29
Jun

Green Low Budget Challenge

This July, I want to challenge myself as well! My subject will be: Green low budget. In short that means: I am going to reduce my flexible monthly costs (food and leisure) to a minimum, without deviating from my usual level of sustainability in everyday life.

Consequently, I still want to (1) avoid discount supermarkets (2) try buying as much of my food as possible regional and organic (3) minimize package waste and (4) of course having fun.

The major intention behind this challenge is a combination of two things: experiencing minimalism and finding alternatives. For one month, I want to try living at the edge of financial means and with that avoid spending money needlessly. In fact, I even want to find ways to completely go without any money for several consecutive days. However, this should not become a month of complete abstinence – or even starvation, but I want to find alternatives. Alternatives that allow me to eat reasonable, live sustainable and to enjoy my free time – despite having very little money.

My inspiration for this experiment came from a friend I got to know earlier this year during a seminar: a sunshiny and very pleased guy from Ecuador of my generation who is now living in Munich, Bavaria – with a total budget of 500 Euros a month! Paying roughly 400 Euros for rent, the remaining 100 he is yet sometimes saving for holiday. I need to add, that he is volunteering very actively in the food sharing community and therefore does not need to spend money on food. This is different to my situation and a detail I need to consider.

However, Munich is a very expensive city. So I thought: If you can live from 500 bucks a month in Munich, it must be also possible in Leipzig (where living costs are much cheaper). Well, at least without saving a hundred for holiday… Challenge accepted!

I decided to take the budget of my friend as a guiding value: 500 Euros a month.

Less all monthly fixed costs (including rent, electricity etc.) only 120 Euros remain available for discovering culinary and cultural alternatives in my city. This equals a weekly budget of 30 Euros. Not much, I grand, but I am optimistic: I will survive.

Challenge start is Monday, 4. July.

To be continued…

Photo: Fabian Blank│unsplash.com

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