Being frugal, Lent, practicality and thoughfulness

February, more so than January is the time I consider making a commitment to a well thought sacrifice or discipline. Lent. Not that I am Catholic (I'm not) but I appreciate the value of the 40 day structure of giving up or doing more.

Over the years I have given up such a wide variety of things for seemingly strange purposes. I have given up such things as: treats except home baked goods, second helpings of any food, candy, cookies, shopping for fabric, chocolate * and I have tried to go to bed by 1 AM, make a healthy choice every day, reading a scripture passage; what should I do this year?

* the year I gave up chocolate was rough. I did survive the whole 40 days, with suffering. On the last Thursday before Easter Sunday I went to Bernard Callebaut to purchase the chocolate goodies for the kids. I innocently and quite unconsciously picked one of the sample treats from the plate at the register. As soon as it touched my lips I remembered why I had been avoiding this particular shop for six weeks, Lent, sacrifice, no chocolate. It broke my heart to stop from rolling that bitter sweet treat onto my waiting tongue..., I threw it away. I could scarcely face that not only had I nearly broke my self-imposed denial but that I had to waste a perfectly wonderful morsel of B.C. chocolate. Lesson learned = never give up chocolate again, my friends all agree.

Kay has been considering frugality on her blog. I am thinking about this as well. I know how to be responsible and frugal, I appreciate every lesson my grandparents taught me, we managed to raise a family through tough times; I might just challenge myself to a 40 day commitment to active frugality. There are many reasons to do so, the current economic times, Lent, environmental respect, being wise with the household income, the house that is being built, preparing for the move, the sheer challenge of doing it as creatively as possible.

I might well choose frugality. Let's see how I feel in a couple of weeks, and how I manage over the next few months.

Comments

  1. thanks for the "shout-out" Deary. A great place to be inspired to be frugal is PennyAnne Poundwise's blog (find her link on my site). And she's a sweet lady in real life too.

    I'm trying to give up all white flour/white sugar except at home. And eating mostly my home-made baked goods.

    Let's help each other to keep moving onward & upward.

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  2. Thank you for your thoughtfulness! I received your PIF and will try and do the same this weekend. What a surprise!

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