Why a "no spend" month makes cents (GET IT?!)
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If you’ve been reading this newsletter from the beginning (👋🏼) you might remember my plan to tackle monthly challenges and become a better, healthier, more zen human in the process. I started off strong with Dry January, continued the momentum with Snail Mail February, cleaned out my cabinets during Minimalist March, and did daily yoga for most of April.
Next on my list was to hit 10K steps every day in May, mostly because it rhymed. But then a bunch of THINGS happened and it was clear that May would be a challenge, period. Simply surviving seemed like a worthy achievement, so that’s what I did.
But now it’s a new month and I’m ready for a new goal. Way back in January, when I was young and ambitious, I decided June would be a “no spend” month. Ironically, it appears we will buy a house within the next two weeks - rather than spending no money, we will spend all of it. However! Seeing as we will soon have approximately zero dollars, the timing is actually perfect. Less fun personal challenge, and more extremely critical need.
You might think having no money would make spending no money easy. Oh, how I wish that were true! Long ago, before we had a budget, we managed to rack up $13K in credit card debt - most of which we incurred during times of change or transition, when our guard was down. These days I may be a budgeting czar, but nobody's perfect, and the transition from renter to homeowner is a big one. As soon as we move in, I’m going to want to buy a bunch of things that normally wouldn’t tempt me at all. Curtains and rugs, throw pillows and picture frames, furniture and houseplants, and did I mention houseplants? A no spend month removes that temptation and will keep us in check.
Everyone who undertakes a no spend month does it differently, but for me the rules are pretty simple: outside of the bills, we can buy groceries, gas, and basic household items. Nothing extra. If I decide I need something, like a book or a sundress or a haircut, I’ll force myself to wait until July and I guarantee nothing bad will happen.
In the meantime, we’ll (hopefully!!!) move into our new house and bring only what we already own. Settle in and get to know the space. Instead of spending money, we'll spend time being thoughtful and intentional, letting the house ask for what it needs instead of assuming we already know. And when the time comes to pull out my wallet, I'll know that whatever I choose to spend money on will be worth it. 💛
Extremely Relatable Links
Astrology Is Serious Business, Even If It's Not Real, The Cut. "The oceans are rising, the fires are coming, all our normal systems feel terribly, horribly out of whack. Why not look for answers in the sky?" Personally I think astrology is dumb, but I also think this is a very Leo thing to say. 💫
New Report Suggests 'High Likelihood of Human Civilization Coming to an End' Starting in 2050, Vice. I've been thinking and talking about this report nonstop all week. In related news, I'm real fun at parties. 💀
And now that I've thoroughly depressed y'all, how about a little hope? Watching Elizabeth Warren Come Alive, Slate. "Warren is, in brief, almost painfully serious precisely because she is banking on public seriousness, running on the notion that bread and circus have had their day, and it is time now to save the republic." Is it 2020 yet? 🇺🇸
🍉 Snack of the Week 🍉
During the summer months, I like to buy a personal watermelon and treat it as such. I would like to tell y'all that watermelon is best consumed while standing in a grassy field, the sun overhead, as you spit seeds into next week. In reality, I'm snacking on pieces from a mason jar while sitting at my desk. Either way, it's a tasty burst of summer and I'm not complaining. Plus you can get a personal watermelon for like three bucks, which is a steal!
A Tiny Challenge
As our house buying adventure drags on and on, becoming less exciting and more stressful by the minute, I've been thinking often of a mantra I learned years ago in yoga. "Thank you for this opportunity to practice patience." This week, when you're faced with an annoying coworker or stuck in traffic or waiting for a closing date, repeat after me: "Thank you for this opportunity to practice patience." Let me know if it helps.
See you next Sunday! 💌
