Hyperbole aside, I really did save money thanks to my sudden loss of transportation. It's not a sustainable way of life for most of us (my DH had better get it fixed by Thursday!), but it does prove the value of the occasional planned (or unplanned) spending fast. I love a good fast, but it's awfully hard for most of us to avoid picking up little things on the way home from work or school or Cub Scouts. If we use only cash (and I hope you do), we can stop when the cash runs out, but personally, I like having just a bit leftover to squirrel away at the end of the month. Some financial advisers suggest spending fasts as a cold-turkey way to curtail out-of-control spending, but many of us aren't that extreme. Point being, it rarely happens, and there isn't much incentive to try one.
Like an eating fast, however, a spending fast forces you to slow down. You use what you have in reserve, and can appreciate what's right in front of you. Instead of thinking about putting that first bite of cake in your mouth, you stop and think, "Do I really need that?" before buying it. Yes, as I write this, a great stockpiling deal on Colgate toothpaste is going to waste at my local CVS, but I'm long on toothpaste right now, and if I did race to get the Colgate deal, wouldn't I burn ($3/gallon+) gasoline? And probably see other "great deals" I needed to buy? Would I pick up something quick & easy for dinner on the way back from the store? Probably. In fact, it's just as likely my "nearly free" toothpaste would cost me both time and money as a first bite of cake would lead to more.
In this particular case, at this time, I have the cash for a new battery (thanks again, Dave Ramsey!), so that's covered. I also have plenty of reserves around the house, so my family won't lack for anything. Between now and next week's shopping I'll probably have to pick up some milk, and maybe eggs, but not much else. There. That's about 95% savings this week, off of the grocery and household bill. More surprisingly, I've noticed the difference in my own time & energy savings. I browsed the inserts and deals, but there was no rush to scoop them up. I can stay home on this rainy day and enjoy snuggling with my DD, or catch up on my reading, without feeling like I should be running errands or planning to go shopping.
I've said before that my DH is the spender in the family, and it's very, very hard for him to go a day without spending any money. It's not so much the money, I've discovered over time, but restlessness. He can't stay home, he can't relax without going anywhere or, often, spending anything. I'm the other extreme, but I know that there are many people who are like him, miserable after only a few hours home alone. While I don't share your frustration (or necessarily understand it) I can offer that in our house, we can sometimes split the difference by planning a low-cost or free day of activities. That way he gets out of the house, and my ledgers don't take a beating. Unless you find yourself sans transportation one day (or just in case you do!), planning a free day might be a fun way to appreciate just how much you can enjoy saving without feeling like you've survived a spending fast.
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