Could You Go a Year Without Spending?

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Mary Hunt in Home & Family 42 Comments

A few years back, Eric and Donna Reed shopped for groceries and household products only once a year. How on earth? I know. That was my reaction, too.

The Reeds got the idea after reading a column in USA Today, wherein the writer confessed to his weakness when it came to buying clothes. So driven to buy new sweaters, slacks or shoes every time he stepped inside a clothing store, publicly he announced he was giving up buying anything for one full year.

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Eric and Donna wondered if they could do the same. Their minds went to the grocery and discount stores, the mall and Amazon.com. And what about restaurants and home improvement stores, they pondered. How would they handle gifts and seasonal items every household needs through the course of a year?

The Reeds, like most of us, don’t simply stop into the store to pick up milk. Or eggs. No, they buy the milk—along with a basket of other stuff, too. It’s expensive to be a frequent-buying consumer. But could they plan ahead well enough to make it through a whole year without spending? They decided to see if they were up to it by trying it for one month. One month with no exceptions. Not even gifts. Could they do it? They bought supplies for the month and then gritted their teeth.

They reported that the first two weeks was smooth sailing. It was exciting to approach life like pioneers. They were self-sufficient and resourceful. But by week three they were drinking powdered milk and making creative salads as the lettuce was gone. In week four Donna ruined her last pair of pantyhose and opted to wear pants for work attire to finish out the month. Just when they were ready to give up on this crazy notion, they tallied the results. They’d spent less than half of what they normally spent in a month’s time.

Wow. Imagine that: They cut their expenses overall in half! Could they expand this way of life to three months? They could, and they would. But not without some strategic planning. They calculated how much toilet tissue, cleaning supplies, dry goods, meat and other food staples they would need for three months based on past usage. And then they contemplated what you’ve been wondering: What about milk and produce? Gasoline? And what if they really wanted a meal out or a drive-thru experience? Their compromise: gift cards. They bought a strategically-planned number of $10 gift cards for their favorite drive-thru, gas station and supermarket, and put the cards in a safe place.

Making it for three months was not nearly as difficult as they worried it would be—even with Thanksgiving landing in the middle of that time period. They’d planned ahead with a turkey in the freezer.

By the time the three month period was ending, they were asking themselves “Can we make it a year? Soon they were plotting a big, one-time-only buying spree for the week after Christmas when lots of things are on sale.

The Reeds did complete a full year without spending and the fringe benefits were astounding. They did put the initial purchase on a credit card, but paid it off within three months. Over the next nine months, with the money they were not spending they were able to pay off all of their unsecured debts. They finished the year with only their mortgage debt.

All because they went a year without buying anything.

Question: Could you go a year without spending? What about three months? One month? One week? A day? Join in the conversation here.

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Posted on January 1, 2013 by Mary Hunt in Home & Family 42 Comments

debi sue

I couldn’t do it as I take medication that I can only get in three month supplies. Maybe that could be handled with the gift cards, but unexpected medical supplies, household maintenance (furnace dies), children’s growth spurts, appliance breakdown, pet expenses (illness), school requests (field trips, fund raisers etc.), parking, tolls, dental bills, and on and on are all things that can necessitate spending. Some foods do not lend themselves to being stored for up to a year. I think a compromise of planning for a month at a time could give you the flex. to adjust for seasonal foods, events, and the unexpected. I think twice a year having a month where you determine to eat what is already in your pantry and plan meals around it is a great way to reduce costs and save food from going to waste. Great article and interesting challenge.
http://www.facebook.com/holly.samlan Holly Samlan

No way. I LOVE my fresh veggies & salads too much to even go a month. Even more I use a LOT of cottge cheese and low fat yogurt.
That is aside from the Rx, dentist, auto repairs, and/or home repairs.
Latayne C Scott

In December of 2011 my husband became suddenly and profoundly ill with Guillaime-Barre Syndrome. The breadwinner and financier of our family was in a coma for three months and hospitalized until May of 2012 when he came home still partially paralyzed and in an electric wheelchair. I sold everything “liquid” we had, including our home. We never would have made it without the help of God, friends and family, and when we moved into a much smaller home in June I made a commitment not to buy anything for that home (other than the fees to hook up utilities) for two months. I used the furniture and decor I had and continued to sell things I didn’t need, on Craigslist, Ebay, and in a consignment shop. It was a freeing experience that encouraged me to find additional ways I could postpone buying things even now.
Emma

for three years i have contemplated this knowing I could seriously reduce spending…even if it were just for clothes…go shopping in your closet…don’t i have enough creams, moisturizers and perfumes…heck I can go two years. I have to agree on the basics…a carefully thought out plan…but i would allow the one luxury and for me that is getting my hair done every 21/2 to 3 months. I am up for the challenge.
- Latayne C Scott
  
  This may sound utterly ridiculous, but for the first seven months of my husband’s illness I did two things: pulled my hair into a ponytail on top of my head like all my friends in college did and cut the ponytail straight across to achieve a kind of shag haircut that looked fine (there are many videos online about how to do this); and then took up the offer of a friend who offered a few months later to trim my hair for me. (No connection of course. Ahem.) But in my case I had to do whatever it took.
  - anon
    
    I cut my own hair, practise makes perfect! I don’t think anyone even knows I cut my own hair. Ive saved a lot of money by not going to hairdresser & beautician … although I would love a facial & pedicure! Clothes is hard,especially if your figure gets bigger over the years!
    - Stephanie Swalwell
      
      If you have a beauty school nearby, you can get these treats for 5 or 10 dollars.
  - Stephanie Swalwell
    
    I used to cut my mama’s hair – she had a book on how to do it, handed me the comb and scissors when I was about 11. Those first few months… I’m glad I knew how to braid.
Stephanie Swalwell

Could I? Yes. Will I? No. I know, that given the perfect storm of circumstances, it is possible that we could not go to the store tomorrow like we could yesterday… and then I would come up with several more ways to cook deer and corn. I’m not in that position, though, so I will enjoy milk from plastic jugs and lettuce from the bags. My compromise is every two weeks… and that has significantly cut down on spending for us.
Sylvia Hebel

I am on a limited fixed income. When I had been working, I amassed a lot of stuff that ended up in my outdoor shed. I also knit, crochet, and sew, and have done all of these things all of my life. When I get into a shopping binge mode, I do indeed shop in my closets, sewing room, and shed. If I do need money for extra expenses(i.e. car tires.) this money is in my contingency fund( yes, I have a small one,but it is growing.). Gas money is apportioned and set aside for the month, food money as well. Making recipes from your stores or pantry is being creative, as for lettuce or greens, kale can be harvested from under snow, carrots can be banked with earth and covered with straw for the winter, lettuce, the Tiny varieties can be grown in pots in a windowsill. Fiscal cliff, Ha! I laugh at you, Saving is never easy, but our society was once fixed on how people behaved with each other, and socializing in person, not in how much we consume. Self-discipline is the key here. Happy New Year!
Sylvia Hebel

P.S. When I was younger, people planned NOT to go to the stores on Sundays. Everything was bought on Saturday or during the week. Maybe we need to go back to a day of rest, from shopping and enriching others.
- Ann
  
  I agree. We’d have more quality family time!
Rich

That is slightly deceptive. What is probably meant is ‘overspending’. Obviously they bought things during the year, but they planned well and limited their spending. I have cut back on extraneous purchases and sent the savings to missionaries ands other needy and well researched charities. At our age, we have little need for ‘stuff’ which will just sit around for our kids to sort through. 2013 should be a great year for us, how about you?
- http://twitter.com/MikiStewart Michelle Stewart
  
  Read carefully — the family stocked up for the year-to-come, then made do with the supplies they purchased. I have to admire them!
Roberta

That is my challenge for this year – to not spend on anything other than necessities. Grocery shopping has gone to twice a month with a couple of small trips to pick up fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products. In the summer we grow most of our own vegetables, so that will cut down on that expense. I like the idea of shopping my closets and cupboards. It promotes creative cooking and there is less waste. In the summer I freeze excess produce and began canning again this past fall. I plan to do more this coming year. I mend clothes that are still in good shape but just have a seam that’s opened or a button that needs replacing. One exercise, I just read about in Your Money or Your Life is to inventory all your possessions. If that doesn’t slow down shopping I don’t know what will. I’m starting with my clothes. Most importantly I will not charge anything this year.

Thanks for the inspiring story!
Neala Rinke

We have a freezer full of items. I’d like to use up what’s in the freezer before I purchase any more meat or veggies.
Shellykay

I think this is an interesting experiment. Mainly the point seems to be spend a lot less time in stores so you don’t spend money. I agree with that. I would like to try this–at least for department and big box stores. I still want to continue working on my “best price” grocery stockpile, but maybe that is what I should be spending my grocery money on for a month or so.
I’ve also heard of people that don’t buy anything new for a year. If they need something they buy used (except of course food!). That way they have a smaller impact on the environment, as well as saving money.
http://www.facebook.com/heather.shover Heather Shover

I think I would miss my fresh veggies, fruits and milk. Maybe I could compromise in such a way to still buy those, meds and gasoline? I don’t know. I have been on a kick to see how long things last for us. Rolls of toliet paper, paper towels, deoderant, tooth paste, laundry detergent, etc. For things that don’t spoil I think I could buy for a year and stick to it. Granted storage could be a problem. Some of the things that I have started to do to help with being more self-sufficient would be helpful, too. Gardening in the summer, learning to can and dry fruits, veggies and the such, and I just started making bread from scratch. Thanks Mary for your English Muffin Bread recipe. I have made it several times with no problems.

This would be an eye opening challenge and something I may have to give serious thought to.
Alex Chat

While I admire their resolve, some of this is a little deceiving. If you buy a bunch of gift cards to use later, isn’t that like a pay me now or pay me later (or spend me later) situation? These people must be young and not have dr appts or medications to purchase monthly, or never have a dental emergency. I do believe there are ways to cut down on expenses and do without the frivolous, but to cut spending at the expense of your health is not wise.
http://www.facebook.com/nancynapo Nancy Napo Polo Azzolini

Milk? Lettuce? Other fresh produce, like cherries? 1/2 & 1/2 for my coffee?
Kohl’s 30% off coupons? No way.
lynnemp

A day, a week yes, I could go without spending. It sounds as though this couple has no children in the home, or grandchildren being a part of their daily lives. When it is just me I can easily buy milk, produce & fresh meat to last a week and longer. My grandchildren though want after school snacks, drink milk like it was water, etc.
anon

would love to read their story, do they have a book / blog?
MrsGixxer

I have a problem planning for a week much less a year. I think that it is definitely a conversation starter and gets people thinking. Although I wouldn’t want to do that for a year I certainly can make some adjustments in my spending and learn to plan better. I, myself, am not a big shopper. I actually hate shopping. If I went shopping alone I would not spend much at all. Maybe that is one of the first changes I need to make for our family. Don’t bring anyone with me!!!

I’ve created my goals for 2013 which includes a spending plan that we are going to follow. I think in working that plan I am going to incorporate fewer, smarter shopping trips. And, seeing if we can make it for a week with the food we have in the house could be fun occasional challenges. Way to get us thinking Mary!!!
buckeye grandma

I’m a stay at home wife, mother and grandmother. My pantry is well stocked. I haven’t much need to go grocery shopping except for perishables. A summer garden helps with that. However other than church I don’t get out of the house. I applaud their efforts to shop less and save. For me (shopping) is my interaction with the outside world. I too will be out of debt except for my mortgage in July 2013. Thanks for new ideas but I think I’ll keep my shopping trip and my sanity.
- MrsGixxer
  
  I was telling my husband about this blog and said it might be a good idea for us to go to the store less. But then I was reminded that this is sometimes our social event for the week!!
Beck

I think it is a good goal to shoot for. I am trying to buy things that would last for a year – many staples like trash bags, soap and such. Things like Miricle Whip only last expiration wise about 6 months I can never find one in the store with an expiration date of a year so I would have to cave and buy that plus fresh fruits and veggies and milk. I think it would be easier for those who don’t have kids. It is fun to think out how one would do this. Any time you make less trips to the store you can save money. Is there a book, article or blog that they have written that would help us who would attempt this?
Happy New Year to all.
Pearl Girl

I was asking myself a very similar question on Dec. 26th, as I sat at my desk balancing my checkbook. I spent (choke) $3,277.00 in overdrawn fees in 2012. It is even hard to admit that to myself, let alone post it. I am so embarrassed.
I have been struggling through a season of depression, from years of experiencing betrayal trauma from someone very close to me, from being an unprotected employee, and losing a job I dearly loved. My manner of therapy? You guessed it, “Retail therapy.” I have been trying to fill the hole with things. Doesn’t work.

After 20 months of unemployment, up until 12/01/2012, I began a new job. It’s even a new career field, and moved to a new city to live in order to take this job. 2013 is My year for fresh beginnings. I am so ready.

I want to go a full year, without even one overdrawn fee. I want to live within my new budget for 12 months, and find myself entering 2014 debt free. No spending money that I don’t have budgeted, or saved for, in my Freedom account. Yes, I have a Freedom account, and I have been around Debt Proof Living for years, but this is my stake in the ground, this is the year I get serious. I’m going for it.
- Robininsky
  
  Pearl Girl, I am so sorry for the rotten year you had. Facing the truth and doing something about it takes great courage, and I am rooting for you. I believe you will make it, and come out stronger, both financially and in many other ways! Best of luck in this new year
Maxilyn

I’ve already decided that we will follow a modified version of this for the month of February. We’ll need to spend on electricity, water, some food, medicine, and gasoline. Everything else is off limits. We’ll make something else work or do without. If successful we can make this an annual or semi-annual event. Now to break the news to my husband.
http://www.facebook.com/catherine.wood.7334 Catherine Wood

I don’t think I could do it. I’m too dependent on fresh milk, produce, eggs and meat. I don’t buy clothes, shoes or make-up, but I can’t go into a walmart or grocery store without buying extras. An interesting and thought provoking column, but impractical.
- Stephanie Swalwell
  
  My solution for the walmart epidemic was cash. Cold, hard, and nothing else. I wrote my list, wrote the prices I expected, went up by 10% (no food tax in Texas), and rounded that up to the nearest ten dollars – that, and my list, was what I went in with… over time, I eliminated the rounding and pay real close attention to the prices.
- Andrea B
  
  mine is target. If I need something there, I send my husband with my list. I don’t go in. At all.
- Tina saves more
  
  I love my fresh foods as well. U can go on a spending freeze. Only buy things on a list.this will help. If u find something at the store u want, put it on next weeks list. Chances are u probably wont want it.
- C. Scott
  
  There are ways to buy groceries and other extras online if you have an internet connection. If Walmart is too tempting, try shopping at Big Lots for what you need, or Kmart, someplace you know has what you NEED but you don’t want to spend a lot of time there.
Gigi

This is a very thought provoking idea. I’m not making excuse as to why it may not work for me and my family, but I would need more info than what was given to see exactly how they did this. There are just some things you can’t do this with i.e. mediactions, fresh fruits and veggies, which are a staple as I eat raw foods (think fresh from a tree or a garden without cooking it), so that would not work for me .Sounds like they would have to eat a lot of canned goods (yuck). Maybe they canned or had their own garden? I applaud them for having the creativity and courage to do this, but just not enough info for the rest of us to see if it’s really applicable to OUR lives. At what stage of their lives are they in? Having children would impact this. As I said, would love to know more about this to see if it could apply to our family. I’m always looking for ways to save money!
Db

While I admire their decision to spend LESS, in no way did they “not spend”. This is totally deceiving. They pre-purchased gift cards to “SPEND” later. They put things on credit cards and “SPENT” later to pay them off. They just shifted things around and made it APPEAR that they were not spending. They pre-bought everything they would need, anyone could do that. I grew up in a VERY frugal home — this is a normal way of life for me, not something special I have to try, and then point out to everyone. I grew up in a single-income family, stay-at-home mom, my father worked hard and retired at 45, and they are still living off savings at 80+ yrs old!! I am raising my family the same way. Retirement won’t come that soon, things are more expensive and we are not a high-income family. But we don’t spend on cell phones, cable tv, eating out, or any of the countless money-wasters available today. We have everything we need and then some, we have a lot of fun doing inexpensive activities and spending time outdoors, we read a lot and our kids know a lot more than their friends, we save for cars and pay cash when one is needed (even brand-new ones), never pay a cent in interest by not charging much to cards and paying them off each month, never pay a cent in late or overdraft or any other type of fees by being responsible and careful, don’t buy processed foods and cook from scratch (healthier and cheaper), have a summer vegetable garden, visit local orchards for fresh fruit (delicious and a fun outing for the kids). There are a million ways to have fun and have a full life without spending money, we find new ones every day and don’t miss out on anything.
- Andrea B
  
  i had that same complaint after reading. and i could have written this same thing about how we live. as 2 30 year olds, our friends are amazed at the savings we have & complain they have none, then they show us their iphones and netflix and bluray tv box sets. it’s all in your priorities, and to me, you certainly have yours in the right order
Db

P.S. I find it sad that being frugal is now a “fad”, instead of a normal way of life.
RanchMommy

I’ve been working toward that… I now only do my shopping once a month. For produce, we got a share from a local farm which we pick up weekly (paid in advance). I preserved about half of it which should last us through the winter. Milk (even whole) and bread freeze nicely. I stock my pantry and freezer at the beginning of the month and that’s it. I think the key to it is a good inventory system. It took me 3-4 months of keeping track to figure out what our family actually uses each month. Now that I have that, I simply go through my list to figure out how many of what we need, add on the misc items and shop sales, bulk and online to get the best prices. I prefer doing it this way because it saves time (only one day a month) and money (about 75% of shopping weekly).
Arelene Mack

I am working on not spending day-by-day, and can go at least 2 weeks. Now I’m shooting for 1 month. Making excuses NOT to shop, eating what I cook instead of eating out, learning to make do with less, are small exercises that eventually pay big dividends. And life becomes simpler in the process- – -I’m loving it!
C. Scott

When my daughter was in junior high we developed “speed shopping”. If we absolutely had to go buy something, we would go to the store, usually Kmart, and find the item and price it, while leaving all forms of money at home. When I got paid, I would go to Kmart during my lunch hour, go straight to the product, pick it up, pay for it and head back to work. The idea for “speed shopping” came when I figured out that I would spend $75.00 per hour that I spent in the store.
Missy

Thank you so much for what you do. It has affected my families lives! May God bless you and your staff! We are doing this! 3 months of no spending! Starting January 1st! We bought a freezer and planned out 3 months. I was amazed at how much I am saving. At first I was doubtful, but when I started buying stuff…it was so much cheaper than what I go through at the store. Also my kids kept saying can we really afford this? We got Jamba Juice gift cards, subway gift cards, wendy’s gift cards, gas gift cards and tons of snacks, staples and meat. 4 Boxes of Apples and stuff sometimes I can’t afford to buy like chocolate chips. The time I am saving by not going to the store is amazing. We all feel so content that we have what we need. I didn’t realize that security would feel so great. We calculated that we are saving $600 a month on extras! That is so much! Then my husband lost his job! We still feel secure…I am so happy we did this, because now we don’t have to scrimp and worry about every penny. We have enough to make it through 5 months. Hopefully good things happen soon. We will be doing this for a year next guaranteed as soon as we can. After 3 months we have enough in savings to do another 3 months.

Could You Go a Year Without Spending?

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