January is typically a quieter time for me but this month has been extremely low key. I’ve been home a lot – stress has played a big role along with weather which has made it difficult to get outdoors for hikes.
This has actually made my No Spend Month a little easier. If you stay home (and away from your favorite online retailers), there’s little temptation to buy stuff you don’t need. Even still, I did have some unplanned purchases – a work function took me to a cute vintage shop which I wanted to support. So I spent $21 on two cute hats.
I ate out more than I wanted because of work travel and ended up exceeding my grocery budget as well. This was mainly because I found some deals that will save money in the long run. Even still, I ate well and came in under what I would normally spend on groceries.
There were a number of opportunities to shop for entertainment, to pick up clearance deals or seek out vintage treasures. However, I was so busy doing other things that I don’t feel like I missed out on anything.
I did buy tickets for a couple of upcoming local shows that I really want to see and I’m ok with that.
Perfection isn’t nearly as important to me as “good enough.” And I did good enough.
My little cat is happy having me home more and I’m better read, having plowed through a big stack of books in January.
I didn’t focus on exercise nearly as much as I wanted, opting instead for more rest. The treadmill isn’t nearly so inviting as the open trail.
In all, January feels like a success. It has been pleasant enough that I’m planning to continue through February with some new exceptions to the rules.
So, there you go. One twelfth of the year is now complete. One twelfth! How quickly did that pass?
Make the Journey Fun 