Spend Time, Not Money | life experiment

Are the best things in life free?

7 days complete of the 365 no spend challenge. Week One. And I kinda feel like I’ve cheated.

I recieved new glasses and a new water bottle. Both of which were purchased before the challenge started and both of which were christmas presents, brought with christmas money, they just happened to arrive this week. But I still got the rush of excitement over new purchases. (Yes, even over the water bottle).

So what did I do this week (and what could you do) for free?

I’ve meditated and done some of the yoga revolution videos. I’ve walked and listened to podcasts. I’ve gone back to work. I’ve read the taboo against knowing who you are from an online PDF. I’ve researched and started intermittent fasting. I’ve done food shopping and house work.  I’ve journaled. I’ve watched youtube and dance moms and the Big Bang theory.

All in all its a been a normal week. But, on reflection, the best parts were the free parts. The walks and the podcasts, the yoga and the meditation. These left me with a longer lasting, more peaceful feeling than the glasses or the water bottle.

In the days of youtube you don’t need to spend money on classes – they seem to have a lot of things covered. You can learn and be entertained from thousands of podcasts. You can read a whole bunch online. You could even open the door and just go for a walk. All without spending money and being one day closer to whatever your financial goals may be.

How do you better spend your time, rather than spend your money?

Luna X

Side note: I know that a lot of these involve use of the internet/smart phone but I figure if you are reading this blog, you probably have this covered.

 

365 Days – No Spending | life experiment

What would it be like if we lived with less?

Tomorrow I start my year no spending  challenge. In 2016 I de-cluttered my life Kon-Mari style, obsessed over tiny houses on Instagram and listened to the wonderful minimalists podcast. This has all led me to the no spending concept. As stated in the title it is 365 days of no spending (apart from essentials). Here I will cover the very basics of how I intend to achieve this and how you could too.

To start this is how my year’s essentials breakdown:

• Rent
• Car Insurance/Car Tax
• Food
• Pet Essentials (two guinea pigs, two rats)
• Petrol
• Gifts for family birthdays and Christmas

These are the things I need to live my life. Now some people do this challenge without a car but due to finishing around 10pm in my job and it being an hour and half bike ride from work I call this an essential. I also still want to be able to give gifts to my family in celebration of their birthdays and Christmas but this is a small budget which will focus more on giving them my time. The no-spending challenge is totally personal to you.

The other thing I will still have to pay for is my phone bill. My contract runs out in April and my plan is to have a pay as you go simple phone after that, to use in case of emergencies.

I’ve been saving for a couple of years already (with the goal of buying a tiny home) so I have totaled this cost and put that money aside for the year. Now the money I earn will all go straight into savings. If you don’t already have money to use you can budget how much you may need for your essentials each month and put the rest away for savings.

This blog will detail my year of simple living and no spending. If anybody has done this kind of challenge before, has any tips and tricks or wants to join in please do leave a comment.

Tip: As with minimalism, no-spending is totally personal. Work out what you need for your lifestyle, be honest with yourself and commit from there. There is no use in depriving yourself of the things you need to live your life but it wouldn’t be a challenge if we weren’t as frugal as possible.

What do you think of no spending challenges and the minimalism trend?

Luna X

Side note: I am aware that I am in a privileged position to be able to do this and some people can only just make ends meet. I am not trying to romanticize a poorer lifestyle. I am making a choice to be more conscientious with spending and save as much as I can to purchase my own small home – another post for another time.