My No-Buy Year Update

 

Back in January, I talked about my plans for a No-Buy Year. I told you I would update you every few months, so here I am, about six months later to do just that.

So, how is my No-Buy Year going? Well....it's a big fat failure. 

But, is it really, though? No, not really.

Let me explain. 

When I set out to do this challenge, my goal was to maybe set aside even more money than I do now. The only money to do this with is my Fun Money category - the money I can use on whatever I want. And truth be told, it's not a whole lot. 

See, I have a carefully crafted budget that reflects everything I want my money to do for me: pay bills, save for future purchases, and invest in my retirement as aggressively as I dare, all while still allowing me to have a life. These are all difficult feats considering my lower income. 

It didn't take long after declaring my interest in a No-Buy Year that I grasped the reality of it all. I wouldn't be able to buy some drinks for the weekend, indulge in Ladies Brunch once each quarter, grab a frozen pizza for my daughter on a rare Friday night, pack a bottle or two with a picnic lunch, buy that 32 oz diet fountain drink at the gas station on a 96-degree day, or have a few glasses of wine with my besties at the winery every few months. 

Not spending what little I have in spending money each month would banish me from having any life at all. Sure, there are free things I can do (and I don't plan to change that one bit) but I need a *little* bit of money for simple pleasures.

And, I don't have a spending problem. I'm a super-saver and a super-investor with a 6-month emergency fund, sinking funds, a bit of savings for things that might pop up, and I invest as heavily as I can.

In retrospect, it seems silly.

Now, if I was a careless spender who bought things on a whim, racking up debt and preventing myself from saving & investing, this challenge would have made sense. 

Having said all that, I definitely have had a few months of overspending, but that's due to me not planning as well as I should rather than being impulsive or careless. That is something I can easily change.

My friends, the No-Buy Year is officially over. I won't say I'll miss it.