Welcome To The No Spender Bender

[Inky]

Back in October of 2009, the fabulous Blondie and I came up with the idea for a "No Spending" month to help us get a handle on our frivolous purchasing. We also vowed to put at least five items on Ebay and sell our unwanted items off. It was a great success and focused us both on our spending habits.

In November of 2009, we created the November No Spender Bender. This was formulated around no unnecessary spending at all, but allowed for three "free passes" to be used at each participants discretion. In January of 2010, Martini Time got on board and February 2010, Kamikat joined in.

I extend the invitation to you all to join us in the ongoing No Spender Bender. You can participate whenever you want to (or don't want to - it's the honor system!). The rules are simple: NO UNNECESSARY SPENDING.

So what's unnecessary spending? Anything you don't need to survive or that is not replacing an existing worn out or broken item. Simple as that. You can have up to "free passes" to buy what you want/need/desire/covet/find on sale. Naturally there may be emergency expenses we're not prepared for and those don't count (medical, car, family, etc). Feel free to add your own guidelines for specific issues you might have, such as: no eBay buying, selling items to earn free passes, no online purchases for a month, etc. Please feel free to suggest your ideas here - the NSB is meant to evolve and change over time and with participation.

You'll be surprised at what habits you can break or at the very least, you'll become aware of your spending habits/issues/triggers. For example, I realized I was an Ebay addict and now I've gone over eight weeks with not a single Ebay purchase - and that's one HUGE improvement for me!.

I thought I'd start a thread here so we can support each other, post what we've learned, share tips to help with not spending and living in a more frugal and practical way.

Good luck and welcome aboard!!

 

[Deleted member 12480]

what a marvellous idea.
I'm officially in!.... starting march 1st! haha!

 

[kamikat]

Thanks for starting this thread! I hope we can support each other, as well as maybe provide some accountability. My first month isn't going as well as I had hoped for, but it's certainly an improvement over my typical spending. One of the things that has helped is to spend some time doing an evaluation of my wardrobe. I'm one of those gals with a full closet with nothing to wear. Either I don't have shoes to match or tops to go with the bottoms or vice versa or just things I've made that I kept only because I made them, not because I was happy with the results. I made a list of things I need (all basics, no lime green skirts just because I like the color). If I find a bargain that fits the list, it doesn't require a free pass. The stipulation is that it must be crossed off the list. I might need 1 or 2 basic black skirts, but I don't need a dozen. I'm already thinking about my rules for March.

 

[dhermann1]

What, you think guys don't spend??? This could definitely go up in the Observation Bar. Great idea.

 

[Inky]

What, you think guys don't spend??? This could definitely go up in the Observation Bar. Great idea.

LOL - I bet the guys here on FL spend like craaaazy! I don't much hang out anywhere but the Powder and Beauty rooms - but the more the merrier especially in a support capacity!!

Can a bartender move this thread over please. Thanks for the suggestion, dhermann1

 

[ScionPI2005]

Umm...one question...Does another new hat count as an unnecessary expenditure?

 

[Inky]

Umm...one question...Does another new hat count as an unnecessary expenditure?

Scion, I think you answered your own question with "does another new hat count!!"

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm all for this -- especially since my own finances have been thrown into disarray by a couple of recent trips to the ER. For the forseeable, I'm swearing off random eBay surfing, which is my most notorious trigger -- I'll get online, see something I figure I could use for some future project, and gee, it's only $10! No more of that till the medical bills are paid off. And no more buying stuff for "future projects" unless I have an actual paying contract for said project in hand.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Scion, I think you answered your own question with "does another new hat count!!"

I just had to ask Inky.

Seriously, a good idea though.

 

[Deleted member 12480]

Thanks for starting this thread! I hope we can support each other, as well as maybe provide some accountability. My first month isn't going as well as I had hoped for, but it's certainly an improvement over my typical spending. One of the things that has helped is to spend some time doing an evaluation of my wardrobe. I'm one of those gals with a full closet with nothing to wear. Either I don't have shoes to match or tops to go with the bottoms or vice versa or just things I've made that I kept only because I made them, not because I was happy with the results. I made a list of things I need (all basics, no lime green skirts just because I like the color). If I find a bargain that fits the list, it doesn't require a free pass. The stipulation is that it must be crossed off the list. I might need 1 or 2 basic black skirts, but I don't need a dozen. I'm already thinking about my rules for March.

mm thats such a good idea, i have so much crap in my wardrobe and i always end up wearing the same stuff cause i have nothing to go with other stuff, or stuff thats just not 'vintage enough!'

Maan, extensive use of the word 'stuff'. i really needto improve my vocabulary. And eloquence. I think....

 

[PrairieSunrise]

This is such a great thread!

After wrecking my car last December, I'm head over heels in debt with the chaos surrounding that incident.

I don't spend a lot, but my biggest weaknesses are great thrift store finds, sale fabric, and soft pretzels.

So let's see. I'll try to only shop at the thrift store with a list, and stick to it. No more fabric unless it's for a specific, needed project. And no pretzels period. I need to loose those calories anyway.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I'm all for this -- especially since my own finances have been thrown into disarray by a couple of recent trips to the ER.

Lizzie! I didn't know. I hope all is well with you now.

 

[Deleted member 12480]

And no pretzels period. I need to loose those calories anyway.

Mm definitely! I swear the people at Ben's Cookies know me by name now,
They rub their hands together when they see me coming!
xx

 

[Deleted member 12480]

and i'm definitely starting in March as tomorrow i intend to blow 40 quid of my 60 that i've had saved since CHRISTMAS on some gorgeous high waist jeans, but really, i do need them, all i have is two pairs of crack revealing skinnys and some odd baggy skinnies that i don't really understand at all. :S xx

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lizzie! I didn't know. I hope all is well with you now.

Ear infection followed a week later by a violent allergic reaction to the antibiotic. Insult to injury, in other words, but I'm doing better. But the whole experience has forced me to severely reevaluate my spending, and I absolutely can't afford to get sick in any way for at least the next two years. So I don't just have to watch my spending, I also have to watch my health!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Ear infection followed a week later by a violent allergic reaction to the antibiotic. Insult to injury, in other words, but I'm doing better. But the whole experience has forced me to severely reevaluate my spending, and I absolutely can't afford to get sick in any way for at least the next two years. So I don't just have to watch my spending, I also have to watch my health!

Oh no! Feel free to PM me. I also had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic a few years ago.

 

[olive bleu]

Me too!

Well, i haven't been around here for ages, but this must be the reason I decided to check in today. I need this. Already trying to pay off the debts i have and with more looming on the horizon (legal stuff that can't be avoided) it is tempting to go on a spending spree to (temporarily) cheer myself up.Hopefully, the mutual support will help me stay focused on the bigger picture.I'm in.

 

[olive bleu]

P.S. Hope you're feeling better Lizzie

 

[LizzieMaine]

Thanx -- and great to see you back!

 

[Paisley]

This is pretty much how I live--and I don't suffer. Of course I buy things I could survive without, but I make sure I get maximum satisfaction for what I spend.

Something I avoid is recreational shopping. "Lead us not into temptation..." If I need to shop, I make a list and stick to it--I don't even look at things I'm not there for, I don't stop or look left or right. Some people say it helps to go to the grocery store when they're very full.