Category: Introduction

The Spending Ban

I am basing my spending ban on the guidelines in The Year of Less, by Cait Flanders.

The main guide I have for this adventure will be the lists, there are three of them. The Essentials- the things that must be spent, Non-Essentials- the things I definitely do not need, and Approved Spending, things I need and have been looking for.

Essentials

  • Tithe
  • Groceries
  • Toiletries
  • Bills
  • Car maintenance

Non-Essentials:

  • Fast food
  • Take out/delivery
  • New Makeup/skincare (I can replace things I run out of, but cannot buy new thing to try out.)
  • New stationery (same as makeup, I can replace necessities that get used up.)
  • Clothes
  • Shoes

Approved Spending:

    Travel – if budgeted
    Gifts for others
    Things on my apartment list (certain pieces of furniture that I need)
    A new bullet journal, my current one only has 2 pages left.
    Supplies to fix my desk and hang things on the wall.
    Things that need to be replaced, as long as I throw out the old item

I will have a savings account specifically for money that this ban is saving me, I haven’t decided yet if I’ll deposit a certain amount monthly or if I’ll just deposit as I go whatever I’m not spending. We’ll see.

I’m going to keep track of everything I do spend, even the essentials, so I know exactly where my money is going.

The first step after making my lists was decluttering, this is still ongoing. So far I have donated or sold 40% of my stuff. I still have a surprisingly long way to go. I’m discovering that I have a lot more junk than I thought. After I finish the decluttering process I’ll organize everything, take inventory, and post before and after pictures with the final breakdown of what I got rid of. The reason I want to have an inventory of everything is to know what I have and abound buying essentials that I actually had extras of. I also unsubscribed from all coupon mailing lists so that I’m not bombarded with extra advertisements every day.

I think that this entire process of the spending ban is going to show me some things about myself. I want to address why I feel the need to buy things, what void in myself am I trying to fill. How can I change my behaviors to appreciate what I have and value different things. I’m going to practice being more intentional, questioning what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. Actually thinking before I act. Or spend.

This is going to be an interesting journey, especially the part where I’ve chosen to write out and publish my thoughts on this blog, this is very outside my comfort zone and I hope that I get better at it as the year goes on.

I’ll be posting every Monday at 12pm cst with updates and check-ins.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! Have an amazing week.

The Beginning

Hi, my name is Katy. I’m starting this blog to document a journey. On June 1st, 2019 I will begin a year long spending ban, along with that I will be documenting what I learn about fitness, wellness, and living a more intentional life.

I feel like the main question right now is why? Why now, why have I chosen this year to do a no spend challenge and to get healthy and to basically change my life? Because I’m sick of it. I’m sick of never saving money, of being 300 pounds, of struggling to pay bills, of getting winded going up the stairs, and sick of breaking my foot just by walking (it’s happened 3 times). So I read a book called “The Year of Less” by Cait Flanders and was inspired/motivated do more for myself. I’ve been telling myself for years that I’m going to quit fast food and start eating healthy and lose weight and all these great ideas but I never did it. I never needed it like I do now. I hit 300 pounds and crashed my car. My car was payed off and now I suddenly had a car payment. This raised my financial necessity. Hitting 300lbs was a seriously low point for me, it made me realize that if I don’t do something soon I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life. I’m 22, I don’t want to be restricted by obesity in what should be the most adventurous time of my life.

So now I’m going to do it, all the dreams and ideas that I never really committed to, now I’m committing. This blog is for documentation and accountability. I’ll post at least once a week, every Monday, with updates of how the challenge is going, how I’m feeling, what I’m learning, and what I’m struggling with.

Thank you for reading and for supporting me on this journey. Please feel free to comment or send me questions.

Have an amazing week!