header
 photo home_zpse090974e.png photo thewife_zpsa4363e88.png photo thefamily_zpsdfe41317.png photo spendingfast_zps74a9de92.png photo contact_zps4699e230.png

Unsolicited Advice to Those of You Considering a Spending Fast in 2015!

{3 Days left in my little project!}

I just don't even care because I write this to you from the-land-of-never-ending-sickness. Who thinks about shopping when they have two toddlers who walk around the world absorbing every germ and flu-bug that comes their way (maybe I should make them stop licking the shopping cart?)

It is more than just the sick kids, there are definitely a few things I want to buy and you will hear all about that later, but I genuinely don't mind that the Spending Fast is almost over. This year has gone by SO FAST.

Several people have mentioned to me that they're considering doing a fast for this upcoming year and let me just give you a small piece of advice- GO FOR IT! When I decided to do this during Christmas 2013, I casually mentioned it to my family as we were opening presents. They literally LAUGHED in my face, which solidified my decision that this experiment was a good idea. 

I did not go out and buy a bunch of things as a final 2013 shopping spree, I did not make some crazy spreadsheet on what I would need to buy in advance to last me through the year, I just did it.

So do it! I could not be happier with this past year. I can honestly say this has been one of the best years of my life. Maybe that has to do with the spending fast, maybe not. Who can say, but I do know I have been more tuned in with my friendships, my marriage, my children, and my relationship with God and perhaps that has to do with drowning out all the NOISE that advertising, online shopping, and consuming stuff brings into one's life. 

I would probably go ahead and say that I would do this for another year but forget it, Mama needs some new shoes!

Here is my advice if you are considering doing a fast for 2015:

1. Don't include hair products in your fast, I have a straw mop on top of my head. If you want to find me at 10am on January 1st, I will be at Ulta buying a liter of Pureology Hydrate Conditioner. 

2. If there is ANY CHANCE you will join a gym in 2015, do yourself a favor and buy some workout clothes in the next few days so you do not have to rotate between a pair of pants with brown paint on the knees (looked liked I sat on some poop) and a pair of running shorts that had yellow paint streaked across the butt.

3. Save those gift cards! I lived off of a few gift cards I got for Christmas 2013 throughout the past year and they made purchasing a few special things very fun. It was always a good challenge to stay UNDER the gift card amount (who woulda thought?!) so I have several laying around that have a dollar or less left on them!

4. Your birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day, and Valentine's Day will all take the pressure off of your fast! In the past, I didn't care what I got for a gift on holidays because I bought myself whatever I wanted the other 364 days of the year. You can bet 2014 was different-- my husband got an itemized list with links e-mailed to him a week before every special occasion (which he generally ignored).

5. Be careful for areas you will compensate in- My kids got some pretty awesome toys/shoes/clothes as a result of Mommy not being able to spend any money on herself. Anyone who had a wedding/shower/birthday this year benefited as well as I enjoyed shopping for gifts. A friend who did this fast in 2012 gained 12 lbs because she ended up eating more than usual. 

We all have an empty pit in our lives that we want to fill with stuff/alcohol/relationships/work so beware if you take away shopping, you will find another distraction to take its place. I really struggled with this the first 3 months of my fast but there were different things I did to find some healing and solace, it was awesome (and hopefully life-changing).

6. Check your pockets- I ruined several of my favorite clothing items washing my clothes with crayons in my pockets THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. I couldn't replace those clothing items so this whole experience was truly devastating in all the ways. 

7. Make sure if you fast from coffee-runs or eating out, you give yourself a nice loophole- My loophole in this area was that I could get Starbucks IF I WAS SHARING IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. Do you have any idea how many people benefited from this clause? "Oh hello Mr. Plumber here to fix my sink, you look like you could use an extra hot, two-pump Peppermint Mocha, I'll be back in a jiffy!" Half the play-dates I took the kids to this year, I brought that mama a coffee just because I'm that great of a friend. Loophole! Everyone get yourself one!  

8. Create some form of accountability- I could write a book called, Things I Almost Bought: A Saga. If I hadn't been doing this blog, I KNOW I would have broken it because I am such a cheater. 

Okay for the sake of transparency I cheated 3 times this year:

a. On a Saturday this summer we were going to a wedding and I had nothing to wear. I got in my car, drove to TJMaxx, bought a black dress, and was home 15 minutes later. I wore the dress that night and called my friend Katie the next Saturday morning to shamefully fess up. Bless the woman- she BOUGHT the dress from me to wear to her photoshoots, so it only kind of counts as cheating! A friend like this is KEY to the fast!  

b. Mike bought me a headboard for our bed. I texted him and said, "Okay it's $X amount" and he said, "Buy it." But when I went to check-out online, it was 30% off-- so I bought some cute throw blankets and these hot bookends to keep the price at the approved $X. YIKES! SORRY GUYS!

c. We sold an ugly armchair for $60 on Craigslist, I took the money straight to Target and bought this star mirror I had my eye on for months. I call it The Sinner's Star. It sits on my mantle (right next to Baby Jesus in his little manger, great) and for weeks I put it out before guests came over, then hid it under the couch every night when Mike came home (because he is The Rule Nazi, we are a match made in Heaven).

I forgot to put it away one day, but he still hasn't noticed nor has he asked about the $60. So apparently my husband should have some trust issues with me and my spending, even post-fast, good thing he doesn't read my blog!

If your accountability doesn't include a blog, have a few friends you e-mail every month and let them know how your fast is going. You don't need to spill your guts to the world, just weirdos like me do that! 

So if you are even considering doing a fast, just go for it! What if a year could change the course of the rest of your life? I am a weak-willed woman, so it is likely that all my big talk won't sound so convincing the second week of January when I FINALLY have a pair of booties and some new duds! 

More on how my fast has been beneficial to come in the next few days-- if my kids ever stop being sick! 

5 comments:

  1. Love this so much! What a great friend to buy that dress from you! Here's hpping everyone feels better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love hearing your update on the spending fast! It's incredible the idols that are revealed in our lives in unexpected ways. It's interesting to hear what your struggles were and to think about what mine might be. Since I don't drink coffee, Starbucks wouldn't be an issue, but I would really struggle with giving up ice cream or chocolate:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. DR TRUST WEBSITE: https://ultimatespellcast9.wixsite.com/dr-trust


    My names is Adams Helen am from USA i want to use this opportunity to thank Dr Trust the great doctor who bring back my husband which makes me very happy today so i could not keep the wonderful work he has done for me so i decide to share it with you all because he is real not like those who eat up my money and never do anything for me, i have 2 lovely kids for my husband, about 3 years ago my husband and i has been quarreling about some things he is doing that he had not been doing before,like keeping late at night and drinking i don't know that my husband is having a secret affair with a lady close to my street they do meet after work at one hotel,one day i felt that this is too much to bear then i confronted him one night but he did not listen instead he beat me up in front of our kids then he finally left me for the lady. i felt my life was over and my kids thought they will never see their father again. i tried to be strong just for the kids but i couldn’t control the pains that torments my heart, my heart was filled with sorrows and pains because i was really in love with my husband. Every day and night i think of him and i always wish he will come back to me, until one day i met a good friend of mine that was also in a situation like me but her problem was her ex-boyfriend who she had an unwanted pregnancy for and he refused to take responsibility and dumped her. she told me that mine was a small case and that i shouldn’t worry about it at all so i asked her what was the solution to my problems and she gave me this great Doctor email address i was doubting if this man was the solution,because i have tried so many fake Doctor on the internet but they only eat up my money and never work for me so i contacted this great man and he told me what to do and i deed them all, he told me to wait for just 42 hours and that my husband will come crawling on his kneels just for forgiveness so i faithfully deed what this great man asked me to do and for sure after 12hours i heard a knock on the door i went and open the door, in a great surprise i saw him on his kneels and i was speechless, when he saw me, all he did was crying and asking me for forgiveness, from that day, all the pains and sorrows in my heart ran away,since then i and my husband and our lovely kids are living happily.that is why i want to say a big thanks to Dr Trust This great man made me to understand that there is know problem on earth that has no solution so please if you know that you have any relationship problem, i will advise you to contact this great doctor through his mail

    Ultimatespellcast@yahoo.com or Ultimatespellcast@gmail.com
    Web site: https://ultimatespellcast9.wixsite.com/dr-trust
    Call +2348156885231

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey guys, How i Got My Ex-boyfriend Back Fast, Dr.Unity love spell casting really worked!
    My boyfriend broke up with me, its been (3days) now. We ve been dating for 4 years now. Through this years we have had a really good relationship it was serious and we really wanted to be with each other forever. Of course we had arguments but nothing too bad. I know that these past 3 months I have taken him for granted thinking he would always be there but was wrong. he told me he didn’t want to be in a relationship that he wanted to take time with himself. But he was still kissin me and hugging me and telling me that he will always love me and I hold a special place in his heart. I realized that right before he done this that I needed to get my act together but I guess was too late. I really love this guy there is something different about him he is the love of my life and I wanted us to have a better relationship then ever,and I wouldn’t ever take him for granted ever again I really do want to marry this guy and he wanted that too but i don't know how to get him back with out being clingy and desperate. Obviously he needed his space because he cheated on me and this time I really need help to bring him back and marry me, one day i was searching online and i saw a good testimony of how Dr Unity a real Great spell caster help to restored back broken marriage, getting ex back, fix broken relationship. so i copy his email via Unityspelltemple@gmail.com and told him my problems and he told me what to do and i did it and he did a spell for me. 28 hours later,( James) my boyfriend who broke up with me gave me a call to apology and feel so sorry for ever breaking my heart, my boyfriend is back with the help of Dr Unity the real spell caster(All thanks to Dr Unity)If you have any problem contact him and i guarantee you that he will help you. Here’s his contact: Email him at: Unityspelltemple@gmail.com ,
    you can also call him or add him on whats-app: 2348071622464.
    Website: http://unityspelltemple.yolasite.com .
    Jessica Wanda, 24 years, NY, USA.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am Lord Ogbomola the high chief of Ogbomola palace, am a great herbalist and powerful spell caster with the great powers to get ex back, make people love you, win cases, get attracted to someone, get financial help and so many others.
    I am well known for the great powers I have and the fast results of my experienced works.
    Are you looking for a good spell to get back your ex lover, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend?
    Do you want to win court cases?
    Do you want a spell to make yourself very attractive to men or women?
    Do you need financial assistants?
    Do you need powers to control anyone?
    Do you need the perfect spell to get pregnant of have babies of your desire?
    Do you want powers to get rich or famous?
    Do you need a cure to any disease such as HIV/Aids, Diabetes, Parkinson, ALS etc….
    Do you need Penis, Hips, Breast or Butt Enlargement?
    Do you need solution to Weak erection/premature ejaculation in men?
    Do you need connections to become a member of any occult group or society to get more richer?
    Do you want powers to make your business or any organization grow faster and higher? ETC……
    Then consider the Ogbomola Palace as the best place to be for the results and solutions you seek.
    For consultations on any marital or other problems, reach me immediately on my social email: OGBOMOLAPALACE@YAHOO.COM …

    ReplyDelete

01 09 10 11 12
Blogging tips