July’s Spending Diet totals are in! For the month of July I saved $547.78. This amount is going straight on into savings. It’s weird and awesome to say the words “savings account” in a positive way. How times change!

Check out the Total Savings page for a complete break-down/shake-down of my savings from the tippity top start of the Spending Fast in January 2010 to this very day! It’s been 19 months of this wacky/satisfying/say-what/really?/OMG Spending Fast and Spending Diet process.

Below is a list of some things I’ve recently decided to apply the “Make Do and Mend” philosophy to, the “Don’t Buy It You Don’t Need It” philosophy and the ever useful “Come On Now You Don’t Need That You So Crazy Girl” philosophy.

Toothbrush I was thinking of replacing it because I saw mold on it! MOLD IS BAD. Turns out it was toothpaste scum. I soaked the toothbrush in some white vinegar and it was almost as good as new! For bonus points I poured the vinegar back into the bottle for re-use later. No need to waste and no new toothbrush needed.

Futon Would like to replace it with an actual couch because the futon we have is nasty/uncomfortable/ugly and also because an IKEA just opened up in our state and my gosh, there are some cute couches there that I’d love to own but, you know what, that ugly futon IS a place to sit. So it’ll do. (The $1200 couch that helped launch me into debt years ago wouldn’t fit into this new apartment so we had to get rid of it! Cringe.)

Blender Would like to replace this because it’s plastic so it absorbs every smell and completely reeeeeks even though it’s constantly being cleaned after each use. Oh, and it also has this “smoothie” spout that grosses me out because stuff sticks there. It works though so, it’ll do.

Couch pillows Was thinking that I would like replace these because they’re stained. But, you know what, I think popping those covers into the wash will do them up right and freshen them up. No new pillows needed, the old ones will do just fine. Thank you very much.)

Socks Arguably, I could use some more/new socks for work. Pre-Spending Fast days I would’ve just went out and bought some new ones without a single thought about it. But, these are new days upon us. I’m wearing the mismatched socks together and I’m sewing up the hole-y ones. No need for new.

Creamer I’ve got this old name brand creamer carton that I’ve been refilling with my home kitchen fridge almond milk for the past 6 months or so and taking it into work. It makes it feel like I’ve got some fancy creamer action happening when really I don’t. The power of suggestion continues to be a powerful thing. This putting-generic-in-name-brand-packaging technique works really well with oats too. The generic oats really taste exactly the same as the name brand ones. New creamer, new oats? No, thanks! I’m makin’ do over here.

It’s been fun to continually see where I can cut back on the “needs” and to re-define my “wants” in my life. Whenever I find myself gravitating towards something because “I should replace it” or “because I can afford to” or “why not get something new I deserve it” mode it’s sketchy territory for me. Since I know that I used to have an auto-buy mind I have to be extra cautious to not fall back into my old ways. Nothing has helped me break my old habit like creating new habits with the Spending Fast. It was a whole new way of thinking about things and money. I finally feel free from the crap and it is a good place to be.

P.S. Ready to get out of debt ASAP? Check out the Spending Fast Bootcamp! SpendingFastBootcamp.com