Day 1- Financial Fast

So far so good.  Started the Financial Fast today.  Not a penny has passed from my hands.  Went to work, then came home and had a lovely evening with the boys.  Hasn't been hard at all, yet.  Just no temptation to run out to the video store after wee one is in bed.  Instead I looked forward to calling my mom, and also had a nice bath, and did my needed neck stretches.  And still have plenty of time before bed.

We have been on the envelope system forever for food expenses, and incidentals, and entertainment, and trips, and whatnot.  This means I go to the bank twice a month and take out our planned amount of cash, put it in the designated envelopes (grocery, eating out, pets, trips, blow fund: which means blow it any way you want, gas, entertainment, clothing, etc.) and when the money is gone, it is gone.  No cheats, no stealing, no credit.  Theoretically.  We have actually been pretty good overall, but have had our weak areas.  For this fast I am hoping to do the whole month on only one cash run, and put the rest in savings.  It should be fairly easy since whole envelopes (eating out, blow fund, entertainment, clothing) wont be touched.  Our whole budget has always been quite limited anyways, but this will give us even more awareness.

What I am already much more aware of is how much of spending is purely entertainment.  How often I will go and do things mostly for the kick of spending and for something to do.  That walk to the ice cream store.  A last minute run to the video store when there is nothing in particular I want to watch.  Perusing at the consignment store when I really don't need any more clothes.  There is a no window or catalog shopping rule too, so it was a little odd not to look at the print ads from the Sunday paper at work.  I usually check out building supplies, appliances, and Best Buy to dream a little, but not today.  I saw the ads sitting there and just looked away, aware but not upset.  Oh, the marketers don't want to hear about this for sure.  I did sneak a peek on my way home at the fun prom dresses in my consignment shop window, but only as we drove by.  I don't think it truly counts as cheating.  No, not yet.  I'm sure that will come, in fact I have two cheats planned, but overall it was a good start to the fast.  And I am actually excited to see how it unfolds.  1 down, 20 to go.