(written on February 21st, 2019)

A brief update on the shopping ban!

We had our first two week review of the shopping ban where we went through all of our receipts. It was a fun way to reflect on the food we bought, the activities we did, and some of the unplanned fun (i.e. the McDonald’s breakfast when we rescued the boys from a rainy bike ride).

It was not confrontational, and we simply threw away the receipts at the end. New pay cycle, new receipts, fresh start.

All of our purchases met the criteria of the shopping ban, so the first two weeks were a success. I can tell our mental process around spending is changing in a positive way. It feels good to know exactly where our money is going and have a joint goal.

I will continue to give updates every two weeks. I do not expect a year of perfection, but I love the pursuit of it.