Yes, you read that right. I am doing no spend ’24. Yes, there are exceptions. I buy the essentials, but in general, I am not shopping in the year 2024.
Here’s why:
It is a personal goal that I have set for myself this year. I am so used to going to Target or HomeGoods and filling my cart with things I do not need, especially when I am bored or the kids are at school. Yes, it’s fun and yes, I miss it. But not spending money on things I do not need has started changing the way I think. I want to be a good steward with what God has blessed my family with. So, instead of spending money on things I do not need, I have started saving. It’s already been a month and we have saved so much! Some exceptions are birthday parties, date nights, and outings with friends. Investing in relationships is so important.
Here’s how:
I have just stopped going to Target, HomeGoods, etc, and roaming the aisles looking for things that I do not need. Not going to these stores when I’m bored has helped so much. I’m not tempted to buy something if I don’t see it. I used to have the mentality that me and my kids needed a new outfit every time we had an event, party, or holiday. But the truth is, we have so many clothes that have only been worn once. So, this year we are getting use out of all our clothes instead of buying new ones! I also purchased a zoo membership and a science museum membership last year so those events are “free” this year. Girl Math. But really, going there three times and it pays for itself. Such good investments. The question I get asked most frequently is if Ryan is doing this with me. The short answer is NO. lol He thinks I’m crazy 😂
Free things to do with kids:
Zoo (if you have a membership) and pack a lunch so you don’t have to buy food.
Science museum (also, pack a lunch because you can literally spend the entire day here)
Living Spaces (yes, the furniture store. They have a free play place inside their store and my kids love it!)
Library (I don’t know why it took me so long to take my kids here. They love it! The one by our house has puzzles, legos, iPads, and computers. We are going to start exploring other libraries in surrounding cities as well. You can only check out books from the library in your own city, but you can go to any location to play and read)
The park (This one is an obvious one but I had to include it. Especially with the weather starting to warm up!)
Splash pads (This is another obvious one. OKC is filled with free splash pads so we will frequent these a lot this summer!)
The Gathering Place (This is a bit of a drive from OKC, but it is a huge park that can take all day to explore)
Myriad Botanic Gardens (They have a fun kids play area that is great when it warms up)
Museums (check your local museums because some offer free admission)
Thank y’all for taking the time to read this! I will post an update later on this year on how it went!
xoxo, Alyssa
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