Yesterday I started a Money Box game with the No More Boxes Movement. Every day this month each participant is given a specified amount of imaginary money to spend that day. It starts at $10 and doubles every day.
Why am I doing the money box game?
It’s fun, yet I know I’m going to be challenged. Today as I write this I’m trying to work out what to spend my $20 on and I’m already in confusion! Do I spend it on myself or my family? Should I get something for the house that we need, or as do I treat this as extra money and therefore it’s a treat which I wouldn’t usually use on household expenditure?
The Money Box Game is designed to release you from negative associations and beliefs around wealth and money. How much we should or shouldn’t have.
Limiting beliefs are just that – limiting. Yet we all have them. They unconsciously hold us back from moving forward, often keeping us stuck for long periods of time. Many of mine over the years, and those of clients I’ve worked with, have been around money.
- Not having enough money
- Believing I’m not worthy to have money to do the things I want to do
- Having so much debt it overwhelms everything else including all the amazing things I do have
- Seeing others do things I’d love to do and feeling frustrated
- Believing what others believe about money and how it should be used/invested
- Believing others have more than enough and should be helping struggling family members out
I’m not expecting to share all my money story here in these pages over the course of the next month but I did want to capture my thoughts, feelings, and the things that come up for me and what I notice about those playing the money game. I’ve shared a lot in my book, Passion is not Enough, if you’re interested in learning more about a big part of my recent money story. I don’t even know if I’ll share what I choose to spend my money on with you every day. I’ll see. Would it help you to know what I choose to spend my money on? Or will that trigger something in you about the way I’m choosing to spend my imaginary money? Interesting concept isn’t it? 😉
What interests you about money?
We learn at a young age, that “money makes the world go round”. Our parents talk about money. They tell us we can have things, or can’t because of how much they cost. We’re encouraged to save some of the money we’re given “for a rainy day”, “for the future”, “for something you want”, and we maybe learn a little about money management.
My teenage children are very different in the way they’ve approached money. One spending everything (and more when he’s borrowed from his brother!), he’s got the moment it lands in his hands; the other saving saving saving and not wanting to spend even a few pounds for something that he needs (he gets a clothing allowance, but you should have seen the state his underpants got to before he’d buy new ones!….in fact, maybe it’s a good idea that you don’t!), as it seems not valuable enough.
When I was a teenager I worked and earnt money primarily from babysitting. I saved and saved for things I really wanted. I knew I wanted to go travelling so I saved what I could, but I also went out with friends and it feels like I went to the cinema every week (proportionately it wasn’t as expensive as it is now). So I felt very well off in my own world.
As a University student I travelled in the summer holidays and worked in the other holidays as a waitress. I used all the overdraft allowance I was offered by the banks to do the things I wanted to do as I had this KNOWING that I would pay it all off once I started working and earning. I felt freedom and didn’t restrict myself and my spending, but now, looking back, I know that I was focusing on what I really wanted – to travel and see the world.
Right now what interests me is not going back over my money story since that freedom I felt as a student, but what I can learn about myself through this game in the next 30 days. As I said, day 2 is already challenging me in how to spend my money (you have to spend your allowance every day. You can’t save it, or buy stocks and shares). Why is $20 harder to spend than $10 which was easy for me yesterday – I took myself (in my imagination), to a favourite cafe and bought coffee and cake (probably 2 coffees if I’m honest with the calculations and the size of the cakes they serve!).
I’m interested in how the things to do with money have more impact than say things to do with education or relationships. Yes I know that money can have an impact of both of those things. But why does “money” have such a different feel about it? If I can help my son’s understand what’s happened on my journey, maybe they can make more informed choices and not ever feel stuck by money.
As a family we’re doing this game. The boys said, “what’s the point?”, to which my husband and I said, “it’s going to be fun and interesting”. Let’s see what we all learn from this experience. I think they’ve already started looking which fancy cars they might get as we get further through the month! 😉
Want to join me?
The reason for sharing this journey with others is so we can support each other to take a look at whatever limiting beliefs and stories we’ve been telling ourselves over the years. You may know I’m a listener and coach, so I’m used to supporting others and helping them hear what’s in their minds as they talk things through. All the leaders of the No More Boxes Movement, Runa and Nick ask is that you start on the day you join in at so everyone is spending the same amount each day. So if you join today you’ll have $20 (or £ if you choose to work like my family are). Simple to join, just sign up here: https://www.nomoreboxesmovement.com/themoneybox
We know that as in the UK we head into another lockdown having money is a real issue for some. If you’d like to join in but don’t have $11 to be able to use on this game this month please get in touch with Nick & Runa saying you’d like to join. They’ll work out a way you can join and be part of this interesting, challenging game.
The #NoMoreBoxes Movement & Methodology Challenges the age-old habit of putting people into boxes based on simple and narrow stereotypes.