Author Topic: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)  (Read 4273 times)

Zamboni

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Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« on: February 28, 2015, 06:54:00 PM »
Some MMM readers probably won't even find this to be a challenge, but I am feeling like I need it.  I find myself sometimes just frittering money away the past few months.  A vending machine snack for the kids here, a pair of shoes there, etc.

So, here's my gauntlet: nothing unplanned this week!  Nothing!  I need to flex my frugality muscles and get back into good habits.  Because a treat isn't really a treat if you do it any old time you feel like it, and I'm starting to take too much for granted.

Here's what is planned for this week:
$4 for the rec center
milk/bananas/celery at the grocery store

That's it!  Can I do it?  I haven't had a fast like this for years. 

Please feel welcome to join me if you wish.  I will try to post back every couple of days to recount what I resisted and how it felt.  At the end of this week, my habits should be getting back in shape. 
« Last Edit: February 28, 2015, 06:55:47 PM by Zamboni »

alleykat

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 06:00:27 AM »
I will join you for the week because my skincare/makeup and junk food spending has been a little bit out of a control the last few months as well.  I can't seem to pull it back.  So, I will join you for this week.  No spending on any of the above mentioned items.  Thanks for this little challenge. Very much needed. I have to start somewhere.  Good Luck.

Zamboni

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 07:18:48 PM »
Welcome to the challenge, alleykat!

So far so good.  I ended up taking a child to the gym with me today because sports practice got canceled, so that cost me $3 but it was well worth it.

I'm likely to run up against a beverage shortage this week, but buying overpriced drinks while I'm out is one of my anti-frugal habits.  I have metered out what I have in stock and drinking more water each day will just have to do for the rest.

Meanwhile, I'm debating if I even need the celery.  Every time I buy celery for this one recipe I end up using only a stalk or two and the rest just gets nasty.

Retired To Win

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 07:46:30 PM »
... I'm debating if I even need the celery.  Every time I buy celery for this one recipe I end up using only a stalk or two and the rest just gets nasty.


Celery is great in stir frys, soups, salads and as a finger food (with or without embellishing it with a dip).  So there's really no reason for it to get nasty just waiting to be used.  (If you haven't guessed already, we eat lots of celery.)

norabird

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2015, 08:29:59 AM »
In. Ideally I shouldn't need to buy anything until Friday/Saturday.

cashstasherat23

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2015, 09:02:51 AM »
I am in...I just took a large chunk of my last paycheck to completely pay off one of my student loans, so I have $80 to "live on" until the 16th of the month!

Today I took out a huge package of chicken breasts which I am going to toss in the slow cooker tonight, as well as some freezer meals that I had saved and will now be using up. I also have a ton of referral credit for a grocery delivery service, so will be picking up $80 worth of free groceries on Wednesday that will last me at least until my next paycheck, if not until the end of the month!

The only planned spending I have left in the next two weeks is $850 for rent, to be paid today. Other than that, will attempt to make it without buying anything at least until the 7th. 

Zamboni

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2015, 06:36:18 PM »
^Congrats on paying off your student loans!

Day 2 was uneventful here.  I was really tired after work but resisted picking up something prepared to eat; instead I went home and made the chicken fajitas I have planned. 

I wish I liked to eat celery, but alas it's not my thing.  I do like it in a few recipes.  But raw celery is wasted on me.

Norabird, is that cat wearing a  . . .  shark costume?  Welcome to the microchallenge.

Zamboni

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2015, 05:47:27 AM »
It's hump day for this week's challenge!

I blew it once yesterday (I bought a soda from a vending machine because it was late, I was still working, and I am an addict). But, even though I was really tired when I got home at 7:30, the little Zamboni convinced me that homemade pizza tastes better than delivered, so I made the pizza I was planning instead of ordering.  It didn't take that long and the crust came out really good this time, so homemade pizza for the win!

I have really gotten soft lately, though, with spending on convenience foods.  The compulsion to order pizza was very strong.

norabird

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2015, 11:36:04 AM »
So far, so good! Have to figure out what to do for dinner tonight and will probably end up buying one or two dollar pizza slices due to my schedule, but I'll consider that planned spending. I should have thought to bring in a pbj! Next time.

The strange thing about these challenges is how little I need them most of the time (though there was that time two weeks ago when I impulse bought on sale valentine's day candy and also picked up two boxes of cereal...). How things change!

cashstasherat23

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2015, 12:52:45 PM »
Almost caved yesterday-I was in Macy's returning some clothes I had bought a week or so ago, and got tempted by the sales! Luckily I was stopped at the cash register-the clothes didn't ring up as discounted as I wanted, so I walked away. Don't even feel tempted to go back today and buy them, like the old me would have! 

Still no spending on food or anything else this week for me! Keep up the good work everyone :)

Zamboni

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2015, 05:00:04 PM »
Good work so far, everyone!

It's amazing to me how compelling habits are.  For example I am in the habit of drinking a soda on the way home from work.  Today I didn't have one: I had filled my cup with water right before leaving the building, so I had water instead. Man the compulsion to stop at every quickie mart I drove by and buy a 12 pack of soda was incredible!  I finally made it to the library where I was stopping off to return a book, seriously eyed a quickie mart across the street, and decided I was close enough to home that I could make it without stopping.  That is a serious habit (okay addiction.)

On the other hand, in college I wasn't in the habit of buying anything because I had absolutely no money.  One day by random chance I found $8 cash on the sidewalk.  It had obviously fallen out of someone's pocket, but no one was around.  I spent two weeks deciding what to buy.  Even now when I go back to my college town I have trouble spending money on anything while I am there.

Zamboni

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2015, 11:01:14 AM »
This week went pretty well.  I feel like I'm back in the habit of no unplanned spending!

netskyblue

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Re: Micro-challenge: no extraneous purchases this week (Mar 1-7)
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2015, 11:20:31 AM »
... I'm debating if I even need the celery.  Every time I buy celery for this one recipe I end up using only a stalk or two and the rest just gets nasty.


Celery is great in stir frys, soups, salads and as a finger food (with or without embellishing it with a dip).  So there's really no reason for it to get nasty just waiting to be used.  (If you haven't guessed already, we eat lots of celery.)

We have one recipe in which my husband uses celery.  I don't like it plain, but what I do is chop it up and freeze what doesn't get used in the recipe, and add it into the liquid when I'm making stock/soup.  I don't know how much it adds, but it's better than letting it go bad, I guess.