Thank you for all the great tips on saving money. Well, here I am at Day #6 (I started on Saturday - that is the day my work week officially starts) of my first week of Fiscal Fasting for 2012. I have stayed true to my goals -- NO SPENDING. Well, no money has gone out. I did a little online car shopping and started that process. I am going to be finally retiring my 1998 Honda Odyssey (with 270,000 miles). It has served me well and been a very frugal investment. I have to admit that the entire prospect of car shopping has caused me some stress but I have tried to turn the stress into opportunities for prayer.
Anyway, I usually allow myself lunch *out* with the girls at work once a week (they mostly eat out daily). NOT this week...and I think I am going to rethink that altogether. Lunch out is expensive and lunch brought from home is both more healthy and makes better fiscal sense. I have avoided all retail establishments -- boy, just going into some stores fuels spending and feelings of covetousness. I've worked on projects at home that I have already purchased materials for (you know, UFO's-- unfinished objects, lol) and visited the library. I also went with my daughter to Zumba class at the Y as a way of getting out and being entertained (I pay for my Y membership annually). I will need to visit the grocery store on Sunday -- but only for what I need. I've done a good job of using up some of what I had on hand.
February is a shorter month so I'll only a 3 week break from fasting before my next fast begins. Have you fasted? How did you do? If a week seems too much, maybe a NO-Spend Day is a better idea for starting out.