An experiement in not spending
Nov. 6th, 2008 11:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kelainaIn the midst of pre-exam crunch, last minute papers, and Nanowrimo, I've decided to do a little experiement.
For twenty five days (Nov.6 to Dec. 1), I'm not going to spend any money on anything that is not essential. No coffee from Starbucks, no take out, no renting DVDs.
Thanks to Reader's Digest, I've decided to try it. I'll pay rent and utilities. I've got a budget of $100 this month in case I run out of food in my pantry--unlikely, considering there's enough ramen to feed three starving Ethiopian families in there. My internet (thanks, ECU!) is free. I have not one, but two libraries within walking distance, one of which lets you check out DVDs for free. There are tons of gorgeous parks and stores I've been meaning to explore, and B&N always lets you read and not buy. The simple trick? I leave the wallet in my car (safely hidden). If I don't bring it with me, I can't buy anything.
To make sure I wouldn't go malnourished (and to see if I had anything for a dinner party I'm holding tommrrow), I checked my fridge today before leaving for class. I have a ton of stuff I forgot about. I can make chickenless noodle soup for dinner tonight with toast, eggs for tommrrow morning (or grab a strawberry breakfast bar from my cupboard), and hardboil eggs on my hour off, or just wait til I'm done with classes. I'm making lentils and brown rice for the dinner party tommrrow, and I have water, root beer, and juice.
(I'm in college. My dinner parties are NEVER elegant.)
I know I've got several things I need to do this month that I have to plan ahead for. But I'm determined not to break that hundred dollar cap.
We'll see how it goes.
ETA: I've been spending time tracking down the best deals for Christmas presents. So far reallygreattoys.com and Warlock Videos are good.
For twenty five days (Nov.6 to Dec. 1), I'm not going to spend any money on anything that is not essential. No coffee from Starbucks, no take out, no renting DVDs.
Thanks to Reader's Digest, I've decided to try it. I'll pay rent and utilities. I've got a budget of $100 this month in case I run out of food in my pantry--unlikely, considering there's enough ramen to feed three starving Ethiopian families in there. My internet (thanks, ECU!) is free. I have not one, but two libraries within walking distance, one of which lets you check out DVDs for free. There are tons of gorgeous parks and stores I've been meaning to explore, and B&N always lets you read and not buy. The simple trick? I leave the wallet in my car (safely hidden). If I don't bring it with me, I can't buy anything.
To make sure I wouldn't go malnourished (and to see if I had anything for a dinner party I'm holding tommrrow), I checked my fridge today before leaving for class. I have a ton of stuff I forgot about. I can make chickenless noodle soup for dinner tonight with toast, eggs for tommrrow morning (or grab a strawberry breakfast bar from my cupboard), and hardboil eggs on my hour off, or just wait til I'm done with classes. I'm making lentils and brown rice for the dinner party tommrrow, and I have water, root beer, and juice.
(I'm in college. My dinner parties are NEVER elegant.)
I know I've got several things I need to do this month that I have to plan ahead for. But I'm determined not to break that hundred dollar cap.
We'll see how it goes.
ETA: I've been spending time tracking down the best deals for Christmas presents. So far reallygreattoys.com and Warlock Videos are good.
