Lovelies, the day has come! Welcome to the official launch post of my No Shopping Detox Challenge. Now the official title as stated in the image is a bit of a mouthful (if I do say so myself, can you tell that I am an academic?) But this challenge is important. And so it deserves a name of regal proportions. It probably also deserves its own Trooping the Colour Parade but the Royal family is cutting back (that wedding was soooooo expensive!) Anyways for the sake of your sanity (and mine, as I am the one who will have to type the damn thing) let's just call it the Frugal is Fabulous Challenge, shall we? Agreed? OK. Let's move on.
The Frugal is Fabulous Challenge
Some of you may be wondering what the Frugal is Fabulous Challenge is all about and why I decided to start it (and if you weren't I plan on telling you anyway). I will be the first to admit that I LOVE TO SHOP! I have a penchant for pretty things, in particular filofaxes and handbags (although I can't really afford designer fare on my NHS salary). I am not in debt (except for my mortgage). I save. I pay off my credit cards monthly. I don't live beyond my means. However recently I have started thinking about my spending habits. I have been questioning myself about why I seem to need to spend, spend, spend. After all, I consider myself to be a happy person generally. And I know that more money and more stuff are highly unlikely to make me any happier. I have plenty of things that I can enjoy. Which leads me to this question......
'Is it really necessary for me to buy and own more stuff?'
The simple answer is 'No.'
But when it comes to shopping all rationale goes out the window. I am lured by the thrill of the new purchase, the excitement of unwrapping something that I have bought with my own hard earned money. So my dears, I recognise that I am weak. And in order for me to successfully establish a healthier relationship with money and develop a better approach to spending, I WILL NEED HELP. So this challenge is for me as much as it is for you. Because there is strength in numbers. And if the statistics on average personal debt are anything to go by, we can ALL benefit from managing our money better.
What's in it for you?
♥ A better understanding of money and budgeting
♥ Wiser spending of your hard earned cash (focus on quality not quantity)
♥ Money saving tips
♥ Money and happiness
♥ Priority and goal setting
♥ Staying motivated
♥ Money confidence
♥ Group support to be fabulously frugal. If you are already fabulous and frugal please feel free to join in and help us! The more the merrier!
♥ Fun!!
♥ Flexibility. Although I will start the challenge on July 1st you can follow along at your own speed.
♥ It is free! This is one of the few times where the phrase 'cheap things not good and good things not cheap' DOES NOT APPLY! Yay!!
And loads more!
What should you do next?
1. Roll call. If you want to participate please leave a comment on this post.
2. Get connected. To ensure that you don't miss any relevant posts, subscribe and follow me via google connect, email, facebook, or twitter.
3. Join the specially dedicated facebook group.This will be your link to other lovely readers. The facebook group can be found here. It will be administered by @imysworld and @skhen.
4. Add the official badge to your website (if you have one). Shout it out that you are frugal and fabulous and participating in this challenge. The badge and code can be found on the right sidebar. Copy the code and paste into your blog.
5. Spread the word! Tell all your friends and family about it so they can join too.
Please note that
♥ All related tweets will be labelled #fabfrugal. If you would like to share any articles please use the hashtag #fabfrugal as well.
♥ There is a new category button on the right sidebar called 'Fabulously Frugal'. All related posts will also be included on that page, as well as in the main blog.
♥ There will be two more posts dedicated to the challenge this week, Day 0 - Pre-challenge reading and Day 1- 'Budgeting for yummies'. After that relevant articles will be posted every 1-2 weeks.
Have a great day lovely people. Don't forget to comment and follow me if you are interested in participating in the challenge :-)
Posts
33 comments:
Sounds great my dear. It should be easy for me to join. I haven't shopped since over a month already. I plan to go as long as I can ... Let's see if I can make it till the end of the year. aiming too high may be :P
♡ from © tanvii.com
I started early, and am finishing up day 21 as I type this. Of course I'm in! Am definitely going three months, but tentatively planning 6, with the whisper of a whole year fluttering in the back of my mind ... we shall see.
Good luck, everybody! This is such a great thing!
Hmmm.....this will be tough, but I am willing to do the challenge to support you! I'm in!
I am so in on this challenge. I spend for the sake of it and I don't need to.
A wonderful idea Caribbean Princess, thank you! x
I am totally joining you on this challenge, and I can't wait!
No shopping will be interesting to see how I do!
Thank you for the challenge idea!
Have also already started, Thursday was my first day. Im gonna try and see how long I'll last, but I have to do it for at least a month.
I'm in too. Must sort out my social networking, mine is very business orientated so must set up something personal. Can't wait for the first post. Have been away this weekend and spent a ffraction of what I normally would as this challenge was in the back of my mind. A result already.
Yay! Glad to see that there is so much enthusiasm for this! I am impressed by those of you who have already started. I will cntinue to promote as I think it is quite important to develop good habits with money and I know I need to stop the impulse buying!
Please share with your friends and family. I have lots more exciting stuff planned :-) And I want to make it as interesting and user friendly as possible so I will start off really basic!
I've requested to join the fb group :)
You have been added Millie :-)
I've done a similar challenge before... good luck with it! I'm getting married soon so I don't think I can participate this time, but good for you for calling to attention that we should all think twice (or 10 times) before adding to our superfluous collection of 'stuff.'
♥ Leia
I will be joining you, minus the things I have a GENUINE need for for my holiday, and I really do mean genuine and not impulse haha x
How very exciting! Thanks for organising this xx
Sounds good. Will join your Facebook group now. My big wasteful spending is on lunch at work as I never take my own (excuse is that I am too busy/tired but the reality is that I am lazy and uninspired!!!).
I'm on board...and I've joined the Fcebook group, will make sure I follow on Twitter and get my thinking cap on as to how to make sure I stick to it!! Need to curb my excessive consumerism (even if I am helping shore up the British economy...)
Great idea, great posts CP
Lx
Ah Leia I totally understand! You have to prepare for your big day! But you can still support us and share any helpful tips you know :-)
Harbohats! Exactly we should all focuse on what we need and stop the impulse buying which usually lands us with a lot of stuff we dont actually need at all. I am glad you are joining the challenge!
yay Angeliki of course I would love it if you shared some great articles on the psychology of shopping etc :-)
Ahhh Globetrotting. I rarely buy lunch as I realised that spending 5 to 6 pounds a day every day added up to a lot of money. DH used to make me sandwiches but we soon got bored of that. Now we buy sandwiches or wraps cheaply in the grocery as part of our usual shaop so it ends up half price. Plus I don't get tempted by the cakes or brownies or crisps on display in sandwich shops.
Loulou thanks for joining and for doing a lovely blog post. I have linked to yours and Sharon's in my next challenge post! yay!! I am so pleased that you are so supportive of the challenge.
Sounds great! Pleeeease may I join?
Of course you can Anita :-) don't forget the Facebook group if you are on Facebook.
Ahhh...I love this idea, but I am not sure I am strong enough to go the distance. You are certainly a stronger person than me, CP!
I think I can commit to no Filofaxes and no Handbags for 3 months, but there may be a possible change in my near future that will require new footwear!
How about if I join you all in spirit? I will be your cheerleader on the sidelines--cheering and kicking and hiding my shopping bags in the back of my car? :-)
You go, you fabulous frugalistas!
Cindy I am quite weak when it comes to shopping ;-) the challenge is flexible so please join and aim to not buy filos or handbags for the 3 months! You can get your shoes! Hehe. And I am not judging anyone either so there is no pressure ;-)
I am in! Already not buying a lot of things for myself, but now or then I get weak and feel bad after... And I will join Shannon with exercising regularly.
I am just not sure yet if I will post on my blog about it or keep it to myself in a nice little notebook... or my calender that I want to use more.
Looking forward to FFFs!
Tina in Germany
Hey Tina. Thanks for joining in! If you do decide to share on your blog please let us know! :-) The more the merrier. Just today I was craving the purple songbird filofax but I was strong!
Ok, I'm in! I really need to be in too! Terrible at spending too much moola. I'm starting tomorrow.
Yay Angela for participating! Good luck :-)
I'm a little late.. But I'm in
I'm a little late.. But count me in hun
I seriously would LOVE to join as my spending habits are getting ridiculous now!
Cindy and Martyrj welcome on board! I post on the challenge on fabfrugal Fridays! Join the Facebook page as well to get involved in more discussion :-)
I feel like i should sign something and send it to you but i am starting as from Yesterday! 12 July 2011
I have not been going all that well so far as i have had a few slip ups food wise but otherwise not too bad! :-)
Im so happy of of started and now i shall sign my name: -
I A CALLAWAY
Count me in! I've been on a no spend plan since July 01 and I could use the support.
Welcome Kimberly Ann. Join the facebook group as well if you are on facebook for more discussions! We could all do with some more support!
Normally, I'd shutter in horror. But I do like the idea of quality over quantity. I'm in!
Yay Asher welcome :-) We could all do with some more support!
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