“Not spending money”
I’m still observing my “compact month” of February with the added requirement of avoiding take-out food, but I’m pretty sure that I’m spending more money than usual. Some highlights:
- Started exercising with the Ice Chamber (bad ass name, right?). It’s hard and bootcampy and totally what I need right now, but dang, it costs $$. I used to have a corporate discount to a gym that was $25 a month so I got used to that as being reasonable. Try ten times that. Ouch!
- In order to prepare for next week’s dinner/witching hour, I stocked up on grocery delivery and food prep. Planet Organics: $32; Week of Dinners 4 pack: $72 (including a baby gift for my pal’s third baby); Three Stone Hearth 4 meals: $68. Not dealing with cooking all week: priceless!
- Booked a flight for a girls weekend away to Miami at the end of the month. One of my best girl friends is getting married this summer and all she asked for was the gift of TIME. That fits into our theme nicely… and costs almost $500 before you count any hotel, taxi, or food on the trip. Exciting times though! It will be my first weekend away from the family. Eek. The only time I was away from Holden was one overnight to go to my Grandpa’s funeral and two overnights to have another baby.
- In less spendy news, I held my 8th clothing swap yesterday. After parting with 5 bags of my own clothes, I scored 3 tops and 2 pairs of jeans for myself. With the giving, taking, and swapping complete, I drove 18 bags of clothes and shoes to Goodwill this morning. I feel great.
- Sadly those bags also included 7 pairs of shoes. I’m not what you’d call a shoe girl, but those were the last cute, dressy little shoes that I had been clinging to and I finally had to admit that they’re all just too tight after baby-having. And they’re not going to fit me ever again. Shoes are an allowable expense on the compact, but Whitney already told me she wouldn’t be very impressed if I couldn’t go a month without buying shoes, so I think I’ll wait. And pout.
- Alec just got a cool ukulele kit so he can build a mini guitar for Holden (a late Christmas gift), but now we need to scare up some wood glue. Can you freecycle for that? I guess we should at least try, but it’s so ingrained in us to just run out to the store for that stuff.
Cheats this week: one lunch out with carry-out paper bag (they refused to put it in my hand), one paper cup for cocoa, one little box for cupcake.
for wood glue if you can’t freecycle for it try your local bigbox hardware store during the weekend…they often do projects with folks and you could probably sneak some woodglue out; or ask them nicely for a little bit!
You know the “nothing new” is really great for the environment, and being in the midst of a house remodel, I can tell you that what’s good for the environment is often the more expensive option. Compare a Prius to a similar sized vehicle. More expensive. Insulation made out of recycled denim? More expensive. Living in a cute yuppie neighborhood where you can walk for most of your errands? More expensive.
Doesnt always feel good to take stuff to the Goodwill? I know I do when I take my childrens old clothes and toys!!
dude! ice chambers! it sounds so… james bond or something.
it looks good tho. I’ve been doing bootcampsf over by lake merrit and it’s pretty good but I HATE running on pavement. maybe I’ll try ice chamber next time around!