No Spend October- The Spending Fast is Back!

October is TOMORROW. It’s going to be a busy, busy month for me. I’ve signed up for a lot of catering events and I’ve got a bunch of work for the non profit to organize and execute. I’m excited and a little apprehensive!

I’ve also decided to do another no-spend month. It worked out really well in February and I need to make some real cash in these last three months of 2015, since I messed up my taxes and am going to owe Uncle Sam come next April. I want to get a head start on those savings now, while also hitting my Emergency fund, IRA and travel savings goals.

For my spending fast this time around I’m going all in. I’ve expanded my rules a little bit based on some lifestyle changes.

For the unfamiliar, in February I put myself on a strict ‘no-spend’ month long plan. Some people call it a spending fast. Well, I’m bringing it back! I was only able to spend money on the absolute essentials: rent, internet, utilities, gas and health insurance. I didn’t even spend money on food, so you know I didn’t spend anything on things like entertainment, clothes or date nights.  This time around I have no student loans so I’m automatically saving money. 😉

Some new lifestyle changes:

It’s finally cool enough to do some biking in Austin and I got my flat tire fixed recently. So I’m cutting my gas expenses in anticipation of biking far more this month.

I’m also expanding my food budget a little. In February I lived solely off of catering leftovers. While that was frugal as heck, it’s not always the healthiest choice. Health is becoming more and more of a priority to me and I want to eat more fresh vegetables and fewer mac and cheese leftovers. While my food budget is usually $60 for food I want to bring it down about half for October.

My No Spend October Rules

-No spending on anything outside of the essential and fixed costs.

Costs include: rent, internet, utilities, gas and health insurance.

Specific Allowed Budgets

-$30 food

-$30 gas

-$10 parking

Since I have several events coming up I am probably going to need to transport some stuff for them in my car and I’ll have to pay for parking. Annoying, but I can also get that cost reimbursed from work.

I’m hoping to spend a teeny-tiny amount this month and make big money. Catering picks up in a big way in the fall and holiday season and I am going to push myself to take full advantage of that. Over the next three months I anticipate I’ll work about two catering events a week. The thought makes my heart sink but my bank account sing! 

I’ve already told my boyfriend October is going to be a busy month professionally and that I want to do another no-spend month. He just smiled and said ‘Do whatever you have to do babe.’ He’s kind of the best (and knows how seriously I take my money.)

So there you have it! I feel like I’m forgetting something in my ‘allowed budgets’ but I just looked over my Mint account. Looks like all I spend money on is rent, fro-yo and gas. My life is super cool. 🙂 I’ll do a full report on what/where I spent money at the start of November.

Kara

Kara Perez is the original founder of From Frugal To Free. She is a money expert, speaker and founder of Bravely Go, a feminist financial education company. Her work has been featured on NPR, Business Insider, Forbes, and Elite Daily.