of spending less money

by erika haveman

This post is not something that I usually write about. But I thought I should for accountability’s sake. 2018 is the year of not spending money on things I don’t need. I need food, so that’s okay to buy. But I am going to commit to spending NO EXCESS money in 2018! I am determined.

It all started with a few birthday cards. I forgot mine when I moved away to teach for several weeks, and would need a few until I was to be reunited with my ample stock sitting safely on my crafts desk in my apartment. I decided I would check the thrift store. While I was there I thought I’d look for a purse. I didn’t need a purse, but I could use one. I’d left all my purses at my parent’s when I travelled back west after Christmas. Surely buying things I don’t need at a thrift store doesn’t count as spending money? As I perused the purses I thought, “Surely it wouldn’t hurt to look at the sweaters…I have been looking for a nice, chunky, comfy long one anyways – oh look! A GAP dress for $6!”

When I’d tried on a sweater and the dress I scanned the books. “The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom for $1.50! It would be insulting not to get that…and We Bought a Zoo! I’ve been meaning to watch that movie, and I usually like books better anyways, so $2.50 to be entertained is surely justifiable.”

After leaving Mission Thrift with birthday cards, a sweater, a dress, and 2 books, but also purseless, I thought I could go to Winners to see if they had purses at a decent price. Checking tag after tag I knew I couldn’t justify those prices. As I went to leave the store the Clearance rack caught my eye. A beautiful, long, white knit sweater was beckoning me for the more than decent price of $20.

A friend of mine posted an article on Facebook recently that had to do with one woman’s experience committed to not spending money on things she didn’t need over one year. I was challenged and inspired by this, so I decided that I could do that too. As my introductory shopping story exemplifies, I quickly discovered that this would be really difficult without some rules.

Painfully ripping my eyes away from the gorgeous white sweater in Winners I beelined it for the front doors of the store. Hopping into my car I pulled out my phone to make a list of rules for my year of what I will define as limited spending. The rules have no particular order of importance, but they exist simultaneously.

Spend money on experiences.
Not on stuff. Experiences can be determined as they arise. I’ve realized this one is actually easily compromise-able. I went into a consignment shop, fell in LOVE with a long sweater that was $26 (way cozier than the one Rachel Green wears in The One in Vegas Part 1). It wraps around me how I’m guessing a good man should – only there is no potential for that to happen in 2018. So is owning this sweater an experience? I justified it as one.
If you need an item for the experience, that’s okay.
You must check thrift shops/kijiji/craig’s list before any other store.
Thrift Stores are okay
The thrift store must be known to support a good cause. No supporting Value Village. You can’t spend more than $6 per item (this rule was birthed as a result of the GAP dress). Exceptions: the item needed for the experience (like the gorgeous consignment sweater). For example, I’m looking to take up figure skating again this year. The chances of me finding decent figure skates for $6 or less is going to be next to impossible.
Meals Out
No more than 4 a month. The exception is if you are travelling, since you need to eat. However, try to eat before you travel, or pack food, if at all possible.
Tim Horton’s/Starbucks
I must ask myself “Why am I getting this?” and provide myself an acceptable answer. “Because I want it” is rarely accepted. Fast food meals count as one of your meals in the month (this one may end up biting me in the backside).
Got a Gift Card?
TREAT YO’SELF
Cravings
You can only buy a snack you’ve been craving if you’ve craved it more than 3 days. This goes for items of clothing/accessories that have made you think “I could really use [blank].”
General Exceptions to Limited Spending 2018
You are allowed to buy needs such as groceries, feminine products, underwear, etc…

So, that’s the list. I really should have posted this as close to the new year as possible, but it took some time for me to define what spending money on unnecessary things in 2018 meant. I am alright with my list now. What a friend pointed out to me, that has actually been revolutionary in understanding myself, is that I function best within boundaries. When she pointed this out to me a I saw in my minds eye a video roll of all of the times I’ve said “no” because it broke a rule or excelled because I knew my standards. I suddenly felt free to know that there can be a healthy side of being a rule follower. I do need to be challenged to take more risks and do more things that scare me. But I talked about that in my 30 before 30 list.

Trying new things, challenging yourself, understanding how you function better can be fun things! What kinds of determinations do you have this year? How have you better understood yourself lately?