I guess I feel that the reward is the fact that the weight is gone. There are no worldly goods or possessions that can make that any more meaningful. The real reward should be how you feel inside.

Celebrating a milestone by spending money when you reach some predetermined number on the scale is totally optional and separate from the achievement of the loss itself. It's like a birthday. You're going to have your birthday whether you get a present or not. The present isn't what is important in the situation.

I LOVE Wal-Mart for clothes bargains, especially when I am in the process of losing weight and don't want to invest in a whole new expensive wardrobe just yet. And sure, it may be from Wal-Mart but I figure some cheap t-shirt that fits well is better than some old, more expensive shirt that hangs on me. It helps if you can actually take some time and really go through the clearance racks. Honestly, some of my favorite clothes and even shoes came from Wal-Mart and I even get compliments on them!

Thanks kaplods - that cracked me up. I know it wasn't intended as a joke, but it did make me laugh.

I want to applaud you for all your efforts. I have read many of your posts and I understand the struggles you are going through, yet you keep trying. That is so very admirable! And for what it's worth...I'm proud of you.

Thanks so much. It wouldn't say it wasn't (at least partially) intended as a joke. I think the only reason I am succeeding this time (even if it's a very slow kind of succeeding) is that I am willing to see the humor in the process (and the humor in even the worst aspects of my life, such as the pain and other symptoms of my fibromyalgia).

Humor is almost like oxygen to me, I wouldn't want to try to live without it.

I often wonder if at the root of it all, humor is the reason I'm succeeding this time (slowly succeeding, but succeeding nonetheless). I'm NOT taking myself nor my diet "too seriously" this time.

My weight loss isn't my top priority. Most of my life, I thought it had to be my top priority, if not my only priority, and I'd give up when I got sick of not having any life in my life. I supose brushing my teeth would start to drive me crazy, if it were my only priority (or even my top priority).

I do wish I'd learned some of this much younger, but I wouldn't be the me I am if I did, so in the end everything works out the way it's supposed to, I think.

My reward is going to be to walk into my younger sister's closet and

*ahem*

walk out wearing something that belongs to her.

She last did it to me in high school, and it's payback time, 20 years later.

I know what you mean about being poor! Even feeling poor isn't good. Everything in our culture seems to be an excuse to spend money, like we have no other entertainment for ourselves. Yes, it's a good idea to find other ways to treat yourself if you don't have money to blow on niceties. You might want to stop reading books about rich people because it will only depress you. It's the same with watching TV shows about celebrities and their lifestyles, it's a total waste of time and it doesn't help you any either. I hope you're happy with your weight loss and find some 'treats' that do make you happy!

I am poor, too. I have a lot of expensive medical expenses.....but I can afford a bar of Yardley's English Lavender Soap for $1 at the dollar store, you can also get Max Factor Lipstick at the same place for $1 and many other items, I can get a plant for my garden for less than $5, at CVS or Orchard Supply. the list is endless of the inexpensive but extra special for not much money. I go shopping for a gift for myself just like a I would for a friend.

It's true that dollar stores (Yankee Dollar, Dollar General, etc) have all sorts of goofy, fun things... I personally load up on silly socks when I'm there, that's my weakness!

This isn't for everyone, but this sure works for me - my hobby is fish! Not just any fish, but betta fish (the Siamese ones with the billowing tails that fight themselves in the mirror.) They are inexpensive, smart, low-maintenance and excellent company. Most of my "splurge money" goes toward my hobby of landscaping my little guy's tank (you can get neat ornaments and new kinds of pebbles for under $5.)

I'm blessed to have lots of good friends, but sometimes, at the end of the day, there's just nothing like seeing my little guy show off his fins to greet me when I come in the room. It's cheap and rewarding to keep a betta

Freecycle is also a great resource. People request and offer items for free, the goal to keep the stuff out of landfills. Sometimes people request or offer big items like laptops computers, appliances, cars... I've even seen an offer for an older mobile home.

Craig's list and newspaper ads are also great sources for free/cheap stuff.

Hubby and I have decluttered to a large degree when we recently moved, and we've made a pact that nothing comes into the house unless something of equal volume leaves the house.

We borrow a lot of movies, books, and music from the library. Last Sunday we went to the local libraries book sale on its last day ($5 per bag, all the books you can fit into a double bagged grocery sack).

Usually, I walk away from that sale with 3 grocery bags, but in honor of the equal volume rule, I will be donating most of them back to the library after I've read them. Any I keep, I'll find something in my collection to donate (I'm a book addict, especially reference and craft books).

Crafty Rewards!

If you can crochet...pick up a ball of yarn...it's $1.97. I make cute hair accessories in no time..usually right before I walk out the door..Using just a chain and a single stitch..or if you a yarn addict friend..ask for their scraps..it doesn't take much for a small headband. (I can't link yet..so I can't place the pattern here)

Tulle is $.97-$1.97 a yard at walmart...sometimes it's on sale at a fabric store for .40 a yard..so check out next time you're around one.. You can cut small rectangle pieces..layer them...tie a ribbon around the center of the rectangle as tight as you can...and you got a cute new bow! Tie another knot almost closed...but leave an extra small loop and slip it through the top of a bobby pin...(or use hot glue)..tadah! Cute new hair thingy! (I bought a fourth of a yard =.25 cents and made at least 6 bows...I bought them to dress up a perfume I was giving to my friends)

Little more than $5..but will go far in the rewards!
Cute Beads or Buttons: $.97-$2.00 or so
3 n 1 Pliers (craft section): $3.97
Craft Wire...near the colored pipe cleaners:$2.97
Ear Wires..near beads: $1.97
Use the craft wire & pliers to make a loop through the holes of the bead, bring the 2 ends of the wire up towards each other and twist together...cut with pliers and smash down the pointy ends. Then use the pliers to slightly open up the loop on the earring wire and put your new bead on there...twist the loop on the earring back to it's original spot. Then you have an earring. There's all sorts of tutorials on youtube. Search wire wrapping earring. Depending on how many pairs of earrings and buttons you get...you could have up to 10 or more new pairs of earrings!

Buy a plain charm bracelet from walmart (craft section) $1.97-$2.97
Jump rings (like keyrings but way tiny-er) $.97-2.00 something
Buttons: $1-$3

Slide the jump rings through the hole on the button (like you do your keys)..then through the link on the bracelet...keep going til the end. Now you have a new button bracelet and it's cute too!

I could go on and on....

If you're not the least bit crafty and need a pick me up...don't hesitate to message me...I will send some crafty goodness your way through snail mail. Making things is my hobby and I love it!

Carlee

For me saving my money from that extra 20 candy bars or case of diet pepsi is going to tanning for the summer. I'm poor as well and every penny i save and use that towards something i want

Raichu - I keep fish too! I only have one betta right now, a black lace male crown tail. He is an absolute stunner! I also have 2 - 20 gallon tanks (Endlers & Shrimp in one and Dwarf puffers & an albino bristle nose pleco in the other) and a 55 gallon (mbuna cichlids and another albino BN pleco). I always want more.

I also spend money on my hobbies, fish, dogs and crafts. It's not usually a lot but I eventually save up enough for that new filter for the tanks or an agility competition for my dogs. And as pointed out above, yarn is fairly cheap.

When we're poorer then dirt (which is usually lately) my treats are sleeping in and a long warm bath with a good book. Another one I really enjoy is taking my dogs down to the off leash area (dog park). Just watching them run always makes me laugh and it's a very natural area, I love walking there in the trees. In the summer we go down to the river and the dogs love to play in the water.

I've been rewarding myself left and right mostly because I now want to wear clothes that aren't jeans and tshirts! So I've been buying lots of clothes, and jewelry and shoes to go with it. But I have a ton of stuff I need to pay for in the next 3 months so I've made a goal of not buying anything besides food & necessities for 4 weeks, starting last Friday. I got a spa package from my boyfriend for Valentine's Day so I'm using that as my reward when I hit the -40lb mark.

I think my strategy is going to not allow myself to buy junk (clothes, dvds, etc) on a regular basis but to plan bigger things, activities or presents, for larger losses, if that makes sense.

I've decided to try not to buy any more clothes until I make goal now...I have enough clothes to get through summer (I might have to get some sundresses at the thrift store or some shorts or something, but no new stuff). I'm going to take myself clothes shopping in the fall and hope to be in some crazy small size after I've hit goal and toned all summer.

I am going to try to look for clothes in my target size now, though, at garage sales and thrift stores. It's not a huge risk, I wear a loose 14 now, and my daughter wears a 10 (and she would like to lose a size too), so buying 12s, 10s, and 8s (say, at $1 a pair of pants) would not be a bad thing. And, we have friends who could really use a free pair of pants if they don't fit right or if we blow through that size. So, I think I will build up a "box" of 4 pairs of jeans and a few pairs of slacks and some shorts and skirts ind some colors in each size as I'm transitioning down and as she's growing, and this will save the panic purchases that are made that cost so much money. (this is different than having fat clothes to rely on, I will NEVER have that again!)

Some people call me cheap, but I prefer to call myself frugal/thrifty. Here is a list of little rewards I give myself on a regular basis:

1. Long hot bubble bath, complete with a good book, face mask and hot oil treatment w/a lovely plastic shower cap for my hair.

2. DD22 and my gfs color each others hair. I compiled a hair color "kit" about 8-10 years ago. Everybody kicks in $5 a head for supplies. We have hair coloring parties complete w/potluck snacks and drinks.

3. New songs for my ipod, around $1 each. Mainly fun new workout songs or just updating my ipod with my favorite podcasts--free!

4. A walk with a friend with our dogs-free.

5. Our local library has a book & magazine swap/freebie hall. You can donate your unused stuff or you can take what you want--free! I also work at a library. If I am even remotely interested in something, there's a book about it. Lately I have been requesting cookbooks and trying all sorts of new recipes for my crockpots (I have 3--I'm obsessed) and my new breadmaker. And yep, you guessed it, they're free! If your library does not own the item you want, request if from your library's interlibrary loan department--they'll get if for you from another library free! You can always write down the recipes you like or even buy the book if you like it enough. I also check out DVDs from the library or request them from Interlibrary Loan--yep, it's free!

6. Go thrift store hunting! DD and I love thrift stores! Sometimes you find something great and sometimes you just have a laugh at how awful it is, either way it's great fun.

7. A good nights sleep on freshly washed sheets, usually in conjunction with #1.

8. Trying on clothes in my closet that may be my tighter clothes and admiring how they are now looser. I'm a dork I know!

This journey has been all about replacing the loathing I used to have for myself/weight with finding fun/pleasure every day. I'm treating myself all the time--with good, healthy food, plenty of rest and exercise that makes me feel great afterward. I take good care of myself. I am totally worth it, I deserve it!