one month in

It's been a month of "no buy" outside the rules listed. We've been incredibly resourceful and haven't spent on anything that wasn't on the list. But I still couldn't pay the cc off this month. The timing of the paychecks has been really wonky. He gets paid 3 times between now and thenext billing cycle, and I think that will get us back to normal. As long as we keep with no spend. 

We have medical bills that are almost paid off. 2 more payments on Ben's birth. One more bill on Derek's vasectomy. Then we should have $150 more coming into our account each paycheck. That $300 a month has hurt. 

What have we bought in the past month:

- groceries

- booze

- chinese take out- $60

- $20 at the circus show

- flour

- $60 for feed, garlic, dirt, and compost

- diapers

- socks

- $9 at Moulton's

- $36 for an emergency pizza night (note to self- pizza is stupid expensive)

- $75 was charged in interest because of the timing of paychecks versus payment due. I *did* pay off the credit card last month, just 2 days late. 

This isn't bad in the grand scheme of things. We aren't in a fantastic financial position, but this has been only one month. If we can be creative with gifts and Amazon points, I do really think we can come out of Christmas without needing 3 months to pay off the card. 🤞

our curtain rod broke

I was so frustrated. So over it. I was ready to just drop $2k and redo the whole damn bedroom and be done with it. I know what paint color I want. I know what curtains and bedframe I want. Done with the no spending challenge. Because I DESERVE it. 

Then I asked Derek about making some from a wooden dowel, how much it would cost, and how we would make brackets. Then he said brackets are easy and he has 1/2 iron pipe out the wazoo downstairs. A quick Google search, and I see the kind of bracket I like. We can make it. We have the materials.

One of our Green Family Values is Resourcefulness. We can do this. 

Drip Drip Drip

$60 at Agway for potting materials and garlic and chicken food

$185 at the grocery store

$35 for diapers on amazon

$9 at Moulton's

$36 for pizza

I still need to buy flour and wheat gluten. Money feels like it's dripping away. It's good to be cognizant of it now. I just don't want to spend it. Feels like a slippery slope. 

Progress

I didn't stop at Lull and buy donuts and cider.

I didn't stop at shoebox when I saw there "final clearance" sign.

I didn't stop at Moulton's when the library was closed.

I'm not going to buy anything to finish organizing the breezeway. 

I did need to buy socks. $50 in socks! But I only bought the socks. 

I started unsubscribing from promo emails that fall into my inbox. 

I didn't buy new winter clothes for the boys, and found a spare bin in the basement for Tim! 

I'll be able to pay the credit card off in time this month. The past 2 months I had to wait until 2 days after the due date when Derek got paid, and it has wracked up $130 in interest. 

Our first financial goal was to take anything in the account over $2k at the end of the month and put it towards my car loan. Then Derek's pay was cut. And we haven't been above $2k in the bank account at the end of the month since.  

Steps

 I deleted the following apps from my phone:

• Amazon
• Thriftbooks
• Ebay
• Target

I found myself on The Container Store's website looking at The Home Edit's pantry organization. I didn't buy anything. I found myself looking at books online. But I didn't buy anything. 

I was thinking of making the containers I need from some ply we have? I'm not sure if this is the idea of no buy, or if I'm trying to distract myself with something? If I can put it together for free with what we already have, there isn't anything bad there. But what if I'm wasting material that I'll need to make something I NEED instead of want later? This seems like a black hole of a thought process. 

Unrelated, possibly related, I've been focusing on 6p-8a fasting. Something I can control I guess. In a healthy way. Cutting down on snacking late and drinking at night. Also pushing breakfast back so I don't need a morning snack. Early lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner in addition to breakfast is getting me through. 

I found myself listening for the mail truck today. I'm not expecting packages. Wait, yes I am. Ikea. Why is this so hard? 

Steps. 

What we can buy

 There are things we will need over the next 3 months. What can we buy? Where's the line?

• Clothing ONLY IF:
• the original item can't be repaired
• we don't already own a similar item
• the original item will be trashed when the new item comes in.
• items needed for necessary maintenance to house, car, and homestead. 
• bulk fruit from local farms for canning purposes.
• pantry items once current pantry items have been consumed.
• biweekly groceries
• gifts for others
• E-Reader for library books ONLY IF it is second hand and under $50
• garlic starts to overwinter

What happens when something comes up that we think we NEED but isn't on the list. There should be a plan.

1. Wait 1 week. If we still need it after 1 week,
2. Ask to borrow from friends. If no response after a day,
3. Look on the local Buy Nothing Page and freecycle. If we can't find it after 3 days,
4. look on facebook market place/craigslist. If we can't find it after 3 days,
5. Do we still need it? It's been another week. If we do,
6. Check Mother and Child, Goodwill, and Savers. If they don't have it,
7. Check ebay. If they don't have it,
8. Buy new.

What we aren't buying

Ooooookkkkk. I looked at where money is going and what we can change. The lofty goal here is through the end of the year, which realistically is 3 months at this point. But first. lets focus on through the end of September. No yarn or books for 18 days. We can do hard things. 

So. What aren't we buying:

1. Kids

• No Toys. I'm not the worst mom ever. They have plllleeennty. They play with everything, they have a library of options out in the garage to switch things up. 
• No Books. Unless I plan on building yet more bookshelves, I have no where to put them. We have a library. We don't need more books. 
• No Clothes. I already did an inventory for both kids. Tim is set through winter. Ben will need a snow suit and snow boots, but I don't need to buy those things. I have friends and resources to borrow from. Tim doesn't have a flannel that fits him for this winter. He will make it through the winter without a flannel.

2. Home/Shop

• No Bandsaw. We desperately want a new bandsaw. We do not NEED a bandsaw. 
• No Project wood. I will not go to PJ Currier and buy more wood for toys and projects. My children have enough toys. I have plenty of wood. I will get creative if necessary.
• No Ikea furniture. I would LOVE more Trofast storage for the toys. I already have enough storage for the toys, even if I don't love it. They work. There is room. I do not NEED more furniture. 
• No Kitchen shelves. The rest of this project will be on hold to make sure we can afford the kind of microwave we want when the rest of the shelves are installed. We have the brackets, and they won't go bad or rot waiting for the project to continue. 
• No holiday decorations. I hate little trinket crap anyways. If we want a decoration, we will make it from what we have or nature. 
• No Yarn. ::takes a deep breath:: This may be the hardest one. I have plenty of yarn. Make projects for your current yarn. You don't need more yarn. I have plenty of yarn...

3. Homeschool

• No Books. It's ok Brianna. You can do this. You can give your child a quality education without buying more books. Hoo Hoo, there's a book for that... and you already own it. 
• No Art Supplies. He doesn't use anything but crayons and markers anyways. You can't stand doing art. You have a 16 month old who doesn't let you sit for art. Give up on art for the time being.
• No Curriculum. It isn't going anywhere and you don't need it.

4. Food

• No more pandemic stocking up. The freezer and shelves are full. No more overflowing grocery cart. Buy what we need during the biweekly trip. 

I may come back and add to this post as I think of things, or things change.