PayDaze vs. Dollah-Billz: The Ultimate American No-Buy Showdown 2008

By Dollah-Billz

I don't believe it has been mentioned on this blog before, but PayDaze and I are currently in the middle of a no-shop showdown.

We returned to work this January after having two weeks off for Christmas and were feeling a bit broker, lazier, and in my case at least, chubbier than when we left on December 21st.

I visited my Dad in Minneapolis and my Mom in Montreal, while Daze took a trip across the sea to Taipei. I can't speak for Daze, but I ate and drank and shopped myself into a coma. It was wonderful and restful, but after returning to real life, we both needed to snap back into shape.

While discussing our holiday purchases and watching dollar signs flash before our eyes then fly away forever into oblivion, we decided it would be the perfect time to challenge each other to not buying anything but food and necessities until March 1st, 2008. I didn't think this would make too much of a difference in my money life (or that I would notice anyway) but it really has.

Usually, I don't have too many bad spending habits when it comes to "stuff". I hate shopping (esp. in the winter) usually only buy clothes once or twice a season, or will occasionally visit the thrift store and get lots of goodies for $20. One huge difference though, that I have never really considered, is I haven't had that "burning a hole in my pocket" feeling right after payday since our showdown began.

I'm talking about that cravey, psychological hole that occasionally needs to be filled, and sometimes spending money seems like it will do the trick.

It's not even spending on say, clothes or cute shoes, it can be throwing down a hundred bucks at Target. When you get home you realize and all you actually bought is Method cleaning products and maybe a candle. Where did the money go?

With the showdown, this isn't even an option, so I don't even consider it. I pay my bills, put money in savings, and budget the rest. I don't crave to spend because, well, I can't. I have someone holding me to my word.

We've had our moments of weakness, emailing Built by Wendy shirts of our dreams to each other, and day dreaming about cute things we'll buy on March 1st. Overall though, it's been super easy, and has helped me get much further much faster in my get-out-of-debt goal. Come March 1st, I might buy one new piece of spring clothing, but the momentum to not spend is pretty hard to stop right now.

Daze, are you up for a March 15 - May 15th Showdown? Lets do it!