Maybe I'm Not a Cheapskate?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Posted by Christina
I consider myself a frugal living zealot, a crazy coupon clipper, a cheapskate.But this week, Amy at Mom Advice started a movement that challenged everything I think about myself.
She's made a pledge not to spend any money for the entire month of February. She does acknowledge that the challenge would be nearly impossible, so she's got a few exceptions: $250 a month for groceries, utility payments, and gas for cars. And she's encouraging others to step up to the no-spend challenge.
Amy writes, "What can be gained though from a no-spend month can prove to be of great value for families. When you are not able to spend, you suddenly see how plentiful your life already is. The richness of what is around you and how little you truly do need to be happy quickly comes into focus."
At first, I was all over this. I love a challenge. I love showing that I can be disciplined. But then I really thought about what no spending for a month would mean to our family. And the more I thought, the more it upset me. It's not that I don't think we can do it, it's that I don't want to.
Maybe I'm not as much of a cheapskate as I thought.
Or maybe it's just that we run our budget so tightly already. And I'm so tired of being surrounded by such sad economic stories from every corner of the media. I simply cannot cut any more.
My frugal lifestyle has already helped me appreciate the beauty around me, the joy of family, and the freedom having no debt provides. What more is there to prove to myself?
What do you think? Could you go a month without spending any money?
January 28, 2009 8:16 AM
I think I could do this... I'm pretty darn close to it now. The timing of this challenge just doesn't work for me though because I'm buying my first house and there are a few necessaries that will need to be picked up over the next month.
I'm kind of with you on this one--I already pinch pennies quite closely. For every purchase that could be deemed unnecessary, I carefully weigh out the pros and cons and many times this means putting it back on the shelf. I am very satisfied with my budget and what I've been able to achieve. What more is there?
Plus, I feel like making myself go without ALL of the potential unnecessaries would make me want to binge spend when the challenge is over. I think for now I'll just keep doing what I'm doing!
January 28, 2009 9:09 AM
As you probably know, I am doing this. I did have a similar thought, though, really there was not much to cut. But, we spent a lot in January and we want to spend less in February and complete some things at home, so it worked for us. Really, I cut the food budget (to focus on eating up some stockpile) and will try not to buy things for the household. Other than that - we are pretty locked in to our regular monthly bills.
I am growing weary under the strain of the economic news, too. My brother works for Target here in Mpls and lost 11 people in his department yesterday - he escaped, but how will it be now? To work even harder? Plus, he feels awful for the friends and coworkers who are now unemployed.
I hope things are better up in your area!
January 28, 2009 9:58 AM
We also have a really tight budget already. We do however participate in no spend weekends which I find to be great. We cook at home and watch movies together. We still save about $50 each weekend. But a month is just too long. It seems like it would be a long chore rather than a weekend fun escape.
Plus i'd probably go on a spending frenzy once the month was over... i have no self control. But I do commend everyone who is going to do it, that takes willpower.
January 28, 2009 11:52 AM
We have done this twice. Once was to scrounge up enough money to pay a large dental bill for a double root canal. We were able to do it, I only spent money on regular bills and then $25 a week for groceries.
Then in October I did it again, this time to break my habit of spending and to add any extra money to our savings acct. I gave myself $200 for the month to cover food and anything else that might come up. Which ended up being a couple of prescriptions, coffee out with a friend, and some tights for dd.
You could do it, but you have to be motivated to stick with it. Right now you aren't and that is fine, but someday, whether you are forced into it or make a choice to do it, you will be prepared for such a challenge because you already live frugally.
January 28, 2009 12:23 PM
$250 would not be enough to cover utilities and gas and still leave enough left for even basic groceries. It might be different if you live where there is public transportation, but gasoline for rural areas is not a luxury, it's necessity of life. In order to prepare for something like this, don't you think most people would pre-spend to increase their stockpile, and then spend extra afterwards to replace their stockpile? In essence it might seem like a good idea, but it seems to me that it would just shift spending to pre- and post- months.
January 28, 2009 12:45 PM
I had many of the same thoughts as you Christina. We also live really tight in our budget and any extras are planned for way in advance so there is not a lot excess to get rid of. I love Amy and read her blog religiously, but the first thing I thought of when I read her pledge was, how can she be encouraging this now? If everyone does this can you imagine how many more service industry jobs would be lost because companies are already in total panic mode. I agree with previous comments also that it would just add spending before and after and I just do not think the benefits would outweigh the damage that this can cause. I am hoping my reaction was a total overraction and that this is a positive experience for her family but I was glad to know I was not alone in deciding it was not for me and my family.
January 28, 2009 1:01 PM
I don't think I could do it. I'm pretty organized, but there's always SOMETHING I forget about. Plus, like you, I wouldn't really want to and feel like I'm doing pretty good already. Or rather, I'm on the right track and don't want to risk upsetting my progress by taking on something too hard!
January 28, 2009 5:27 PM
I don't think I'd enjoy this "no spend" challenge one bit. I totally agree with Christina that trying to cut from an already frugal budget during this economic crisis would become even more depressing. While I don't spend much when I go out shopping I am a firm believer of "retail therapy" and I have a feeling a challenge like this would leave me feeling down in the dumps. I'd miss stocking up on the free and cheap items that I could add to my families stockpile. We too have seen how the frugal lifestyle has made us appreciate things more. On that note I must pass on this challenge.
January 28, 2009 7:06 PM
I have been reading others' comments and I feel compelled to defend Amy at Mom Advice. I have read her blog as long as any other and I have to say that she does seem to live frugally. I think her intent (not to presume to speak for her) is that even when you try to live a frugal life, sometimes it is beneficial to step back and rethink the things you spend on, even if for a short time. Life is crazy and the pressure to spend can be intense; sometimes it is hard to tow the line as much as you would like to.
Christina - I think it might be like the months you say that you felt you ate out more than you wanted. Trying to cut out those types of things. That might be a hard habit to break, but if you committed to not spending, then you might break out of the rut (assuming you have not already - I am not picking on you, just using an example).
Of course, it is not for everyone, but I highly doubt that Amy's motivation was to further depress people or cause harm to the economy. And, I think she was saying she would spend $250 on groceries (which is her normal monthly budget) and BEYOND that, she would put gas in the car and pay the utilities.
I may just be overly sensitive, being a misunderstood blogger myself at times :-)
I guess I am just saying that I find it hard to believe that Amy offered the challenge as anything more than an upbeat way to get creative and take a breather from spending. (And I don't think Christina was putting Amy down, it seemed to me that she was just thinking through whether the challenge was going to work for her or not.)
January 28, 2009 7:29 PM
I have tried to do this in the past (okay so I confess it was this month). Long story short, I failed. I plan on picking myself back up and trying again in a few months. I don't think of it as a depressing exercise but as more of a challenge plus I do not beat myself up if I spend money on an unexpected emergency, just on a splurge.
January 28, 2009 8:10 PM
@ Michelle (Leaving Excess) - You're right about Amy at Mom Advice - she does live a simple and frugal lifestyle... and everything she does has a greater good behind it. I truly admire her for her creativity, generosity, and tenacity. I'm looking forward to following her progress.
But I just can't bring myself to do the challenge. I think my husband (who likes to spend more than I do) and I would fight like cats and dogs for the entire month over trivial things like buying a can of pop or downloading an iTunes song.
That said, I do agree, that there are little things we can always trim from our budgets - eating out is my weakness - that would make life better for our family.
January 28, 2009 9:52 PM
Christina, this is why I love your blog so much, you are a human like the rest of us!!!
January 29, 2009 6:44 AM
I'm choosing just one area of spending to put a freeze on for the month of February: craft supplies. I have such a bad habit of seeing something, and deciding that I have to do that craft right now and rushing off to Michael's or ACMoore. Or, I get those 40% off coupons and feel like I must take advantage of them. So, for the month of February, I'm not spending any money on craft supplies. I have lots of things here at home, and I'm going to concentrate on using what I have. I'm hoping that it will recharge my own creativity and imagination.
January 29, 2009 9:34 AM
I couldn't and wouldn't want to. I applaud those that can but I'm afraid on Month #2, I would just go a spending binge. Kind of like a diet, the more you withhold from yourself, the worse the crash is going to be?
I already try to find the best bargains, get the best deals, and limit our spending. We eat out rarely as it is. Even less now than ever before. If I HAD to, I would but since I don't have to yet. I'm not going torture myself. LOL!
January 29, 2009 11:38 AM
Michelle @ Leaving Excess, I came across wrong if I sounded like I was saying there was any intent to harm the economy because I was not. I was just thinking out loud that if everyone stopped spending, with exception of total necessity, completely for the month of February it could cause stores, restaurants and the likes to panic and do more layoffs. Amy has a lot of influence and that was the only reason I even thought that. She is frugal, fun and fabulous and I know I personally aspire to be more like her.
January 29, 2009 12:04 PM
Tia - thanks for clarifying. This is a great discussion that Christina started because it gets to the heart of the economic issues. Do we need to spend more? Can we? Have we hit the end of the road and do we need to restructure the basis of our economy? Basically, we are all struggling to answer those questions for ourselves individually and as a nation.
I keep hearing that more spending is the answer (not that you are saying that - I get that you are saying, wow - if everyone did that it would have a big impact) for the economy and I am really worried that it is not the answer - I think our leaders need to find another way.
January 29, 2009 5:05 PM
I don't know if I could do this, or not. It would certainly lead me to some serious financial soul-searching! What about unexpected costs, like emergencies or health insurance co-pays? I admire her grit, but it would be tough for me...
Jerry
www.leads4insurance.com
January 30, 2009 12:03 AM
I have been thinking about the no spending approach but haven't attempted just yet. I first heard of the idea over at
http://simplenaturalnourishing.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/no-spend-months/
She planned a 2 month no spending and at the above link she details just how her family did, although the no spending ended 2 weeks early. I think that realistically you can reduce your monthly spending, but unfortunately in todays society there is no way to be completely free of monthly spending, you always owe someone money.
DeeDee
http://www.small-budget.blogspot.com/
January 30, 2009 6:35 AM
I'm proud of you Christina! This is a huge challenge and one not to go into without fully realizing what a big commitment it is. I've done it for shorter periods of time and when I did I realized that the biggest thing I gained was perspective on my spending.
-Heather
Freebies 4 Mom
January 30, 2009 9:06 AM
I think its a great idea but it would be a tough one. We have a tough time committing not to eat lunch out everyday. Although I do admire anyone willing to do this.
March 4, 2009 7:30 PM
Wow, this is a great discussion and apparently I was late in the game on this one.
I do want to say that the No Spend Challenge was a commitment that people could make for one day or one week or one month. It was just to step away from your spending for a set amount of time, that your family felt comfortable with, and then evaluate your spending habits.
I chose to step away for a month to challenge myself. I am a frugal gal so I saw it as a challenge, but not impossible.
What I discovered is that I do have habits and patterns to my spending and some of those I am not proud of it. It helped me to work out some kinks in our finances and gain some perspective on some things we could be saving on.
As for the economic situation, it is sad and our family has went through some horrible times of unemployment. I think that is why, for our security, I find it is important for our family to be saving and preparing. We live in an area that is particularly struck with job loss so we need to do the best we can to survive this...and for us that means reduced spending.
March 4, 2009 7:53 PM
@ Amy - Thanks so much for weighing on this discussion. I really appreciate your insight. I like the idea of viewing the challenge as preparation for a rainy day... we're having a lot of those rainy days in my region... I think we could all use a little refresher in frugality every once in awhile!
March 17, 2009 1:06 PM
I just ran across this article and wanted to voice my opinion. I think the "no Spend" is a good idea. It is so easy to get into a habit (for me it is eating out and buying clothes!) I know I spend WAY TOO much money on these, even though I clearance rack shop. I just have the urge to buy things because it is 90% off. While I might not want to use a whole month as no spending, I have picked certain areas that I have set limits on my spending (or completely stopped my spending in that area for a set period of time). This makes me focus on the habit and how it is controlling me. Plus, it is awesome having a little more money saved up.
I think it is Awesome that several of you are living so frugally. It's got to be great knowing you are doing something right!
As for the "no-spending" effecting the economy: the percentage of people who would do a no-spend at all would be ridiculously small that there would be very little impact on the economy. At least in my area, there are tons of people still spending (I can tell by the 45 minute wait at the restaurants and not finding a parking place at the mall!!!) So with me cutting back on some of my spending habits, there are many other people making up for it.
May 20, 2009 3:20 PM
On the surface I see our budget as being very tight already but when I REALLY take a look at the money we spend, I am appalled at how all the little things add up. We've got considerable credit card debt and 1 month of truly NOT SPENDING money would probably free up $500 for us....if I thought harder about groceries I could probably make that amount grow to $600 in savings for the month! $600 would be a nice payment to our credit cards to help us get out of the black hole of debt faster. Like many of you who have posted, my husband is not really digging this idea but something's gotta give if we're ever going to pay down our debt! We're planning a no spend month in July! Wish us luck!!!