Making your place: Rebalancing your spending

I've been trying to regain my balance with the simple life after my move.  When you're in transition it's easy to consume consume consume and buy buy buy.  I've been doing a lot of "no-spend" days to get me back in balance.

That's where you don't spend any money for a day - on anything, including gas, food, groceries, bills, online ordering or more.  Hubby and I try to have an equal number of no spend to spend days week, usually 3 no spend and 4 spending days.  I'm gradually trying to rebalance to make it 4 no spend days instead.  The rewards are plenty - much more cash in your pocket and a better feeling of balance.  It helps you look around your home to see what you have and make do.  It can be quite inspiring once you get started!

I'm having a no spend day tomorrow (tues), Thursday and Sunday of this week, will you join me?

I saw this adorable little book "Make your place" on Amy/Angry Chicken's blog.  Ordered it Friday, showed up Saturday and I was reading it by Saturday afternoon.  It has all the recipes and back to basics info I'm constantly searing for on my road to a simple, sustinable lifestyle in one little itty bitty cute book.  It's handwritten and hand illustrated and has info on medicines, skin care, planting and more.  Definitely a must-read.  You can buy it online here.

It also goes perfectly with my cute little handwoven washcloth I found at the local farmer's market this weekend.

In other news, I spent the weekend spinning the rest of the yarn for my peat feather and fan comfort shawl.  I needed to spin the last little bit and ply it up and it's washed and the twist is set and I'm ready to knit.  Super excited to finally get this one off the needles and blocked although the knitting has been so enjoyable, I don't think I want it to ever end!

Happy Monday!

Comments

[Qutecowgirl]

I think many people are moving in this direction. Of course this would have help a few years ago.

Your shawl is looking amazing!! I finally just finished spinning enough to make a shawl. Granted it is Ishbel but hey 490 yards is a lot for me. =)

[kimchi]

i just got my copy in the mail today too. I'm especially eager to try out the deodorant recipe!
and thanks for your no-spend day idea. that is definitely a good rule-of-thumb and will start doing that now!

and omg, your handspun shawl looks GORGEOUS!

[whitney]

That little booklet looks great, I just might order one.

My husband and I have been going this route, too, with the no-spend days. It's working well, as we've been able to save up for the big purchases we've been needing to make much more easily.

[Kathleen]

I noted that book on apartmenttherapy.com not too long ago. Since I'm not working at the moment, we try to have lots of no-spending days :) I'm kind of amazed at the amount of stuff I used to consume and how necessary it seemed to me then.

And your shawl looks better every time I see it! The rest of the yarn is just delicious. Can't wait to see the FO.

[Stacey _CrimsonPurl]

My goodness....your handspun yarn is freakin' GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!! And your WIP a beautiful match together!!

Completely understand about balancing out....I think a lot of us are trying to live a "new kind of normal" :)

[Renee]

Your handspun is divine! Love the browns. :)

We've been trying to increase our number of no spend days. The longer we do it the easier it's getting.

[Margaret]

I completely understand your striving for the simple life. I have been feeling the same and moving gave me a blank slate to start new, simpler habits. Moving also made me realize I have way more than I need and it feels good to go through our stuff and lighten our load. It makes a difference when you go to the store and think, do I really need this, do I have a place for it, and will it really be used?

I like the idea of no spend days and am definitely going to give it a try.

[Becky]

The shawl is gorgeous! I love the rich, earthy colors in the Peat yarn.

I don't have a yearning for a more simple life so much as a driving need (instinct?) to go to as many U-pick farms as I can this summer so I can fill up my freezer and can, can, can. I'm not comfortable with a pressure canner so all my canning will be fruits and pickles done in a water canner. Besides, I like the taste/texture of frozen veggies better than canned veggies. Think of me as the ant instead of the grasshopper. :-)

[Hilary]

Your shawl is so gorgeous! I can't wait to see it when it's off the needles. And thank you for the recommendation of the book. I will have to check that one out.

[tiennie]

I really like that more and more people are moving in this direction! We really have been.