nothing I can't do without.

If DH and I contracted down to the basics we could easily save a couple thousand a month. We choose not to, but it's nice to know the option is there.

[th_tan]

Wow its amazing how much some of them have saved. I'm too spoiled and like to spend most of my money coming in. Atleast I have a savings account and I restrict myself from dipping into it, though its tempting at times.

[PRICEPLUS]

I think I am going to try and go for a no spend month! I will just pay my bills and not spend on anything extra. I wonder how well I could do?

[Coleroo]

I was thinking just the other day about how much we could be saving if we cut out certain things... we already stay at bare minimums (which is fine by us.. we like simplicity.. no cable, no fancy new furniture, no extraneous services...share a family plan cell phone with parents)... right now we save $386 a month (thats about to double when hubby becomes eligible for retirement plan this month). I think, WOW, once we get rid of these two car payments in 2 years, we can increase our savings by $665!! And we do not have high paying jobs either (we each make only between 20k and 30k a year). So it definatley can be done... im just happy all of this information is around now and I've found it when Im young!

[th_tan]

I think I am going to try and go for a no spend month! I will just pay my bills and not spend on anything extra. I wonder how well I could do?

I think you'll do better, but don't let numbers control your life either. You have to enjoy yourself a ltitle or else you will forget what your saving for

[My English Castle]

Like Judith Levine's Not Buying It?

Was the msn thing like the Judith Levine book, Not Buying It?
She decided to buy nothing but necessities for a year and recorded it
in the book. I found her politics got in the way of the story, but it was an interesting experiment in how money actually functions in our culture--we spend to cheer ourselves up, to participate in social activities and for convenience and so many other reasons. Levine and her partner had debates about what actually WERE necessities--coffee? wine? books?