No Spend August
August is here! And to kick it off right, I’m beginning a "no-spend" month.
A little background on the timing:
Every July and August bring school supply displays and back-to-school advertisements. Over the past years, August would bring feelings of excitement and to be honest, intense anxiousness. For the past 8 years, August would have me preparing for new students, new faces, reviewing curriculum, and pouring over individualized educational plans. And when I was a student myself, I would prepare for a new school year, new teachers, new assignments, and new milestones of growth. It's always been focused on school, school, school.
This August means something so, so different to me because I will not be going back to my career in teaching.
This year I will be creating and mapping out my own day, I will be driving my schedule, and I will be filling my time to best meet the needs of my family and my business. This next month I will be embracing a more minimalist approach to life and finding the joy in the things we own and letting go of the things that no longer serve us.
Here’s a list of things I am saying NO to:
Going out to eat
Shopping for clothes or home decor
New and unnecessary beauty products
Entertainment
Buying more books
Here are things I can spend money on:
Our current bills and mortgage (hello responsibility!)
Groceries (Only what we need. Clear plan and schedule)
Scheduled work jobs for our kitchen renovation (We have already planned and prepared for these)
Necessary toiletries (i.e. deodorant if it runs out, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)
Business expenses and needs
And of course, this is not a perfect solution or an answer to all the questions and unknowns we have. This is however, a step in a direction of sitting with what we have and being more intentional with how to move forward.
What do you think of a "no-spend" month? What would it look like for you? Or what's one way you can give some extra focus to all the great stuff you already have?
