The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: hownowbrowncow on November 01, 2013, 09:25:43 PM
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A dumb mistake gave me an idea for a challenge...
Typical day - walk 1.2 miles to/from work, bring lunch
Today - all day meeting with breakfast and lunch catered not at the office so needed to take bus (work offers free carte blanche transit passes to all employees. I use it for the bus on really shitty weather days, weekend transportation, light rail to airport etc)
As I was boarding the bus I realized I didn't have my wallet with the pass in it. Luckily the driver took pity on me (running back to my apartment to get it would have made me late) and let me ride anyway. Coworker gave me a ride back to the office and then I walked home.
Obviously there was no need to spend money today but it got me thinking maybe I should leave my wallet home more often :-) just hook my transit pass to my work badge (since weather's getting worse). My basic errands -grocery, pharmacy, etc - are only a couple blocks from home so it's not a big detour to stop there first. If I had post work plans or an unusual errand, I'd know in advance and bring it that day. I think the main downside is spontaneous after work plans popping up but since that would only really happen with good friends they could spot me (and it doesn't happen too often that we're in our 30s!)
This could be a painless way to cut careless purchases. Anyone game? Maybe wallet free work week next week?
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On the whole, I agree with this. I pay for a very subsidized lunch with my work badge (yay for software companies!) and what I really need from my purse = keys and security card.
However, I know people at my company who go wallet free. Not a single one of us really needs more than our car keys/bus pass/bike lock key, house key, and employee badge. The problem that I've seen people run into is running out of gas. I work in the southwestern suburb of a college town/state capital, and cars are necessary to pass the cornfields. Running out of gas wouldn't happen to someone taking the bus or walking to work, so that's specific to car-centric areas. My officemate spotted her besty $20 so her besty and her besty's husband could drive home. "They're such smart people! How can they not have ANY money? They both left their wallets at home!"
My advice would be to keep a fun fifty designated for having fun with friends/cash emergencies (like being unable to get home) hidden away at your desk. You may differ, but I find it difficult to make careless purchases with cash, especially a pristine 50. [I actually find it very difficult to spend physical cash, but that's another story.]
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I've been considering doing this myself. With my job I'm out of the building most of the day and I usually leave my wallet behind so I won't impulsively buy a coffee, treat or unnecessary groceries.
I eat at work, bring coffee from home and ride my bike to get around, so I generally don't need money during the day, unless I'm buying coffee beans on the way home.
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I think it's a great idea!
About a year and a half ago I made the decision to only carry my driver's license with me, except for the couple of times a month I knew I'd need to purchase gas. I originally did this to avoid the temptation of eating out too often.
The first few weeks I felt naked and scared. Scared that some "emergency" might come up, and I'd be without cash. None of this even happened. After over a year of reconditioning I now carry my debit and credit cards with me again, but gone are the desires to eat out.
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didn't spent anything since Monday. its day 4 and im tempted to buy my kids new pairs of socks, but tomorrow is already Friday, 1 more day before weekend ;) ill see if i can stretch this to another week. well except for food and fuel of course.
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A dumb mistake gave me an idea for a challenge...
Typical day - walk 1.2 miles to/from work, bring lunch
Today - all day meeting with breakfast and lunch catered not at the office so needed to take bus (work offers free carte blanche transit passes to all employees. I use it for the bus on really shitty weather days, weekend transportation, light rail to airport etc)
As I was boarding the bus I realized I didn't have my wallet with the pass in it. Luckily the driver took pity on me (running back to my apartment to get it would have made me late) and let me ride anyway. Coworker gave me a ride back to the office and then I walked home.
Obviously there was no need to spend money today but it got me thinking maybe I should leave my wallet home more often :-) just hook my transit pass to my work badge (since weather's getting worse). My basic errands -grocery, pharmacy, etc - are only a couple blocks from home so it's not a big detour to stop there first. If I had post work plans or an unusual errand, I'd know in advance and bring it that day. I think the main downside is spontaneous after work plans popping up but since that would only really happen with good friends they could spot me (and it doesn't happen too often that we're in our 30s!)
This could be a painless way to cut careless purchases. Anyone game? Maybe wallet free work week next week?
+1