I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!!!

Today we start Day 6 of our challenge. Some are only doing the Sugar and some the Soda and some are doing both. But did you ever THINK you could do this for even five days? Now we are almost through our first week and look what you all have done. Last September when I did this I was a bit shocked I made it my first week, but then I knew I was on my way! And when others starting asking me “What day is it?” I just kept going!! So Congratulations to all of you!! I know it was hard to even begin to think you could do it.....but I knew you could!!! You are all an inspiration to me!!

So I have an incentive (kind of) for all of you. We have 39 days left right? Yesterday my friend Kirsten and I were talking about the blog (with her soda sitting next to her <g>) and she said, “not to mention the cost of it.” I stopped and said, “yeah, you just gave me an idea for my next blog!!"

Stop and think for a second. How many times a day do you go and get a soda from the convenience store? Figure they are at least $1 each. Just by giving up one of those soda's for the next 39 days, you would save $39 dollars? Do you know what you can do with that? If you buy the plastic bottles, they are about $1.59 here in Austin. What about a candy bar? Normally 89 cents here or so. Do you see how much that can add up to? Now what if every time you took that $1 or $1.50 and put it in a coin jar or savings container and let it add up over the next 39 days. At the end of this challenge, you can have a bit of mad money to do something for you!!! It is not taking away from the food budget, or other budgets. Lets face it, that money was never really in our budget. Right?

My thinking is when I spend $1, it's only $1, it's not that much. But just like everything else in life when it adds up, that is where I begin to see my problems. I did this years ago with every pound I lost I would put $1 into a jar I had. Then when I got to the end of my weight loss I was going to buy a new wardrobe. I did really really good at first, then my friend I was going with stopped going. I didn't drive at the time and there were no buses so I had no way of going and went back to my old ways.  Guess what I did with the money I had saved? Spent it on soda and sugar because I became frustrated.

STORY TIME

I used to live in Nashville and work in downtown for the st ate. As a state employee I could park free in the parking lot that was about 1.5 miles away and take the shuttle up to my building everyday. Yes that would have been the smart thing to do, but it also added an extra 15 minutes each way (at least) just to get to my building and back to my car at night. There were also paid parking lots near by that ranged from $5-$7 a day. When it was raining, or cold, or too hot that was my excuse as to use them. But then everyday I had an excuse and it became a habit.

Also very seldom did I bring a lunch, it was easier to go out and get something quick. Downtown Nashville has a lot of little eateries and on a good weather day I enjoyed the walk downtown. Subway was down the street, easy to go to grab a sandwich, drink, and chips for $5 and then head back to work. In addition we had the vending machines. Soda and chocolate for an afternoon snack, $1.50, wasn't that much!  My mom used to have a saying, "It doesn't cost very much if you say it real fast!"  So true!!!

I was paid very well at my job and could not understand why I struggled to make ends meet after my first month. I looked at my budget to see where I could cut back costs. I had just taken money out that day and I noticed there was nothing left of my $20 I had just taken out that morning.  That is when I began to look at what I had spent that day and gasped at the amount of money I could spend EACH DAY! I decided for one month to cut back on some of those things mentioned above. I parked in the state parking lot four times a week, and brought my lunch at least 4 days a week. I tried to leave the snacks alone but my cravings were so fierce. I did  manage to cut them down to once a day instead of 2 or 3 times a day. How did I do it? I only brought enough cash with me for the machines once a day. I also changed my driving pattern to work so  was not tempted to park in a parking lot.  If I didn't make my lunch, I didn't eat. No extra cash for anything.

I learned very quickly after just a few days, the money I was saving. I figured it was at least $300 a month, but that extra money sure made finishing out the month a whole lost easier. Think of that $300 over a years time. It was at least a few thousand I saved. I was totally amazed!

So like everything else, I have learned it is not chopping out the big things in our lives,but the little things that add up. This goes for everything!!! One of the things I noticed right away was that I was so much more peaceful and calm off sugar than back on. I was an emotional roller coaster and my temperament went through the roof. I hated that because I had worked so hard on getting control of myself then I went back on sugar.  UGH Me!! . Now I can tell I am coming back into sync again. And see, it is all fixable I don't need to beat myself up although I did give myself a good scolding.

So for me every time I THINK about getting a soda or candy bar, I am going to put an IOU in my jar. Ha Ha I don't have a job so no money, so I will have to owe myself like everyone else!! Ha Ha

Thanks Kirsten for the inspiration for today!!!! 

What will your savings container look like?