Our "No-Spend" month is going strong, and here is a recap of week three!
We've been getting a bit more creative with our meals lately. Like googling substitutes for ingredients we didn't otherwise have. Kevin made some delicious pancakes with applesauce in lieu of the eggs we were missing, so no complaints there!
I've been using the library more and with some extra time this month, I've been able to read more books. (I am even joining a book club!) Kevin and I are spending a lot more quality time together as well. Kevin and Lorelai took a trip to the zoo this week, as we have a tendency not to use our pass in the winter months as often as the summer.
Speaking of books, we did a book drop at our favorite store, Half Price Books, where we got over $21 for books, and used some of that to pick up 3 new books for Lorelai (and still walked about with $13). I made a deal with Kevin, that whatever we got for those books, we would use for more...so we wouldn't count it towards "spending". We also had a chance to sell a few other items that I'd been hanging on to for years, that I knew we would probably never use. So we made a little extra cash this week just selling some of our old stuff!
This weekend Kevin and I were already signed up for a calligraphy class, which we have been incredibly excited about. Courtney teaches a fantastic class and has a beautiful shop with her work, you can see more here.
I still can't believe how much less trash we have as a result of our no-spend. It has made me very aware of how often we receive packages and order online. It is actually making me rethink if an amazon prime membership is the best thing for our family. After the first week, it was easy for me not to pop on my amazon app and order things immediately, so this has been a great exercise in getting me out of the habit of instant shopping.
We monitored Lorelai a lot this week, as she had 3 days of full-body hives that were unexplainable by the doctor. Thankfully they went away overnight on Sunday. She wasn't itchy at all...but they looked terrible and of course had her mother very worried. Since we found out she was allergic to eggs after a round of hives, we are always a little more cautious. Still no answers as to what caused them, but this paranoid mother is pretty sure it was a reaction to her chicken pox shot. That meant we had a lot of home play time (where mother stared her down in concern) this week rather than getting out.
We did get out on Friday and visited Lauritzen Gardens (where we have a membership) with our family. Memberships have always been something we budget for, because although they can be pricey upfront, they always give us an excuse to get out of the house and do something even when we have budgeted for entertainment. Plus when family or friends have them, its a great way to meet up. We went with my parents on Friday to a beautiful new exhibit all made of recycled products.
We are already starting to think about what we have learned from our very first "No-Spend Month" and if we would do it again. It has been a great exercise to get our 2018 off on the right track! We also will be recapping what we were able to save (and then put towards our mortgage) as a result of cutting back this month!
We've been getting a bit more creative with our meals lately. Like googling substitutes for ingredients we didn't otherwise have. Kevin made some delicious pancakes with applesauce in lieu of the eggs we were missing, so no complaints there!
I've been using the library more and with some extra time this month, I've been able to read more books. (I am even joining a book club!) Kevin and I are spending a lot more quality time together as well. Kevin and Lorelai took a trip to the zoo this week, as we have a tendency not to use our pass in the winter months as often as the summer.Speaking of books, we did a book drop at our favorite store, Half Price Books, where we got over $21 for books, and used some of that to pick up 3 new books for Lorelai (and still walked about with $13). I made a deal with Kevin, that whatever we got for those books, we would use for more...so we wouldn't count it towards "spending". We also had a chance to sell a few other items that I'd been hanging on to for years, that I knew we would probably never use. So we made a little extra cash this week just selling some of our old stuff!
This weekend Kevin and I were already signed up for a calligraphy class, which we have been incredibly excited about. Courtney teaches a fantastic class and has a beautiful shop with her work, you can see more here.
I still can't believe how much less trash we have as a result of our no-spend. It has made me very aware of how often we receive packages and order online. It is actually making me rethink if an amazon prime membership is the best thing for our family. After the first week, it was easy for me not to pop on my amazon app and order things immediately, so this has been a great exercise in getting me out of the habit of instant shopping.
We monitored Lorelai a lot this week, as she had 3 days of full-body hives that were unexplainable by the doctor. Thankfully they went away overnight on Sunday. She wasn't itchy at all...but they looked terrible and of course had her mother very worried. Since we found out she was allergic to eggs after a round of hives, we are always a little more cautious. Still no answers as to what caused them, but this paranoid mother is pretty sure it was a reaction to her chicken pox shot. That meant we had a lot of home play time (where mother stared her down in concern) this week rather than getting out.
We did get out on Friday and visited Lauritzen Gardens (where we have a membership) with our family. Memberships have always been something we budget for, because although they can be pricey upfront, they always give us an excuse to get out of the house and do something even when we have budgeted for entertainment. Plus when family or friends have them, its a great way to meet up. We went with my parents on Friday to a beautiful new exhibit all made of recycled products.We are already starting to think about what we have learned from our very first "No-Spend Month" and if we would do it again. It has been a great exercise to get our 2018 off on the right track! We also will be recapping what we were able to save (and then put towards our mortgage) as a result of cutting back this month!
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