Day 46 and onward

Well, I must say that going back to spending money was more difficult than I expected. I started Day 46 extremely excited and proud to have finished the experiment. I had my heart set on a cup of fancy coffee from Starbucks and I even had a gift card. I ended up stopping at a Starbucks by my work, which is only a few blocks from Disneyland. The Starbucks was associated with a Disneyland hotel, didn't take gift cards, and charged $3.75 for a tall latte. I spent the money, but ended up in tears in my car. I knew I didn't need the latte. I also knew that the money I spent on that latte could have fed me for 4 whole days. On the other hand, the coffee was awesome, and the experiment was over. I had to come to terms with letting go.

I've been struggling with spending money on food since the experiment. I do have a full refrigerator right now, and a lot of produce, but it's a battle at the store. In my heart, I know that I don't need any of it. I have to convince myself that I'm making the right decision in purchasing things I don't need.

I'm still coming to terms with how to take what I learned in the experiment and apply it to my life. A lot of people teased me along the way and told me I was crazy. I don't want to be seen as a crazy lady, nobody does, but I do want to make good choices. I've found some peace in purchasing frozen fruits and veggies because they are so much less expensive. I still eat pb&j for lunch 2-3 times a week, but I now have higher quality ingredients. I continue to look for free produce (and free meals). I have no idea what the future holds, yet I do have some comfort in the fact that I know I can survive on next to nothing if need be.