Resolution To Give Up, Get Back

by Somna

Every year at this time we make promises under the guise of a New Years Resolution that we promise to follow the whole year. And sometime after, for me within a few weeks, I break from that pledge.

I have been thinking about this and feel that Resolutions need two parts. The promise made, and the reward received.

Here is the story of a New Years Resolution I made, and the instant reward I received: give something up, but get back more.

How many of us go to work each day, or meet with friends at a "Big Name" coffee house, and spend over $4.00 for a coffee?

Each morning before going to the office, my lovely wife would make a pot of coffee to start our day. She put some in a travel mug for me to enjoy on my way to work. She had some herself, and threw the rest away. We decided not to waste the remainder, and I started to take a thermos to work. My colleagues made fun of the idea until I explained the math.

They were spending $4.00 on a cup of coffee, and buying two or more a day. I explained that the average person works 261 days per year. With holidays and vacation, they are in the office 250 days each year. If they buy just one cup of coffee at the Big Name shop each day, they are spending $1,000.00 per year. Two cups comes to $2,000.00 per year, and so on.

Now my thermos doesn't look so funny!

The reward for giving up one Big Name cup of coffee a day is putting $4.00 into my savings. Yes, here is the banking side of me talking. What does an extra $1,000.00 or more a year in savings or reduced debt mean for me? I gave up one small thing, and saw instant results!