KooKooNoodle

It feels as though my wallet has wings these days - opening and shutting with the wind, soaring high and ending up light and empty. I think it’s been a case of retail therapy gone mad, and it has extending over the last few months. Fifty dollars here, a hundred there, and suddenly it’s all frittered away.

We’re in the happy position of having long since dug ourselves out of debt (though let’s face it, most of that was MY debt, that I brought into our marriage, not my husband’s debt), and we’ve been trying to save for the down payment on a house. This is not an easy proposition in Southern California, where a tiny bungalow on a busy street runs $650,000.

So how is this gazillion-dollar down payment with another zillion-dollar mortgage payment every month going to appear?

It’s not. Not if I keep spending money.

So, my wallet is staying at home. For the month of February, I will not spend money on anything except gasoline, diapers, and food. Nothing. No books, no clothes, no craft stuff, no toys for Chloe, nothing. As for food, I will spend money only on perishables, such as fruit, vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese. The rest of my food will come from my already well stocked pantry and freezer. If I want bread, I’ll have to bake it myself.

My hope is that a whole month of not spending will become something of a new habit. A leaner way of living. A way to be more creative about how I spend my time, my money, and my energy. I hope to spend more time at the park, and less at the market, more time doing crafts with Chloe and less time at Target.

Simply making this declaration isn’t going to be enough to break my spending habits. I’m going to need to work on the reasons for my spending if I want to make this project last longer than a month.

I already know what it’s about - isolation.  I’m totally alone with a 2 year old all day.  I can go literally days without talking face to face with another adult between 7am and 7pm.  Sometimes my only conversations with adults are with the checkout people at the grocery store.  I have wonderful friends, but they work during the day and don’t have children.

I’ve been trying to get out more.  I joined MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers), and go to the park and library a couple of times a week.  Occasionally, I’ll find someone to talk to, and it’s WONDERFUL, like I’m almost a human person.  But on those lonely days, I find myself spending my cares away.  Trips to Target, the mall, Trader Joe’s and Cost Plus become much too regular.  A hundred here, fifty there, and there goes our down payment.

So there it is - my NO-Spending Project.  I’ll write throughout the month with updates.  Wish me luck, and join in if you’re feeling motivated to save.  February is the shortest month of the year, so it’s the perfect time to start.

Posted on January 28th, 2008 by Stephanie
Filed under: Friends, Money, Saving Money, Uncategorized