Considerably Challenged

Have you ever been challenged by someone you trust to try something so difficult that you are torn between your competitive nature to take it on and your fear of ultimate failure?

Well, last night I was talking to one of my roommates about... our budgets. This conversation developed into a discussion about how we spend our money and where our true values lay. Well, I'll be honest... yes I have a budget, but I don't even know if I met my budget last month because...well, to be honest I don't monitor it (i know, i know...i'm sorry!). So, I guess you could say that I regularly just live life and trust that hopefully I'm saving some money along the way. The problem with this tactic, or course, it that their is no level of accountability in my money spending patterns. I'd like to think of myself as a conservative spender and a good saver... and I think my bank account does prove this to be true... but the fact remains that I really love clothing and often feel as if I need one more item to enhance my current wardrobe, thus sometimes spending unnecessary amounts of dollars.

But do I really need any more clothes?

That is the question my roommate posed to me last night. Do I really need any more shirts, scarfs, pants, coats, shoes? The answer is undoubtedly no, I do not NEED anymore clothing...but honestly...sometimes I just WANT more clothing. 

So, my roommate, knowing my unrestrained competitive nature, challenged me to go on a spending freeze for the month of October. 

Gasp! A spending freeze for a whole month? Is she serious? But what about that amazing new pair of jeans that I've been thinking about for the past week and a half? How can I go without them?

And that is exactly it. If my first response is to say "no way... I still want the luxury to buy whatever I want because I can" then that clearly speaks volumes about how this spending freeze is such a necessary lesson in the ways of spending money and being a good steward. 

But here's the thing. I'm not sure that I have it in me to be successful. I'm afraid that I'm going to fail and I'm not sure if I have what it takes to say no to those jeans that I "need" so desperately. And the harder part of the matter is that my roommate is taking it upon herself to... KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE! Ahh! That means no hiding new purchases, no "forgetting" to tell her if/when I do go over the edge and make the purchases I'm trying to avoid and no justifications for anything.

So, I've been considerably challenged by someone I trust and the least I can do is try, right? So, starting today you won't be seeing me near any stores or trying on any new jeans or shirts. 

The spending freeze is on... we'll see if I make it or not...