so the long gruelling 7 days is over and just as i said at the mid-way point that it was relatively easy, it got harder, well done me for jinxing myself.
i find the easiest way to reflect on how well i've done is to start from the beginning:
the reason i decided to challenge myself not to spend money, is not only to see if i could save any, or because being the end of the month and just before pay day we're pretty tight anyway, it was to see if i could resist temptation and flippant spending on unnecessary things. which at the end of the day are just things, with no real meaning or importance. this week has made me realise that in general i shouldn't become too comfortable with money and spend as though there aren't more substantial things i could be investing my money and time on. there are hobbies and skills i could invest not only my money but time to perfect and better myself, but also make money that i'd spend not on material things, but memories, like; a family weekend away, or camping on the south west coast, festivals, trips abroad, all these events and adventures that do require money but also acquire cherished memories. that's something i'd definitely rather spend my money on. those are the things that you remember when you look back, not the daily starbucks chai lattes or £40 handbag. i want to spend my money on things that will last.
so this week has helped me realise where i need to cut back, but also aspects i can invest in to start crafting and making things that will last, these things aren't always material.
whether i'll be doing a money-less week again depends on how well i can stick to these morals and revelations i've had over this week. and if you were wondering if i managed to not spend any money, i didn't quite make it, by saturday i had a deadline to post some letters which meant breaking the rules by £3. but that didn't stop me from learning the aforementioned.
there are some things that can be sacrificed and some things that can't, but at least i can define those now.
do you think you'd attempt even one day without spending money?
Labels: money, moneyless, saving money
