2019 is my 20th anniversary as a lawyer, so this year I decided to challenge myself by setting monthly goal that will make me a better lawyer (and a great person, too!). Because I am a legalese, I try to use a legal term with the same first letter as the month.
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Fiscal's Fast in February |
A Fiscal Fast is similar to my monthly Fasting (going away without food and drinks for two meals in 24 hours usually on the first Sunday of each month as a Latter Day Saints), except that, it is abstinence from spending instead of food for the whole month of February.
In Mirriam Webster Dictionary, Fiscal is derived from the Latin noun fiscus, meaning "basket" or "treasury." In ancient Rome, "fiscus" was the term for the treasury controlled by the emperor, where the money was literally stored in baskets and was collected primarily in the form of revenue from the provinces.
For one month, I will not only stop shopping for unnecessary stuff, but mainly, use what I have, get crafty and finish projects, declutter and donate for 28 days (yea, that's why I chose February🤣). By doing it initially for 28 days, I hope to have a steady progress that can lead to good financial habits through the year (and the next).
WHAT I AM DOING DURING MY FISCAL FAST:
– For 28 days, I will reduce my spending on the following items:
-travel / recreation by not buying ticket in February for our next adventure and focusing on the memories first of (and blogging about) our travels in several cities of Japan (in January) and in Iloilo and Guimaras (in December 2018).
-grocery and food by using up what I have. I will go through our refrigerator, pantry, and food storage and finally cook up those frozen foods and use up those canned goods (i.e. SPAM, chicken broth, etc.)
– music and Hello Kitty - instead donate what I don’t use, fix what I can, or pitch it. Go through my closets, shelves, storage bins, and even the trunk of our cars.
– personal care by making do with whatever I have in the house. Use up travels soaps, shampoos, bath gel, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, and slippers that are sitting around. Refrain from buying clothes and shoes (since I do not have space for them in our condo!)
- Gifts by focusing on crafty projects as birthday gifts instead of buying them. And learn how to say "no" to request for money from family and friends!
