Can You Go a Week Without Buying Anything?

Can you go a week without buying anything? Not spending a single cent? Here's the story at RealSimple of one man (who is already a cheapskate to begin with) that did just that:

My friends and family see my attitude toward money in slightly different terms. “You’re a total miser” is how my darling wife, Erin, puts it.

In fact, it’s a bit worse than that. I’m one of those irritating guys who try to convert self-deprivation into a virtue. I buy my pants secondhand. I hoard hotel soap and used aluminum foil. I eat the not-too-badly-chewed leftovers off my daughter’s plate. And I constantly rail against consumerism.

Which is why I recently subjected myself to a little experiment: Could I go a week without spending a single penny? Here was my big chance to showcase all that adorable righteousness! To stage a tour de force, a morality play in seven daily acts!

This wasn’t how I sold the plan to my wife, though. I assured her the point of the challenge was (at least partly) to help me come to terms with my superior attitude toward money. Confronting my reliance on currency might actually lead me to be less judgmental, I argued.

My wife sighed deeply. “Oh God,” she said. “This is going to be so annoying.”

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1844394,00.html - via CNN, Thanks Tiffany!


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Come on guys!

That was a cute, if ever pointless, story.

I'm sure he got paid for writing it...

While we are still arguing about the inherent value, or lack thereof, of this, somewhat, stupid story...

He's already banking on the next one.

Laughing all the way...
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I think this would be a neat project to try out to see just how much money I spend in a week and whether those things are worth it or not. I also didn't like how he differed the payments to the next week, but that's just me being picky.
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Wow y'all..he constantly says he is a jerk (not in those exact words) and illustrates that his project was ludicrous at the very beginning with the squash game. Loosen up and get what he's trying to say. He has a child, I mean..obviously it was going to fail but he did it as an experiment with himself..to show himself how ridiculous it is at times to be tight when you have a family and a social life. His expenditures aren't large..he isn't someone who is an average consumer.

This was funny, quick and awesome. Relatedly, I definitely go weeks without actively spending money on anything besides bulk food.
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I agree with everyone else who is saying how much of a jerk this guy seems to be. Even as a stay at home mom who rarely goes out anywhere, I still spend $ every week. Baby's gotta eat. Fresh produce only lasts so long. Bills all the time.
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