Starbucks in the morning, Panera for lunch, dinner out, ice cream… this all adds up easily to at least $40 spent in one day. This was easily a day for me in America. This is not including the money spent on transportation and lodging costs.
Did you know that each month world race teams are given a budget? And according to that budget we have usually $4 to $5 a day for food?
It's real!!!
We really do live on a $5 a day food budget; or to break that down it's about $1.66 per meal. Some months it's very doable, other's it seems impossible and we're scraping up change just to buy one apple OR using personal money to supplement. We have to keep track of what we spend and have learned to be thrifty.
(we spend a lot of time at the market getting fresh fruits and vegetables)
Living on this food budget and being aware of the fact that we only live on about $12 a day including lodging and transportation has definitely changed my thinking as far as spending goes. Is it possible to only spend $5 or less per day on food in America? OR live on $12 per day? Probably not so much, but I can be less consumeristic. I know there are a lot of things that are not a need, they are simply a want. Most of the time I want Starbucks coffee- I don't need it, my coffee pot works just fine at home.
God calls us to be good stewards of what HE has given us. During the first six months as team treasurer having to watch the budget and be aware of what we we're spending is a good lesson in stewardship. Knowing that so many people have given to help us be here; overseas living on a small budget so we can partner with those around the world who are building God's kingdom. God has blessed us and is teaching us to live for HIM not for the daily things that only satisfy in the moment.
We might be living on very little, but along the way we are gaining much more than we could have ever asked or imagined.
