No spend

[Tradd]

We often talk about “no spend” periods of time (weeks, months). How long could you go without buying anything but food, fuel (or other transportation costs), and other necessary items to run your home or for work? Books would be my worst thing (library usually doesn’t have what I want to read). That and diving site entry fees and tank fills. Other than that, I’d be probably OK.

[catherine]

That would be tough... and it depends on whether I would have to include DH in that. If so, we'd be lucky to make it through a day, haha. I have a little bit more self-control. I agree that books would be hard, although I don't buy more than 1 a week and I try to do Kindle Unlimited to get them for free.

I have so many opportunities for entertaining kids and grandkids, that would be the other difficult thing to get around. So, sadly, my estimate for how long I could realistically go without buying non-essentials would probably be 5 days--maybe 10.

[early morning]

Hard for us. We do a lot with my DSis, who lives alone and loves to go places near and far with family. If we don't go, she's sad. If we go and don't spend on much, she insists on paying for everything, which makes me sad and DH nuts. As it is, she wants to take her van, pay for all gas, pay entrance fees for her place of choice, etc. So we feel as though we should at least pay our own food and coffee costs, even though we always take snacks and start with coffee from home. I try to keep these ventures to one or two a month, but still. We have a wonderful time, and they are worth the cost overall, but they do preclude long expanses of no-spending. We used to do no-spend challenges here, and I struggled to make it more than a week with zero discretionary spending. OTOH, I made it for two years with no new clothing or shoe spending. Coffee and food out are MUCH harder!

[sweetana3]

Early Morning, from a stranger here. Your post sounds like your idea of no spending is sucking the enjoyment out of life. Unless you have a serious reason to no spend, I think being more balanced is a good thing. I like your taking of snacks and drinks. Some of my favorite memories are of short trips where we always took tuna fish sandwiches and chips and made a picnic out of lunch instead of fast food.

I struggle with spending when it is necessary. Being frugal all my life has warped my thoughts around spending. I tend to binge which is not a wise thing. Financially, I have enough for anything I reasonably want but cannot "spend" it normally. I have an almost abnormal distaste of shopping.

[happystuff]

I struggle with spending when it is necessary. Being frugal all my life has warped my thoughts around spending. I tend to binge which is not a wise thing. Financially, I have enough for anything I reasonably want but cannot "spend" it normally. I have an almost abnormal distaste of shopping.

I can definitely relate to this! I hate clothes shopping - the only clothes I've bought in the last year have been work clothes which I get reimbursed for. My mindset is still trying to get rid of stuff instead of buying stuff. I do need to go buy a box fan today (to dry out the last of the damp from a flooded basement yesterday - whole other story ) And I also dislike shopping. I like to "look" at yard sales and flea markets, etc, but rarely buy anything. I just like to look. LOL.

All that said, I could probably do a no-spend period of time; just spending on utilities, weekly food, gas, etc.... basics.