Chocolate. Meat. Sugar. These are some of the most common indulgences given up for Lent, the 40-day season of preparation that leads up to Easter Sunday.
It’s a time when many Christians honor Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of giving up his life by making a small sacrifice of their own.
Because Lent has long been associated with traditional fasting, it’s no surprise many people turn automatically to food when choosing how they’ll recognize the season, which begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5th this year).
If giving up candy for 40 days works for you, keep it up. However, if your Lent sacrifice has become routine and expected—or if you’ve never tried giving something up for Lent—perhaps you should consider doing something a little different this year, like making a sacrifice that hits your wallet more than your waistline.
Let’s be clear: Lent in its purest form is about growing closer to God. It’s about being thankful for what we have and recognizing that all of our best efforts will never come close to matching the sacrifice Jesus made 2,000 years ago. At its heart, Lent is about our spiritual state.
That being said, a 40-day sacrifice can naturally have a positive effect on our physical, emotional and even financial health as well.
Here are seven Lent-inspired ideas that could help get you back on spiritual and financial track at the same time.
If you carry around cash that inevitably ends up in a vending machine or fast food restaurant, commit to giving up $5 a day during Lent. Set it aside and drop it in the offering plate on Easter Sunday. You will have accumulated $200 by then.
Have you fallen into the habit of using a credit card the wrong way? Consider Lent your chance to get a fresh start. Fast from all plastic-swiping and only use cash or debit. This will give you a chance to pay down those credit card bills that get out of hand so quickly.
Fast from TV, or from a particular show you’re especially fond of watching. Use that extra time to pray, study what the Bible says about money or sit down with your family to set some financial goals for the rest of the year.
Stop eating out for 40 days. If you eat out once a week, you’re only sacrificing five or six trips to your favorite restaurant, but that could add up to hundreds of dollars in savings. Force yourself to get creative on nights when you’d normally go out. Then use the money you save to pay down debt, beef up your savings or give to a worthy cause.
Fast from the mall. Shop only for groceries and other essentials. Skip any frivolous clothing, home décor and electronics purchases, even small ones. “Retail therapy” usually isn’t therapeutic in the long run. If you tend to turn to the store for stress relief or entertainment, find an alternative that’s free, like going for a walk or calling that friend who always makes you laugh.
Temporarily say goodbye to social media and/or addictive games. Have you ever logged how much time you spend on Facebook, Farmville and the like? Sure, most social media and internet games are technically free, but they tend to be huge time-wasters. What could you be doing instead of crushing candy, killing pigs and aimlessly scrolling through your news feed? Maybe you could pick up some odd jobs and make a little extra cash. Or do any number of other things that are far more productive than staring at a computer screen.
If you buy Powerball or scratch-off tickets on a regular basis, fast from the lottery during Lent. (
Click here to see why you may want to make this a permanent fast).
Whether you give up chocolate, red meat or Instagram, remember not to do it in your own strength. When you’re tempted to indulge, pray for help. God promises to provide a way out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). And if you do stumble, don’t be discouraged. Give your plan a reboot and keep going, and you may find yourself making—or breaking—a habit by Easter.
