No Buy Challenge 2015

"Live like no else now so you can live like no one else later."- Dave Ramsey, personal finance adviser


I've stated HERE that I am not playing around this year. I am in debt detonation mode. It started with paying off all my credit card debt the end of last year and now I'm trapped in the cipher and don't want to come out until all my remaining debt is gone. I have laser focus and I want my remaining school loan balance of about 15K zeroed by this December or sooner. I've been listening to a lot of the Dave Ramsey show lately and those debt free screams those people and families do excite me, inspire me and motivate me. There are individuals, families and couples who have sometimes paid like 100K off in 3-4 years! These are everyday people paying their damn houses and student loans off in under 5 years! Some of their salaries started out under 30K annually when they started this journey and by the time their debts were paid off, they were making; many times, double or more than double their starting salary. How can you not be inspired by that? I want to be "weird" like that. So it's time for me to focus harder, I can taste this victory. I would love to call into the show this year, at some point, to proudly do my "I'M DEBT FREEEEEEEE" scream.

I have decided to, in addition to increasing my streams of income, go on a no buy challenge this whole year.


That's right, this whole year. If I don't need it, it's not getting bought. I already wasn't doing any clothing shopping and doing as little unnecessary spending as possible but I'm still going over budget in some areas (my foodie tendencies) and though I will never be perfect, I could stand to tighten up more. Now I'm committing to really buckling down, hustling hard and throwing any/all extra money at this thing. I have some electronics I can sell and I'm even considering making accessories again for sale and throwing that money towards this. I want this so bad and by next year, I'd finally be able to have my 3-6 month emergency fund in place and start building wealth.

One of the moto jackets from Nasty Gal that I
imagined throwing into my shopping cart!

My no buy challenge will be no eating out and no purchasing things that aren't a need. If friends want to link up with me, they can come over my place for tea. I've even decided to put finishing decorating my apartment on hold again. Any larger ticket purchases and projects that I was saving up to make, I'm kickin that money towards this balance. I can finish decorating after this is all done, which is very soon. I had planned, last year, for some small vacations this year so I will be doing those because I made arrangements for them already. However, I'm not financially planning for any 2016 vacations/travel during this year. I need any extra money this year going full steam ahead to giving Wells Fargo their walking papers; they've made enough money off of me. It's game time. I'm showing God/the Universe that I'm serious and will do my part.


Given this, I may post to the blog from time to time with my imaginary shopping lists and sprees. A few days ago I was on Nasty Gal, imagining throwing copious amounts of goodies into my virtual shopping cart. There was this cute moto jacket on the site (pictured) that I envisioned myself wearing the hell out of while riding on the back of my boyfriend's motorcycle with him. Just think, around this time next year I will be able to go on an occasional shopping spree if I want because I won't owe anybody anything anymore (until, possibly, when I'm ready to purchase a home.) and can shop without my conscious telling me that money needs to go towards a debt payment. How sweet that will be, I'm looking forward to it. Dave Ramsey says all the time on his show that you've got to "live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later". Time for me to live like no one else right now. Setting myself up for greatness.

Are you trying to become debt free this year? What debts are you annihilating this year?

Milan is a New York City based, creative writer and the founder of AGrlCanMAC. She's a self proclaimed accessories junkie who's passionate about healthy living, adventure, books, crystals, the Law of Attraction and arts & crafts. AGrlCanMAC is a resource for women of color all over the world who want to look good, radiate good and feel good at the same damn time.

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