On http://lifeasmom.com/ and http://goodcheapeats.com/, I discovered the concept of a no-spend January/Pantry Challenge as a way to boost your budget in the New Year. I took the idea to my husband and we made it work for us. I think it was more of a Low-Spend January. We tried not to buy anything non-essential. We tried to cook out of the pantry and freezer as much as possible. We tried to use up what we already have. We had things come up and still, it was a valuable tool that just may end up in our annual post-Christmas repertoire.
#1 - There's plenty to eat here.
I do rely on a well-stocked pantry. It is my boy-scout in my back pocket. Read: Always Prepared. At least, that's what I shoot for. But, there's always something that gets shoved to the back and that's what we attempted to use up. We ate well. This wasn't the month to make Daddy's favorite Tomato Seafood Soup, but we still ate good, wholesome food.
#2 - Spending can quickly become a habit.
I shopped online this year more than ever. Baby Blossom had much to do with that, but I also found that it was easier to stay on budget per item because I knew I could shop around to find the thing that met my expectations AND stay in our budget. A month and half or more of shopping and buying online gave me a spend mindset though. That's fine once a year (with parameters) but now, everyday life is back and we simply cannot support a habit like that. I was glad for the self-imposed restraint. We're back to having the internet as a tool, not a master.
#3 - Just don't go.
If you aren't spending, just don't go places where you can spend money. Ahem. I'm talkin' 'bout me and thrift stores and dollar stores and wonderful bargain places. They are places that help us throughout the year, but we've got clothes to wear and food to eat. It was our Low-Spend January, so I stayed away.
#4 - You get results.
We saw about $200+ of savings on grocery bills this month. It's tempting to think... oh, let's do this all the time. I can see that it isn't sustainable. There's nothing in the house now. Even Daddy noticed how much we've used up and how badly we are due for the grocery run tomorrow. I appreciated his words of praise. It was worth it. Stuff that would've met the garbage soon because it sat too long in the pantry was eaten. Rolls in the freezer didn't go to waste. Less waste, more saving this month.
So, tomorrow we'll make our way back to our local bent-n-dent store to restock. (The children think that hardship is upon us since we ran out of cheese a day ago. I told them that we can make it til tomorrow.)
This post isn't meant for you to do as I do, but rather to glean some wisdom for your own finances. Going without flashy food or luxurious entrees won't hurt any of us. Extra purchases can almost always wait a little while. Use some wisdom and see how far it goes.
