Beks over at Blogging Away Debt is now officially finished with a self-imposed 60-day-long moratorium on dining out.
She had a few hiccups along the way but overall had great success with the program. Even as early as week three she was getting into full swing of the new meal regimen, wasn't tempted much at all to stop at Taco Bell, and was looking forward to making her own meal.
Now that the sixty days are over, here's what she has to say about it:
“I’ve saved so much money from dining at home and eating leftovers that I feel more secure financially – even if only a little bit. It’s like dieting for two months and fitting into your skinny jeans. I think this may become permanent …”
Peace of mind is a nice side benefit of taking control of one area of your personal finances. It certainly wasn't free; it came after sticking to her guns for two full months and making it part of her routine.
Changing habits isn't easy, but it is straightforward. I applaud Beks for dealing with that temptation as well as she did. Taking control of my online time has needed more drastic measures — because, in part, those sites are only a few keystrokes away instead of a drive away — but once the routine has changed, one way or another, it becomes easier to live with. Eventually, as Beks has already found out, living with the new activity long-term doesn't seem so bad!
Feeling out of control financially can be paralyzing. Seeing fruit from one's efforts can greatly reduce that paralysis, and it only gets easier from there.
