July resolution: Bringing back Handmade Fridays

If you have come around here before you will know that I like to do monthly resolutions, well I have decided upon a really nice one for July... to bring back Handmade Fridays.

So what are Handmade Fridays?

The RULZ

1. Save money you would DEFINITELY have spent, on bus fare/buying lunch at work, by making yourself walk/cycle and making a packed lunch to take with you from home.
2. Save up the money all week until Friday.
3. On Friday you are free to spend the saved money.
4. The item you buy MUST be handmade, it MUST be non-essential, it MUST NOT cost more than the money you have saved (including p&p).
5. If the item you want is more than the money saved you can roll-over the saving week after week until you have enough.

Where do Handmade Fridays come from?

I started doing Handmade Fridays a long time ago partly as a motivation for me to bring in a packed lunch to work and stop spending money on uninteresting things like a boring canteen lunch, and mostly so that I could afford to buy the beautiful things I saw people making.

I offset the cost by ditching something I would have normally bought (lunch) in exchange for something that I really wanted (art). I mean, I could not afford to spend more money than I already was, so I stopped spending money on a dull lunch and spent it on art instead. Pretty much all the art in my house, and my favourite jewelry, comes from a Handmade Friday.

Why did Handmade Fridays stop?

I stopped doing Handmade Fridays when I bought a house and therefore took on a mortgage. I felt that never mind buying art and pretty handmade things, I should be saving every single penny for 'important stuff'.

Why am I bringing them back?

But you know what has happened? I started buying lunch again. It is not motivating at all to have these very small savings (£1 here and there) from not buying lunch going into this mass unknown blackhole of 'saving for the future'.

Why are Handmade Fridays so great?

Have you seen the amazing things that people are making out there??? Well following my system I can buy these creations without feeling guilty that the money should have gone elsewhere. It is truely wonderful to be able to support artists and craftsters. I have had a wonderful experience dealing with people via Handmade Fridays. (One of my favourites was commissioning a crocheted prawn.) And I must admit it is so nice waiting for all the fun parcels.

So what did I buy this week?

This:

Isn't it just wonderful? It is Little Red Reading Hood by Denise Simon. When I saw it I just knew I had to bring back Handmade Fridays! :)

Comments

[marceline]

Wow, that is a great idea - you better be blogging all your purchases for us to see!

[Mrs Be]

Hi,
I read your blog but never comment. But no more! I'm adopting a policy of *always* commenting on blogs so here goes!

I love this idea and feel inspired to try the same. Except I don't work (full-time mum) so am going to cut the lattes and magazines when I go into town. I buy loads of magazines and am always disappointed in them, they clutter the house and are costing a fortune.

You're right, there's some wonderful etsy stuff out there and I need to spend some TLC on my house.

Thanks for the inspiration. Oh, and I'm always impressed at the meals you cook. They look so yummy!

All the best, Mrs Be.

[emma]

That is such a great idea, and so simple doh now why hadnt i thought of that!

[Jen]

That is lovely, and what a great idea!

[Laura]

What a lovely idea! I think I will adopt this approach for myself. Maybe then I can stop sighing over things on etsy so much (or change the sad sigh to a contented one). Your new butter dish and pals are lovely, by the way. I have been spying on them through a shop window for some time now, but do I really need another reason to start buying butter again...?