Should It Stay or Should It Go Now

In the Tended Life experiment, we try habits or practices on for size for a month or so before deciding what to do with them.

1. Was this enough time to evaluate impact?

2. Was it enjoyable?

3. What was challenging?

4. What was beneficial?

5. ROI: Was it worth it?

6. Do we want to continue doing it?

7. What modifications are needed to make it sustainable?

Was this enough time to evaluate impact?

Yes.

Was it enjoyable?

In many ways, yes.

What was challenging?

• Spending less money sometimes requires spending more time. That can be particularly challenging on weeknights.

• We missed having a budget for a date night or two while our youngest child was at scheduled activities.

What was beneficial?

• We were more creative with meals.

• We noticed and leaned into simple pleasures.

• We had meaningful conversations with our daughter about what is truly valuable.

• In addition to reducing spending, we reduced the packaging waste that had to be managed. Only one box arrived at the door all month.

• Reducing household inventory (freezer, pantry) was positive. We don’t want to store more than we can easily access and remember to use.

ROI: Was it worth it?

Definitely. We exceeded the spending reduction goal we set before the experiment. This created margin for both saving and sharing.

Do we want to continue doing it?

In an adapted version, yes.

What modifications are needed to make it sustainable?

Our budget for future months will allow for considered expenses while continuing to resist excess consumption.

Are you thinking about a Slow Spend Month? Ready to give it a shot or reflect on what you learned from your last one?