Let's start by getting rid of my meatless April:
I really did just fine, but I have come to the conclusion that being vegetarian isn't healthy. At least not for me. I spent April tired, pale, energy-less, not feeling great, a little out of whack emotionally, a little under brain-powered. [I am not exaggerating - I swear I got back on the Meat Wagon for the last three days and I've been all kinds of energetic and lively.] I don't feel like I learned much about myself, it didn't stretch me in any meaningful way, it didn't change me or help me grow, I didn't feel significantly better. Basically, it wasn't powerful and it wasn't hard, but I really wanted to be done with it. And I am, so let's move on.
Grade: A-
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It's MEAT TIME!
It's also May and time for the new Challenge. May is NO SPENDING [except for bills and necessities]
Rules:
1. Necessities is not an interpretive word. That means I can't go out with my friends and decide I can only eat if I spend. I can't decide I'll die if I don't get that cute new purse at some store I shouldn't even be in. No matter how adorable an outfit for one of the kids is, I can't excuse it's purchase with how it won't be there in June. And no matter how great the deal is on Groupon/Living Social, can't buy it.
2. I can spend money on bills, groceries, gas and required specialty events/activities - i.e. Isaiah's 8th grade graduation is in May.
3. Other people can ABSOLUTELY treat, gift, buy. This doesn't mean that I can "forget my wallet" to take advantage, tho.
4. If there is something that money needs to be spent on, I have to find the most cost effective way to do so. For example, for Mother's Day cards, we bought the stuff to make them versus buy them for everyone.
5. I cannot give someone else money and then have it spent on me. This means that last night when I was trying to get Isaiah to take me out to dinner with some money he might "find" on the table, that was a NO-NO.
6. Car repairs, emergency situations, medical issues, spending on gas to drive out of town are considered necessities - as long as they MUST happen in May.
7. I am allowed to use my current Groupons/Living Social Vouchers but not spend a penny over their value.
So, we are three days in, so how is it going?
Let's start by talking about why I chose to make the month after no meat, a month of no spending? I mean what would have been a better reward to my April success then to be able to go to Teas Roadhouse for a huge steak or Fogo for all the meat I could eat? So Poorly Thought Out!
Next, if you read above, you might have noticed that twice in 7 items I mentioned Groupon and Living Social. This is precisely why I needed this Challenge. I have a list posted to my kitchen bulletin board with all of the current Groupons and Vouchers I own and need to spend. That list has well over 30 items. I have probably purchased 10 that went unused before they expired. I mean ... it's a problem.
So far, what I've noticed is that I am not eating junk food. We went on a big grocery shopping trip to Costco on Monday - April 30, by the way - and stocked up the house. I even bought all of these things I'd be able to take to work for lunch. So there is no excuse to eat out, no "necessity" to buy a pizza. I am feeling good about that - both physically and phinancially. I don't buy junk food for my house so that and not being able to spend really makes this a good exercise in my food intake too.
Also, The Boy has relinquished his financial control for the next couple of months so he is only able to spend when he can make a good case for it. That means I really don't have a way to spend even indirectly. But it also means for the first time in 5 Challenges he is really feeling the pain. About time!
Actually, this month is kind of fun because 2 of my staff + one of their spouses has jumped in on this. The couple are doing no TV (which I think is awesome and I might be adding to my list) and the other person is doing no spending with me (altho she broke yesterday and bought fries, but I've convinced her to keep pushing herself thru it and not count it as a failure). It's kind of fun to see other people doing Challenges also and doing ones of their own.
Tomorrow night is Kevin Hart live in concert here and that's got me a little worried. Parking may be a necessity, so I can approve that, but the drinks I'm going to want or the food at midnight when I'm tired and hungry will NOT be. And then this weekend is a lot of different out & about activities and a choir concert and dinner with The Bestie. How am I going to pull this off?
And Holy Hell - why is May like the longest month ever?? I've looked at everything on the calendar and there is a lot. I guess I'll just have to get good at finding other things to do (which doesn't include eating out, movies, buying a new pair of heels). But, when there are necessities, I can take great pleasure in that purchase!
Or I can do what someone at work said to me tonight: Sounds like May is "Get Really Good at Getting People to Pay Your Way Month." Cute. And by "cute," I clearly mean "CORRECT!"
Get your wallets out people!!
I really did just fine, but I have come to the conclusion that being vegetarian isn't healthy. At least not for me. I spent April tired, pale, energy-less, not feeling great, a little out of whack emotionally, a little under brain-powered. [I am not exaggerating - I swear I got back on the Meat Wagon for the last three days and I've been all kinds of energetic and lively.] I don't feel like I learned much about myself, it didn't stretch me in any meaningful way, it didn't change me or help me grow, I didn't feel significantly better. Basically, it wasn't powerful and it wasn't hard, but I really wanted to be done with it. And I am, so let's move on.
Grade: A-
==========================================================================
It's MEAT TIME!
It's also May and time for the new Challenge. May is NO SPENDING [except for bills and necessities]
Rules:
1. Necessities is not an interpretive word. That means I can't go out with my friends and decide I can only eat if I spend. I can't decide I'll die if I don't get that cute new purse at some store I shouldn't even be in. No matter how adorable an outfit for one of the kids is, I can't excuse it's purchase with how it won't be there in June. And no matter how great the deal is on Groupon/Living Social, can't buy it.
2. I can spend money on bills, groceries, gas and required specialty events/activities - i.e. Isaiah's 8th grade graduation is in May.
3. Other people can ABSOLUTELY treat, gift, buy. This doesn't mean that I can "forget my wallet" to take advantage, tho.
4. If there is something that money needs to be spent on, I have to find the most cost effective way to do so. For example, for Mother's Day cards, we bought the stuff to make them versus buy them for everyone.
5. I cannot give someone else money and then have it spent on me. This means that last night when I was trying to get Isaiah to take me out to dinner with some money he might "find" on the table, that was a NO-NO.
6. Car repairs, emergency situations, medical issues, spending on gas to drive out of town are considered necessities - as long as they MUST happen in May.
7. I am allowed to use my current Groupons/Living Social Vouchers but not spend a penny over their value.
So, we are three days in, so how is it going?
Let's start by talking about why I chose to make the month after no meat, a month of no spending? I mean what would have been a better reward to my April success then to be able to go to Teas Roadhouse for a huge steak or Fogo for all the meat I could eat? So Poorly Thought Out!
Next, if you read above, you might have noticed that twice in 7 items I mentioned Groupon and Living Social. This is precisely why I needed this Challenge. I have a list posted to my kitchen bulletin board with all of the current Groupons and Vouchers I own and need to spend. That list has well over 30 items. I have probably purchased 10 that went unused before they expired. I mean ... it's a problem.
So far, what I've noticed is that I am not eating junk food. We went on a big grocery shopping trip to Costco on Monday - April 30, by the way - and stocked up the house. I even bought all of these things I'd be able to take to work for lunch. So there is no excuse to eat out, no "necessity" to buy a pizza. I am feeling good about that - both physically and phinancially. I don't buy junk food for my house so that and not being able to spend really makes this a good exercise in my food intake too.
Also, The Boy has relinquished his financial control for the next couple of months so he is only able to spend when he can make a good case for it. That means I really don't have a way to spend even indirectly. But it also means for the first time in 5 Challenges he is really feeling the pain. About time!
Actually, this month is kind of fun because 2 of my staff + one of their spouses has jumped in on this. The couple are doing no TV (which I think is awesome and I might be adding to my list) and the other person is doing no spending with me (altho she broke yesterday and bought fries, but I've convinced her to keep pushing herself thru it and not count it as a failure). It's kind of fun to see other people doing Challenges also and doing ones of their own.
Tomorrow night is Kevin Hart live in concert here and that's got me a little worried. Parking may be a necessity, so I can approve that, but the drinks I'm going to want or the food at midnight when I'm tired and hungry will NOT be. And then this weekend is a lot of different out & about activities and a choir concert and dinner with The Bestie. How am I going to pull this off?
And Holy Hell - why is May like the longest month ever?? I've looked at everything on the calendar and there is a lot. I guess I'll just have to get good at finding other things to do (which doesn't include eating out, movies, buying a new pair of heels). But, when there are necessities, I can take great pleasure in that purchase!
Or I can do what someone at work said to me tonight: Sounds like May is "Get Really Good at Getting People to Pay Your Way Month." Cute. And by "cute," I clearly mean "CORRECT!"
Get your wallets out people!!
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