No Spend Week.

I have been inspired by Brianna at Tea with Bri. Last week she did a series of posts on a no spend week, seen here. It is not the first time I have heard of the idea, but this time it hit home as it came at a time of which I am not unemployed. Friday was my last week of work. I finished the day Friday with mixed feelings. A part of me was excited because I need a break from the job, another part of me was slightly freaking out because there are no jobs in the foreseeable future.

With now being out of work, there are a number of projects that I want to get completed in the apartment. Unpack and organize the spare room is a HUGE starter, then there is the palet garden and patio decor that I had wanted to get done for a while. A number of these things require at least some money. Money that I do not want to be spending because we now have less money coming in. I am a shopper. When I am bored or looking for something to do, or anytime really I love to shop. Hence starting my unemployment with a no spend week seemed like the best idea there was.

So the rules for the week are simple. Other then gas and the normal bills that automatically come out of the bank (such as car payment, insurance, internet, cell phones) we will be spending no money. We will be eating the food that we have. I have more free time so I will be cooking and baking and getting a little creative. We will take advantage of the nice weather and do some free outdoor things like taking walks and enjoying the park.

I also plan to use this time of not shopping to plan my shopping. I know that sounds kind of crazy, but I find that if I plan my shopping and stick to it I will not spend on random useless things. For example, if I clean and organize the spare room and decide I need two Rubbermaid's it will save me from buying everything and everything that looks cool and could potentially help instead of simply the two Rubbermaid's.

With this time and the required creativity of food this week I also plan to make a meal schedule. I have been meaning to for a while but it just has seemed easier to find something in the fridge or slip out to the store for one thing and come back with twenty. A meal plan and a detailed shopping list I think will save us a lot of time, stress and money.

So I am excited for this week and if all goes well we may just do it once a month, both to help us save money, to be thankful with what we have and to reevaluate our spending.