The Lifestyle Challenge Rules

1. Personal Health and Pets' health are always legitimate expenditures.

2. Consumable, deletable items - food, gas, toiletries, etc. are legitimate expenditures. But they must remain lean. No trying out 10 types of mascara (guilty). When purchased, the most environmentally friendly locally available will be purchased. All resources in the house must be depleted before purchasing more.

3. Avoid "big" stores and malls at all costs. We kicked the Walmart habit ages ago after C saw a documentary about it. Since then, we've been kicking around Target - which is awesome - but. . .Find alternative resources for bulk purchases so they are delivered.

4. We will NEVER purchase another commercially produced greeting card. We can use what we have, make our own - or hire our nieces and nephew to do it for us!

5. Groceries will be procured in the following manner:
a. Only with a list and planned menu for the week (which we do pretty well now)
b. Purchased locally as much as possible
c. Remainder will be via delivery service

6. We can barter, wrap coins, or sell/trade currently owned items to get some other goods or services we need. (Thinking esp. about holiday gifts).

7. We can eat 2 meals out a week. (1 lunch and one dinner).

8. Expenditures on "experiences" can remain the same - going out of town, going out on the town, museums, etc.

9. Expenditures on supplies needed for gifts/crafts are ok - within in reason so long as all other options have been exhausted (i.e., paint, frames, thread). They must be purchased as cheaply as possible and used as creatively as possible.

10. Clothes shopping is expressly off limits unless it's vital for career purposes or it's a comfort issue. (New sneakers, gloves, etc.)

11. If the house needs something, necessities will be addressed immediately (i.e., HVAC, etc.). Otherwise, the decision about how to proceed will be made by private ballot. So if the washing machine or computer malfunctions, both C and d get to cast a private ballot regarding the course of action to be taken. A neutral third party will randomly pull out the "winning" vote. The vote is binding until the situation dictates further action whether this challenge is over or not.

12. If at any point, something must be purchased - bags for the shop vac, nails, dog biscuits, champagne (yes, it's consumable and depletable) we will purchase it from a local small store.

13. There is no deliberate "stocking up." The challenge starts at Midnight, August 15 and will run for 6 months. (Which means I'd best get some Coco Mademoiselle ASAP Oh wait, not stocking up!).

14. We will invite two different neighbors or friends to do something with us twice a month - cheap, fun stuff. If it's walking the dogs, having a meal, a drink/coffee, etc. we will offer. We will work on building fun long lasting relationships and we will go outside our comfort zones to meet and help new and different people.

15. We will make a plan to bank/invest whatever savings we collect in the next 6 months. We'll blow it all on a trip to Fiji! JOKING!!!

If this works well for us, I'd hope to encourage you to try the same for a couple of weeks. Maybe we could put part of the financial savings (if there are any) towards a good cause. Speak up and comment about your causes. . .