New Years Resolutions
Monthly Intentions

I feel like we just celebrated New Year’s, and in a blink, it’s now Valentine’s day! I didn’t come up with any New Year’s resolutions for 2018 or any year really. Inspiration to do better and be better comes at any time of the year, not just January 1st. Instead, I have been trying to consciously live out my days with intent through goal setting. So, I will be setting and sharing each monthly intention at the beginning of each month.

Monthly Intention: No Buy February

I have chosen to make this month No Buy February.

What does this mean?

I will be making my most earnest effort to avoid excess purchases.
These are defined as purchases:

• not pertaining to food – eating healthy is a money suck but #bodygoalsss
  • however, no lattes, extra desserts, artisanal ice cream, expensive brunches, or sushi dinners
• not pertaining to travel
  • so, I’m not breaking the rules when I must buy a coat for a trip to the arctic freeze next month

So, no walking into Target to buy toilet paper and walking out with a cart full of unnecessary items and $100 poorer. Packing and transporting all my junk from Houston to LA during my move last year stressed me out so much. I was the opposite of Marie Kondo and had so much clutter from unprincipled spending. Because of this, I vowed to live a minimalist life mostly because I wouldn’t be able to afford to buy anything else. Unfortunately, I did not fulfill my vow to mirror wardrobes like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.

To jump start my monthly intention of minimizing my life in February, I am going to be:

• consuming less & lowering my negative impact on the environment
• more fiscally responsible (because how else will I be able to afford a house in LA)
• happier all for it

It’s a little daunting, but with less clutter, more mental clarity, and more money saved, I can focus on the things that really matter!

Want to join me & need some help?

Since we live connected to our phones almost 24/7, apps are great ways to track spending. Mint, Goodbudget, and Penny are highly rated apps to look into.

Also, if you want to spend money on something you can live without, don’t!

If you do really need to buy something, look for coupons, cashback opportunities (like Ebates), or ways to save on tax. And, be patient. A lot of times, saving money requires not having the item immediately.

Follow me on Instagram at hellograciegrace as I document how my No Spend February is going and leave me a comment if you’re doing this monthly intention too. I would love company!