Has anyone gone on a spending freeze?

Kim · **Has anyone gone on a spending freeze?**

Has anyone ever stopped spending completely, or gone on a "spending freeze" for a designated period of time?

What prompted you to do it? How long did it last? After it was over, did you feel like reverting to your old habits? What were the hardest things to give up? What were the easiest? What did you learn from it?

Stacey Chambers · 06-17-2007, 11:49 AM

Well Kim, dh & I haven't actually done this yet but we are going to have to now. We do not get paid again until June 26th because we work for the school & money is going to be really tight this remaining week or so. I mean TIGHT! Like there is no $$ tight! So I am going to have to come up with some frugal recipes that will appeal to my picky children. Don't know how long this will last, but I know that it means that I will have to give up my Sonic drinks & I love Sonic cokes. Will let you know how it goes.

HeatherVNY · 06-17-2007, 12:13 PM

I was on a spending freeze from Christmas until Addison grew out of her clothing, so that lasted about 4.5 months. By mid May she needed lighter clothes and bigger clothes, plus I had to start buying for her birthday party. I am back on a spending freeze until the next season change/ growth spurt. I only spnd in necessity. It is very hard, but I get through it. We have too, money is very tigh and we need to save up for the up coming necessities.

Lucky Mom · 06-17-2007, 12:16 PM

I haven't, but it sounds like a good idea. It reminds me of when you're trying a diet plan, and you have to go through the first few weeks with next to nothing before you can add things back in sensibly and in moderation. It's like a diet for your wallet!

-Lucky

jmp2675 · **yes**

my husband and I did for 3 months while we where paying off the last of the credit cards the first weekend was sooooo hard for both of us, cuz we are use to just getting dinners and doing stuff. We actually had to cook and think of things to do for free! LOL now we actually don't spend alot cuz we are use to it. But it was a very hard thing to do.

JenJoe725 · 06-17-2007, 03:53 PM

I have had a temporary freeze for 1-2 weeks on all grocery shopping except for necessities like bread and milk. I use it to save money and to clean out the fridge and pantry.

Jen

Happymom · 06-17-2007, 05:48 PM

It sounds like a good idea, but I don't think we could pull it off.

AyeOhKay · 06-17-2007, 10:52 PM

We have actually done this a few times. A couple of times we did it to replace savings that was used to pay some major unexpected medical bills. Each time probably lasted four to six months. The hardest things to give up are always dining out and entertaining (movies, sporting events, etc.). We usually do fairly well at not spending any extra. I think it's because we see the light at the end of the tunnel - we know it will only be for a certain amount of time. After the spending freeze, we would return to our normal budget. We have also taken on shorter freezes to help cover unexpected costs of such things as vehicle repair, new appliances, remodeling projects, vacations, etc.

Mookie'sMom · 06-18-2007, 04:06 AM

We are doing that right now and have been doing it for sererval months now. We are almost to the point of being back on track and that is feeling GREAT. My husbands car only has 12months left and it will be completely paid for so I am wanting to double up on the payments and get it paid off sooner. We will see on that. We haven't been doing to bad, the thing that helped the most was going cash. That has helped us tramedously, we know what we have and what needs to go where. We are doing better and it is a big relief.

deemom · 06-18-2007, 07:24 AM

We did for periods of time when dh was going back to school and money was extremely tight. Some months we had to charge groceries and gas so I became very frugal during that time. I didn't go inside the mall for 2 years. If I needed new clothes I went to Goodwill. Prior to him going to school I spent lots of money on books for me and the girls. Now that he is employed and done with school I still don't buy books new. I get them from the library, and if I really like it I buy it from a used bookstore with store credit. I still don't shop at the mall because I don't want to spend that much on clothes. It's still Goodwill, consignment, or clearance racks for this household.