The Unneccesary Challenge

CAFCGirl

Yes folks, it's the one you've all been waiting for!

Heres the logic.

Per week everyone has a budget of £10.
This is to include all unnecessary spends. By this I mean the magazines, the cup of coffee on the way to work etc.

All those things that you want but never truly need in order to survive.

This challenge was borne from a previous thread "Giving Up Money for Lent" (Search for it if you fancy a giggle!)

Those that took up the challenge all agreed (and some supporters) that the challenge had taught them a lot and had change the way they think when it comes to purchases. What you think you need is more so than not simply what you think you want.

Our mantra is :money: "Martin Says No" :money:

So feel free to jump on the wagon people!

The plan is every week you have a £10 budget.
Now this budget includes any spending that is not included on another budget. And as true DFW we've all got budgets!
Think chocolate biscuits. Yes they could be included in your food shop, but they are not necessary to your existence, (sorry to tell you all :rotfl: )

Yes I cried too when I figured that one out :rolleyes:

Now if you're very very good, you can save what you don't spend out of that £10, and carry it over to the next week. This is incredibly useful if you dont have a going out budget (if you're like me and rarely leave your house! :rotfl: ) and something comes up.
Save one week spend the next.

And then if you've very very very VERY good and don't spend it all for a whole month, you can use what you've saved and put it against debts.

I for example am going to withdraw £10 per week from my bank account. I'm also going to make sure I go into the bank to do this.

Why? you may ask....
For me personally I find it harder to spend £2 coins because I save them for my holiday fund (New York). However a £10 I have no trouble breaking :rotfl:

So if I withdraw my £10 for the week in £2 coins I can ration it per day, and I'll really think about my spending because with every £2 coin I'll see Rockafellar centre, Madison Square Garden etc :T

I'm also doing the challenge monday to sunday. I'm also very impatient so hate going into a bank on a monday so will likely leave it until a tuesday to withdraw, thus saving myself from spending for a whole day

The simple things we learn about ourselves.
This is not to say everyones got to do that. Different strokes for different folks. But it is interesting and very insightful with a challenge such as this and the Lent challenge to address some emotional and pyschological reasons behind spending and the difference between want and need!

Enough babbling, and heres all you need to do.
Sign up with a woohoo and a message.
Add a line to your sig about your weekly budget, i.e what you've spent or how much of your £10 you've got left and have fun!

As pre-ordained by the Lentee's (and I hope there are no objections) please refer any questions to the Unnecessary Queen................. me :rotfl: :rotfl:

Hope you all find it a worthwhile and rewarding challenge. Look forward to getting to know you all and hope to see some old faces/usernames

PeachPickle

Bring it on!

CAFCGirl

and then there were two!

pippo

Woohoo:j :j
We're off again!

£10 a week sounds like luxury following the no spends for Lent, but it is all of those unnecessary 'extras' that we uusually don't allow for and leave us wondering were our money has got to.
Rather than budgeting for absolutely every I have cut back a little on some other budgets to allow for it - ie clothes; hairdressers and the very meagre social fund!!

Like you CAFCgirl I have an added incentive not to spend - planned holiday in 6 weeks time with DS and his family and I am very determined that the ccs will not get a hammering this time, so all unspent money will go into that fund to start with.

More importantly for me will be continuing to think "Is it necessary?" Usually with a holiday coming up I go on a mad spending spree buying clothes and toiletries etc - this time I am going to use what I've got and I'm sure I'll enjoy it even more 'cos I won't be worrying about the bills coming in.

Thanks to the Unnecessary Queen for starting us off again:T
I will add a signature as requested.

Pippo

Purpleroses

Woohoo Queenie!
Count me in! C x

ShirleyPark_2

Right I'm in. I think I still have some cash in my purse, so I shall £10 of that. Anything else I am going to put in another purse for postage as I keep having to get cash out to post things off and then I end up spending the rest of the cash.

CAFCGirl

Starting to fill up nicely!

Just what I like

debbycatz

I'd like to join in too - I usually do allow myself £10 a week anyway so this will help keep me on track :T

Thanks CAFCGIRL :beer:

kinkypixie

Woo Hoo, this won't be easy, but I need to do this, 2 weeks til payday!!

Oh, no this is the first challenge I've taken part in, must not fail!!

postingalwaysposting

me too please... after hols though

Mindy_2

Woohoo - I'm in as well.

I haven't actually got to the point of rationing my "spending money" as most of what I want comes into the weekly shop. But as we have decided that this week we are going to try and manage totally on essentials then this fits in nicely.