So, it’s the end of the month, which is when Hubs and me go through the monthly expenses. I should preface this by saying this is my least favorite time of the month, and I’m still a woman who deals with regular periods……soooooo, yea, expenses day SUCKS.
I kind of hate spreadsheets, I’m not a big fan or money, and I kind of hate organizing all of our spending on spreadsheets.
There, I said it.
for the love of spreadsheets
In spite of this undercurrent of loathing, I’m still a functioning, half-mature adult, so, each month we compile and examine the expenses as a couple. Wait, I have to revise that: Hubs does the heavy lifting, and then we talk through everything. Hubs has an accounting and finance background, which not only makes him “a freak in the sheets” (Excel sheets, people!!!) it also might be his love language. Dude loves numbers. He loves analysis. He loves thinking about how numbers come together and settle into place.
Spreadsheets kind of make me want to throw up. But, I digress……
We keep a pretty thorough account of our expenses, with multiple tabs on the spreadsheet. We organize everything by category, showcasing fixed and fluid expenses. Everything that comes in and out of our house related to money in captured.
So, the end of this month is what I’ve been waiting for. I wanted to see what kind of impact this challenge could have, not just on my psyche, but on our bank account, too.
Do you want to know the total? Are you curious how much I saved on the credit card bill this month?
total monthly savings?
Around $750.
Hubs was right. This was what he predicted from the beginning. I thought I was in the ballpark of $500, but, turns out, he’s a great accountant. None of this felt like a big reveal to him (typical accountant).
But after learning this information, I felt completely deflated. The money wasn’t the thing that mattered. This is for a few reasons:
1) We’re not in debt
2) We already save and plan for the future—so the cash we “saved” doesn’t have anywhere to go
3) I don’t know what I want, but I seem to continuously look for it to exist in “things.”
Why it matters
We have always saved and paid off our bills. Lucky for me, Hubs is not a big spender.
I could feel proud that I said “no” to $750 worth of junk. This amount accounts for all of the non-essential items that don’t serve our family in any real way. Endless lunches out, coffee runs, more and more clothes, new shoes, bathing suits, accessories, etc.
But I don’t have a plan on something to save for. There isn’t anything that I really want or need.
I should feel so proud for making this big change, but without a larger goal in mind, it feels like the money is just sort of floating there……
more than money
But then I remember it wasn’t about the money. This was always about examining what I’m spending on. Because even if I can afford these goods, why have I felt compelled to buy them?
Why does buying “stuff” have value? And what is that value?
That is the bigger question.
Stay tuned as we learn more about what comes next. If I don’t need the stuff, and I don’t see a real reason in buying so much, then what do I want to concentrate my energy on instead?
Fill me in on your journey! Namaste every day, friends!
MinimalistMama #NoBuyChallenge #MindfulConsumption #BuyLessLiveMore #OverconsumptionAwareness #BreakTheCycle #IntentionalLiving #MinimalMom #SimpleLivingJourney #ConsumerCulture #ResistThePressure #MindfulMotherhood #LessIsLuxury #SlowLivingMovement #AntiConsumerism #DeclutterYourMind #MinimalistLifestyle #AmericanGreed #UnlearnConsumerism #StopTheScroll #MoreMeaningLessStuff #MomMinimalist #FinancialFreedomJourney #PeerPressureProof #MinimalismInMotherhood
4 the Love of Peace 