Contents [ on > off]
Hang out with friends more often

The Plan

Every so often I realize that I've been spending too much. As a result I take a month (although the first time was 40 days) and 'fast' on spending. It's not easy, but it's quite helpful in many ways. Each time I've done this I have actually made between 50 and 200 dollars. Combine that with the money I didn't spend, and the fact that I reformed my spending, it can have a big impact financially.

 

Welcome to visitors from Budgets Are Sexy! And thanks to J Monee to posting my story

 

[click here to turn the rules off]

 

0 days remaining

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30

 


 

Unless otherwise indicated you can't spend any expected income.
- Salary
- Wages
- Rent owed
- Established court settlements
- Alimony

 

NO spending of already existing money in your possession
- Cash on hand
- Gift cards

The only exception to this is spare change

 

NO stockpiling
- You can't buy gas on the day before it starts unless you need it.
- No loading up on extra food. If you're low on milk that's ok, but you can't buy a dozen frozen dinners

 

If you have any bills, you can pay them.
- Credit card purchases from previous months
- Medical prescriptions
- Mortgage/rent
- Utilities
- Cell phone

 

If you have any thing owed to you, you can call it in
- Owed lunches/dinners
- Money
- Take someone to court
- Stuff that was borrowed

 

You can sell get money by getting rid of things in your home
- Selling on Craigslist/eBay
- Returning things to Home Depot/Lowes (easy to find for any home owner)
- Unused gift cards

 

You can spend money that is refunded to you in that month
- Credit card cash back checks/ gift cards
- Medical reimbursement

 

Anything that you sell or get refunded must be spent after you get the money back.

So if you submit a reimbursement for medical expenses, or sell something online, you can't spend money in anticipation of getting it. If you submit it and you don't get anything sent to you that month... tough noogies. If you find out someone owes you money, you have to wait until they hand it to you.

 

Gambling is allowed with any eligible money (but I don't recommend that)

 

You can consume anything that you already have
- Food
- Toiletries
- Fuel (if you are a big commuter, consider this to be a utility)

 

You can barter
- Make dinner for someone with your own food, get someone to take you out for dinner
- Help someone out with a chore, get food or something else (not money) in return
- Sell anything you receive by doing chores for others
- Sell anything that was borrowed and then returned to you
- Sell anything for profit that you buy that month with eligible money

 

In the end you can potentially.
- Reduce excess crap in your pantry
- Eliminate items you shouldn't have bought
- Get evened out on things that people owe you
- Get in better shape from walking instead of driving
- Hang out with friends more
- Lose weight by eating more frugally (saving and eating leftovers)
- Eat healthier by cooking your own food
- Best of all, next month you'll have a lower credit card bill

 


[ click here to turn the rules off ]

 

Send any questions to sox@vt.edu | Take a look at a previous or the next day

Check out the other spending pages too!

Cash: $277.29 (-$28.07)

Day 13: Out of state reunite


I checked the mail last night and was excited to find that I had tickets to the MD VT game this weekend. Julie sent them along to me earlier in the week and I guess it just took a little while because of the holiday. Today I am taking the day off and after lunch I will be heading up to see Anna and hang out up that way. I'm going to eat up as much leftovers as I can before I leave. Otherwise I am sure they'll be gross when I get back. So pudding was breakfast (it can't be any worse for me than corn pops) and pizza will be lunch.

This trip works out very well for not spending. In addition to getting to visit with Anna and get to go to the football game (for free) she gets the honor of returning the favor on a few meals. I do have to be careful now though because I am picking up 4 football tickets for the next game and will have to cover the cost of those tomorrow, $48 a piece. Starr and her Mom are going to take two of them and I am sure I can get someone else to go too. Just have to float the money for a little while. That will leave me kinda low after this weekend when I pay for gas back and the tickets, But I can do it :)

On the way up I bought gas using cash. It was a pain in the butt. You have to go in, pay them, go out, pump gas, go back in, get change... ugh. For some reason I bought a diet Mountain Dew. I swear I picked up a diet Dr Pepper. Gross. Once I got up to Maryland (through the rainy roads) I hung out with Anna's family for a while and ate some of their leftovers for dinner. Anna bought me some ice cream and picked up some filters for Liza's water bowl at home so I can add that to the list too :)

Inventory

Acquired: other people's leftovers, gas, football tickets, ice cream, water filters
Consumed: $28.07, pudding, gas, leftover pizza, ice cream, other leftovers

Daily cash values:

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930