http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexa-von-tobel/financial-challenge-go-a_b_566492.html
Seriously? Is this what we've come to?What would be it like to go a day without spending any money? I've thought about this before but I've never considered actually trying it. I couldn't imagine going a day without spending a single penny -- is that even possible? How would I get from A to B? What about food? Turns out, a day of living expense free is possible and you'd be surprised by the overwhelming sense of satisfaction and feeling of elation that comes from it.
On Tuesday night I had just returned home after a long day of work and I decided to order in from my favorite restaurant. Forty minutes later, the deliveryman arrived with my pasta primavera and a Greek salad and I handed him $32.50, including tip. Pretty steep for a dinner for one, I thought. I returned to my kitchen counter, brown bag in hand, and it was then that I had a moment: I reviewed my spending for the day and I realized that I had spent well over $80 over the course of the day on menial expenses. I hadn't gone shopping, I hadn't dined out at Cafeteria for lunch, and I hadn't joined my friends for drinks. It dawned on me that the taxicab rides, stops at CVS, the Starbucks lattes, the mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks, my take-out from the fabulous Italian restaurant, and other trivial expenses really added up; realizing the total cost of it all was a painful but eye-opening experience.
That night, I decided to go on a mission to live a full 24-hour day without spending a penny. A self-proclaimed female A.J. Jacobs, I pledged to wake up Wednesday morning and eliminate all expenses from my daily routine. It would be a feat but I was determined to test my discipline and my creativity. I would prove to myself and to those around me that a day of living expense free is possible - and a worthwhile experiment.
Wednesday Morning
I knew that my success relied heavily on morning preparation, so I set my alarm clock 30 minutes earlier than my usual wake-up time. There were four morning spending hurdles that I had to tackle: the commute to work, my morning coffee, breakfast, and lunch. As a die-hard Le Pain latte lover, avoiding coffee was going to be a challenge. I knew I had a coffee maker and some Holder's House Blend coffee in my cupboard somewhere so it was about time I tried it out. Honestly, the coffee wasn't so bad. I was so used to my morning corner-coffee shop routine that I forgot how much I enjoyed a simple cup of joe in my apartment before I left for work.
On a typical day, I usually grab breakfast on my way to work at the deli below my Flatiron office. But yesterday I had some time to spare and I poured myself a bowl of cereal, adding banana slices on top. Not so bad. In order to prepare for lunch, I made myself a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, an apple and a granola bar and packed it up in a Ziploc bag. I'm not one to keep my fridge and cupboards stocked but I had a few items from my last trip to Trader Joe's and they would get the job done.
Luckily, I have a short commute to work; it takes approximately 20 minutes to walk to the LearnVest offices. With beautiful weather and a fun challenge underway, I gladly stepped outside and enjoyed the 20 minutes to myself before the hectic day began. En route, I make the decision to start walking more. If I left 10 minutes earlier, I could walk to destination and avoid the $5 to $10 spent on a taxicab ride. Within 20 minutes, I arrived at the office and I hadn't spent a single penny.
Lunchtime arrived before I knew it -- and I had my packaged lunch ready and waiting.
Wednesday Afternoon
Unlike the average day, I didn't have any meetings in midtown on yesterday so I was free and clear for the afternoon. I spent the afternoon at the office and avoided the usual mid-afternoon Latte run. I enjoyed a few of my colleague's crackers and surprisingly, made it through the day energized and motivated.
Earlier that week, I had discussed dining out drinks with my friends on Wednesday night. I hadn't spent any money the entire day and I was not going to jeopardize my experiment by dining out. I kindly proposed to my three girlfriends that we have a "potluck" dinner at my apartment, where everyone brought a different dish. I was surprised by how readily they agreed to the informal gathering and ran home after work to start putting together my part of the dinner. It was time to get creative.
Wednesday Evening
I arrived at my kitchen a bit fearful (let's just say I prefer eating over-cooking) yet I was excited for the challenge. I rummaged through my cupboard and fridge and sure enough, I had a box of unopened penne and an unopened can of tomato vodka sauce hidden behind some cans of soup. Penne vodka -- perfect. I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to use up those unopened cans or boxes that have been sitting in my cupboards. I discovered some frozen peas in my freezer and added those to the mix. Within minutes, I had donned my apron and found my inner Julia Child (Who knew I had one?), whipping up a delicious pasta dish at the stove and singing along to my Billy Joel favorites. My friends arrived, adding a salad, a bottle of wine and some baked Brie to the potluck dinner. We sat in my living room and laughed for an hour. Fun night.
Last night as I lay awake in bed, reviewing everything that happened I realized that with a little preparation, dedication and creativity, I successfully went a full day without spending anything. Not only did I save money, but I also discovered new ways to enjoy the things I love. I love coffee but there is no need for me to indulge in expensive lattes everyday -- a cup of coffee at my apartment will do the trick and it is just as satisfying. I love my friends but there is no need to dine out and break the bank every time we want to see each other. And with a potluck dinner, I can enjoy my new discovered love for cooking -- it's therapeutic, relaxing and surprisingly, fun!
I encourage everyone to try living a day without spending a single penny so you can enjoy the benefits of the challenge. Of course, there are some expenses, like the morning commute, that are unavoidable. If you live far away from the office and must travel by train, taxi or subway, you will have to spend some amount on travel. However, if you usually take a taxi to work, find the nearest subway and walk the extra 10 minutes to your destination. For those bicyclists out there, combine your morning workout with your morning commute and ride to work. The key is to be creative and be smart about your spending.
All in all, I was energized and motivated by my frugal living yesterday. I recognize that this experiment is unsustainable for a long period of time but I learned that if I just pay a little bit more attention to my daily expenses and put in a little effort, I could eliminate unnecessary, basic expenses from my daily routine. I woke up this morning feeling "cleansed," invigorated and ready to approach the day with an expense conscious mindset. This morning I opted for a cup of Holder's House coffee and I brought leftovers from last night's potluck for lunch; I foresee this quickly becoming part of my morning routine...
