Mogul In Training

The idea for a No-Spend Weekend came from a fellow PF blogger at Cash Only Living. Ms. Cash Only had an entire No-Spend Week. However, I decided I had to start small, so I chose a No-Spend Weekend. Initially, the plan was to choose a weekend that I had no plans with friends--that was the plan, at least. I set one rule that stated although I had no plans with friends I could not just sit home all weekend--the key was to find out how much temptation I could resist. Friday night, I ended up staying in because of severe weather and tornados in some areas. Saturday, I had to attend the tutoring session that is part of the program that I direct. There was a catch to the tutoring session, however. Tutoring is the first Saturday of each month and I am responsible for picking up the breakfast. I bought the breakfast, but the school reimburses the cost. It is a budgeted expense for the program, so it does not count as me making a purchase.

So, I attended the tutoring from 8am-11:30am and ate all the free breakfast I wanted. Afterwards, I returned home and had lunch. The plan was to go out and explore the city, but by then the weather had turned bad again. It rained for a good portion of the day.

Just when I thought I was in for the night, I got a call from a girlfriend reminding me that I had RSVPed to a surprise birthday for a co-worker a little over a week ago. I was about to say I had forgotten and couldn't make it because I had not purchased a gift---and could not just run out and get one because of my No-Spend Weekend. However, she reminded me that the co-worker's daughter had requested no gifts and instead requested we make donations to one of the birthday guy's favorite charities. The charity information would be provided at the party and we could make the donation by internet--which I must do today. I went to the party and ate all of the free food I wanted; while it stormed cats and dogs outside. The weather cleared enough for everyone to make it home safely then continued to storm the rest of the night.

Sunday was the usual, church, then home. I used the remainder of the day to continue reducing items and decluttering. I really did not have any temptation to spend all weekend--until Sunday night, that is. I was SO ready to give up by 8pm; not because I had an incredible urge to spend money, but because I was CRAVING soda so bad and had none in the home. I decided to fight the craving and used that time to reflect on how I would have just gotten into my car and bought a soda from a fast food drive thru. I resisted and drunk Iced Tea instead.

I left home early enough this morning to run to the grocery store to buy food items for this week to have for lunch. My first frivolous purchase now that I'm back on my $40 a week spending plan: An ice cold, Dr. Pepper from the office vending machine. A Dr. Pepper never taste so good!

Consequently, since I spent no money this weekend--and taking into account I only spent my allocated $20 spending for the week--My grand total spending for all of last week was $17.29.

Needless to say, I am SOOOO proud of myself!!! And a special thanks to Ms. Cash Only for giving me the idea. I think I will try a No-Spend Weekend again when I know, in advance, that I have no plans for the weekend. It was fairly painless.