Hometowns: Baltimore, MD and Chicago, IL
Phrase that describes our relationship with money: Undercover-Billionaire-ish
Phrase that describes my parents’…: Make the most with what you have and create an inheritance for your children’s children.
Our 21-day goal: Sacrificial team-building experience with my future spouse regarding money. Gain a better understanding of money's purpose in our lives.
Our weaknesses: Buying random stuff when it's on sale, electronics. Justifying purchases based on where we live (NYC-area): eating out, taking cabs.
Our fear for these 21 days: Carrying cash everywhere (no cards); forgetting we're actually on the fast.
What we will miss most: Hmm….
His...This financial fast has seen more external challenges to my finances than I expected. I have see a multi-thousand dollar unexpected bill arrive, had my car towed and seen a laptop break. After lots of very hard thought and prayers… I have seen God is faithful throughout. I approached the financial fast with the wrong attitude, thinking it was a win as I would be better off having saved on the things given up. Instead, God made my fast more about me giving up the comfort I derived from having a large bank account.
Going through this with my fiancée's support and accountability has been both challenging and fulfilling. What I appreciate the most is that where I may focus on what I can do or she can do, her faith points me back to what God can do as the real power in our lives. My accountability partner has the advantage of knowing every single dollar I have spent in this time which lets her speak with a knowledge and authority no one has ever had. It has been a time of breakthrough in our vision. Kristen and I “discovered” that our housing expenses (we each rent) are quite large, consuming over 40% of our combined monthly income. We are pursuing a strategy of (as our leases end 4 months before we get married) each renting rooms near where we currently live so that we can put more aside for some of the expenses that come as newlyweds. We have sought after wisdom for our career directions, so that we can become what we believe
Having the other hold us to account for our spending (especially where we are doing so out of serving God, rather than not having the money) has been amazing and has opened the door toward that being a place of intimacy rather than strife between us moving forward.
Hers...Eating out and taxi cabs and living in New York City…although I was not fearful to give them up, I certainly didn’t see a clear path to living without them. Thankfully, I was not relying on my own natural vision during this fast. Since starting the fast there were three important things I wanted to accomplish: to keep a better account of my budget and where my money is going, to gain a better understanding of savings and to see Richard and I develop positive habits together where finances are concerned in preparation for our life together.
I have had to touch my bank account for very little since starting this fast. Cooking meals has become very therapeutic. It’s actually becoming a creative outlet right now. Additionally, I am increasing my time spent in Connecticut which mostly likely will be my next home after New York City. The fast has helped me to transition my thoughts of how life would be lived in Suburbia. NYC has all of life’s conveniences waiting for you when you step outside your door. In a place where driving is necessary, is a slower pace and it’s more family oriented, some lifestyle changes would need to be made.
As Richard and I examine our values and how we want to save and spend, this fast is very timely. It’s an answer to prayer by helping us structure our combined finances in just a short eight months. I don’t think that we will be so quick to go back to the way we were spending before. At the very least we will be conscientious about making a purchase and analyzing its value or need in our lives. For me, I would like to eat out occasionally and not as a lifestyle. In addition, I would like to cab for emergencies and as a last resort, not a first choice.
We are looking forward to the last Financial Seminar about Savings. Now that we know where we can cut back spending, we need to be mindful of where to put it.
Signing off….RADIKL
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