Monthly Challenge: Month Two

Are you ready for this?  Like I said, this is going to be just a little bit harder than last month, now that we are all warmed up.  In fact, I'm even going to give you six weeks to do it.  Not because it is so hard, just because this mid-month thing is going to annoy me.  Month Two will run through April 2, and from now on we'll change it up on the first business day of each month.  This month's challenge was suggested by Jeff, who got the idea from his lovely wife Amanda (and according to Jeff, he "thinks she heard it on Oprah, or something").  Once a week, Jeff and Amanda have cereal for dinner and donate the money they would have spent on that meal to their local Children's Hospital.

So that's it.  The challenge this month is to make a sacrifice, just a small one, and donate the money you save to a children's charity of your choice.  Maybe the cereal for dinner idea works for you (it would be very popular with Mia), or maybe you could do pancakes instead.  If not, do something else.  Skip your Starbucks for a day and donate that three or four bucks to charity, or skip it once a week and donate fifteen bucks.  Do frozen pizza instead of delivery, there's at least ten dollars.  Don't buy those totally cute shoes that you really don't need and give that money to needy kids instead.

The idea isn't the amount of the donation, it's the action behind it.  It is a way to be grateful for all that we have, for all our good fortune (which most of us are so blessed with, even if we are not blessed with actual fortune).  It's walking the talk - giving up some small thing that we want but do not need to give something to kids who are in need.  I think it is also a great way to set an example for our own kids, and to get the older ones involved.  If they are old enough, talk to your kids about it and see if they are willing to give up dessert one night a week or some other small treat and instead donate that money to help other kids.

Now please, I am not suggesting that anybody give up anything they really need.  We all know where our luxuries are, and I think that even the tightest budgets probably have a dollar or two to spare just this once.

For me?  I'm going to try to make dinner at home every night for a month.  Now, this will certainly mean frozen pizzas and the like, but I am going to try hard to cut out the take out.  I can tell you right now I am going to fail, that I will not make it an entire month, but I'm going to give it my best effort.  I think it will mean spending a bit less than we usually do on food, so I'm going to average out what that has been over the last few months and any money I save will be donated to charity.  (And hopefully we'll get in the habit and next month the money we save will be donated to my bank account.)

So harder than last month, yes, but still not too hard.  You can make your donation to any charity you like, but if you are looking for a suggestion, check out Cheerful Givers.  Here's a description of what they do from their President, Karen Kitchel:

We’re a Minnesota-based organization that provides toy-filled birthday gift bags for children who are homeless or living in poverty on their birthday.  We learned there are many children who don’t even realize they have a birthday because it has never been celebrated.  So, with the help of thousands of volunteers, we create gift bags that are filled with a variety of toys and distribute them to shelters and food shelves so that parents (who are economically disadvantaged) can have a gift to give to their child on their one special day - their birthday.  Cheerful Givers remains transparent to the child so that the gift is from the parent.  The result is an increase in self esteem for both the child and the parent and a strengthening of the parent/child bond.  We believe every child is special and should be able to celebrate their birthday.

Good cause, yes?  And your couple bucks can help buy another toy or a gift bag and help give a kid a happy birthday.

On your marks, get set, GO!

Comments

[Jeff]

You know, honestly the cereal thing isn't that bad. We mix it up with a variety of boxes, and add things like fruit to it as well. Really, it's an easy meal once a week. (And as you indicted with Mia, the kids will love it too.)

Thanks for the shout out.

[Amanda]

I honestly find cereal night kinda fun...come on, who wouldn't? You don't have to plan :) Yes, we do change it up and add a few extras for the bunny too. We do warm cereal, cold cereal, sometimes toast or biscuits, fruit. AND we will do pancakes, etc. too!!! Thanks for the credit, Beth! And yes, my girlfriend heard about it on Oprah.

[jessica]

YAY! I love this month's idea.

And the change of the start/end dates too. I'm with you on the mid-month thing.

Can you pretty please email me stupid-person drections for how to get the banner onto my blog and link to you? I got the pic in the sidebar once but the spacing was all weird, then all the text turned too big.
thanx

[Amy H]

When we were kids, my dad frequently fed us cereal for dinner (or, rather, we fed ourselves)..it was more because we WERE charity than to help it, but we liked it either way. The Man wouldn't go for that, but I'm sure I could get him to give up fast food lunches for a week.

I wanted to add - it takes a lot more planning and work, but you can also hold a 'party' for Cheerful Givers, like I'm doing next week. They have details on their website. But, while I believe we all have something to give, I know for some of us, it just ain't time!

Good idea for the challenge Jeff/Amanda & Beth!

[ann adams]

We have cereal nights around here too.

I'll try but it may involve dropping change into the containers near cash registers where I shop.

It isn't the money, it's the remembering. If it's right in front of my nose, I'll do it.

[Much More Than A Mom]

We have "brupper" nights here regularly (breakfast for supper) but have never thought about it as saving money. I will now. This is a great idea!

[susan]

Um...do you mean 2 weeks? Because March 1 is 2 weeks away. Six weeks away is April 1. Just checking...

[shawna]

Whew! Boy and I glad we get to choose our scarafice because serving cold or hot cereal for breakfast here in this home would probably get costly in terms of a divorce LOL Yes, I have that picky a husband: meat for dinner or I won't hear the end of it LOL

So anyways, you have me think...as in smoking pouring from my ears LOL And I still plan to send out that card to the little boy trying to get as many as he can to beat a record...kicking myself in the butt to get in gear ;-)

[Margo]

I have a jar that I keep in the laundry room above the washer, and every day when I do the wash, I empty everyone's pockets full of spare change into the jar. At the end of the month, I head over to the bank where they turn this jar of change into cold hard cash. This "free money" averages about $30 every month, and I usually splurge, at the store of my choice, for something just for myself. I think it will give me a much more satisfied feeling to share that money with someone less fortunate, than spend it on a new book that I never get around to reading... And after 6 weeks of saving? Who knows how much I'll accumulate!

[Heather]

Grand idea, Miss Beth. For me it'll likely be giving up a (rare) trip to Starbucks - it's easy enough to make coffee at home, or have a friend over for tea instead of going out.

[Beth's Mom]

Shawna, will your man eat something like tuna casserole? That is a cheapie compromise.

We used to do this once a week during Lent when Beth and her bro were growing up. I would make a big deal out of putting the actual cash we saved into the mite boxes they had from Sunday School. Then, we would donate that cash to some charity that provided Easter dinner
for the homeless or whatever.

No one ever minded or complained about it. As Beth said, we had plenty to eat the rest of the week, and it reminded all of us how fortunate we were to know where our next meal was coming from even if it was cereal or Spaghettios!

[haley-o]

Great idea this month, Beth! I'll figure something out and let you know!

[sweets5260]

Okay I admit that I absolutely can't forgo the coffee. I am deciding to sacrifice buying this pretty necklace that I wanted but totally didn't need. And with that said, I am already feeling great about doing this. I was really touched to read how they celebrate birthdays for impoverished children, because celebrating holidays is so crucial in producing a whole, cultured person. I know some may disagree, but we all have things we celebrate even if they aren't technically holidays.

[Sam]

Oh my gosh. Please don't make me cry - children who don't know they have a birthday? No birthday fairies? No cupcakes at school? You know I am going to happily eat cereal/ramen noodles/peanut butter sandwiches just to make sure SOME sweet baby gets to know that their birthday is a very special day, indeed.

Even though I want to make it clear that it's not too much of sacrifice - I love ramen noodles, and Spaghetti-Os even more than that!

[Mrs. M]

On my next trip to Target, I'm going to give up the items on the Clearance rack that I feel I can't live without but will not even remember by the time I give the money!

[Kara]

My students and are bake-saling to raise $$ to buy school supplies for a school in Johannesburg, South Africa. One of my students went to South Africa last summer and fell in love with the kids there and wants to give back. I'll send the address of the agency if anyone is interested.

[Terri S]

I could so cry too how sad that children don't know they have a birthday. I am going to try to do this challange and I'm going to have the husband help too. We will probablly do two do Cheerful Givers and the Children's hospital because they saved our son's life. Hey, Beth could you send me the web site for Cheerful Givers I am having problems getting on. Thanks
Terri

[diane]

I'm late to the party, but count me in. I will try really, really hard to bring lunch to work every day. I know I will save lots of money that way. I will be more conscious of what else I can give up too.

[Laura]

I just finished my March blanket and am partway to finishing another one for April. My goal is one per month and knowing that you're doing good stuff motivates me to keep on knitting!