Spend Less, Give More

I've never really done New Year's Resolutions before. Oh sure I've decided I wanted to lose weight, or set "goals" like buying a house or getting pregnant  . . .but usually things that were already in the works or I had been preparing for a long time already. I'm in the camp that New Year's resolutions are mostly hokey and something that no one sticks with anyway, so why bother?

But this year, I have a definite New Year's resolution. Well, it's not really a resolution as much as it is a phrase . . . maybe I should call it a motto? Or maybe I should go with Ali's idea and just say it's my word for the year?

It all started a few weeks ago when our pastor did a sermon on spending less and giving more this holiday season. I'm sure pastors everywhere gave similar versions, as did many grandmothers and moms and teachers . . . I think spending less has become something of a motto itself around Christmastime now.

But he said something that really struck a chord with me. It was something along the lines of "We were MADE to serve and to give, not to consume." I could not stop thinking about that. And the theme of "Spend Less, Give More" was carried on at church leading up to the holidays, each week speaking to me more and more. That phrase was rolling over and over in my mind all month long. The Mister and I talked about it and found some ways to give - we donated a little money here, dropped cash into the pots of the bell ringers outside of Walmart, helped an old lady with her groceries.

On Christmas Eve our church set a goal of raising $10,000 to drill a well in Africa for a village without clean drinking water. We gave cash; maybe not much to some people but it was a lot for us and our budget. As we watched a video showing children in Africa dancing and splashing in the spray of clean water after receiving their well I felt really good that I was helping such a great cause.  I would even go so far as to say that I was feeling pretty good about myself.

We had a lovely Christmas and both gave and received all sorts of stuff that we didn't need.

Today I went shopping. The week after Christmas is like Black Friday in Canada, full of amazing deals you will never see again all year. I had been saving some money I had earned by selling things I didn't want anymore on a local swap site, and so I bought some new clothes at %70 off, and used gift cards to get a pretty light fixture and paint for my daughter's room. I was really enjoying an afternoon out to myself when I pulled into my favorite store.

Winners.

Winners is one of those discount department stores that has designer brands and great stuff, all at discounted prices. I LOVE to shop there, it's where I buy most of my home decor and a lot of my cosmetics and clothes.

I pulled into the parking lot, pull out my wallet and  felt that little butterfly feeling of excitement that I get when I am on the hunt for great deals. I opened my car door, and I saw it.

Giant red signs, plastered in every window of the store.

And on those signs the words "Spend Less, Give More"


This year I have decided to make that phrase my resolution. I'm not saying that I won't ever spend money on frivilous things or that I planning to give away all my posessions. But I feel like I need to work on being less selfish and have my eyes opened to more ways that I can help and serve others.

Here's to a year of giving more and spending less!