By hope
We start 2025 without a month of spending. This will be the first month I don’t spend since I’ve been an empty nester. Obviously I didn’t spend January in 2019. (See here: No Spending January 2019 and Update on No Spending January 2019.)
I’ve been blown away by the slew of TikTok videos promoting not spending for 2025… yearly. It seems like a lot of people are having financial problems and therefore are trying their best to stress out and make better decisions. Most of them have set their own rules. And their own rewards for sticking with it. I love this on so many levels.
But I know better than to bite off more than I can chew. So I’m committing to a no-spend month in January for now.
Rules
Thanks to my “forecasting” method, I know how much spending I need to spend for the month.
| Facilities | $280 |
|---|---|
| Mortgage (February) | $1,015 |
| Cell phone | $90 |
| Car insurance | $480 |
| Credit cards (minimum deposits) | $276 |
| Groceries (fresh vegetables and fruits) | $40 |
| the total | $2,181 |
My goal is not to deviate from these expectations for this month. No extra spending money, no eating out, no entertainment.
Mortgage loan
My January mortgage has already been paid. I have been paying month in advance and every month. So, even though I don’t technically have a mortgage payment due this month, I want to keep 30 days in advance of that payment.
grocery
I gave myself $10 a week to buy fresh fruits and vegetables if needed. But I hope I don’t need it. I have meal planned for this month. And don’t expect too much activity that might require me to deviate from my plan. I also put in an extra $40 for dog food if needed.
A quiet but exciting month
The gymnast will visit Georgia this month. He will spend a week here. Goal No. 1 is to transfer the kids’ car titles (gymnast and princess) to them. (This visit is the only reason I anticipate needing gas, otherwise I’m not sure I’ll leave the house.) As I mentioned last month, he paid off the car loan in full. He now owns his car free and clear. I am very proud of him.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager who helps clients grow their businesses and operate more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, and technology solutions. She has recently become an empty nester as her five foster/adopted children spread their wings. She lives with her three dogs in a small town in northeast Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She has the travel bug and does her best to help each of her children finish school and become independent (but it’s hard!) She’s been running her own consulting company for nearly twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the spring of 2015, and feels like she’s finally in a place that allows her to truly focus on making wise financial decisions.
