Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Buy Nothing Sunday Confessional - Week 3

Buy Nothing Sunday ConfessionalForgive me people, for I have spent. This week I don't have a whole lot to report. I didn't go shopping for anything besides food and vitamins.

We did go out for coffee a couple of times at work and ate out lunch twice and took the kids out to dinner before going swimming on Tuesday. So, we did spent money on fees for the public pool twice this week. Other than that, I kept my money in my wallet.

How about you guys? I swear it gets easier as the month goes on, because you are more in the mindset of not spending. Well, except for that eating out business, but we only frequent small, local businesses, so I don't feel too horrible about it.

Related posts:
Buy Nothing Sunday Confessional: Week 1
Buy Nothing Sunday Confessional: Week 2

23 comments:

Jennifer said...

I didn't join... but I'm sure acting like I did. We've been cutting our grocery budget in half this month, with no extra "treat food", and haven't bought ANYTHING extra except gas for the car and one pair of used pants for my husband as he went back to work last week and needed another pair of professional pants.

It's amazing what paying for grad school without loans will do for your willingness to scrimp!

The 4 Bushel Farmgal said...

This was a good week for me. Other than regular groceries my only spending was on postage for a package to my granddaughter. I even made it through the week without emptying the gas tank in the car!

Sadraki said...

Just groceries and coffee a few times.

Robj98168 said...

Well hell... I must confess to buying coffee and padtry almost everyday at Burien Press... but local and vegan so I don't mind... as for other purchases... well I didn't make any 'cepting for car club trophies (stain and such) but I will be reimbursed for those. That and I bought the stain on closeout for 1.47.Am getting up tomorrow to buy some shirts at Thrift Stores for work so.... we'll see how I do. (Hard to go to thrift stores without checking out other items I may like for furniture and artsy crap).

knutty knitter said...

Groceries and one lunch here. Nothing else out of the norm round here. I did pay a deposit on a patchwork class so I suppose I'd better add that.

viv in nz

Sandy said...

Forgive me, people, for I have spent. In a BIG way. But I had no other choice; my truck decomposed while I was driving it. Cracked radiator, fouled serpentine belt, head gaskets, possible crackled cylinder...it added up to about 1/3 of what we actually spent on a new, used car. Better gas mileage, though! I've been calling myself a "Buy Nothing Dropout". Sigh.

Pam said...

The only thing I bought this week was dinner with friends to celebrate surviving one year of grad school. It's pretty cheap for a vegetarian to eat at a BBQ joint and they even give free sodas to students. I also paid a $7 cover to see some friends from out of town play music at a club down the street.

This was my best week yet and I was feeling great until I got a medical bill for $200. I guess this is the best month for my checking account to take the hit, but it sure is bad for morale. I'm bummed about $200, but grateful that insurance covered the other $4800.

FernWise said...

Got carryout chinese last night, and bought 3 plastic things to put around soda cans to insulate them/keep them cold. Not that we use them for cans, we use them around glasses to cut down on dripping condensation. It's INCREDIBLY humid here in DC, which used to be a swamp.

Was under budget on groceries, even tho' I got more beer for husband.

Frondly, Fern

Anonymous said...

We were in DC on business at the NAS and EPA. Ate out many meals although we did go to a farmers market and bought lots of local food and picniced in our room.

Does buying a flattened penny for my nephew count? I spent $0.76 but got my penny back. Also bought cheese and coffee for my friend who watered the veggies while i was gone and postcards at the National Gallery.

DC is a great city to visit-- all those free museums, great public transportation and lots of farmers markets this time of year.

diana

SusanB said...

Apart from groceries -- canning supplies which I think are exempt, a DVD compilation that I ordered last month arrived, and my boss bought me two lunches and a dinner because I was working round the clock.

Lisa said...

I did pretty well with the exception of taking my daughter out for lunch and a couple of coffee dates with friends. Other than that the only thing (besides groceries) I spent money on this week was school supplies for my son.

Tina Cardone said...

I didn't buy anything this week but that had much more to do with the sweltering heat that kept me inside. But still a successful week regardless of the reason.

Amandaf said...

My problem isnt that I am struggling to not buy because I really want extra stuff, its that I keep forgetting about the challenge. Last night I bought a bottle of wine and a 5 dollar chick flick so a friend and myself could have a girls night. I forgotten a couple of other times this month but as for this week this was the only slip up.

Marimoy said...

I bought a beer at my local dive. That's it.

Farmer's Daughter said...

I bought... $50 worth of ink for my printer, which I need so I can print syllabi for school.

I also spent $50 on scrapbooking supplies... I have no excuse for that :)

Mama Bean said...

some ice cream, a little discretionary chocolate, urethane, cellulose insulation - not bad for a week of hot, humid kitchen renovation!

Manda said...

This week was a bit worse than usual for me. I bought an amazing dress. It was half price and second-hand so I'm going to say it's ok and I've been looking for one like it for months, so really I purchased it in y head months ago :P. I have bought lunch once or twice but thats it.

Tel said...

I had to buy a 21st present for my cousin (about $60 Australian) and I bought some hot chocolates in the mornings at work because its been so cold over here in Perth.

Radioactive Duck said...

This week was bad for eating out, mostly because I didn't have groceries at home. The only non-food item that I bought this week was a neti pot.

Billie said...

I further sinned on the flower pot buying. After looking for 2 years, I decided that the trial pot I bought was perfect for my African violets and bought 6 in total. It was mindful spending but unfortunately in the middle of the challenge.

I then sinned again on Saturday when our free outdoor movie was rained out. Instead, we hit Blockbuster and rented a movie and then went to KFC for picnic food and had a 'picnic' on our living room floor while we watched the movie.

I also went to a fund-raising picnic to help raise funds for a young man in our church that is going through expensive cancer treatments. I donated some money to the cause in exchange for food.

This challenge is not going well or it is simply bad timing.

Allie said...

Still only bought allowables: gas, smokes, and a tiny bit of groceries. I'm still working on using up some of the older stuff in my pantry, so I'm limiting my food expenditures.

chook said...

i had to tear myself away from a yard sale, but decided we could spare $1.55 in change to satisfy the itch.

rachel said...

This is my first confession! It has been rough. August was a month of many houseguests, social events, and other things that just seemed to rack up the spending. So, while I have not bought much in the way of 'stuff', I have spent on extra groceries, farewell drinks for a friend, etc. We also bought and installed a new ceiling fan which was $$$ but worth it. I think September will be better.