TAKE THE NO-SPEND FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 2022!
by Terrence Shulman
Will you join me for a February no-spend challenge?
Since February is the shortest month of the year, it’s a great time to do your first month-long no-spend challenge! Are you game?
And with the holidays now firmly behind us, it is a perfect time to turbocharge your savings or debt payoff!
Or if you can only do a two-week, one-week, or weekend-long no-spend challenge, that is still a great place to start! (But I hope you will give a month-long no-spend a try! Better to shoot for the stars and miss then not try at all. :))
Read on and I will explain how to save money fast with a February no-spend challenge!
Tip: Save the image above to Pinterest so that you can easily refer to this article on how to do a February no-spend challenge later!
There are a lot of great benefits to doing a February no-spend challenge. One of the main ones is that it can allow you to pay off debt or save money quickly! Do you have debt from Christmas? Get it paid off by participating in the February no-spend challenge!
Another note: Are you worried about not being able to spend anything for Valentine’s Day? Never fear! You can either set aside the money for Valentine’s Day and count it as an exception, or you can celebrate it once your no-spend challenge ends, say in early March, for example. And just think that way, the roses will cost only about half as much, the restaurants will not be so crowded, and dinner might not cost as much, either! Score!
How do I participate in the no-spend challenge?
For this February no-spend challenge, if you are all in, let’s see if you can go all month without spending money on anything but the necessities. So use food from your cupboards, pantry, fridge, and freezer. Don’t buy any clothes or toys. Don’t eat at any restaurants or order pizza or takeout. Don’t spend any money on entertainment. Don’t spend any money that you don’t absolutely have to.
What are the benefits of a no-spend money challenge?
One big benefit of a no-spend challenge, of course, is that doing it can you save a significant amount of money. But an even bigger benefit is that it can also help you to break money habits that you want to give up.
Say, for example, that you have gotten into the habit of buying clothes every week online at Target. Or toys for the kids. Or you’ve gotten into the habit of stopping at the grocery store nearly every day after work for just “one or two things,” and then you inevitably leave the supermarket or big box store with more than you planned. All of that frequent or maybe even nearly constant shopping, even if it’s not a bunch of money at one time will really bust your budget But you can change your financial course more quickly than you think if you’ll get serious. And a great way to do that is Are you ready to really reset your financial with a no-spend challenge. habits? Then do the no-spend money challenge and begin to change your life today!
How much money can I save during the February no-spend challenge?
The amount of money you can save during a no-spend challenge depends on how long you choose to do the no-spend challenge for and how much you normally spend during that time. But let’s imagine that you’ve decided to go all in, and so you’re going to reduce all spending except for monthly bills like rent or mortgage and utilities and cell phone and fuel for your cars and such, as well as maybe some food like fresh produce.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day…
Love Yourself First
And Give The Gift of Good Boundaries
by
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Center for Recovery
What are personal boundaries? Our personal boundaries have to do with establishing comfortable space- not too much, not too little between ourselves and other people. Having healthy boundaries means we feel comfortable letting people get close to us because we know we can have control over how much we share with another person. Here are several basic statements of universal truth:
- We all have personal boundaries
- Our boundaries let us know where we end and the other person begins
- Growing up in families where there is substance abuse, violence or severe mental illness can interfere with our ability to develop healthy boundaries
- Developing healthy boundaries is part of the recovery process
- Boundaries that are too rigid makes it hard to get close with other people ; it’s hard to relax and have fun rigid boundaries.
- When our boundaries are too soft, we can find it difficult to protect ourselves from situations that are unsafe; it’s easy for others to take advantage of us. unsafe; it’s easy for others to take advantage of us.
- Establishing “firm but flexible” boundaries is a process that’s different for everyone.
There are no rules about what will work for you: the right boundaries are boundaries that feel comfortable and allow you to have a life worth living.
Signs of difficulty maintaining healthy boundaries:
- Feeling like you can’t say no, even when you want to
- Sacrificing your personal values, plans or goals to please others
- Expecting other people to fulfill all your needs. Hesitating to speak up or make changes when you’re not
treated fairly - Feeling used, threatened or mistreated by others
- Having sex or doing other things when you don’t really want to •
Feeling responsible for other people’s feelings Signs your boundaries are getting stronger: - You act on feelings when you need to You can say NO without experiencing tidal waves of guilt
- You do what YOU want to do instead of other people’s ideas of what you should do
You no longer feel responsible for making a relationship work or keeping everyone happy - You don’t take things so personally
- You can disagree with your friend but still keep the friendship
- You realize you’re not responsible for other people’s actions
- You feel comfortable giving as well as receiving
Personal Bill of Rights
1. I have the right to ask for what I want.
2. I have the right to say no to requests or demands I cannot meet.
3. I have the right to express all of my feelings, positive or negative.
4. I have the right to change my mind.
5. I have the right to make mistakes and not have to be perfect.
6. I have the right to follow my own values and standards.
7. I have the right to say no to anything when I feel I am not ready, it is unsafe, or it violates my values.
8. I have the right to determine my own priorities.
9. I have the right not to be responsible for others’ behaviors, actions, feelings, or problems.
10. I have the right to expect honesty from others.
11. I have the right to be angry at someone I love.
12. I have the right to be uniquely myself.
13. I have the right to feel scared and say, “I’m afraid.”
14. I have the right to say, “I don’t know.”
15. I have the right not to give excuses or reasons for my behavior.
16. I have the right to make decisions based on my feelings.
17. I have the right to my own needs for personal space and time.
18. I have the right to be playful and frivolous.
19. I have the right to be healthier than those around me.
20. I have the right to be in a non-abusive environment.
21. I have the right to make friends and be comfortable around people.
22. I have the right to change and grow.
23. I have the right to have my needs and wants respected by others.
24. I have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. 25. I have the right to be happy.
– Author Unknown
The Winter Olympics And Recovery
by Terry Shulman
The XXIV (24th) Winter Olympics in Beijing, China are almost upon us! And while much attention has been paid to the Russian build-up along the Ukrainian border, the ongoing Covid pandemic, and the United States and other countries’ diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics due to China’s human rights violations of the Uighur Muslims over the last several years.
What do the Olympics have to do with recovery? Well, for one, I have previously found myself addicted to them! I don’t know about you but I can watch them 24/7 (at least for the 2 weeks they’re on TV).
First, the opening ceremony will be spectacular!
Second, I am a sports nut to begin with!
Third, I get to root for my fellow countrymen and countrywomen!
Fourth, I get to be amazed by all the different events and colorful people and stories! Fifth, I get to be inspired by the discipline and heart of the athletes to push themselves to their limits! And sixth, I get to take a break from my other addiction–following politics!
On another level, I get to remind myself that as a recovering person I, too, am an Olympian of sorts. For recovery is like a marathon (or at least an event made up of many, many sprints). We work hard to understand ourselves and our addictions and to practice, practice, practice new ways to avoid relapse, get stronger, heal, grow and meet the challenges of life each and every day. All that training can make the difference between caving and succumbing to an urge to usa/rolanca or declaring a greater victory of achieving a personal best, breaking our own record(s), and standing on the podium (if only for a brief time), with our heads held high in dignity. And like the Olympics which bring together men and women from across the globe and show us how similar we are, addiction is also the great equalizer.
None of us can take on addiction by ourselves just as no athlete gets to the Olympics alone: he or she has many coaches, many supporters, and many fellow athletes to be inspired by and to learn from. One of the ultimate goals of both the Olympics and recovery certainly is to be all we can be–or at least to give it our all! And that sounds a lot to me what recovery is meant to be.
HAVE A SAFE MONTH & NEW YEAR, AND REMEMBER: LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT!