In order to meet my holiday goals, I plan to cut out two things for the rest of this year:
1. No more clothes shopping!
It’s no secret that autumn makes me lust something crazy for new clothes. Everywhere I go I see things I want: shirts, dresses, jackets, scarves, accessories, boots! I tried to keep it under control, but between September and October I’ve spent $240 on new things. So I’m just going to cut it all off for the rest of this year. If I can do it for all of Lent, I can do it for two months.
2. No more eating out for lunch!
Krystal at Give Me Back My Five Bucks has a challenge of not buying lunch during the workweek for the rest of the year and I’m going to steal that idea. I usually keep things at my desk during the week for lunches, but recently my coworkers have been pretty convincing and I end up going with them. This will also help me eat healthier since I usually eat worse and in larger portions when I go out.
I don’t have a goal of how much money I want to save, but I will consider this a success if I have a debt-free Christmas and continue to pay my debt and save any extra income.
Here’s to the rest of 2009! :)
I am actually trying to do the same thing – not shopping until next year. Between my Christmas fund, my E-fund, and everything else that’s come up between now and then, I need to save everything I can. Now if I can just resist the call of all of those Christmas sales! My plan is to shop online so I’m not tempted by going to stores in person…we’ll see if it works.
As for the lunch plan, I’m giving myself one day a week (usually Friday) to go out to lunch and I am not allowed to spend more than $8. This way I won’t feel like I’m stuck in my office all the time and I’ll get to socialize with my workers without overdoing it.
Good luck with your goals!
Thank goodness you wrote this post, because I actually woke up this morning with the urge to get some new fall/winter clothes, haha. I don’t really need anything except for a new pair of flats.
I always bring lunch to work, and I try to make sure it’s something yummy so I’m not tempted by ordering in or going out with co-workers.
Ohh yay! I’m glad there’s someone else who’s giving up lunches too. Now we can give each other moral support. :)
good luck! Cutting yourself off cold turkey can be pretty hard.
What is it about autumn that makes women go mad for a new wardrobe? I’m the exact same way! Not like I don’t have enough “things to keep me warm,” but I’m incessantly on the hunt for a closet overhaul every September/October. This year I’m with you. No more clothes shopping for the rest of 2009! So far I’ve spent $36 on clothes since the season started — and that was done carefully navigating the clearance racks at Old Navy. No more, though!
I am on a only peanut butter/tuna sandwiches for the rest of the year.
Good luck with the clothes! I’ve also have INCREDIBLE clothes lust. I have a feeling it is from going the last 10 months without really buying much of anything at all!!
As soon as I got my tutoring money today the first thing I did was think “Oh sweet, now I can get that pair of pants!”
Good luck with the lunches! I’ve been going strong since August on not going out to lunch (except to celebrate one of my coworkers getting his PhD – that only happens once, so I had to go out!) – once you fall into the habit it is pretty damn nice! Every time I make dinner I just automatically think about how many servings it will make and how many lunches I’ll get out of it.
and @jswesner – holy crap PB and tuna only?! I would go nuts. I love both, but I also love variety (and hot food in the winter!)
Right there with you!
I went nuts in clothing lately. No more… I’m going to see if I can spend all of Nov/Dec clothes free :P