Comment below - how did you do with your no buy month!? 👉 Minimalist Budget Bundle here: shop.atozenlife.com/products/minimalist-budget-binder
@anonymous-cx7ng
2 жыл бұрын
This is a challenge? Lol I never buy anything so this is nothing
@altenberg-greifenstein
2 жыл бұрын
to say the ö more like Germans do, imagine you are saying burn, the u in it is pronounced closest to the German ö, then add an r, brurn, then replace the ending rn with tchen and you have Brötchen
@veghead5121
2 жыл бұрын
I failed the no spend, but Covid came and found our household 🙄 I'm going to give myself some grace and try again next month!
@psymompa
2 жыл бұрын
Hope all are feeling better.
@ashwinisathaye8593
2 жыл бұрын
We also underwent the same thing in January. Best of luck in March for your challenge and get well soon.
@veghead5121
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you 😊
@kristinakalas8100
2 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed this video, but not for the reason you may think. Of course, there was great info on ways to spend less. But I really liked it because it showed us what life is like for your family over a month's time. There were clips from Chinese New Year at the start of the month & then you concluded with your son's injury to his muscle. There was a sweet clip of you & your husband on a walk. The family eating strawberries post workout, when your husband made me LOL with his quick muscle flex. All of it felt authentic & highly relatable. Thank you for continuing to give us a glimpse into your wonderful life. I look forward to checking out the new blog design!
@isabelgorting540
2 жыл бұрын
To be honest... I'm quite proud of myself :-) Instead of just doing a 'No Buy Month' (well except for groceries and necessities), I've even earned some money by selling a bunch of books and clothes. The fact that me and my husband were granted a 'Corona Bonus' this month (we're both teachers in different federal german states) comes in handy, too :-) It was a really mindshifting and kind of 'fun' month. I used to spend A LOT of money by buying stuff online - mostly, because it is so easy and convinient! By the end of the month, when the creditcard check came, I sometimes was in disbelief... 700 to 800 Euros for... yeah, for what?!? THIS month was different though! By asking myself EVERY SINGLE TIME "Do I really need this right now?" I've saved a whole lot of money and I think I will continue in March... and April... and May... :-) Dear Marissa, thank you very very much for your inspiration! Lots of love from northern Germany!
@isabelgorting540
2 жыл бұрын
@Aquarius Tarot By Dana Great to hear you've conquered that demon :-) Wishing you all the best for March 💪🏼
@carrietyler9496
2 жыл бұрын
I didn’t know the USDA had a food budget that is so helpful. We have often wondered if we overspend or underspend compared to others
@MarielaMerino
2 жыл бұрын
With the rise of inflation /gas prices here in the U.S I think I need to do more no spend challenges lol. The meals you shared look so delicious!
@MJ-cz5gx
2 жыл бұрын
Here in Western Australia, fuel for cars is averaging $1.90 per litre!
@MarielaMerino
2 жыл бұрын
@@MJ-cz5gx wow!
@natashatheresa
2 жыл бұрын
Those strawberries look amazing! Great job with your no buy challenge!!!
@inesk1060
2 жыл бұрын
They sure do... but I am surprised that they tasted really good... they are so out of season right now and must have been super expensive and not regional.... strawberrys in February in Germany is not a thing... :-)
@afulny
2 жыл бұрын
Multi-culture family is always fun. What a lovely family😊
@AmySmith-hh5yn
2 жыл бұрын
Lol the Angela Merkel artwork is hilarious 😂 My daughters (both grown) have done their own version of the no spend month before but they allow for one meal out each week. I find that it helps so that they don’t feel too restricted but are still enjoying a treat here and there. I think that doing an entire month is beneficial because some people (like myself) can get over stimulated or get decision fatigue when shopping. Even simplifying a grocery list helps both the budget and the mind. When I organize someone’s space for them you can see the stress lifted off their shoulders, lifting financial burdens also help most people. We are a retired military family and we eliminated our bills and have lived debt free (aside from our mortgage and a recent car purchase when our newer vehicle unexpectedly broke down). There is such a wonderful feeling of peace of mind when everything is simplified. Glad to see another one of your great videos. 👍 👏 I enjoy getting the notification bell when you and Dawn from the Minimal Mom post new videos.
@almutimkerbell88
2 жыл бұрын
Wow, you did great, Marisa! I am proud of you and your family! I did spend some money in February, but I've done better than other months, and I am planning to apply what I've learnt and improved into every month. Thanks for another great video♡
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much and wishing you lots of luck 🍀 with your saving 🙌
@leoren2685
2 жыл бұрын
I had actually planned to do this for February - but didn't focus so much on it other than to be "mindful" and I did pretty well until yesterday when I bought a book and also some new bedding because it was the last clearance sale and it was almost sold out. So overall it was about $130. I also cut back on groceries some by building my delivery list and then taking out some extra items to bring it down $20 or $40 from what was my usual before. I didn't miss the extra items at all really. I will maybe try doing it more diligently for March.
@AussieOzzies
2 жыл бұрын
This video came out at the perfect time. We are starting our no spend month today.
@beverlyness7954
2 жыл бұрын
I enjoyed doing this challenge. I live alone. I only spent $150 on groceries and was happily surprised. I have quite a bit of food left to last through March as well. I plan to continue the challenge through March and maybe longer. The thing that really surprised me is I set a goal to go to Norway when I'm 70 years old (next year). When my family heard, they all contributed (for my birthday) and at this time I have $635 in a special bank account for this purpose. Also this month is traditionally my worst month for having enough money for the entire month. Usually I'm still covering costs from Christmas or something has happened that cost extra. This year because of my mindfulness for the last few months, I actually had over $800 left. In the past my budget never included groceries and extras. I'd know how much money I have and my fixed (or slightly flexible) expenses. Anything money above those expenses was up for grabs. If I had the money I'd buy and at times I would charge it. Then the next month I'd feel a little strapped. It sort of became a feast or famine situation. Because of my goal to go to Norway, and because I'm on a retirement income that's fixed, I have to watch every dollar if I want to succeed. I have plans to sell a few items to support this goal as well. I have a small community resale store that gives a commission on the items I bring them to sell. Starting in January all the money I make there will go to my Norway goal. These are all new ways of doing things for me. Today I'm pulling all the information together to see what I actually spent on groceries (which I did) and extras last month. I forgot twice and actually bought some things, however one of those times I had credits and gift cards to pay for the items fully. All of this mindfulness has really helped. Thanks for all your help.💖🇳🇴
@janiec3915
2 жыл бұрын
Good luck!! 😀
@heidiwhite6068
2 жыл бұрын
My family and I did no spend February and did pretty good we saved around 2k. We cut all unnecessary spending and only slipped up once, spending an unplanned $110. It turned out to be a fun and rewarding challenge!!
@ashwinisathaye8593
2 жыл бұрын
A really nice video. I really appreciate the fact that you were honest in the video and actually shared the expenses that you incurred. Also o would like to share that before the month of February I had decided not to buy clothes for 3 months.And in February I am really proud to tell that 1 month I haven't bought any clothes. I am really feeling motivated to continue for the next 2 months. it has been an eye opener as to how many clothes I have . I could actually wear a different set everyday to office and through the month of February I haven't even worn the same set again . So I really need to cut back on buying clothes. Thank you Marissa for helping me. Your videos are a real motivation.
@christinegagne4262
2 жыл бұрын
I tried for boss mode. Gas prices shot up so that was a bummer but I only used the car to go to work and a few times around town. Went for groceries once in store and a second time to pick up online purchases. I also made good use of leftovers from work and turned it into new recipes. Did not eat out. Forgot I had a dental appointment, that was unfortunate but necessary. Lastly I ruined my good leather belt but instead of buying a new one I used an old belt and replaced the buckle for 5$. Can't wait for more sun here in Canada. I had planned to sell stuff on marketplace but I was to tired to hassle with it, no incoming money there. The nice surprise came in the form of a retro adjustment on our wages from 2021. I was able to pay both my credit cards off and absorb all monthly costs. BOSS MODE UNLOCKED!
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Woohoo, you did awesome! The belt thing was *chefs kiss* 😘👌 inspired.
@tricialeach1125
Жыл бұрын
Loved your leftover rice tips! Those rice pancakes look amazing, excited to try them! 😀
@bqz4380
2 жыл бұрын
great advice! I am happy to be the first one left comment here
@kevinspeiss8004
2 жыл бұрын
We do this all the time. Don't eat out anymore. Don't buy any clothes anymore just use what we have. We already cut groceries down.
@roseliqueotten5770
2 жыл бұрын
Yes! Another video 😁😁😁😁
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Yay! Did you do the challenge with me? How did it go?
@roseliqueotten5770
2 жыл бұрын
Not this month but I've tried it before and loved it! These videos make me excited to do it again though! I just love hitting those financial goals. My fiance and I did commit to not ordering food in the month of March 😁
@TheRozylass
2 жыл бұрын
You are so lucky (or blessed) to be on the same page with your husband. That has never been the case for us and we have too many struggles because of that. Keep up the good work.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Actually he was the the one trying to persuade ME long before, but I wasn’t willing to listen - I think it takes finding the right message and motivation. ❤️
@MJ-cz5gx
2 жыл бұрын
Saved $475! As well as other items, I was able to cut right back on food shopping as the freight line that supplies my state got washed away and we had no food coming in for weeks and people started panic buying. A month later the shelves are still pretty bare!
@toniballard4850
2 жыл бұрын
Completed with you!! I was already planning. And then saw this video. Overall very proud of my month. Couple unexpected. But oh well!
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Glad you did well 🙌
@rui37CdjOe
2 жыл бұрын
I did pretty good! I only bought necessities and plan to continue. Thanks a bunch for helping me to become more mindful of what I need and don’t need. We went out of town and I didn’t buy any souvenirs for family. It was great. Thanks!
@julkamickiewicz6434
2 жыл бұрын
That is so cool that you made it! I used to always be rather a frugal person though for the past few weeks I got surprised how more money I started to spend... I have to figure out why and try with this kind of a challenge, maybe for a week firstly haha. I am always so happy to see that you uploaded a new video, thank you for the good content always!
@sustainablelivingschool12
2 жыл бұрын
Love your commitment and reflection back plus the Q&As. Thanks for sharing; made me think about selling some clutter too. Ps. Your Kiddos are super cute!
@Hookstohugs
2 жыл бұрын
I love your videos Marissa. I wondered how you got over the barrier of selling the items you had decluttered? I’ve done the clothing decluttering and have a dozen items I’d like to sell but for some reason I’m coming up with a block and the items are still in my room taunting me for not selling them. Would love to get your tips x
@alisonr819
2 жыл бұрын
Haha, are you me?! I wonder how common this is?
@RosesandBlingPapercrafts
2 жыл бұрын
I hope you don’t mind me sharing some of my tips :) I start with the biggest things that take up the most room first. I check the buy/swap/sell pages such as Facebook marketplace or gumtree (which I think is Craig’s list in the USA) for the same/similar items to give me an idea of the second hand market value. I usually just pick between 2 to 4 things to clean down photograph to start with. Write a detailed description on your listing along with 1 or 2 clear photos and the price, don’t forget to add the pick up location or postage costs to save time waisting dm’s. Last cross your fingers someone will buy it 🙂 Good luck 👍
@therealmissglamBAM
2 жыл бұрын
I love Poshmark and Mercari, they are user friendly platforms with a lot of shoppers! Shipping is the easiest with Poshmark since they send you a label and it's USPS only. There are lots of great and helpful videos on KZitem on how to get started on both!
@janetstonerook4552
2 жыл бұрын
Me too. I just ended up giving the bag of clothing away ( after I took out some of the colorful tees to use in making braided rugs.)
@downtherabbithole9143
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Marissa! Thanks for suggesting this challenge. Total success at my end. I paid my bills and bought the groceries I needed as usual (I have food sensitivities so some of its expensive). My big cut backs were eating out (brunches) & takeaway food when I’m tired, and buying incidental items, gifts, music etc.. Plus I stayed home more so transport costs were down. I usually manage to pay off around $150-$250 of debt each month. That’s in New Zealand dollars. This month I paid off just over $500 which is approx. $300€ or $340USD. I have a wee list of things I wanted to buy and will likely get most of these over the next few months…but I’m in no rush to undo the good work I just did. I might do this again in April if there’s no visitors or any other blow out events on the horizon. Thanks again! ❤
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
That’s amazing, what a great success! Cheering 📣 you on to keep it up.
@kennethbailey9853
2 жыл бұрын
You are honestly out doing yourself
@akelly2931
2 жыл бұрын
I would LOVE to see a what I eat in a day video! Your food looks delicious :)
@nordikcajun5417
2 жыл бұрын
But I do love ❤️ your advices. You helped me so much with planning.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much, my friend! 🙌
@sandyhumissouri5131
2 жыл бұрын
Your family is so adorable! 😍
@kat_thefruitbat
2 жыл бұрын
Would you ever produce videos and/or blog posts to showcase your creative recipes and juicer combinations? 😊 I love that rice pancake idea and would love to learn more recipes/ideas you might be willing to share that relate to food waste reduction, repurposing leftovers, cooking healthy food on a budget, meal planning, etc.! ❤️
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Hey my friend, I haven’t announced this formally yet (coming in a video this week) but I split my blog into 2. The original (Squirrels of a Feather) is going to be for only recipes! I hope to put the rice pancakes on there soon, but in the meantime here is a list of 35 of my go-to cheap dinner recipes: www.squirrelsofafeather.com/cheap-dinner-ideas/ I do hope to do a “what we eat” video as well in the future ❤️
@kat_thefruitbat
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife That’s amazing, how exciting! 😍 And I’ll go check out that link right now; thank you for your reply! ❤️
@jenniferh9824
2 жыл бұрын
Marissa, WOW! I think it is amazing that you even included your grocery expenses and medical expenses. My 2021 resolution was a 'no spend' resolution on non-consumables. No new clothes or anything that would not be consumed in use. I also resolved to stay away from any salons or spas. I spent $10 on a pair of sheers and trimmed my bangs myself for the year. No haircuts, no facials, no manicures, no messages. The goal was to save that money, and spend it on travel expenses to visit with my mother. My hair had been getting longer and I would just put it in a bun everyday. Come December it was quite long. Then, my mother-in-law took me to cut it off and I donated about 14 inches for locks of love. Now you and I have similar haircuts, only I have bangs. The challenges of my resolution came mainly around Christmas. We did go lean with our gifts and spent more on flavors and time together sharing them. It is nice to have family who values togetherness more than material things. And of course I was able to splurge on togetherness with a wonderful visit with my mother. One of the things that helped me with my no spend challenge for the year was a January Shopping list. I would add things to my January Shopping list and in January, if I still needed it, I would get it then. The list also served as a good Christmas or birthday list for anyone who wanted to get something for me. I always got just what I wanted.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Oh how wonderful! It’s so nice that you were able to donate to locks of love ❤️. Sounds like you guys are all on the same page and creating a list is a great idea, thanks for sharing everything!
@judymcpheron5955
Жыл бұрын
Hello, new here. You popped up a as I looked at U-Tube. Thought it was current. Very well done. I did mine this 2023 for the first time with Kate Kaden and Frugal Money Savers with great success. Continuing into Feb. Your meals looked good. Do you ever share your recipes? The rice cakes looked delicious! 😋 Thank you.
@sarahthatcher123
Жыл бұрын
Watching this a year later…looking for inspiration for this year.
@poizonali
2 жыл бұрын
Surprisingly, I did better than expected. Basically, I wanted to stop buying stuff I didn‘t really need and have no food deliveries from Lieferando & Co. But I was very inspired and actually managed to declutter, sell and donate some clothes, cook on a regular basis and find the joy in the things I already own. I feel like this month has been more fun because I wasn‘t buying anything new and thus had the time to appreciate everything else. But I have had two slip ups: one was a palm tree on sale for our living room and the other a PC game I now play with my friends. Both things were worth it in every aspect and I only spend around 25€ for both of them. In comparison, I saved 25x more, so I‘m really proud of myself 🤗 I will continue to be very intentional when shopping and wait for 30days to see if I really need the object or if it‘s just an impulse need
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Good job! My hubby wanted to impulse buy a 🌱 recently and I talked him out of it. 😂
@EricaLucasLoves
2 жыл бұрын
Woohoo! I did a no spend on Jan. It was so wonderful to save money!
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
You rocked it! Hugs and kisses to you and the fam. 😘
@EricaLucasLoves
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife thanks. Trying to get back to it. :)
@janiec3915
2 жыл бұрын
I'm starting my no spend tomorrow for March. And since Lent starts the 2nd, that gives me even more motivation to not spend. I'm also pretty proud of myself. Just yesterday my husband wanted to go to Bed Bath & Beyond for a specific pillow. He couldn't find what he wanted so we headed over to Home Goods. I didn't spend a dime! All I could see was a bunch of junk that I am sure would wind up in either my Goodwill bag or in a landfill within a year. So I'm pretty sure i can make it through March! Thank you, Marissa, for your channel. You've been a huge inspiration and motivator for me and making it easier for me to declutter and save money!❤
@ashwinisathaye8593
2 жыл бұрын
Best of luck for your challenge
@janiec3915
2 жыл бұрын
@@ashwinisathaye8593 Thank you!
@hxjdjdn6236
Жыл бұрын
I am amazed you mentioned Hungary!❤ we eat pig to dig out our good luck and lentils to have a prosperous year but avoid fish and chicken as our luck can swim away or the chicken can scratch it away 😂 I can't believe you didn't like stuffed cabbage, my favourite with loads of paprika, maybe give it a try from a different region as they make it slightly differently everywhere❤❤❤❤
@rosehill37
2 жыл бұрын
I love this channel.. much love from England X😘
@bethanya4974
2 жыл бұрын
We did pretty well. Eating out, I think we got milkshakes once and a boba tea once. I spent more on groceries than I had hoped, and we spent some to bulk up our emergency bag, but we just got the statement for one of our two credit cards and we’re FINALLY going to be able to pay off the balance next month! (We had a LOT of vet bills in the last couple months). This was great, we’re probably going to try to continue next month too, trying to catch up… Thanks for the inspiration, and congratulations on your success! ETA- the USDA chart is fascinating, thank you! I guess we’re doing pretty well for our family size!
@liviamurinko7966
2 жыл бұрын
Greetings from Hungary! I love your videos 😀
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Did you see the cabbage rolls? 😂 How do you say this in Hungarian? Would love to know!
@liviamurinko7966
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife Yes, they made me laugh! I have never expected them in your videos :D --> Töltött káposzta
@irmabronder
2 жыл бұрын
Planning to do this in October 2022. Much love.❤
@KtMWMich
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Marissa 👋 I was looking forward to this video! I originally planned to do boss mode. I managed to make from selling my clutter 30 euro. But I realized it's better than nothing:) I was also doing this month the minimalism game where I was getting rid of clutter every day and managed to get rid of over 270 things 😅 You were my inspiration ❤️ Unfortunately I also had a few emergencies but I was intentional when buying things.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Great job 👏, yes you made a lot of progress! Life happens, but we work with it.
@tamaraj6909
2 жыл бұрын
Was watching your video while finalizing my lululemon shopping cart. Haven’t submitted my order. Yet!
@Sierra_Homesick
10 ай бұрын
Hello- I’ve been looking at your videos and I’m planning a no-spend for January 2024. Thank you for your videos. I have your print outs and I’m happy to start this with my family. I think I’m commenting for some accountability. 👍
@shjh798
Жыл бұрын
Am about to go on a Dec - April no spend months for my dream fitness vacation :3
@r.yilmaz9711
Жыл бұрын
Love your Videos! I live in Germany too. Gonna do the same this month! 👍🏼
@agathareimer2924
2 жыл бұрын
We kinda did the no spend challenge. We actually saved money this month even with the rising grocery prices.
@lindascull6327
2 жыл бұрын
I didn't do very well so I talked to my goddaughter and she suggested maybe I should do a no buy week and go from there-- I like that idea and I will let you know how it goes thanks for your videos Marissa and your emails!! I joined Pinterest because of you! I haven't been on IG and I will never go back on Facebook again so I'm so grateful you are still here! XXOO I have a habit of watching half of the video and then commenting before it's over sorry about that but I am so excited about the rice pancakes and honestly after watching I realized that there were areas that I improved on so again thanks again:-)
@zsuzsannabak1530
2 жыл бұрын
Oh my.... I'm Hungarian too. Wonder if you can remember some words too. 💕Greetings.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
It was not passed down further than my grandmother, unfortunately. Hugs 🤗
@rachaelmichael3845
2 жыл бұрын
I think February no spend went ok. Spent money on 2 jeans at a store I never(4 hrs away) get to buy from + I needed to replace my ripped jeans that I had just put in the trash. 1 scarf for my valentines date. Had one major oops I slipped and injured my back so had an ER visit plus meds. So excluding medical & food I spent $155.00. I’d have to say I’m happy with that. Fun challenge. I think I’ll do it again in May for a reminder. Thank you! ✨
@tiaszikszai5196
2 жыл бұрын
I did not know your grandma's family was hungarian! Fellow hungarian here :) lentils on the January 1st is also for good money.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, I have a lot of Hungarian, Lithuanian, etc in my blood. 🧬 How fun about the lentils, thanks for sharing! 😘
@crystalfolse3208
2 жыл бұрын
Your boys have beautiful complexion’s ( great job Marissa on the value of organic healthy eating)😊
@amandadavis5658
2 жыл бұрын
I don't know exactly how much I saved, but I wrote down everything I spent and it made me mindful of my shopping. I did pretty good, and like you, groceries are important!!!
@suellenchaffey2104
2 жыл бұрын
Love your channel
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Suellen!
@annali6848
2 жыл бұрын
I did it! I didn't spend any except on groceries. I also cancelled my amazon prime subscription because I only used it for shopping. I had an urge to buy a steam mop towards the end of the challenge, but my husband helped me conquer it. lololol.
@veganryori
2 жыл бұрын
I gave away a steam mop during the challenge 😅 definitely try online in the free groups before buying 👍
@annali6848
2 жыл бұрын
@Aquarius Tarot By Dana That's what I read online. People really enjoy their steam mops. I will get one eventually when it's on sale! Or get a second-hand steam mop.
@jwfehringer
2 жыл бұрын
Haha, fresh brotchen are hard to pass up! 😄 I thought about doing a no spend in February, but didn't have a concrete plan, and subsequently forgot about it. March isn't going to be a good month to do it due to birthdays/anniversary, so maybe April? 😅 Great video, thanks for the update!
@TheSimpleHaus
2 жыл бұрын
It went pretty well, there were a few things that we bought, but we had been waiting 1 year for them to go on sale. So when they did, I jumped on them. But you were talking about left over rice, Germans make milchrice (milk rice) Think oatmeal pudding with rice instead of oats. Just another way to use it up. :)
@RosesandBlingPapercrafts
2 жыл бұрын
Boss mode for our family this month! Already sold $50 on Facebook market place this morning, I sold a couple of my daughters cloth nappies/diapers as she’s now toilet trained! Saving the environment along with earning some extra $. I also have 3 bags of clothing and some potties to donate to our local vision link charity store. I’m hoping we can stick with it 🙏🤞
@windflowerrainstorm6497
2 жыл бұрын
eyebrows on point!
@diannelarose4392
2 жыл бұрын
you did so good.☺
@myxochi
2 жыл бұрын
I ended up spending more than usual. We’re selling our house and the stager and agent had me buying so much. I spent over $1,000 on stuff I’ll be giving away as soon as the house sells (white bedding, cushions, plants, candles, cheap art, etc, etc, etc). I was very much aware of my intention to not spend but this was out of my control. I even tried to sell some things to make up for all of the expenses - but I had zero luck this month. If the house sells next week, I’ll try a no spend Lent. Let’s see how it goes. Thanks for your encouragement. I love you to the 🌝 moon.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
That sounds like a tough month to do a no spend in! Staging a home really helps, so keeping my fingers crossed it “pays off”. Hugs my friend. 🤗❤️
@myxochi
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife you rock. Thanks for the vote of confidence.
@josecaraballo6053
2 жыл бұрын
I did couple buys in january.. In Feb. I did couple expenses.. But in march...I will do better maybe☆
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Good luck 🍀!
@doratarnai476
2 жыл бұрын
Hi! I am watching from Hungary, and I can tell, traditional hungarian food is the best! :) It's not always the healthiest, but always delicious! If you want to try something easy, I recommend lángos. :)
@valerieparr4454
2 жыл бұрын
I didn't find this challenge until today, but had committed to a no spend/low spend February after watching a video from Minimal Home. I am so proud I spent less than $300 CA on groceries. That is over $700 less than February 2021. I definitely shopped our pantry and freezers, yes, I said freezers, and we broke out the bread machine with great results. The weird thing is that my pantry still feels full, but with stuff we don't really use a lot.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
That’s AMAZING - great results! I have a friend who lives in Nova Scotia and she was telling me that grocery prices are insane right now, are they high where you are as well?
@valerieparr4454
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife yes things are more expensive, or the package is smaller for the same price. With the recent spike in gas prices it is only going to get worse as all our goods get shipped a long way to get here.
@clairbear1234
2 жыл бұрын
Do include only food for your groceries? I have a hard time knowing how much I spend on food because I buy other household goods at the grocery store as well like paper towels, dish soap etc. How do you separate these things?
@essemmbee
2 жыл бұрын
I love ALL your videos on minimalism and simple living, but just saying all your food looks delicious so if you throw in a couple recipe videos every now and then I wouldn’t mind ;)
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much! After splitting my blog, I decided to keep my old blog for recipes, so I will try to add some to there and share the article whenever I make a new ones - here is my popular hidden veggie meatball recipe for reference: www.squirrelsofafeather.com/kid-friendly-vegetable-baked-meatballs/ 😉
@nicollettesingleton444
2 жыл бұрын
That USDA chart is so crazy. We are a family of 4 in Maryland (expensive state), and our budget is $500/month for a family of 4. Sure my son doesn't eat a lot since he is 1 but that $500 includes diapers and dog food. If I spent anymore I feel it would go to waste.
@Mama2Gingers
2 жыл бұрын
I think we did pretty well with the challenge. We did order Thai food once from a local family-owned restaurant. We also had to replace my daughter’s jacket, because the zipper on her other one was broken and couldn’t be repaired. Since my family is from the southern part of the states, we grew up eating cabbage and black-eyed peas for the New Year. It’s supposed to represent luck and money. ☘️ 💵
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Sounds like you did great! Cabbage 🥬 and black eyed peas? I had no idea, how interesting!
@Mama2Gingers
2 жыл бұрын
Yep, some people season them by adding hog jowl (basically the cheek part of a pig that kinda seems like bacon), but it depends on where the person is from or how the tradition was passed down. Some people believe it started during Civil War time because food was so scarce. I just find it interesting how people all over the world celebrate different things with food. 😊
@michellewanner3921
2 жыл бұрын
I failed the first week, I didn’t realize until then how mindlessly I spent. The rest of the month was good. My mom makes the same pigs in a blanket with mashed potatoes every Christmas Day.
@altenberg-greifenstein
2 жыл бұрын
I'm halfway through my no spend, and added selling stuff instead. With a goal in mind, it is surprisingly easy to buy nothing other than groceries. In fact, I am now judging the things I bought the last months as things I mostly wish I could return and have the money in my bank account again.
@bridzs333
2 жыл бұрын
And now im crawing my grandmas pigs in a blanket :D greetings from Hungary
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Waving 👋😄from Germany
@liliyasavich6634
2 жыл бұрын
So we didnt do great- but…..this challenge helped us track everything we spent money on throughout the month. We did cheat a few times (bought pizza twice and ate out once) and there were some small household needs that could of waited… a bit. To my surprise- we spent way more on groceries than i ever thought. Like shockingly more. After analyzing- we are a family of 5, two adults 3 kids, and we love to host and have friends over. Those were the weeks i spent the most . I always over buy before people come over to make sure we have enough. Working on this part and also on meal planning for my family. New grocery goals set for March. Thank you for the challenge. Can you do a video on how to meal plan, spend less on food?
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, I hope to do a video on that in the future! Did you see the USDA plans? You could take a family of 4 and add one extra child in the age range from the single categories to get a good idea of an “average” to shoot for. Good food is essential IMHO, but definitely can get $$$
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Oh and for parties having potlucks helps too! Shares the food prep and $ across parties. We do that often here. ✨
@pennynickels5216
2 жыл бұрын
Most folks are happy to bring something.
@LorreneRomanic
2 жыл бұрын
Marissa, thanks for sharing your results & tips! Can you please share a recipe for your rice pancakes? I love finding new ways to use leftover rice! I didn't *exactly* do a no-spend month, but I was much more intentional than normal and even used my budget as the bad guy a couple times. 😂As in, "I can't order a bunch of stuff from direct sales parties, etc. because I'm sticking to a tight budget and only buying essentials and gifts (it was my granddaughter's bday month). I plan to continue blaming my budget so I can save more money this month😁 The worst spending for me last month was gas for my vehicles. I live in Pennsylvania. We had snow & ice, so I needed to drive my 4WD vehicle (aka gas guzzler) for a couple weeks. And, I live 15-20 miles from pretty much everything. I spent way more on gas than I did on anything else last month. 😮 Here's hoping March will be better!
@SilviaN1
2 жыл бұрын
I did ok, so I feel motivated to try another month😃
@ceciliefranciska899
2 жыл бұрын
I managed to cut down a lot on groceries, and did not buy anything. So I feel like it went good.
@TheSkyeisBlue
2 жыл бұрын
What method do you use to reheat your rice without a microwave?
@mckenzieholstine9391
2 жыл бұрын
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay we are done with February but wait a minute here, you might be done with no spending challenges but guess who is not um yes that is right me. I don't know about you but i am going to keep going. Like i am not stopping. I feel so motivated to keep going and to keep saving. I had a really good month in February. Actually matter of fact in February. There was five days that i spent money and on those days that i did spend, it was buying groceries. I only spent about 50 dollars between those five days of buying groceries. February good month. Now let's see what i can accomplish and achieve in March. I am so excited. Let the challenge continue.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Woohoo 🎉 cheering you on!
@mckenzieholstine9391
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife thanks so much for the support and the help of your videos.
@daviddaviedavidson
2 жыл бұрын
Rewe has own brand oat milk , which is ok tasting. If you want to switch from oatly- it’s 89 cents , I think.
@daviddaviedavidson
2 жыл бұрын
99 cents
@tamiurquizo746
2 жыл бұрын
I started my no buy on February 11th. My rules were nothing besides food, and bills. I'm almost done and I did spend money on a gift and flowers 💐 😅
@arykal
2 жыл бұрын
I spotted the kritharaki. I love that stuff.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
In the states we had something similar called “orzo” and it was the closest I could find here! I make a lemon chicken orzo with cheese usually - do you have a good recipe for me, Mary?
@arykal
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife It's a greek staple so I would have many. But I don't think you need my help. We also make it with lamb and tomato sauce in the oven.
@blubbblubb6239
2 жыл бұрын
would be cool to see a minimalism in US vs China vs Germany video! maybe you can pair up with german/US/chinese minimalists for that?
@therealmissglamBAM
2 жыл бұрын
This is awesome, such discipline! I'm doing a low buy week and it's been difficult, but I've been using gift cards and reward points for things I would normally spend out of pocket, so I still get to enjoy treats once in a while (the rewards would've expired anyways). Hahaha my grocery budget is wayyyy above the liberal plan on that chart, but the chart is also from 2020, my local grocery store is expensive and the one out of the way is cheaper so I'll hit it when I can, and I have a specialty diet where everything is more pricy.
@therealmissglamBAM
2 жыл бұрын
I love the idea of taking an inventory of your pantry, I have definitely overbought in the past (why? I don't know) and keep rebuying stuff every week that I already have because I forget. I've been doing stir frys this week as well which helped me get some vegan chicken from the back of my freezer used!
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Good tips on the cards! Yes, the USDA website is blocked for me in Germany, so that was the most recent I could find - I would love to know what 2021 was, and with inflation the way it is…ugh. 😑
@numeprenume172
Жыл бұрын
"Living a life you love" . Only at this phrase I understood why so much minimalism, I'm new in town! Minimalism seemed exaggerated as a lifestyle, but in fact it is the answer to what we are all looking for: financial security, priorities, perspectives. Addiction to minimalism, is it a problem of perspective, if I become stingy and don't realize it? Because I was at the other extreme, "under social-commercial influence", and I didn't really like it. So, minimalism is an other social-commercial influence, or not? So as not to fool myself.😂😃
@shirleygermain5707
2 жыл бұрын
I spent a little under $200.00 on items needed for the home. Water softener pellets I always buy in bulk, so I don't have to lift all those bags, and it's delivered to my garage and a shower rod that broke. I knew in January I needed the water softener pellets. Now I have enough for 3 months. The way things are going with inflation, I will be watching my spending even closer. It feels great not to buy, and I get more walking in for my health.
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Glad you did so well, Shirley. I like the health aspect!
@Nadia-sn7go
Жыл бұрын
Please share some food recipes
@laurelchee8526
2 жыл бұрын
Recipe for rice pancakes?
@ainurag270
2 жыл бұрын
boys are so adorable)
@tonyariesterer5358
2 жыл бұрын
I realized I already don't spend a lot. So I didn't do too bad. However, there was a snafu in getting groceries one week, so we did end up ordering out.
@nordikcajun5417
2 жыл бұрын
How? You still have to eat and pay for electricity? 🧐
@roseliqueotten5770
2 жыл бұрын
You should watch the video about how the challenge works.....she even explains it in this one as well
@AtoZenLife
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, Roselique is right! You can find out more about the “rules” and tips in video #1 here: kzitem.info/news/bejne/rI2srKSQp2KdnIo
@nordikcajun5417
2 жыл бұрын
@@AtoZenLife thank you so much. I will watch. Love your advises.
@_r_w.
Жыл бұрын
Are there buying nothing groups in Germany?
@AtoZenLife
Жыл бұрын
Yes, you can find them on Facebook and in various languages, too.
@nicolejennings8389
Жыл бұрын
Giving up eating out for Lent this year so 40 days no fast food or restaurants
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