Thanks for posting OP. I've been meaning to think about this and talk to DH about it and set some financial goals that include cutting way back on certain things. I'm putting it on the to-do list.

Coffins don’t have pockets

Me too! Just for fun I'm cutting back to just food and energy. No restaurants, No products, No services. Plus I'm going to CostCo and wallmart for everything.

It only hurts China. We need to rebuild our industrial base and start producing an actual economy. The era of comfortable cubicle workers drinking their starbucks is coming to an end. That work isn't worth a house or a automobile in trade. The money printing economy is done. We are going to learn to work again in factories and smell pollution.

I just use Apple Pay and that way I have no idea what anything costs.

By the time the election comes around Trump is going to look like Jesus.

Anonymous wrote:I did a no spend January in 2023 that taught me good habits that I kept up through the rest of the year. I plan to do one every January. I am interesting in spending my money - but good luck to you and your goals.

January is the perfect time for it. I'm exhausted by doing ALL.THE.THINGS for the holidays, eating all the rich food and am satisfied with new presents. It's also terrible weather outside. Our family does a lot of game nights and movie nights, which we didn't have much time for in December.

Anonymous wrote:If nobody's spending money, the economy will go down.

Well, everyone has to spend to survive, there is no way around it. Its just about not spending where you don't have to.

I try to do this every year from Jan-April. I usually last until March.

I stopped going out to restaurants years ago when I had kids. Now I host dinner parties instead. $100 buys a pretty good dinner party at the grocery store. And bonus points because then my friends also host dinner parties and I attend those for free/don't have to cook (I don't care about the money as much, I'm just saying that people reciprocate). When I host, my kids can be asleep upstairs or down watching movies in the basement. It's just more relaxing.

Get a big 20oz Contigo coffee mug and brew your own coffee at home. Stays hot forever.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to spend anything in 2024 beyond the bare necessities. No eating out, no vacations, no toys, done. DONE with these price increases everywhere. Haven’t gone to Starbucks in months and haven’t been to a restaurant in 3 weeks and I don’t feel any temptation to go back. Travel is overrated as well. My computers and phone can easily last another few years.

I’m not even struggling to afford the inflated prices I’m just fed up with the tipflation, greedflation, excuseflation and the sub par service as of late.

I think financial fasting is as important as gastric fasting. You learn a lot about your income, savings, investments, budget, needs, wants and spending habits etc. and come out as a newer and better you.

Anonymous wrote:If nobody's spending money, the economy will go down.

We spend so much on useless crap. It shouldn't be our "responsibility" to spend money to keep the economy going. We would all be better off if everyone consumed less and created less garbage.

Anonymous wrote:I have been limiting spending so I can retire at 45. Currently 40.

How much money are you going to have by 45?

Anonymous wrote:If nobody's spending money, the economy will go down.

+100
This exactly. I've been living like OP for years. I'm sick of it.

I have been limiting spending so I can retire at 45. Currently 40.

I did a no spend January in 2023 that taught me good habits that I kept up through the rest of the year. I plan to do one every January. I am interesting in spending my money - but good luck to you and your goals.