Financial Detox
Mel Browne
Most people who know me are
aware that I have a fairly serious
chocolate addiction. I’m very
thankful that it’s not a drug
(although some would argue that
it is a legal one) because I eat it
every day. I’m not talking a whole
block at a time but a nibble here
and there – particularly in the
afternoon – is my own version of
happy. I know that the concept
of a week without chocolate
would give my willpower a serious
workout.
Of course, from time to time I
decide to give my body a break
from my daily chocolate hit and
eliminate all sugar for a month.
Initially my body hates me. By
the time I get to day five I am a
walking, cranky headache and
I’m sure my husband is working
longer hours to avoid me.
However by the end of the month,
if I’m honest, I would have to say
that I really don’t miss my daily fix.
Of course, what happens is that
at the end of the month I reward
myself with a piece of chocolate
and the spiral takes around
another six months before I feel
the need to cleanse again.
It can be the same with my
finances. While I budget for the
big purchases, I find it is the
whole stack of smaller purchases
made over time that hurts my
bank account or credit card. So
my solution to break the habit of
almost unconscious spe nding is
the same as it is for chocolate.
About twice a year, I simply
decide to go for a month without
buying anything new.
Now this might seem
revolutionary but it is enlightening
how much we base our social and
leisure time around buying stuff
we really don’t need. It might be
a coffee with girlfriends and a
window shop, a Wednesday night
bored on the couch with a bottle
of wine and the laptop doing a bit
of online shopping or grabbing
items you really don’t need at the
supermarket. It all just adds to the
amount of stuff we accumulate
and can over time put a sizeable
dent in our bank account. As well
as adding a delay to any long
term financial goals we might
have.
So my solution to break this habit
of spending is the same as my
chocolate addiction.
I cleanse my spending by
choosing for one month not to
purchase anything new. Of course,
groceries and other essential
items aren’t included in the
financial cleanse but everything
else is off the table. So no new
clothes, shoes (the toughest one),