Eighty Dollar October

[KGZotU]

I've been hemorrhaging money...kind of.

I've got a new job teaching in the Alaskan bush. Whether you're shipping your entire life up here or buying a new one off Amazon, there are a lot of startup costs. Well, I'm done. I have my bedding, my 40 lbs of cheese, 75 pounds of flour, 50 pounds of rice, 60 pounds of pasta, spices, beans...sounds like I'm heading onto the Oregon Trail. I just ordered my winter gear and that's all I'm doing this month: $80 discretionary funds outside of my recurring expenses. I'll set aside another $100 for stuff I might buy for the classroom.

Recurring expenses include:
Cell phone: ~$20
Internet: ~$25
Farm box delivery: ~$160

Rent is $375 but comes out of my paycheck and is also pre-tax due to special circumstances.

WHO WILL JOIN ME IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS CHALLENGE?

[DocCyane]

Is the challenge to only spend $80 in discretionary money this month? Because I really don't want 40 lbs of cheese.

[smalllife]

Define "discretionary", because it sounds like by regular budget might be pretty close to that already.  :-)  Funnily enough, I would consider the stocking up as "household" goods because they will eventually be consumed and bought anyway.  I define discretionary as unnecessary non-consumables: clothing, nights out, personal care items beyond the basics, etc.   

[arebelspy]

Good for you, KGZotU.

Sounds like you're starting quite the adventure.  With costs so low, hopefully you'll be able to rapidly build up that stache.

Define "discretionary", because it sounds like by regular budget might be pretty close to that already. 

Agreed, I'd bet many Mustachian budgets are similar.

Many months I don't have any spending outside reoccurring expenses and food.

[smalllife]

Many months I don't have any spending outside reoccurring expenses and food.

I don't have many outside expenses, but I am still "accumulating" physical objects which make life easier.  The joys of moving out and keeping house.  Not to mention I'm still in close enough proximity to cheap purchases that I have at least one replacement item per month.   That would be the goal though and I'm closer than many others in my age group.

[PJ]

Good for you, KGZotU.  Sounds like you've got a good set up for stashing away some money since your rent is so low, except for the fact that it is sooo expensive to eat up north.  I spent a couple of months living in Iqaluit a number of years ago - early 1990, I think?  Back then, I remember that a bag of milk was $12, and a case of coke (24 cans) was $24.  The farm box you mentioned sounds like a good deal though, if it means you'll actually get decent quality fresh veg regularly! 

I'll be with you in spirit this month, as I'm aiming for as much of a no-spend month as I can manage.  I do have some recurring expenses that are not very mustachian (for example, a dog walker once a week for my late days at work, and a car!) but outside of those, I just have no money to spare this month due to needing to take my car in for service and renew my license.  I'm even hoping, having spent just over $10 on milk and produce, not to have to go back to the grocery store before my next paycheck on the 25th.  There is lots of stuff in my pantry and fridge/freezer, so I think I can make it ... 

Good luck!

[KGZotU]

Define "discretionary", because it sounds like by regular budget might be pretty close to that already.  :-)  Funnily enough, I would consider the stocking up as "household" goods because they will eventually be consumed and bought anyway.  I define discretionary as unnecessary non-consumables: clothing, nights out, personal care items beyond the basics, etc.   

Good question. By discretionary I meant to say anything outside of non-recurring expenses, to include household goods, food, etc. $80 is my operating budget for the month outside of the farm box, internet, rent, and phone: any purchase or expense I haven't already specifically committed to. All shopping is much more deliberate for me up here, and so my own lines on discretion are probably in a very weird place.

Other people probably don't have the stacks of food I have, so the challenge applies differently.

Many months I don't have any spending outside reoccurring expenses and food.

I don't have many outside expenses, but I am still "accumulating" physical objects which make life easier.  The joys of moving out and keeping house.  Not to mention I'm still in close enough proximity to cheap purchases that I have at least one replacement item per month.   That would be the goal though and I'm closer than many others in my age group.

Good for you, KGZotU.  Sounds like you've got a good set up for stashing away some money since your rent is so low, except for the fact that it is sooo expensive to eat up north.  I spent a couple of months living in Iqaluit a number of years ago - early 1990, I think?  Back then, I remember that a bag of milk was $12, and a case of coke (24 cans) was $24.  The farm box you mentioned sounds like a good deal though, if it means you'll actually get decent quality fresh veg regularly! 

Yes, this is where I'm at. A few times a week I have a thought like, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a decent pot?" There is no Good-Will here, so that is a $20 decision. Quality floss was cheapest at $16 in a 6-pack. Soft-scrub to use before the lady friend arrives set me back $12. We had a freeze that inspired me to buy my winter gear, which set me back a few hundred dollars, etc.

This month I want to practice pretending that I have enough.

@PJ: Iqaluit looks a lot like Bethel. Not quite where I'm at, but the hub I fly out of.

[PJ]

Because you'd said Alaskan bush, I suspected that the experiences were not quite comparable - I so wish that I'd made it out to some of the outlying communities while I was there, and I really wish I'd been able to stay longer, to experience "summer."  I still hope to go back some day, if not to live, then at least to visit.  On a side note, since Iqaluit became the capital of Nunavut, I've wondered how much things have changed/grown. 

Do you have to go in to someplace like Bethel to do your shopping, or do you order everything online?  There wasn't really that option back when I was up north!