Everything Old Is New Again

Who doesn’t like to recycle?  Who doesn’t think reducing and reusing is the way to go?  Well, no one who reads this site, that’s for certain.  So surely we can all get on board rethinking an old, previously used idea, right?  RIGHT?  ARE YOU WITH ME?!?!  YEAH!

Ehem, sorry, got carried away there for a moment…

Anyway, my point is this – I would like to reintroduce a blast from the past for 2010.  An idea that’s time has come… again.  Moreover, a challenge that needs repeating.  I’m talking about re-launching my $20 Or Less On Every Single Thing I Buy Challenge, aka The Thing That Started This Blog

Granted, I’d make some changes to the Challenge that launched an Empire (along with my media domination appearances).  Here’s what I propose for my new Cost Per Item Challenge 2.0:

1.  Raise the minimum per item from $20 to $25.  Why?  To make it easier for others (Like you!  And you!  But not you…you are dead to me.) to play along.  Most folks feel comfortable spending $25 or less on every item they buy for a period of time – more so than $20 or less, which can seem unreasonable and insurmountable.

2. Make the entertainment portion more challenging.  How?  For example, when I dine out on my own dollar (and not the Dude’s), I will only be able to pay up to $25 for the whole tab, including tax and tip.  Same with total cost for a night at the movies, or bowling, etc.  Only $25 or less for the whole night’s (or day’s) entertainment, is what I’m typing saying.

3.  Change up how I handle “free” money.  Before, if I received a gift card or cash as a gift, I used it to off-set any expenditure over $20.  For example, my BFF Lou gave me $20 for my birthday, which I used to pay down a hoodie ($25), a makeup brush ($25) and a shirt ($20).  All told, I spent under $20 per item, using that free cash to make the charges acceptable to the challenge.

This time around, I would have to use the $20 to off set ONE purchase.  In other words, I could buy a $45 item, using $20 gift money and $25 as my cost-per-item money.  See the subtle difference?  It makes the challenge more challenging for me – instead of spreading the money around, I’d have to use it for one, well-thought-out purchase.

4.  Eliminate travel expenses (getting to and fro, and the cost of hotel rooms) from the challenge.  Why?  Because I travel.  A lot.  And you can’t reduce the price of gas, or an airline ticket, or a room, just because you decide to do a $25 Or Less Challenge.  And I’m not staying home during this, folks.  I have a soon-to-be-born niece to see, and costume events to attend…

One aspect of the original challenge will stay the same – the time frame.  I’ll have to commit to spend $25 or less on every single thing I buy for one full year, just like the last time.  However, if you’d like to play along, you do NOT have to commit for a full year.  The viewing reading audience can join up for a week, a month, a few months, whatever you decide to do.  I am certainly not the boss of you.

So what do you say?  Do you think this is a good year-long challenge?  Or do you feel the idea has been played out?  Please state your case in the Comments below.  And thank you for your continued support of the Cheap Chick Empire.