New Years Challenges

ctbride08

Inspired by my new years resolutions, A and I have entered into 2 challenges:

1) I can not make any non-critial purchases for the entire month of January...no decor for the house, no starbucks (unless i have a gc), no lunches in the cafe, no clothing...nothing aside from gas, groceries, and other essentials.  If successful at month's end, I get to purchase a guilt-free new pair of jeans (desperately needed).

2) For every 10lbs I lose, she will treat me to a purchase of my choice (examples might include a new sweater, a beach hat for our cruise, ect).

I'm a girl who like a challenge but this is going to be tough! especially the shopping.....think i can do it??

ssg73

Oh that will be tough.  S and I are terrible about going out and I would love to say that we will eat in for an entire month but I don't think this will happen.  We are trying to get in the gym and eat more healthy but sometimes I just love to go out to eat.  Since I have not been drinking (you know preparing the womb and all) it is a little cheaper to go out since I am not drinking $10 girly drinks.But still we spend way too much on going out for food.  I would be happy if we could get it to once a week.  Since I can't leave for lunch (I could but I only get 26 min!) I don't ever go out for lunch unless you count school lunch which I certainly don't.  Good luck and I hope you get your jeans and also hope you do well on the shedding pounds!  S and I are trying to get rid of some extra weight we at least held steady during the holidays and I count that as a victory!  I want to loose about 15lbs but would be happy with 10.  Good Luck and keep us posted

ctbride08

oh not eating out for an entire month would do me in!

the good news is that this only applies to my spending since i'm the one with a (mild) problem - we have a plan in place where Andrea takes out $X per week which she uses for her gas, the bulk of our groceries, and if anything is left, its our discretionary spending for the week. She's great about sticking to the budget - me, not so much.

sounds complicated when i type it all out, but its really not  

 

rikkiandjulie

Julie and I have a new plan as well. We are really hoping for this to work. Elise it's okay, I'm the spender too. Julie is amazing at sticking to a budget, but me I'm not so sure. However, we are not eating out but only once for the rest of the month, and that is on Julie's birthday.

I am making weekly 'meal plans'. I'm a bit of an organizational freak, but I love having everything planned, when I get home. Theres no 'what should we have for dinner', because it's right there. All meals are on there, lunch, breakfast, etc.

We are also pulling in on extra spending. Starting today there is no starbucks, no homey stuff, etc. And we will begin using Mint.com more actively.

Meegs10.13.06

Good luck.. that sounds hard! But how fun will those rewards be!!  :-) 

I would love to do something like that but I just looked at my calendar and realize that I already have 2 "dinner dates" set up with friends for this month, not to mention Trav's grandfather's birthday which we will all go out to dinner for. Maybe next month.

cookiemonster03

good luck!

 we're doing no-non-necessary shopping or eating out this month as well...sigh! I want new candles for the mantel!

Duchess1

You can do it! I just know you can, though the Starbucks things will be tough. Good luck!

Two*True

Can't give up Starbucks - sorry.  Although now that there isn't one on my route to work I probably only get it every other week or so.  :-(

No challenges between K and I.  I am trying to clean more (although I don't think it's necessary - but that's another story) and I know she is trying to look at her 'fun' spending a bit more.

 

Mrs._F

ctbride08:

we have a plan in place where Andrea takes out $X per week which she uses for her gas, the bulk of our groceries, and if anything is left, its our discretionary spending for the week.  

We use a similar concept for our budget.  We each have a set amount each month for all non-necessary things - dinners out, starbucks, lunches out, and any other shopping (like when the gap is having a huge sale, but we don't *need* clothes).  We each take that amount at the start of the month in cash, and that's all we have.  If we have leftover, we get to carry it over/squirrel it away for splurges. 

I am a spender, and this is the best system I've tried for myself!  I go even further than C and split the cash into weekly amounts, only putting each week's cash into my wallet so that it's easy to see what's left, and when it's gone, it's gone.

Good luck with your challenges!!