I'm now on tumblr

http://saproject.tumblr.com

Reviving SAP

Hi everyone,

I'm ready to conduct the next experiment. If you were following me previously, you know that I burned out from all the online activities I was doing in order to try to maintain my previous lifestyle.

Since I ended the last experiment prematurely, I haven't quite reverted back to my old ways. I don't drink coffee at Starbucks as much as I used to. I'm more likely to pack a lunch instead of eating out. And I've become much better at not buying every single piece of clothing my little heart desires.

I've also paid off my credit card and I have around $2800 in my savings account. So I've certainly improved.

However, I'm ready to challenge myself again. My goals, in a nutshell:

• Spend $250 a month on food (around $50 a week)
• Only spend $50 a month on clothing
• Have $5000 in my savings account
• Pay an extra $1000 on the principle of my car loan

I have until my graduation date - December 17th - in which to do this.

So starting July 1st, I will try to cook everything I eat. Food is still the area of my life where I experience the most waste. What I want is a sustainable relationship with food, not the fast food junkie lifestyle I'm prone to fall into anytime I am under stress.

My plan is to upload a picture of every piece of food I buy, every bit of food I eat, and everything I throw away. I'm still deciding how to go about this, whether or not I should open a tumblr or post to here.

This is going to be difficult because I am living with my parents, and they are huge wasters of food and lovers of convenience foods. But living with them is the only way I've managed to put so much into savings. I'm supposed to graduate with my bachelor's degree in December, and living with my folks has contributed to my lack of student loans and massive credit card debt. If I wanted to live in an apartment, even with a roommate, I'd be in the hole about $500 a month. And I can't live under the pressures of debt like that.

Hopefully, I can further better myself, become a better citizen, and be a good example for my parents.

The end of SAP

I'm ending this project early, for one reason:

Spending all my time trying to make extra money so that I don't have to change how I spend is really eating away my soul. Like, seriously... I've become more consumer-focused than before. My quality of life is suffering from doing all these odd-ball things online to make money, so while November was a success money-wise (yes I know I didn't post it) it was probably my least successful month as a HUMAN.

I'm taking this month to evaluate where I want to be and how I want to get there. Obviously I need to make change, but the change I was making wasn't the one I needed.

I did get my credit card down to $900, so at least it hasn't been a total loss.

College has been overwhelming

I haven't given up, I just need some free time! I'll do my best to have an update by Friday.

My lunch today

Cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, and turkey pinwheels with a sliced apple, a side of chips, and a throwback.

I haven't made much "income" lately...

but I have earned a lot of credits on sample sale sites.

I've earned $10 on Rue La La, $30 on Hautelook, and about $7 on The Foundary.

Well, I guess this will help me get through the holiday season...

Thank you to everyone who signed up for these websites. I sincerely appreciate it.

Great news article: From Farm to Fridge to Garbage Can

How much food does your family waste?

A lot, if you are typical. By most estimates, a quarter to half of all food produced in the United States goes uneaten — left in fields, spoiled in transport, thrown out at the grocery store, scraped into the garbage or forgotten until it spoils.

NY Times: From Farm to Fridge to Garbage Can 

Esra Su, sxc.hu

I've noticed that I've quit throwing away as much food since I started this project. I still throw a lot away, however. Like the roma tomatoes that I bought two weeks ago and forgot about.

Why is it crisper draws always become the black hole of the fridge?