I’ve been blessed to travel on mission trips to Africa, and I’m planning my fourth trip in August. You may wonder how a small-town librarian affords such a venture. And so, I’ve put pencil to paper to demonstrate how small behavior changes grew my mission fund.
I stopped grabbing breakfast at my favorite drive-through restaurant. The average cost was $3.27 per day. Multiply that figure times five days per week = $10.60 and you’ll discover that I save $850.00 annually by eating breakfast at home.
I decided to pack my lunch. If I buy lunch at a cheap fast-food restaurant, the expense is about $6.00 per day. The lunch I prepare from home is estimated to cost about $2.00. There are many days, I eat left-overs, so $20 savings per week is a conservative estimate that yields and annual saving of $1040.
I gave up sodas in 2013. I did this for health reasons, but at three sodas per day at a cost of .58 cents each. ($1.74 x 7 days per week) $12.18 x 52 weeks = $633.36. Today, I drink water that costs next to nothing.
I used to replenish my skin care products about once per quarter at my favorite department store. The minimum cost was about $100.00 for a moisturizer and a bottle of makeup. I won’t include the extras such as eye-shadow, blush, and mascara. I decided to switch to drugstore brands and cut the cost in half. Instead of $400 per year. I spend $200 and save $200.00.
I’ve had my hair highlighted for years every other month at the local hair salon. The cost was $80. To color my hair at home, it costs $9.00, saving me $71.00 six times a year which total to $426.00
To summarize:
- Breakfast & coffee at home: $850
- Brown bagging lunch $1040
- Giving up sodas: $633.36
- Using drugstore brand skin care products $200.00
- Home hair-color products $426
Grand Total: $3149.36 which is enough to pay for a mission trip to Africa.
I don’t consider any of the choices listed above to be a sacrifice. Today, I eat healthier and save money.
If you want to go on a mission trip, but don’t have the funds, I challenge you to look at your spending habits and open a saving account. The money will add up, and before you know it, you’ll be on your way.
