*This is the 3rd day of the One Month Spending Freeze Challenge. Please click here to see all of the posts in this series.*
Is this spending freeze challenge easier or more painful than you thought it would be?
© petarpaunchev / Dollar Photo Club
A spending freeze is truly no easy feat. The path seems long, winding, and treacherous. You’ll do great for a few days, and then the wild beasts will veer you away, making you lose your traction and your focus.
- Costly car repairs might suddenly start popping up.
- Your best friend might be going through tough times and need a shoulder to cry on…and she just loves flowers and chocolate.
- The first snow-storm of the year could blow in, which means you will have to buy a shovel, snow boots for the kids, and get your heating system checked out.
These things are all worthy reasons for you to quit the spending freeze momentarily, but you should be able to get right back on the path as soon as they are taken care of. With a little focus and determination, you can continue your spending freeze even after something gets you. Don’t let those things deter you from keeping to the challenge.
How to Stay Focused During a Spending Freeze
Focus in a spending freeze comes from setting goals, otherwise you will have no reason to stay the course. For our challenge today, we’ll be writing out a few goals that will help you get through the month with focus.
A goal becomes more real when you write it down on a piece of paper. All dreams can be realized by just writing them down. So grab a piece of paper and a pen and let’s start goal-making.
What to Consider as You Write Your Goals
Here are a few questions to mull over before you write out a goal or two you have for this month:
- What do you want to learn from this spending freeze?
- How much money do you want to save this month?
- Do you need to completely revamp your finances?
- Do you have a chronic spending habit that you want to tame?
From your answers, come up with one or two goals that you have for this spending freeze. Be as specific as possible and make sure you are challenging yourself.
For example, you might want this spending freeze challenge to get you out of the habit of mindlessly spending. So one of your goals could be:
Start to focus on more important matters at home rather than shopping for more clothes.
To make it more specific, consider:
When I want to go to Macy’s to buy COACH Carolina Tall Riding Boots (they’re only $298!!), remember all the other things I could and should be doing at home. I will be saving money and spending more time with my kids. 🙂
That’s just an example. I have never thought of buying any shoes for more than $50, but if you’re like most women you have probably considered it a time or two.
Once you have a couple goals for the month, make sure you put them somewhere in your house, car, or office where you will see them every day. Be willing to change your direction and/or thoughts to align more with your goals. They will be so helpful when you want to just jump off this train!
I will be posting my goals on Facebook some time today, so come over and share what your goals for this challenge are!
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[…] in the month, we discussed the importance of writing out goals for a spending freeze. Without a goal for your money, it will not be utilized to its maximum […]