No {Mostly} Spend Month Update

It has been exactly one week since I joined Little Eco Footprints and challenged myself to a no spend month on ‘wants’ but only on ‘needs’ for the entirety of April. You can read that post here. I will take Friday’s for this month to pony up, or celebrate, my progress…or of course, my lack thereof.

So far, so ‘pretty’ good.

I had some gift giving come up, that I realized wasn’t on the list. Gifts! I didn’t actually think about it when I put my list together of what I would be spending on, they aren’t ‘needs’ as in life or death, but they are not ‘wants’ either. Sorry to say so, but gifts are now on the list. Sparingly. How would I tell a little gal who’s birthday we are going to soon, “I am so sorry. I am doing this ‘challenge’ where I am not really supposed to spend any money, so I was unable to get you a gift. Happy Birthday though.” Don’t think so.

And my Mom turns 70 this month…hello?

I did have ONE slip. I got coffee today. But there is good news with that! I thought it was painstakingly disgusting. After I was done I felt nothing but guilt, for what I had put into my body, as well as being a loser at this challenge. We had a long 2 hour car ride today. I had to pee something fierce. I know, usually you could expect this sort of behavior from my 4 year old in the backseat, not the 38 year old in the front. But my bladder hurt so bad I was asking the kids to stop talking to me.

And then began the torrents of, “Mom, I’m hungry.” “Mom, I am thirsty.” “He won’t share his water!”

We stopped at Starbucks. And got snacks. And used their lieu.

I ordered a Carmel Frappaccino since I wouldn’t be having them for the whole summer, and all I could taste in my mouth afterward was a chemically, not real, concocted flavor…turning over on my tongue, and over, and over. I truly asked myself, “What the hell did I just put in my body?” I am after all reading Crazy, Sexy, Diet right now and Miss. Carr would be completely appalled. Her book must be making a dent, cause I was appalled myself. In fact I am going to hunker down on the couch right now and watch Crazy, Sexy, Cancer, her documentary, to just reinforce the whole grossness in my cells for good. There will be no turning back.

I love my ‘God pod’, as she calls it, no need to crap it up with chemical, sugar laden, crudola. Period.

Needless to say, I now KNOW I don’t NEED to stop there EVER. Before it was just a habit. Now it is just bad for me. I find this news actually comforting.

Beyond that, I have spent money only on needs and the garden! This challenge is causing me to take pause every time I feel inclined to think we ‘need’ such and such. I think instead, “Hold up Mama, you are in the midst of a challenge, let us rethink if we ‘need’ this or if it just your anxiety, or a distraction, or out of boredom, or insecurity.”

It is working. What I want to see is how much money we save at the end of the month. I bet I will be shocked. We are all consumers in our own personal ways, but just by stopping and taking a moment to really feel in our bodies WHY we are going to buy something is hugely enlightening.

So challenge yourself! For one day! For one week! Or join for a month! It is really an act of deep learning about oneself. And while you’re at it, it is a deeply loving gesture to our earth.