It’s January 20 so I’m about a third of the way through my January No Spend Challenge. After doing this for nine years, I’m surprised to still learn things about myself and still enjoy the creativity that the rules foster.

If you don’t know what my No Spend Challenge is all about, you can get the details here.

In case you’re following along, here are a few notes since my last post.

• I’m working through some odds and ends from the refrigerator freezer. It’s a mishmash of leftovers, remnants, and good intentions. My goal is to whittle it down to less than half full by month’s end. So far, I’ve used up leftover Beyond meatballs, frozen veggies, pasta and cheese for a creative dish that turned out great. Half a bag of tater tots and some stray steak fries were the base for a delicious breakfast casserole. Several leftovers that were frozen in the last month or two have been used up. Things are going well and I enjoy getting creative.
• Grocery shopping remains my hardest area. My pantry and freezer are stocked but it’s hard for me to not grab deals when possible. I rotate my stock but tend to keep the shelves overflowing. This is what happens when you grow up in the country, influenced by people who remembered the Great Depression. You never know when a winter storm, illness, or some other life event will prevent you from getting to the store. In my defense, I understand my own habits. A stop at the store to pick up one need typically leads to buying a bunch of extras I don’t need. Ultimately, staying stocked up within my own boundaries will save money, This is still an area I need to focus on. To that end, I hope to make it until the end of the month before my next grocery shop.
• All of my meals except for four this month have been prepared by my own hands. Two were fast food after work when packing food wasn’t possible and when I couldn’t wait till I got home. The the third was with my folks, and the fourth was in a restaurant with my fella. Once upon a time, I was strict about not letting someone else buy because they thought the challenge was brought on by hardship or because they were trying to give me a way to skirt the rules. It’s not brought on by hardship and I don’t want a break but I do allow my fella to treat me when we are out because it makes him happy.
• I got an alert from Ebay that something I really wanted was available and on sale. Southern writer Rick Bragg narrated the audiobook for his near masterpiece “The Best Cook In The World.” It was published on CD but is no longer being made and has been nearly impossible to find used. This is something I really want and I can hardly wait to listen to it. The $19.21 spent was a good investment as far as I’m concerned and waiting a few weeks wouldn’t serve me well at all because it may not be available by then.
• I got a haircut. This was a planned and budgeted expense. Since my beautician is thirty minutes from home, I always batch the haircut trip with other things. This time it was a grocery trip and a stop for gasoline. And yes, I did tip her. Remember, a No Spend Challenge is no excuse to be a cheapskate.
• I haven’t made any kind of lists for future purchases. This is a good tactic if there’s an itch you want to scratch but don’t want to actually buy. Sometimes shopping for the thing or writing a list is enough but I haven’t needed this coping mechanism. People seem to assume that a challenge like this is followed by binge shopping but that isn’t how I roll. Instead, I like to hold onto my newly improved mindset as long as possible.
• I’ve been doing some decluttering and am gradually organizing my craft room. Some years I gamify decluttering but don’t feel the need to do that right now. I’m just trying to keep it front of mind. The craft room is on track to be mostly organized by January 31. Nothing makes you want to not shop quite like decluttering all the stuff you once thought you couldn’t live without. On a related note, I found the painting that’s pictured above while doing some organizing. It’s a winter scene on slate that my aunt Florene painted long ago. I have always admired her skill and was excited to find a good place to display this.
• I’ve been reading a lot more than normal and am several books ahead of pace in my 2026 goal. I’ve been cooking more than normal and focusing my attention inward which is a wonderful side effect of my version of a No Spend Challenge. Another behavioral change is that I make sure my water bottle is always full when I get in the car. There’s no reason to stop for a drink when I can stay hydrated with what I have. This is a small but important thing because this small purchase often leads to more.

It’s hard to believe that we are already in the second half of January. At this time, I plan to keep the challenge rolling into February with a budget modification that includes a Valentine’s Day excursion with my fella and a birthday gift for my mother.

I’ll keep you posted!