[konfyoozed]

I started doing this a little while ago, and it has been a pretty big help for some of the various things I've gotten.

If you are anything like me, you got to be in the 100lb club by enjoying some serious junk on a regular basis. I got here, most likely, because of my late night snacking and thrice weekly fast food dinners.

I won't lie, I still want the fast food, pizza, Chinese, (even Ben and Jerry's!) what have you, that is super high in calories, fat, sodium, etc. HOWEVER, what I've started doing is when that craving is pretty strong, I'll take the money I would have spent on my fast food meal (usually $5 or $10) and stick it in a jar, then go make something healthy. When I want new fitness gear (work out clothes, dvds, gadgets, home equipment), I have a stash of cash to go to!

Though it might be nice to use that as my reward cash for things like mani/pedis when I hit bench marks too.

something funny: my fast food jar is a tostitos salsa con queso jar.

I don't know if this will be helpful to anyone but I thought I'd share.

[CHUNKEY_MUNKEY]

great idea !!!!

[linJber]

I think this is a great idea! And I love the fact that it's a salsa jar you're using to hold your cash stash. I always said this was a mental game. Once your head is in place, the rest is easier. This is a great mental trick! Now you have a way to get the things you'd like to have and not put a strain on the household budget. Just be sure to keep that money for special things. It should be off limits for bills unless there are totally dire circumstances. Great idea! Great, great. I think this is what you need to get totally back into the swing of things like you were last year. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Lin

[konfyoozed]

it doesn't have too much in it right now cause i raided it to buy a couple things (i needed new sports bras)... but i only put the money in when the "i want ___" is so strong that in the past i would have gone out to buy it. it didn't mess up my money then, so i doubt it will now... and next time it builds up to about $30 i'll be getting the book "new rules of lifting for women" and a women's health "big book of exercises" to help me better utilize my free weights.

[Katy Did]

I love this idea!

[konfyoozed]

i would like to give credit to my grandmother for this one.

i am 28 years old, and every time i've gone to her house she's had a swear jar. nobody is exempt from dropping money in. at least a quarter but you can't 'make change' in the jar. in the past she was donating the money to her church. but now she uses it as her christmas baking money, cause she has to mail everything out now since we're all scattered, and she's starting to collect grandchildren-in-law and great grandbabies.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

That's a great idea, MANDY ... luv it!!!

[junebug44]

I LOVE THIS! Going to start my own...

[Daimere]

I've been tempted to do something like that with pounds lost. A $1 for every pound.

[gloo]

I love the idea of taking money that would have been spent unhealthily and using it for something fun. I also have heard of people saving money in a jar each time they lose a pound (or five, or ten...whatever the increment) toward a reward at the end. Either way..fun and motivating!