I’ll admit openly that when I run an analysis of where most of my family’s budget goes, it’s to food. Amazingly, it’s not really because we eat out or entertain often. We simply like to eat healthy–and we like to eat what we want–when we want it. So, while I’m sure I could free up a ton of cash in my budget by meal planning, and buying what’s on sale, the fact of the matter is, I really don’t want to. It may sound silly to some, but to force myself to eat something I don’t really want in the name of saving money is probably the sacrificial equivalent of not buying a new spring wardrobe to someone else. We all have our vices, and this is mine!
With that being said, you can imagine how tough something like the “Live Below the Line”challenge, which involves spending $1.50 a day on food for five days to simulate the experience of a person living in extreme poverty (and to raise funds for a variety of non-profits committed to ending such hunger) will be for a person like me, especially considering that I’m not one to call a $1 burger a meal I’m willing to live on. Add to that, I’m a marathon runner, yoga, spinning and bootcamp instructor, in addition to staying at home with my three year old. My point? I burn alot of calories–and I value eating well. But here I am taking the #belowtheline challenge. In addition to writing a complete article at the end of the week for Mint.com, I’ll share my honest experiences here. Want to donate towards my fundraising goal of $250, which supplies 1,000 meals to kids lunches?
