Sometimes I don’t want to wait several weeks to get things like mulch for my flower beds or a haircut. Choosing to be dilberate about how we spend our resources means we delay gratification. A lot.
Kirk and I set aside enough each week to pay for necessities like food, gas and personal care items. The amount we allow ourselves every week is always the same.
Some weeks we spend less, and other weeks we spend more — but we always transfer $250 each week to an account.
Did I mention that this is also the account we use for entertainment and clothing purchases? I guess that’s why I’m such a fan of finding free entertainment and keeping a lean and simple wardrobe.
We have four members in our family. Our two young sons grow out of clothing, so they get first dibs on new clothing purchases. Needless to say, Kirk and I have gotten pretty good at making our clothes last as long as possible.
Sometimes it would be so much easier to just buy things as the need or desire arrises. In fact, that’s the way we lived for years. Oh, wait. That’s also how we ended up with nearly $26,000.00 in consumer debt.
Yes, it’s all coming back to me now.
As difficult as it can be to wait to purchase certain items, it’s definitely worth it.
When I’m frustrated that I have to wear my hair in a ponytail because I’m three weeks overdue for a haircut, I take a moment to remember how nice not have debt payments this past year has been.
When I look at my neighbors’ flower beds covered in fresh, black mulch, I try visualize the next financial goal we’re working to achieve (saving enough to pay cash for Kirk’s next car).
Can I wear my hair in a pony tail for a few weeks and put down mulch several weeks later than everyone else? Absolutely!
Even when living with less seems daunting and even a bit eccentric, the big picture still paints a calming and liberating story.
Freedom.
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I like the way you capture the frustration that can sometimes come with being responsible. Having to choose between two purchases that are both important can be difficult. Doing without, or with less, is also not always fun. My wife and I had to do a major car repair instead of go on a weekend get-away. On a lighter note… I dropped our blender yesterday and it broke. Because we are on a tight budget, It could be two months before we replace it! I will just have to do without my smoothies until we have the cash to replace the blender.
As you say in this post. All the frustration is worth the end result, freedom. And the skills and resiliency learned by sticking to a budget will transfer to other areas of life. If you can stick to a budget, there isn’t anything you can’t do!
-Derek
Hey Derek!
Yes, a car repair is never as fun as a weekend trip. But, it’s also never fun to be stranded on the side of the highway with a broken down car!
I guess there is an upside and a downside to every decision we make.
P.S. That’s a bummer about your blender!
Update on the blender! We received our CostCo “rebate” check and used it to buy another blender. Smoothies are back.
-Derek
Awesome!
I agree that living within your means stinks, but mostly if you let social pressures and the desire to “keep up with the Joneses” get to you. Children can be specially susceptible to it.
Being a minimalist “by choice” requires great willpower and mental strength.
One can be happy with what one has, or unhappy with what one doesn’t. I choose the former
-Rich
PS. Wrong e-mail used. Delete post above
I completely agree about children being more susceptible to “keeping up with the Joneses” Rich. Even if we instill certain values, kids will still be exposed to other kids. Trying to fit in is just part of growing up, unfortunately.
I believe freedom comes with a price tag, it’s not money it costs, but the effort to keep us free. Once we understand that all our efforts can guide us towards freedom, it becomes easier.
I motivate myself in a rather weird way, I remember my days over at the bank and I just become afraid of going back, that keeps me working and sticking to any budget I create.
More effort = more freedom. Perfectly said Alejandro.
Living with less does not exclude little pleasures, provided they will not stain the whole picture. You are absolutely right. Sometimes the best we can (and should) do is to postpone certain acquisitions (whether of goods or services, like a haircut). Thank you for exposing your humanity. Greetings from São Paulo, Brazil.
Exactly Robinson. Typically a haircut wouldn’t through us over budget, but we had a few expensive weeks with birthdays and optional entertainment outings. Postponing a haircut was my way of reminding myself to spend lightly for a couple of weeks!
i’m glad you wrote this post Jenny because I am great at making excuses of why i have to spend extra money on something we need right now and can’t wait for. sigh…this really does exhibit the frustrations of living within a tight budget but at the same time being a great reminder of why you’re doing it in the first place. it’s all about priorities!
I know Marianne. It’s challenging at times to remember our financial priorities when we have a period of time that demands a lot of our resources. I’m getting better with practice though!
It is amazing how when we go without things for a period of time, we do not miss them. We have eliminated Television from our environment and at first we felt the same way as you. We lost that instant gratification of the television. We had easy access to entertainment whenever we wanted it. Unfortunately, it was taking away cash from our wallet and attention to reality.
Surprisingly, in a rather short period of time, we were completely over it. Television watching is now almost a chore to us.
That’s great that you eliminated tv and don’t miss it Frank! We’ve eliminated quite a few things over the past couple of years and now I find it hard to recall what the heck they even were. I guess that means I don’t miss them, huh?
Love this post. It’s a great way to turn around my thinking when I begin to get the attitude of “so-and-so has this, why can’t I?” It’s the choice to wait (or put the money elsewhere) that makes the difference. And I love that you guys set aside money each week! Great idea.
I think we all get stuck in that trap every now and then April. I’m especially guilty of not wanting my kids to “miss out” on something their friends are doing. As we pare down their schedules, however, they seem more content and less frazzled.
Setting aside a certain amount each week for groceries, gas and entertainment has been critical for us. It’s so helpful to have a dedicated account that always shows us what we have to spend in any given week.
I recently sold my car in order to BE able to live within my means. I’ve been on disability for 10 years Now, but only within the past 9 months have I had to make ends meet solely on my own. It has been a sometimes scary yet for the most part freeing experience. I chose Discipline [odd, I know] as my word for 2012 and that’s what I am learning daily. I’m NOT 100% thrilled that I’ve had to surrender all credit and those 4 wheels, but just me on my own, that’s already BEyond my means.
It’s been interesting to discover how much I can live without, how little of that “rush” of having something I want NOW actually means. Waiting until has often surprised me by showing me the difference BEtween want and need.
I can’t tell you the last time I ate in a restaurant, although it seems like it was mid-July 2011…
Life is different all in good ways and often surprising ways. I did feel shame and guilt about the credit card debt I simply canNOT pay off, but I can hold my head up when they call, week after week, and I can BE honest with them about what I receive and what I pay for rent and utilities.
Actually, the “stink” aspects are, for me, just me BElieving my old bad press. It feels good to know I am able to rely on my own steam and make a Life I love.
Just today, with an unexpected extra laundry trip needed, I thought I’d run to the market while it was washing. I realised immediately that I’d got off-track with my marketing plan, got what I got, and then sat quietly remembering how much discipline really has helped me make the marketing manageable. I’m rambling I suppose, but you’ve really caused me to reflect on how living as I NOW DO is so much sweeter. I guess it is all in HOW I choose to see it…
Thanks so much for your posts. I learn from YOU and from others’ comments. It helps to hear how others are embracing this way of living and BEing.
It sounds like you are living quite an inspiring life Currie. Good for you for maintaining a positive perspective on the adjustments you’ve been forced to make in your life. Sometimes transformations happen willingly, but sometimes we’re given a nudge in the right direction, right?
Wow – you are inspiring! I personally am not very good at delaying gratification… sometimes I can… but often not. I do try to insure I don’t buy needless items.. .and I was proud to say I held off buying an iPad for almost a whole year and I wanted one so so bad! Getting rid of consumer debt is an impressive achievement and I so I am impressed
Well done and to do it with children is even MORE impressive. Congrats on your amazing achievements thus far.
Holding off on buying an iPad is an amazing display of discipline. Great job Sonya!
And thank you for the kind words.
I love the sculpture in that photo, Jenny!
I don’t stick to a rigid budget, in spite of my modest resources. While I try to avoid frivolous expenditures, I look at the bigger picture when it comes to scheduling everyday expenses. I also look at the practical aspects, and opportunities to (genuinely) save money or time. For example, I might have planned to do my grocery shopping next week, but this week I had an appointment in town, so I did my shopping on the way back from the appointment. This saved me the time and money (fuel) that a separate shopping trip would have cost me, and while I spent extra money this week, I’ll not be spending it next week, so it all works out in the end.
I think the important thing is to spend money only on what is needed, but not to put off what is truly necessary just to maintain a rigid budgetary structure. Unless, of course, it would put you in debt to do so. Perhaps keep an extra hundred in the account as a “slush fund” for unplanned but otherwise legitimate expenses.
Isn’t that a fantastic photo Mike? It’s not mine, the link will take you to the photographer in Flickr’s Creative Commons.
We keep a buffer in our account too, but I REALLY don’t like to dip into it. I try to maintain it for emergencies like unexpected medical bills, car problems, etc. I guess a haircut and mulch doesn’t feel like an emergency to me, so I wait…
I really like the idea of having a separate account for the entertainment items and clothes, so that it is easier to see what can be spent each week and motivate people to wait for funds to come in and not just spend money on credit cards. When I start college, I think I will use this technique!
It’s really helpful Cassi!
My parents taught me the satisfaction of delayed gratification when I was growing up. It seemed everyone else’s parents would buy them stuff, or loan them the money to buy something and have the kid pay them back. Not my parents. “You’ll appreciate it more if you have to save up and buy it yourself” they’d always tell me.
They were right….too bad I didn’t live that way after I headed off on my own – I had to relearn that lesson as an adult!
So true Travis! Isn’t funny how we realize how smart our parent’s are only after we’re adults?
You’re doing great on your plan. I was just thinking the other day, you’re nearly 2/3 of the way to the finish line!
This is an inspiring post! I too, have been living with a tight budget in the last few months, and sometimes… Well, it’s hard.
Have you considered the possibility of trying to cut your own hair? There are wonderful videos with advice on how to do that, on youtube.
I have considered cutting my own hair, but honestly I’m too scared to try! My hair is super thick and has to be sectioned off two or three times in order to get the scissors through a section. I would rather just get it cut less often and wear a style that grows out nicely.