http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12099950/site/newsweek/

These people bought the basics but no extras. Could you do it? :scratch:

i dont know if i could for a year.....if i HAD to. i would...if i had a book deal that depended on it...definately .....

but i think the secret lies in moderation in all things...

no i coudn't!!! I lived like that years ago on less then $12.000 a yaer married and two small kids. Bills never paid on time , every cent accounted for. Never will I even try that again lol

Absolutely not. I live more simply than I ever expected or dreamed of, but I can't forego spending altogether. For some, it may be easier to not spend anything as opposed to spending a small amount. Perhaps similar to the AA model, you can't take one drink, total sobriety is the goal. If you can't spend ANYTHING, maybe it's easier. Hmmm

No, I couldn't because because after I've been deprived for awhile, I practically buy out the whole store.

I would cave after a few weeks of deprivation and probably buy alot of stuff; however I would probably return it all a few days later!

No. Definitely not. You've GOT to be able to treat yourself once in a while or you'll go crazy.

If I had to, I suppose I could. Just for the "fun" of it? No. And some of what they considered luxuries are necessities as far as I'm concerned. I would not be willing to do without tissues and q-tips!

Well, We still have no LR Furniture, still no new bed, no bedroom furniture, no new doggie bed (they ate it 1.5 years ago), no new appliances like the W/D we really could use, ours is 11 years old...
Paying down CCard debt comes first, even while we sit on the floor to watch TV!!!

No, but I sure would like to try.
If it meant not buying things for myself yes but not my DS or Fiancee.
I just put some stuff on layaway for myself but thats a nessity and won't buy anymore for propably 2 years.. (socks, underware etc )

Personally, I would like to try it. My family would think that I've lost it though.:crackup:

It seems as if they made their own rules about what to buy and what to NOT buy.

Sounds like they did for a "really extreme experiment" (and a book deal!) what a lot of us do by necessity. I'd love to see their list of what was acceptable and not as far as spending went (without having to read her book). I also think she's right on the button with this: How did you decide on rules for what you could and couldn't buy?
Those kept on changing and being discussed all year long, which was part of the lesson of the project. The line between need and desire is very fluid and very personal and also very cultural. It'd be quite different for me if I were a farmer in Bangladesh, or, you know, a television producer in Los Angeles. One person's necessity is another person's luxury.

And would such things like cell phones and the internet be considered "buying" for such an experiment?

If I had a book deal that depended on it...definitely

Exactly

I dont think I could go a year without shopping for non necessities. Even if it is a dollar store thing, I enjoy buying something for my home every now and again.

No, I couldn't do it. I have to treat myself occasionally or I see no point to being frugal. That's the whole reason I am frugal - to afford the things that make my life worth living to me.

Jean

I could probably deal with most of it...The hardest part for me would be not eating out at all and buying scrapbook stuff. No matter how good I am at everything else I fall apart near a scrapbooking store! :toothy:

I do this for the 3 months I am off work in the summer and not getting a check. It really makes you look at each purchase. This year I was able to save most of my last check and I have gotten some things that I've needed so I am going to keep away from the stores. That's the biggest thing for me, I just have to stay out of the stores.

Hello everyone. This was an interesting article on not buying for a year. I would love to try it but I know I would crash and burn. I am like MirandaK put me by scrapbooking supplies and I melt. When I think back my parents lived very close to how these people did. Of course, that was back in the 50's and 60's and they were saving for retirement also. I didn't know any better and it didn't seem to do any harm. It is amazing to see how the times have changed when it comes to our wants and our needs. I think we are definitely into our wants nowadays rather than just our needs.
Monner 1

No way, no how. Did that include not even picking up something at a garage sale? I would rather do what people do on FV--no spending DAYS. Then you can rein in the spending, regroup and rethink the budget. A little breathing room.

i could do it as long as Starbucks was considered a necessity of life...lol

I read the book---I wasn't impressed at all.
It really is your perspective of what is a need/luxury.

I think I could do this. I really don't buy alot now. It would just take breaking the habits.

I could go without shopping for things other than groceries. I would much rather just have a budget for the groceries, and if I wanted Q-tips, I could get them, because I would be using a handful of coupons out of that Sunday newspaper they were allowed to have a subscription to.

I sure wouldn't go out and rent movies! I don't even do that now. We get our movies from the library for free. It would not bother me one bit to not eat out for a year. We only go once or twice a year as it is. I like eating at home.

I couldn't, but I would like to try. I would not be so extreme as she was, but it wouldn't hurt for me to spend less. This past week we spent $640.47, only $428.12 were a must, bills, groceries, gas, ect, ect. So this week I have vowed to spend the least possible.

for myself & DH yes we could probably go without for a year...Doesnt sound like they have any children? There would be know way for me to get around not spending on them for a month with the way they are growing and always something needed for school...

I doubt that I could. I do splurge occasionally as a reward for being so good with money.

I would be interested in reading the book. I'll have to see if my library has it or can get it through inter-library loan.

I have fantasies of living in a cabin or RV for the sheer fantasy that it would be a simple life. You have only what you need (I would have yarn and fabric and my sewing machine, good books) and be content. Like I said, it is a fantasy, an escape, and has nothing to do with reality. I like the idea that I could be content with little. Of course my cabin would not be parked across the street from a MALL (oh yeah, am I bitter!!!)

Great article.

I could, can, and will. I'm actually doing this starting June 1st and will do it for a whole year. I have a goal that I am trying to reach and I know that with the help of this forum and inspirational posts / articles like these I know that I can make it there. :)

NO WAY JOSE!!!!!!!!

Nope! I enjoy my Sunday night pool dates with :smooch: way too much!

Yes, I think I could. IF it were just me. Since it is not, and I have a DH and two children, it wouldn't happen. It really wouldn't bother me that much. There is not much I buy now that is not a necessity. I don't even do coffee or alcohol nor scrapbooking. I really think a year would be doable for me.

I think I could but I definately would not want to or like it. That's a lot of stress.

I have this book on order at the library, should be about three months, I might look through it at chapters tonight though (we're going to get ideas for books to get from the library!)

At first I thought I could, then I thought about my scrapbook project for dd, I'm very weak when it comes to pretty paper, so I don't think I could go a year without spending. I would love to have the discipline to try though, can you imagine how much money you could save over a year.

I will say that some of the things they gave up and felt deprived about are things that we routinely do to save money and don't miss at all. I guess it's all about how you are used to living.