If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll know that my two constant struggles in life have been money and food. My journey into poverty has given me a crash course in learning how to value, respect and appreciate both.
Ok, I’m not exactly saving money at this point, but I am definitely learning how to make it last until I get paid next. For years, I was spoiled by getting paid every week. I saw no reason to save the money for the following week because I’d get paid again. Now, however, with payday coming but once a month, I’m finally getting a handle on making my money last.
With a lack of money comes a lack of food and with a lack of food comes weight loss. I’ve done years of individual and group therapy for my eating disorder, tried a variety of different exercise gyms and diet regimes and was always told the same thing; ‘when the time’s right, the weight will come off.’
To be honest, it’s kind of reassuring to know that, when everything else seems to be at an all time low in my life, my weight decides to drop as well. And with no effort on my part except to make sure there’s enough food to last each week of the month, only eating when I’m hungry and walking places instead of using up precious bus tickets.
Because I have a significant amount of weight to lose, my current weight loss won’t be noticed by most people. And that’s fine. The important thing is that I notice it, which I am in the looseness of my pants, the fact that my towel almost goes completely around me and it’s getting easier to get in and out of booth seats in restaurants.
On the flip side, I have a significant amount of money to save. I need to pay my parents back, start an emergency fund, go to the dentist, buy a bike, start a retirement fund, sign up for a car co-op, rebuild my credit rating, etc.
If learning how to save and sustain my money goes hand-in-hand with losing weight and getting healthier, I am finally coming to terms with why I needed to experience this journey into poverty in the first place. One layer at a time.
Completely Unravelled 