Say goodbye to the masks and king cakes, and hello to the season of sacrifice, Lent. This week, we celebrated Fat Tuesday and the start of Lent. Fat Tuesday(Mardi Gras) is a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church, where people overindulge themselves in preparation for Lent, the 40 days of fasting and repentance that lead up to Easter Sunday.
During Lent, people often fast or give up something special, which is supposed to prepare their hearts and minds and remind them of Jesus' sacrifice. Even if you don't celebrate Lent religiously, it's an excellent time to challenge yourself to give up something you've been overspending on. Below, I've listed three ideas of things that you can give up for Lent to get a little extra money in return:
1. Streaming Services
Everyone likes a good Netflix or Hulu binge, and if you're like me, you may have even adopted that as your main source of television. However, the cost of monthly streaming services can get pretty pricey. Review your subscription(s) and consider putting them on pause during the six weeks of Lent. Not only will you save a bit of money, but chances are you'll find something more productive to do with your extra time.
2. Online Shopping
With such a busy schedule and little time to shop in-store, it's so easy for me to get sucked into great deals online or Amazon prime's 2-day shipping. Buying items in the store adds an extra level of discretion, making it a bit harder to pull the trigger on a pricier item.
If you follow me on my successinthebag Instagram account, you know that I am cutting out a different category of discretionary spending each month to help me reach my savings goal. For March, I've decided to cut out online shopping; And who knows, I may decide to continue it all the way through lent if I find that I'm saving significantly.
3. Eating Out
Going out to dinner is one of my favorite things to do! And when I eat out, I like to do it right; Start with an appetizer that everyone can share, have a delicious meal and finish up with a sweet treat. My wallet is already crying just thinking about the cost of a nice dinner, which is why eating out is the perfect thing to give up for Lent.
Part of what I enjoy about eating out is the experience: getting dressed up, socializing with others, and trying new foods.
The key to sacrificing eating out for Lent is to make dinners at home an experience too! Try themed meals, dinner parties with friends, and challenging recipes to make staying in sound more enjoyable. Your wallet will thank you once Lent is over.
