Eek. Today is the last day before I embark on my quest to not spend any money in February. I am feverishly trying to get my work done so I can do a mall run, get a mani pedi and take a browse of the sale racks. I can’t believe I volunteered to put myself on a spending leash, but I can’t turn back now. Up with no spending. Who says that frugality can’t be the new black?
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I must give you two thumbs up and a dollar for this brave commitment. Not to mention you are starting this in a city I am pretty sure has never heard of a “no buy month”… “What is that!” Miami yells….stay strong my friend…
Love ya!
E.
Great idea especially we are in a recession! I am up for the challenge. I don’t know why I am signing up for this, but I think I can handle it. I will report my progress. Wait, how do I do that? Well, first you need to tell me the rules of the game. I will be most interested in seeing how much money I actually throw away each month on frivolous items. No mani/pedi, takeout, gum, books, shoes on sale for a steal,weekend drinks or salon for all of Feb.? I think you may be redefining what it is to be single in the city. Or, perhaps the challenge is to see how you can defer these cost to someone else, like a suitor.
MM
Hi Mick,
Well, no-buy month is all about the simple life and scaling back. I just picked my problem areas such as eating out and salon services and gave them the boot.
Once you identify where a lot of your money is going (maybe you drive when you should walk places or you leave the lights on at home), then make some cuts.
And as for the suitor challenge…hmmm, well…more details about that this month.
With the exception of Superbowl Sunday (I’m counting beer as a necessity on that day), count me in! Hope the economy doesn’t collapse.
I have done the one month social break before…which was no going out to eat/drink/clubs with admission. I usually try to pick winter months when less is going on and people don’t want to go out as much. October is always a great month to do that. And when I do, I end up watching a lot more dvd’s and enjoying my apt that I rarely see.
“Who says that frugality can’t be the new black?”
Why is everything about race in Miami?
i will give you a week to give up , you are leaving in MIAMI, where Money.Is.A.Major.Issue
Maybe you will have to start cooking.
Eating out costs a lot and if you go to the supermarket, you will see that buying the ingredients and cooking them saves a lot of money.
Also, I’ve seen some friends doing a very nice alternative: every Friday one of them will cook and invite the others at home. It doesn’t cost that much, and it still allow for a very nice social life.
I know that with $30 I can cook and make happy 6 people. How will it costs me at the restaurant?
Good luck, you can do it.
Best regards.
FD @ http://www.condhotel.com/
Great idea, I sure hope it works, I have been frugal most of my life, and it really has paid off. I am now 62 and retired. My wife and I eat out only when we are paid to do so, by mystery shopping. I just got a call from my 55 yr old sister, yesterday and she told me, wow I guess you were right. My wife and I have our home paid for, lived in it for 31 yrs., and pay about 1/3 the amount of property taxes that our neighbors pay! I still drive a 1984 Chevy Suburban, that I paid cash for when it was brand new! I made my kids pay rent from the time they were 12 yrs old, and, made them sign a contract, when they were 16, that I would pay for college, if, they pledged to put away 10% of their income, towards a retirement account, after they graduated, well it worked very well! My daughter is 42, and could retire if she wished to do so. My son is 35 and is close to achieving the same goal.
I feel that we are a self-centered, spoiled society and could prosper if we desired to do so! I will be watching your blog, and, by the way, if you need Avon products, for your nails, hair or make-up, contact me, I can provide free shipping also!
Good Luck!
I wish u the best of luck..and I hope you don’t get too lonely in the process..
Frugality in Miami can mean isolation,weird looks
and comments and outright ridicule because people will look down on you if u r not driving that BMW
or eating at Joe’s or Tony Roma’s 5 times a week
pr wearing those $200 sunglasses.
You will be called cheap…they will tell you that saving money and living below your means is ridiculous because you could die tomorrow and not have enjoyed life,etc….meanwhile they pay $600 a month car leases ans $150 cable /satellite bills.
I frequent a website called the simple living network where you could get lots of encouragement and ideas…
Miami/South Florida is definitely one of the worst places in the nation to try to be frugal.
Natalie,
For those afternoon snacks try the prepacked 100 calorie dried fruit packs. Buy a box at the super market this week and stick it into your desk drawer. For dinner, look in the frozen food section for prepacked complete meals. They contain everything needed and are usually $7 or $8 and will feed you for 2 or 3 meals.
My frugality tip: I go to the library instead of buying books. And buying books is my weakness. The library has their annual book sale coming soon. I do buy then.
Second tip: no cable… no dish network, etc. We live rurally, so we don’t do movies, but we do rent netflix.