March Money Madness: Week 2

As promised, I’m here with the first of my weekly updates with regards to spending less money in March.

If I were handing out grades for this project, I’m give myself an A for week 1. We did eat out once, meeting up with friends for dinner before a concert (I know! a concert! with real live music for the 1st time in 2 years!) Other than that, though, I cooked for us at home, even on Wednesday night when the kids came over, which is traditionally a night for take out. (As an aside, I made spaghetti which Jackie adores, and to see his delight that I could make his current favorite food made all the effort completely worthwhile.) I planned our meals carefully, using up a few things from the freezer and pantry, and keeping my grocery bill to just over $100 when it’s typically around $150-175. The only other purchase I made was for gas. And I paid some bills.

At this point it feels sort of . . . freeing. I get emails for online sales and I ignore them, not in my usual way of thinking about what I might purchase, but in this new way where I immediately dismiss them because buying something would break the rules. I have added a couple of items to my Amazon wish list (things I’d like for my OLW project, actually) but I may decide I don’t need them by the time April rolls around. In person shopping might be harder to resist but I haven’t been in Target since before the pandemic started so that’s not a temptation and I’m just staying far away from HomeGoods right now.

And that’s where I am with one week of March Money Madness under my belt. I suspect this may get harder as I get further into the project but for now I’m calling it a win and reveling in the freedom of not spending money.

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This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Congratulations! I must say I had not heard of March Money Madness previously. The price of gas though – wow! It is now $4.39 a gallon here. In one day it went up $0.26 and the next day it rose another dime. Crazy. Glad I am not commuting to work on a regular basis (just my one day a week or so). Groceries too – those prices have jumped so high.

  2. Go, Carole! I’m not a big shopper, and that helps. I know someone that calls magazines and catalogs desire seeds, which is exactly what they’re designed to be. I try not to get either on a regular basis and it has helped my contentment level soar. I look at them occasionally, but when I’m looking for something I almost always know someone who has one or five I can borrow or have.

  3. I’m guessing that filling up the gas tank was a little painful, but it’s not something we can really save on right now.

    There is nothing better than seeing the people you’ve cooked for really enjoy a meal you’ve made! And it sounds like you’ve got a really good strategy to avoid impulse purchases.

  5. Good for you, Carole! You’re off to a great start! 🙂
    The pandemic really curtailed any “shopping impulses” I used to have (and they’d already been waning for awhile). I broke my “Target addiction” years ago (not easy, I tell ya), and I’ve never shopped our local HomeGoods. I’m much more “trouble” at any store that sells plants . . .
    XO

  6. You’re off to a good start! I had to unsubscribe from all the yarn emails as I was having trouble resisting them, but it is kind of freeing. And if I ever need a reminder not to purchase something, I just recall all the things I’m cleaning out and boxes I’m taking to Salvation Army. I’m looking forward to your next week!

  7. Congratulations, Carole! A successful week, which will only lead to more, I am sure. Just remember, spending money on things you don’t need is just a habit. It takes time to break a habit. Breaking that habit, as with all habits, is always freeing. Pat yourself on the back!

  8. I have been deleting and unsubscribing to so many email sources. I find I have become shopping averse but I really do need to replace a few items of clothing and I am really dragging my feet. Stay strong.

  11. yay you! it sure sounds like the month is off to a great start … and I think sharing about it here is a nice level of accountability – not too stressful, but still something.

  13. Good for you. Today would have been a fail for us as we ate out twice, but then again, we had sewer issues so we kind of had to. All resolved, yea. I think online yarn shopping is my weak point. I have 3 bags full (like the nursery rhyme) to remind me that I don’t need more yarn. I’ll have to do a lot more socks.

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