Cara here.
I finished No Spend Week (2/21-2/27). I found that the week was pretty easy, but the weekend was tough! I did not plan out my No Spend Week, so got caught up a few times. Here is a run down of my savings:
- Breakfast/coffee from home – 5 days = $15 (I usually would only get something maybe a couple times a week, so I’m putting it at a $15 savings.)
- Lunch from home (no daily visit to Cafe Options) - 5 days = $42.50
- No donation to Moveon.org in spite of repeated emails throughout the week = $5.00
- No lunchtime shopping trips = $25
- Made dinner at home x 5 nights = $100
Friday Night
- Dinner and margaritas at Benny’s (mooched off hubby) = $25
- Water instead of late-night drink (and had to convince my in-laws of non-pregnancy) = $8.00
Saturday
- Planned purchase of new toothbrush holder, but did NOT get matching soap dispenser = $13 (P.S. Why are soap holders so expensive?)
- No dinner with friends = $13
- Gas but NO car wash = $8.00
Sunday
- Brunch with friends at their house (instead of eating out): $40
- No lunch out with Mom = $8.00
Total savings = $212.50
Observations:
- Lunches/Dinners – I recently started Door to Door Organics, which delivers a box of fresh produce and vegggies every other week. This really encouraged me to make dinner and lunch, resulting not only in some serious cost savings but also much healthier meals. Even the days when I thought I had nothing to bring for lunch, the meals I scrounged up did the trick just fine! (For example, PBJ, carrots, random cheese from the fridge and leftover Valentine’s day candy. Haha). Need to get over the “I have nothing to bring” mental block and save $$ on lunch more often.
- Lunch time shopping. This varies week to week, but I definitely drop some dough on random purchases during lunch. I need a new hobby…or at least a committment to peruse but not purchase.
- Certain people trigger shopping…like hanging out with my Mom. We also need a new hobby that doesn’t involve shopping.
- Mooching (as I did at various restaurants throughout the week) or accepting freebies because I’m on No Spend Week is probably not a sustainable habit. At least not if I want to stay married/keep my friends. But it is good to be aware of how often I eat out, and think carefully before ordering or try harder to share.
