by Hope
Kicking off 2025 with a no spend month. This will be my first no spend month since being an empty nester. Evidently, I did a no spend January back in 2019. (See here: No Spend January – 2019 and Update on No Spend January – 2019.)
I’ve been fascinated by a slew of TikTok videos touting a no spend 2025…a year. It looks like a lot of people are struggling with finances and subsequently doing their best to button down and make better decisions. Most all have identified their own rules. And their own rewards for sticking to it. I love this on so many levels.
But I know better than to bite off more than I can chew. So I am sticking with my No Spend Month of January for now.
The Rules
Because of my “forecast” method, I know my required spend for the month.
| Utilities | $280 |
|---|---|
| Mortgage (February) | $1,015 |
| Cell Phone | $90 |
| Car Insurance | $480 |
| Credit Cards (min pymts) | $276 |
| Groceries (fresh veggies & fruits) | $40 |
| Total | $2,181 |
My goal is no deviation from this forecast for this month. No extra spending money, no eating out, and no entertainment.
Mortgage
My mortgage for January is already paid. I’ve been paying a month ahead and every month. So while I technically don’t have a mortgage payment due this month, I do want to maintain my 30 days ahead on this payment.
Groceries
I’ve given myself $10 per week for fresh veggies and fruits if needed. But I’m hoping I don’t need it. I have meal planned for the month. And don’t anticipate much activity that would require me to deviate from my plan. I also put an extra $40 for dog food should it be needed.
A Quiet but Exciting Month
Gymnast will visit Georgia this month. He will be spending a week here. And the #1 goal is to get the kids’ car titles (Gymnast and Princess) transferred to them. (This visit is only reason I anticipate needing gas; otherwise, I am not sure I would leave the house.) As I mentioned last month, he has paid off his car loan in its entirety. He now owns his car free and clear. I am so proud of him.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
