2 Days Until...
As of today, I have two days left, until the OFFICIAL beginning, of the 365 Dollar Project. The one thing that I continue to find funny, is how INTENSE, the build up to this project has been. It seems weird, that I should be so excited about this project. After all, I have attempted a different form of this project before, as I have already told you all. And yet, as I stop and examine how I feel right now, I realize that everything feels so different, this time around. In the past, it just seemed like a fun idea. If I am being truthful, then I have to admit that in previous attempts, my heart was not fully in this project. Not really. There was always that little bit of me, that knew I could stop, whenever I wanted to. And, as I look at this, I begin to think that this thought is why I was unsuccessful in the past.
Yes, this project is mine. Yes, I was the one who chose to do this. But no...It is NOT something that I can just up, and abandon, whenever I want to. This project is not something that I can simply choose to no longer do, when things begin to get hard (and yes...I am fully aware that this time will come.) There is a reason why the idea of this project stuck around, even after I quit it, in the past. It is something that I NEED to do. So, the mentality of just giving up, when things become difficult-of deciding that I no longer want to do this project, when I see that nice new pair of boots, that my budget will not allow me to buy-is something that I need to get rid of, as I start this project, this time around. This time, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
So today, I received a comment from a reader. And this comment made me aware of one thing. While I have briefly discussed the rules of this project-I am giving myself a monthly allowance to spend on frivolous purchases-, I have never really got down to the nitty-gritty, and explained what I view, as frivolous.
Obviously, there are certain things I will need to spend money on. I will need to keep gasoline in my moped, so I have transportation. (It is a two gallon tank, which gets about 150miles per full tank.) I will need to put money towards bills, and pay rent. Also, I will need to buy food, and personal care products. But, this is where things begin to get tricky. After all, there is a point, where food and personal care products, go beyond need.
Upon searching the Wal-Mart website, this morning, I came up with a price range, of what I can spend on certain needed things, before they switch over, into the 'frivolous' category. First up-shampoo. While there are shampoos out there, that can get very expensive, I can buy Suave, for (roughly) $1.46. This is a great price, and the shampoo comes in a variety of different scents. I will buy personal care products at the lowest price that I possibly can. Any higher end products that I choose to buy, will come out of my allowance. Also, any bubble bath that I choose to buy (I am a bubble bath FIEND), will NOT be considered a needed purchase.
Next up...Food. I am a vegetarian, so that takes away those high-priced cuts of meat. I will try to buy food when it is on sale. Gourmet foods (such as higher-priced cheesed cheeses, items from the bakery or deli, ice cream, any sweats, or alcohol) will NOT be covered in the needed cost of living. These items will be considered frivolous.
Following is a list of other items which will be considered frivolous purchases, and will therefore be deducted from my monthly allowance.
-Shoes
-Clothing
-Eating out
-Clubbing
-New books, movies, or music (excluding school text books.)
-Plants
-Household decor
-Jewelry
-Yarn
-Cologne
-Flowers (I am a BIG bouquet lover!)
-Trinkets (of ANY kind.)
-Trips to the movie theater
That is the list, as it is so far. I am sure that, once this project begins, there will be more things that can be added to the frivolous list. The basic format is this. If it is a needed good, then it will be in its cheapest available cost. Any type of junk, or gourmet food, is NOT needed.
I am totally looking forward to this year. It will so great, to finally get out of the thought process, of needing everything, that I see.
Yes, this project is mine. Yes, I was the one who chose to do this. But no...It is NOT something that I can just up, and abandon, whenever I want to. This project is not something that I can simply choose to no longer do, when things begin to get hard (and yes...I am fully aware that this time will come.) There is a reason why the idea of this project stuck around, even after I quit it, in the past. It is something that I NEED to do. So, the mentality of just giving up, when things become difficult-of deciding that I no longer want to do this project, when I see that nice new pair of boots, that my budget will not allow me to buy-is something that I need to get rid of, as I start this project, this time around. This time, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
So today, I received a comment from a reader. And this comment made me aware of one thing. While I have briefly discussed the rules of this project-I am giving myself a monthly allowance to spend on frivolous purchases-, I have never really got down to the nitty-gritty, and explained what I view, as frivolous.
Obviously, there are certain things I will need to spend money on. I will need to keep gasoline in my moped, so I have transportation. (It is a two gallon tank, which gets about 150miles per full tank.) I will need to put money towards bills, and pay rent. Also, I will need to buy food, and personal care products. But, this is where things begin to get tricky. After all, there is a point, where food and personal care products, go beyond need.
Upon searching the Wal-Mart website, this morning, I came up with a price range, of what I can spend on certain needed things, before they switch over, into the 'frivolous' category. First up-shampoo. While there are shampoos out there, that can get very expensive, I can buy Suave, for (roughly) $1.46. This is a great price, and the shampoo comes in a variety of different scents. I will buy personal care products at the lowest price that I possibly can. Any higher end products that I choose to buy, will come out of my allowance. Also, any bubble bath that I choose to buy (I am a bubble bath FIEND), will NOT be considered a needed purchase.
Next up...Food. I am a vegetarian, so that takes away those high-priced cuts of meat. I will try to buy food when it is on sale. Gourmet foods (such as higher-priced cheesed cheeses, items from the bakery or deli, ice cream, any sweats, or alcohol) will NOT be covered in the needed cost of living. These items will be considered frivolous.
Following is a list of other items which will be considered frivolous purchases, and will therefore be deducted from my monthly allowance.
-Shoes
-Clothing
-Eating out
-Clubbing
-New books, movies, or music (excluding school text books.)
-Plants
-Household decor
-Jewelry
-Yarn
-Cologne
-Flowers (I am a BIG bouquet lover!)
-Trinkets (of ANY kind.)
-Trips to the movie theater
That is the list, as it is so far. I am sure that, once this project begins, there will be more things that can be added to the frivolous list. The basic format is this. If it is a needed good, then it will be in its cheapest available cost. Any type of junk, or gourmet food, is NOT needed.
I am totally looking forward to this year. It will so great, to finally get out of the thought process, of needing everything, that I see.