30 Days of Nothing Guidelines

After sitting down with the family and discussing this challenge we have come up with the following guidelines for our 30 days of nothing challenge in January. Feel free to join us on this challenge at anytime. You can make your own rules. Here is ours.

1. NO eating out.

2. Stay out of the grocery store. We are going to try and only spend $30 for groceries for the entire month. I have a huge stockpile of canned fruit and veggies as well as a freezer full of pork, chicken and fish. This should supply us for the month. The only think I am worried about is buying milk and fresh produce. Will says we just need to ration what we buy.

3. NO spending except for monthly bills. There will be no new clothes, books or movie rentals. I will have to purchase one birthday gift this month so I am allowing myself to do this.

4. Keep all lights off during the day. Keep candles lit in the bathroom where it is always dark. Remember to turn off lights when leaving the room.

5. Watch our laundry. This has increased significantly lately. Wear clothes until they are dirty. Use the same bath towel all week. I will be making clips to identify which towel is whose.

6. Keep heat at 67. I really don't want to drop it lower overnight because I am up with the baby during the nights.

7. Bundle errands into one trip to minimize driving therefore saving on gas.

8. Continue to wash clothes in cold water and turn the heat cycle off on the dishwasher.

Like I said I am using this challenge to help get us back on track with our spending. If all goes well, it should help jump start our savings account. I am also wanting us to be more aware of our energy usage. I am hoping to see a decrease in both our energy and water bills. I am hoping to remind my children of how lucky we are with what we have. It will remind us of what is truly a want verses a need.

I will be posting along the way our progress. I am actually really excited to start this challenge.