subteen obidiah: Erik's Personal Finance Challenge!

We all have things that we like to spend our hard earned money on. Some people like to gamble, some buy clothes, and some enjoy collecting things. With online shopping meccas such as Amazon and the ever addicting Ebay, the temptation to splurge is unavoidable. I personally enjoy treasure hunting at antique stores. You can find me on any given day, usually when I get off of work after the midnight shift, searching for remnants of the past. Unfortunately, these habitual rituals lead to emotional spending.

Emotional spending is like an addiction. We spend not for necessity, but rather for the fulfilled feeling that we experience on getting the ?best deal? or finding something on pure impulse that we ?think? we need. With that being said, I offer a solution. My challenge to you comes in a simple five day exercise. For five days, simply follow these steps and at the end of the exercise, you may be surprised that some of the best things in life are truly free!

Day 1

I want you to take this day and prepare yourself for the next five days by reviewing the steps you will need to follow. This is an important step in keeping you focused.

Day 2

Stock up at the local warehouse or grocery store! Yes, you need to spend money to save money. Make a detailed list of groceries that will last you the whole week. I can?t remember all the money I wasted on take-out food or on delivered pizza only because I had nothing to prepare for dinner.

Day 3

Keep a minimal amount of cash on your person. I find that the more cash I carry, the more cash I don?t have at the end of the day. Money literally vanishes from my pocket and ends up being used on small ticket items: one dollar here, three dollars there? You get the picture.

Day 4

Reduce the amount of time you spend aimlessly searching the web. Web surfing is the equivalent to channel surfing after midnight! You are bombarded with ads so flashy and alluring that you become hypnotized into buying anything offered! The advertisers are so crafty that if you were searching for dream vacation ideas, you will have seemingly magical pop-up ads that solicit cruise lines, airlines, and all inclusive resorts. You are no match for the technology used by advertisers.

Day 5

Finally, you reached your last day. Take this day and get outside! It doesn?t matter if it is fall, winter, spring, or summer. Go outside and enjoy the scenery. Take a walk, ride a bike, or just simply observe what?s around you. This simple exercise will not only get you out of the house, and away from the temptation of T.V. and the internet, it will also provide you with exercise, a clear mind, and maybe even allow you to get to know your neighbors a little better.

After your five day exercise is complete, reflect on the habits that you refrained from participating in. Do you feel any better? Do you have some extra cash lying around? More importantly did you learn a little more about yourself? Repeat this exercise often, and have an open mind to new ways of doing things. You never know, you may start to replace some old habits along the way!

Erik Johnson, the author of this blog,?is employed by a privately owned chemical?manufacturing facility ? working in training as well as supervision. During Erik?s off hours, he enjoys traveling with his beautiful wife, cooking, hanging out with the kids, and playing with his two dogs. He also enjoys cycling, running, and anything else that keeps him outside. You can find him hanging out at the local antique shops searching for hidden treasures. Erik?s strength comes from his positive outlook on life. He incorporates his optimism and love of life into helping others and inspiring people to reach their full potential.?