The Money Fast - Update #2

It's been 22 days since we began our money fast. We did great initially - and then a couple of things came up that were of course unexpected.

Animal medicine
Adult medical issues
Registration for sports (children)

We are continuing the fast until the end of the month, but not as vigilantly as we initially wanted to. One thing that is a big negative is that money fasting for even 30 days does not allow us to take advantage of sales for items we need to purchase anyway. For example, school supplies are all on sale this week. I am not so obtuse that I think that not spending the money now will save us in the future because it won't.

So, I'm doubting that we will continue a full money fast in the future. We are contemplating our options. We definitely want to continue the 'no eating out' we are doing. It's been incredibly better on our pocket book and our health. I also like that the money fast got us to thinking about options instead of buying. For example, we wanted to get a monopoly game for our family. I put my request out on freecycle and guess what?! Someone had a brand new, unwrapped game we were able to get (and yes we've played it already).

So many times the things we buy are not urgent to own and finding other methods of obtaining them is important.

The Money Fast - Update #1

Well, we've made it through the first 3 days of our Money Fast. It hasn't been hard, but it sure has been enlightening! It amazes me how much we've become accustomed to dropping a few dollars here and there. A quick fix when invited over to a friends is to pick up something 'premade' at the store. A quick fix when I'd just rather not cook is to pick up something from the deli.

What I did notice is that my children have started preferring a thing or two premade from the store deli. This is not good as far as I'm concerned. For example, about once a week, sometimes bi-weekly, we purchase a footlong sandwich from our local grocery store and have a 'carpet picnic' and watch a family movie. Well, knowing that is a fun event in our house, I bought hoagie roll bread and lunch meat choices in order for us to replicate this event during our money fast.

I, for one, much prefer the made at home version. I hope to eventually make my own hoagie rolls, but for now, the store bought ones suffice just fine. I love that we can add tomatoes and avocados, fresh onions and sprouts and each sandwich can be customized to our personal desires. The kids will start to love it too.

It has been adventerous too. We have tried 2 new meals this week - both healthy, inexpensive and favored by a majority of the family members. My plan is to try a new meal each week (I'm just ahead of the game this week).

One bummer, I already know I'm going to have to break the fast for something that I forgot to stock up on and it's not an option. We have a cat on medicine and we are going to run out on July 20th. It is not an option for this cat to go without medicine so I will have to buy this. I have made a note to myself to remember this item for future money fast months!

The Money Fast and waiting

The event that we were going to budget into our month was in fact a movie that is coming out: Hairspray. Being diehard 'show' fans, we very much were looking forward to seeing this movie. Thing is, while we want to see it on the 'big screen' we are also very committed to changing ourselves.

We have mutually decided that we will wait until it comes out on DVD and we can netflix it. That's a big one for us, especially DH. Not so much for other people, but it is for DH. An artist, a stage fan, a movie buff.

We have decided to wait until DVD because if we just wait to go to the movies until after our 'fast', we have changed nothing, only delayed the spending. The entire point of this exercise was to change our habits, not delay them.

The Money Fast and traveling

Knowing that we will be on a money fast beginning July 1st is NOT a reason to spend lots of money before, or wait to spend it all after. The point is to truly 'do without' during this time frame and not 'make up for it' at any other time.

With that said, we would dearly love to take a weekend trip and visit friends of ours in the Portland area. While conversing via IM with my friend, we were trying to be creative about this whole trip and do it without spending any money other than gas.

We have pets and traditionally we would hire a pet sitter. Together we came up with the idea that I can ask our neighbors if they would take care of the cats in exchange for a visit to Silverwood (we have season passes that allow us to bring in additional people each day at no cost). Cha Ching. That's a great idea. I'll talk with the neighbors this weekend and see what they say. We still need to take our dog with us but that is an acceptable option as we are driving.

Now, for the sleeping arrangements - we'll just stay with our friends, that is out of the way.

Food is pretty easy, we are taking a cooler of food and eating what we normally eat.

Sight-Seeing is different. We are going to do free things while there. Something I did as a kid and absolutely loved (and still remember doing) is visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory and taking a full tour. Believe it or not, it's free!

Then of course there is the ocean. I think these 2 things will encompass the entire day on Saturday. We'll tour the cheese factory, eat lunch and then spend the afternoon looking at starfish and all kinds of sea creatures at the shore.

Best of all, we will get to see our friends new little baby and visit with them.

Now, what weekend is the best one??? That is still being decided.

The Money Fast

I've been thinking and well, we've decided to go on a 'money fast'.

For us this means that we will not spend any money for 30 days. We are making only the following exceptions:

1) There is an event we want to do as a family that is in the middle of July. We will pay for entrance to this event only and have pulled the cash aside ahead of time.

2) We are not counting gas in this as we are planning on doing free things that involve driving.

3) Groceries will be purchased in advance, in bulk, and a nominal allowance will be available (in cash) for weekly fresh items. I am toying with the amount. I don't think that $10 is enough for our weekly fresh items, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

We are doing this for some specific reasons.

1) We are too dependant on money. When we want to do something, we aren't necessarily creative in our thinking on how to do that thing without spending money

2) It's good for our souls. We want our focus on life to move away from things (we don't really focus too much, but we want it to be ever farther away from things).

3) It's good for our budget. Everyone needs a re-evaluation every so often to be reminded what needs really are and to reshape your budget.

4) It stretches our creativity. This pretty much speaks for itself. It gets us out of the rut of 'traditional' society.

It is my hope that I will be able to share, on a daily basis, what we've done, accomplished, failed at, vented about, etc. through this process.