Can You Actually Give Up “Spending” for 4 Weeks - Will You?

After all, it has been programmed into my psyche all my life to spend, spend, spend; want, want, want. 

Sunday’s article in the Hartford Courant written by Gregory Karp for The Morning Call in Allentown, PA was very interesting and hardly realistic. 

After all who in their right mind would want to actually take control of their life and control how they live by Not buying everything they see? 

He makes a good point that now is a great time to not spend any money on discretionary items for 4 weeks.  It’s after the holidays and before Tax Day plus the weather is in transition of moving from our crazy winter to hopefully a great spring, summer and autumn. 

If you are one of the few that do take this seriously, you will not only save a few dollars, you will also learn a valuable lesson or two. 

You will learn to spend your hard earned money more wisely and you will learn that you actually do not really need all the junk you buy on impulse.  In addition, you will learn about the many free ways you can enjoy life. 

Just like any addiction, the withdrawal period is the most painful.  Once you have finished your 4 weeks, your brain will be reprogrammed to spend money more wisely. 

Of course you still do need to pay all of your regular bills, such as your mortgage, utilities, and debts. However, do reconsider your phone services like your land line and your cell phones.  Do you need both and do you need all of the extra options you currently have? 

I have unlimited long distance calling on my land line plus I have Magic Jack which gives me unlimited long distance calling for just $20 a year, I think. It doesn’t allow me to get on conference calls, which I do for my Internet business. 

I have also recently joined a company where I can earn money and get unlimited long distance calling to the USA and Canada, so I will not renew my Magic Jack for next year. 

If my cell phone reception was better in my home I would seriously consider getting rid of my land line.  Within a couple months I will get rid of many of the extras I have with it and seldom use. 

Do you really need all of those TV channels?  If you are spending more than 2-3 hours a night watching TV then all I can say is “Get a Life!!!”.   

Read books, play board games with family members, rent movies or better yet, go to your library and check out free DVD movies and books.  When were you last at your local library?  Do you even have a library card? 

His suggestion on Food was a bit much for me.  I love food.  He said to reduce your grocery bill by using up the food in your refrigerator, on your shelves, and in your freezer. 

My wife went through our freezer compartment in our refrigerator a few days ago and discovered several great items that we have since eaten.   

Buy only foods that can be eaten in their raw natural state.  This was not in the article.  It is my own contribution.  We humans were not designed to eat foods that are cooked or processed.  If this is a challenge for you then at least reduce your consumption of processed foods. 

Do not dine out for 4 weeks.  Take bag lunches to work.  Make sure they are healthy lunches. 

Drink only water and if possible stay away from public water sources unless you boil your water first or at least allow it to sit out over night in an open container to the chloride and fluoride can evaporate some.   

The chloride and fluoride in your water is killing you.  I have well water and I add a pinch of baking powder to each 8 ounces of water I drink to help make my body more alkaline plus I like the taste.  I see you making a face.  Try it before you knock it. 

When grocery shopping plan to try at least on store brand each week.  My wife hates most store brands, but she does like a few.  Find your few. 

Do not buy any clothing.  This will be harder for women than men.  Keep in mind that not purchasing saves more money than purchasing “on sale” items. 

Visit your local thrift stores, after your 4 weeks are up.  They often have great brand names in excellent condition and at greatly discounted prices. 

For your entertainment visit local free establishments like your library, museums, public parks, etc.  Did you know that, at least here in Connecticut, your local library has free passes to parks and other public places that most people pay to visit?

 While at your library pick up some self-help do-it-yourself books to do your home improvements or repairs.  You may just be surprised at how talented you can become. 

Finally, when you are itching to spend your money on something that is not allowed during your 4-week recovery program, write down what you wanted to buy and how you felt about not buying it. 

At the end of your abstinence period read your journal and see if you still feel the same need about those items you held off buying. 

Let me know your results, assuming you are one of the 3% that actually complete the 4-week re-training program.

This entry was posted on 24. February 2010 at 11:52 am and is filed under Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

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