28-day challenge, 2012

Tomorrow brings February.
February brings a whole bunch of holidays and 28-29 days of pure, unadulterated fun. It brings weeks 5-9 of the semester and at least one three-day weekend due to Presidents' Day.

February will also bring a little thing the 28-day challenge again this year. If you'll recall, last year I invented The 28-day challenge based only on my own genius-ness. I have this strong suspicion that I spend way more money than I actually need to. I'm pretty frugal on my student-budget, but I can always be better. Hence, the 28-day challenge. The goal was to spend no more than $28 in the 28 days known as February. I went back and added a tag to all those posts from last year so you can read them all by clicking HERE if you so desire. I was successful last year. I made it with I think $4 to spare and I rewarded myself by buying a 9x13 pan. Wild, I know. I've only used it once or twice, so it was pretty darn frivolous, tamed by the fact that I only spent $4 on the cheapest one they sold at Wally World. Whatev.

So this year, February comes again with 29 days this year...I haven't decided if I still get $28 or if I get an extra dollar. Opinions? I'd also like your opinion on how I should reward myself if I'm successful.

The rule is I can only spend $28 dollars the entire month. This includes recreation, entertainment, shopping, food, beverages, and other frivolities. There are two primary exceptions: gas for my car (because that's a major expense for me and not something I'm willing to give up) and necessary bills (gas, electric, and phone). Last year necessary school expenses were also an exception because I was in the multi-hundred dollar process of applying to graduate schools. This year that's thankfully not a factor, so school is not an exception.

The nice thing is that I've been planning on doing this challenge since the successful completion of it last year. Planning is everything. I currently have in my possession a "FREE MEAL" card for Cafe Rio, two free combo-meal coupons for Arctic Circle (due to the embarrassing number of times I ate there over the summer when I was working at Granger and it was one of the only fast food places around. The Arctic Circle employees knew my name, order, and where I always sat. Embarrassing.). I have a $10 gift card to Great Harvest Bread from my dentist, a $10 gift card to Yogurtland from this fundraiser, over 300 points on my Subway card, and a gift card to Walmart from my dear Aunt Judy. I feel it appropriate to use any and all of those while still winning the challenge. It's all about preparation....sharpen that saw, my friends. Sharpen that saw. Gift cards aren't cheating because the money has already been spent.

The challenge is very possible, though not without great effort. For one, I have a tendency to shop when I'm bored meaning I'll need to not get bored for the next 29 days. Also, I'm in desperate need of a hair cut. I happen to have a full punch card for a free hair cut from the beauty school in Cedar City, but since the hair-tastrophe of last summer (visible in this post), I have hair-cut phobia and I'm not sure I dare to go to the beauty school. And finally, $28 isn't very much money, even if so many of my needs are already met. We'll see how it goes. I'm committed.

Tonight I'll make one last trip to the grocery store. Perhaps I'll get a Diet Coke for class tonight while I can still afford to guiltlessly purchase one. If I get desperate in the midst of the challenge I can always beg, borrow, and steal...though things like that don't really look good on me.

If I had planned better I would have blogged about this a few weeks ago and encouraged some of you to join me. It's not to late to come along. In the meantime, however, wish me luck. February begins tomorrow!

Current standing: $28 (unless you tell me I can have $29).