No Spend Month

With May just around the corner (already?!?), Ben and I have decided to do a “No Spend Month.”  I was inspired with the idea from a blog I enjoy reading, Small Notebook.  I especially enjoy this blog because the author and her family live in an apartment, and they enjoy a simple life.  Apartment living is definitely in my future for a while, and I love new ideas for organization, de-cluttering, and saving money.

Back to No Spend Month.  The challenge is to spend only $250 for an entire month.  We are doing this because we need to simplify some things, and save some more money toward our big move to Brooklyn.  We are leaving our debit cards at home, and we have $250 in cash.  When it is gone, it is gone.  Here are the details:

The $250 is for:

• Food
• Gas
• Entertainment
• Personal items
• Household items

Not included:

• Tithe
• Gifts (already purchased)
• Rent & bills
• Medical expenses
• Moving expenses (the moving truck, boxes, unexpected expenses)

We already have a trip to NY planned for May 15th.  We are attending a wedding and signing the lease on our apartment.  The money for gas, food, and hotel on this trip is already budgeted and set aside, therefore it is not included in the $250 either.

You may remember that in February we tried (and succeeded!) to spend less than $73 for groceries.  Many times during the month I didn’t think we would make it, but we sailed through with flying colors.  I am looking forward to the challenge this No Spend Month presents, and hopefully we will again be successful.  It will also help to prepare us for a life of less in Brooklyn.

Join me if you want (do you think you can do it???), or just watch and see how we do.  I’ll try to put up periodic updates, and I will certainly give the results at the end of May.  Part of the reason I am blogging about our goal is for accountability.  Now that it is published, I can’t back down!