Pop & Circumstance | Guidebook for Beautiful Living

I’m a few days late, but I decided to hop on the No Shop February train. There’s a wonderful group of local ladies participating, (thanks Amanda for the invite!) and we’re all supporting each other throughout the month. The goal is to not spend money on anything that isn’t a necessity, and to be more mindful of finances in general. We live in an age where ads are targeted to our exact interests, we’re inundated with emails, and oversaturated with social media posts. It makes it easy to mindlessly chase after the next thing we “need.” I’m hoping that temporarily hitting pause will bring focus, clarity, and feel like a breath of fresh air.

I’ve been a natural saver since birth, but I still think it’ll be a challenging exercise. It’ll be nice to shift focus to appreciating and using what I already have (which is a lot!) I think it’ll also free up time, which I’m planning to dedicate to my new venture, Wellness at Work, and to decluttering our condo. I’m looking forward to getting creative when it comes to free activities and events. Luckily, being close to Boston, we have access to plenty of those.

No Shop February also links right in with two of my financial goals for the new year, and it’ll be so nice to start the year off on the right foot. The extra dollars I save this month will be going right to my 2018 IRA contribution and to the principal on my mortgage.

To stay inspired during the challenge, I’m going to catch up on posts from Mr. Money Mustache, a blog written by Peter Adeney, who retired at the age of 30 along with his wife. He writes about how fewer physical possessions and financial freedom bring him happiness. To retire at such a young age, he and his wife saved and invested a majority of their monthly income during the time they were employed. I recently read a quote that I loved from Peter in “Tribe of Mentors” by Tim Ferriss:

“A high savings rate (or ‘profit margin on life’) is by far the best strategy for a great and creative life, because it’s your ticket to freedom. Freedom is the fuel for creativity.”  

If you’re interested in the concept, I highly encourage you to join in! If you’re considering doing a no shop month this year, February is the perfect time since it’s right after holiday spending and helps you start the year off on a positive note. If you’re participating, I’d love to hear about your experience!