I need y'alls help deciding if I'm in violation of "No Spend Week." I have 3 potential violations that I want to get y'alls opinion on.
1. On 1/28, my girlfriend sent out an email about wanting to go ice skating. The date she wanted to go was in the middle of my no spend week. I estimated the cost to be about $20 so I put the money in an envelope. Am I in violation of "no spend week" if I spend money that I had set aside previously to be able to go ice skating with her? Technically I took it out of last week's entertainment budget to apply it to this week's activity.
2. Every week I go to the chiropractor and my allergy specialist. I pay the co-pay with the debit card provided as part of my health care flexible spending account. Am I in violation of "no spend week" if I go to the doctor and use my preset health care debit card? Technically it's money that was set aside starting January 1st for me to use throughout the year. I could skip a week at my doctors but my body would hate me for it.
3. I have an EZPass. For those who don't live in states that charge tolls for use of roads and bridges, it's an automated money pass. So when I go to see my Mom in NJ, money is automatically deducted from the EZPass to cover the toll. I don't have to physically pay at the toll booth. If I go to see my Mom, there is no way to do that without paying a toll or if I don't drive, I have to pay bus fare. Like I said, the money is already on the EZPass and gets deducted every time I go through a toll booth. Am I in violation of "no spend week" if my pass pays for a toll?
I know y'all might be like are you serious? But I'm curious to see what counts as a spending violation. When I thought about doing "No Spend Week" I didn't think about the ways I passively spend money. It's one thing to pull $25 out of my wallet to pay a medical co-pay. It's another to have it deducted from a preset health care account. But then again, maybe it isn't. I need y'all to help me to decide.
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2 comments:
1. Violation although justified!-No spend=no spend (sorry!) Although it was set aside in the previous week...the goal was not to spend THIS week...LOL
2. Flexible spending account is not a violation in my opinion...The money is already "spent" and has to be used by 12/31 (this is the case at my company).
3. I don't feel this is a violation. The card is prepaid and earmarked for this purpose.
Based on your previous posts, I think the spirit of no spend week is to minimize unnecessary spending and exercise financial discipline. Based on this working definition I think that-
a. Visiting the doctor should not be put off. As we age prevention is priceless...
b. Visiting mom makes you feel pretty darn good and makes everlasting emotional deposits...
Great post! You're definitely motivating me! I'm thinking about sharing my journey to financial freedom via blog now!
Aight, I aight. I hear everyone. I will not go ice skating on Saturday. That $20 will just have to stay in the envelope.
BTW, Anonymous, my blog posts get sucked in to Facebook so that's where the other comments can be found from other readers of this blog. So when I make reference to "everyone" you can know where everyone else is =)
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