I have never been a saver. I worked in finance for a few years and so I quickly learned the importance of saving for retirement -and that was about the only thing I did save for. I had a small savings account to cover large expenses (like car repairs) but mostly I set aside my retirement savings and spent the rest. Whatever I wanted I bought for myself (well, you know what I mean). But, I did set by a good chunk in my
Roth 401(k), after all, I figured that once I retired I would like to continue spending money.

Then I heard about voluntary simplicity, I learned about New Monasticism, I heard an interview with the woman who wrote "Not Spending It", my very good friend started telling me all about how she wasn't a spender -she saved, saved, saved. I was intrigued; because there were things that I wanted to save for (like a house) and because all my spending was fun but not fulfilling. And, of course, you know the rest.

I stopped spending money. I just quit cold turkey, and it was easier than I thought it would be.

I am not a strong-will-power person. I eat dessert every time, can't stick to a diet, definitely can't stick to a budget, and tend to procrastinate. I was able to do this project because of a couple of things. First, I had a partner in crime -my husband. I have someone to be accountable to and someone who is as committed to this project as I am. Second, I made the rules simple. I didn't come up with elaborate exceptions or give myself rewards, I can't buy anything. Though extreme, it is easier for me because I can't make excuses. I can't buy something early, or make exceptions for myself. Nada. Nothing.

The thing that surprises me is that I love saving money. Don't get me wrong, I still love shopping -mostly because I love pretty things (I could tell when I was at World Market today, a place I find very tempting). But I don't agonize anymore about not spending money and it is easy to walk away because I have no other choice. And as much as I love pretty things I also love being thrifty and clever. I love finding free things and making things. I love find coupons and specials. With eight more months of this ahead of me I hope to be thoroughly addicted by the end. I don't miss shopping at all.

What savings have I been up to lately? Well, a couple of weekends ago World Market had a coupon in the ad flyers for $10 off a $30 purchase. That was great because there are foods that we buy there, pasta and oil, namely. So I gathered a few of the coupons from the trashcan in the mail room (where everyone throws away the weekend flyer without looking at it) and have made several trips to the store. I now have enough pasta to last me for several months (along with a stock pile of few other things). All the stuff I stocked up on is stuff that I would have bought anyway, but I saved $40 because I was able to buy it now. Even better, I am part of the World Market rewards program and after I spend $100 I get $10 back. That means for the $80 I spent I earned $8. So I bought $120 worth of groceries for $72, that's a 40% savings! Of course, it sounds crazy to spend $80 in one month at World Market, but since I'm not spending money on anything else I have the cash to stock up for the future.

I was thinking about this awesome savings venture and was curious about the other things I could save on. I have not traditionally been a coupon clipper but I think that I am now hooked. I found a coupon for our toothpaste, for vegetables and for tuna fish. I have recently been to the Crown Prince website (I buy their sardines) and learned that they have a frequent buyer program. For every 5 labels you mail to them they will mail you 5 coupons for 50 cents off any Crown Prince product. I am seriously considering switching to their tuna because of this, but I have to check the prices first.

Husband suggested that I look into ordering some of our frequent items online where I can buy them bulk. Amazon sells a lot of our favorite packaged foods for cheaper than we can get them in the store. Though our favorite (and sadly expensive) cranberry juice is MORE when you buy it online. My rules with this are that it has to be less expensive including shipping and it has to be a non-local product. I can order my sardines online because you can't get Michigan sardines. I can't order peanut butter because I buy from a local company. Of course, once I order sardines and have all those labels it will be cheaper to buy them in the store because of the coupons.

So, do you have savings tips for me?

Well friends, we bought something only 23 days into our no buy year, a new battery for Dan's laptop.

His battery hasn't been holding a charge for a couple of months now, and it was our intention to keep the computer plugged in all the time. Inconvenient but easily doable. But then his cord broke and he couldn't use the computer at all. Luckily, he had just bought the cord in June and it was still under warranty, so Apple replaced it for free...and since he was already at the store we decided he should just buy the new battery, too. That's $100.

What do you think, was it worth it? Should we have stuck with our plan of just making do? His laptop is several years old already, though it functions very well minus the power issues. Electronics waste is some of the worst and most prolific waste in our culture right now. Electronics are obsolete quickly and their parts have heavy metals which are dangerous pollutants. Now, Dan recycled his computer battery so that helps me to feel better...I guess I am just seeing a lot of grey area on this decision.

The other reason I am torn on this one is that we are technologies heavy household. We have three laptops, mine for school, Dan's from school, and Dan's for work. We also have my old broken laptop which won't turn on but which I don't want to get rid of until I can wipe the hard drive. A desk top computer (Dan's from college, but we don't have a monitor right now, nor the space to set it up). And finally, we have Beth's desk top, Already that's a lot of stuff to dispose of (in the future). I am sure some of you are in the same boat. What are your thoughts on culture necessity of electronics versus the landfill volume of obsolete equipment?

Well folks, school has started again and I am once again reminded how much I love academia. I feel so blessed and so happy being in school. I realize that some people don't understand that at all. I know more than one person who can't imagine being back in school. For me, the rhythms and rhymes of school are comforting, homey, peaceful. The work is relaxing and enjoyable (at the end of the semester the work is incredibly stressful and enjoyable).

I like my classes this semester -statistics, professional development, and an ethics/philosophy class on sustainability. I am taking up a research project -starting where another student (who moved to California) has left off. Plus, I have my own (shared) office space up on the fourth floor of my building. The wind blows strangely through the hallway up there, howling and creepy when it is late at night. The ceilings are slanted and the windows are dormered. There are two other girls in my office; we have old metal Steelcase desks with wooden surfaces. In the metal drawers of my desk are pencils and files and post it notes. The room is filled with empty filing cabinets, rolls of old Sociology poster, and the faint smell of pencil shavings. We have an old industrial metal coat tree. The room as a whole has vintage, pre-war feel to it. I love things with pre-war style.

Our no-buy experiment is progressing well. I went grocery shopping hungry tonight and I really wanted to buy a candy as I waited in line. But, I stayed strong! Yes! I also went out this week with some friends and I had just water and it wasn't awkward at all. I was nonchalant about it and everything was cool; I'm glad to know it is a viable option for the future. I will say though, that I am torn about whether to tell people that I am not buying stuff or not. I am afraid that people who know will feel obligated to buy things for me, which I absolutely do not want them to do. So when I go out with friends, do I talk about the experiment or not? What do you think?

I am in Novi at a house party with college friends. We came for New Year's Eve and will be staying until Sunday when we are attending the Lion/Bears game at Ford Field. I have never been to an NFL game before and I am very excited :)

Meanwhile, we have been watching lots of football which has been really fun -except that I was going for the Ducks and they had a disappointing loss. Now I am watching the Florida game -and scouring the sidelines for Denver.

Only one week left of Christmas break and I am quite a bit behind with my plans. I have not finished any of my reading, I have not finished (or started) my bedroom redecorating, and I have not finished my Christmas crafting. I haven't written Christmas cards and I haven't done much of my school work. Whew. I can finish my Christmas cards and some of my crafts this weekend. The reading is going to go by the wayside, I am afraid. Dan and I are going to work hard on our bedroom when we get home next week. Today I caught up on my backed emails from school.

Also, we have some preparations for our no-buying year. D needs new gym shoes, I need new snow boots, we are both buying used snowshoes (yay!). We need to renew our AAA membership. I have to admit that may have been spending quite a bit the last two weeks. I'm pretty sure that we haven't missed an opportunity to eat out and we've been going to the movies. It's been nice but hopefully it won't make not-spending that much more difficult.

Happy New Year Everyone!

When we were in Vermont we went to a wonderful little diner that makes your typical greasy spoon breakfasts but with fresh, local, wonderful ingredients (like the original greasy spoon diners of yore). The food was truly a wonder and the atmosphere (a little train diner car) was superb.

To top it all off, they had the perfect style coffee mug -the real thick white ceramic mugs that keep your coffee hot forever. Well, I didn't have coffee that day, I had a peppermint tea grown in Vermont. It came in a great little hand-wrapped package. Anyway, the best part of coffee mugs were the Wendell Berry quotes on the side of them! I bought one just because of it. "Eating is an Agricultural Act" The story of my life.

Another quote that they had on a tee-shirt (not from W.Berry, just a cool quote) was "Think globally, act neighborly" Perfection!

For any of you traveling to Vermont in the near future -the name of the diner was The Farmers Diner in Queechee, Vermont. (I think they might have a second location -definitely check out their website).

Now I am curled up with my W.Berry mug of steaming tea -a mix of Earl Grey and Vanilla. It's snowing outside and Christmas music is playing on the TV.

For all you Scrooges out there, I just learned that in Norway they celebrate Christmas until St Canute's Day on January 13th! I knew that being Norwegian was great (and not just for all the butter)!

It'a almost Christmas break! Just 12 more days!