So there!
Which brings me to Carla's January No Spend Challenge. If you would like to join or read more about it check out Carla's blog "My 1/2 Dozen Daily".
What I love about this challenge is that everyone is free to make up their own rules...see?....I like it already. I can do it MY WAY! (Don't tell anyone but I'd be doing it my way anyways but now I can be both a JOINER and still maintain my own sense of independent weirdness!) How perfect!!
Since I maintain a zero-based budget there isn't a lot of room to squeeze out much extra in the way of savings. But I am going to try. My variable expenses for the month include: gas ($200); food ($400) and Misc spending ($331). My monthly savings amount ($1550) and debt repayment amount ($2000) are technically variable but I would rather cut off my right arm than change them. Well, not really but I am pretty rigid on those amounts as they are tied into my goal of early retirement.
So how will I challenge myself? Right now my EF sits at $1700 and I add $100 each month. BUT in January I am going to try to squeeze out an additional $200 from my variable spending so that by January 31st my EF will stand at a nice round $2,000. That's it! That's my challenge.
To help me reach my goal I will only buy a coffee and newspaper once a week. I will enter NO stores other than the No Frills grocery store. We will use up what we have in the freezer and pantry to stretch our grocery budget and we will have a low-key month to reduce entertainment expenses - I have a new iPad to play with and a LOT of new books to read - so that part should be easy.
And most importantly - I'm Doing it MY WAY!!...just like Johnny Rotten!
Now honestly, doesn't this version put a smile on your face??
Awesome, Jane. I'm going to do it MY way too! :)!
ReplyDeletewell you go girl! I've always thought you put your own unique spin on things! If I did it my way though my 'january no spending challenge' would look more like' january no spend exept what I want to spend on' challenge!(can we see a lack of discipline here?!) one forum I'm on is thinking of introducing a monthly challenge alone with our checkin/chitchat(seems only about 4 of the 9 of us were actually sticking to goals(not including me of course though I started many times!)) but one month exercise is the focus and another using coupons, another .well forgot the other suggestions - oh declutter I think! I need to come up with my own and soon - only a couple days left in the year! :-) and I"m beyond ready for this year to be over.
ReplyDeletesusanna
Oh, absolutely must do things your way!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your challenge.
It's beginning to lure me, I'm thinking I could do it from 1st Jan even though I am technically on holiday :)
Sft x
Doing it your own way is a great idea. I think having it a bit custom tailored gives you more of a chance. Good luck in January.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of being a joiner but simultaneously doing it your way. I wish more of life was like that, togetherness but independence.
ReplyDeletePsst... it's Sid, not Johnny.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I'm doing it my way, just like I always do. My mother told me that my first words, almost, were "I'll do it MYSELF!"
Awesome goal, Jane! :) I think making the challenge fit our own lifestyle is the only way to do it!
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you Jane, I will be cheering you on. I too am in Carla's challenge, just need to figure out what my way will be!!
ReplyDeleteit's really the only way to go in my humble opinion.......
ReplyDeleteGill in Southern Ontario
that is perfect! I am going to do it MY WAY too!!! :) (just don't know what my way is yet?) hehe
ReplyDeleteI want to welcome Gill - That British Woman, and Debbie from Nanny's Place! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment - much appreciated!!
ReplyDelete