Challenge: $0 Discretionary Spending for March 2022

[jnw]

I haven't spent a dime the past couple of weeks with respect to discretionary spending.  I plan on continuing this through the month of March.

I challenge anyone to also not spend anything in unscheduled discretionary spending for the Month of March :)

(I have a monthly $10 gift I give a friend via Patreon and not going to stop doing that, nor give up my $1.99 per month Google Drive storage.  So I have $11.99 scheduled each month of discretionary spending I am not willing to give up.)

This challenge means not spending anything at convenience stores, gas station mini market, restaurants, fast food, coffee shops, paying for entertainment, home upgrades (non-repairs), hobby expenses, unnecessary clothing etc..    (Unless you already have something planned for this month, that doesn't count against you in this challenge.)

[Serendip]

Hmm..I will join this @JenniferW with the caveat that we are planning a trip so that falls under 'scheduled expenses'

But I will make the commitment to not grab any lunches out, or to sign up for courses, or buy new books, or swing by the thrift store. These are my biggest splurge points for 'random spending'.
This will be a good stretch since I've been on a bit of a spendy trajectory and need to save some dollars for these two upcoming trips and also just because I don't NEED anything else :) ha.

Need to flex that discipline muscle.

[jnw]

Hmm..I will join this @JenniferW with the caveat that we are planning a trip so that falls under 'scheduled expenses'

But I will make the commitment to not grab any lunches out, or to sign up for courses, or buy new books, or swing by the thrift store. These are my biggest splurge points for 'random spending'.
This will be a good stretch since I've been on a bit of a spendy trajectory and need to save some dollars for these two upcoming trips and also just because I don't NEED anything else :) ha.

Need to flex that discipline muscle.

Awesome!  So far so good here :)

Oh btw, if you can buy a larger ticket item at the thrift store, which you could reasonably easily sell for more later on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.. that's technically not really an expense but a transfer of assets with possible appreciation :)  That's the way I look at it anyways.  Like I bought a weber 26" kettle for $55 which costs $399 ($435 with taxes) new.. which I could sell later for over $200 :)  I put that kettle in my "discretionary assets" account as a "current asset" and did not use an expense category for it :)   I find better deals on FB marketplace and flea market though, vs thrift store.

Here's my expenses so far the first 3 days.  I paid 6 months auto insurance ($21 per month) and $32 or so for registration.. so that's why auto was more than the typical $30 for gas.  As ya see $0 in discretionary spending :)

[Serendip]

Well, not quite zero.

Purchased a muffin when I forgot to bring lunch to work and also bought flowers for the house when we were expecting guests (no regrets about that one though...I love flowers and hadn’t bought any for months—the house looks so cheery!)

However I skipped going to the thrift store and have been taking lunches when I will be out for longer days than normal. So fairly successful. Will aim again for zero this week and see how it goes :)

[jnw]

Well, not quite zero.

Purchased a muffin when I forgot to bring lunch to work and also bought flowers for the house when we were expecting guests (no regrets about that one though...I love flowers and hadn’t bought any for months—the house looks so cheery!)

However I skipped going to the thrift store and have been taking lunches when I will be out for longer days than normal. So fairly successful. Will aim again for zero this week and see how it goes :)

Good job though with the single muffin and flowers:) So far still at $0 at the moment :)  But I have it easier because I am home all the time.

[jnw]

Still holding, almost half way through month! :)  No temptations at all btw.

[jnw]

Well I blew it.  I now have $10.67 in Discretionary spending.   I had to buy some plant tags for my seedlings I just started from seed indoors.  At least I got the seed for free from the library and from saving it from last year.  The tags I got should last me the rest of my life since they are PVC.  I can wash the dirt off them and then erase the pencil marks I make on them each year.

Those tags actually came to $8.71.  My guy went to the hardware store yesterday for a small $15 home repair, and picked up a $2 o-ring for the garden hose sprayer at the same time.  I didn't ask him to, he just did it :)   So that's how I come to $10.67 in discretionary spending now.

At least I got the seeds for free and will be eating food I grow from them.   For these seedlings, I used about 30% peat, 20% vermiculate and the rest garden soil from a raised bed out back.. also added a little inexpensive (Jobe's) organic granular fertilizer.  (All these soil ammerndments being leftovers from last year).

I'll see if I can keep this discretionary spending at $10.67 for the rest of the month.  I might try and do zero spending next month as well; hopefully another gardening expense doesn't pop up.. trying to make this as free as possible.  (I have a compost pile out back at least that gets pretty big.)

[Serendip]

$10 is still pretty low @JenniferW

I have avoided thrift stores but did buy two e-books. I was travelling and bought a coffee in the airport but haven't bought food at restaurants so far.  Trying to use up groceries and pantry goods at my parents house too..

Brought gifts for everyone, but they were things that I purchased at Xmas and didn't manage to send  :)

[jnw]

Well my total Discretionary spending for March 2022 was $15.72. I am going to try to make it $0 for April 2022.  I am going to try each month until I manage to get it to $0 :) I'm obsessed for some reason lol.