Living on A Dollar A Day: A Banta!

It's finished. It has been finished for about eleven hours.

Before I reflect on the last month, let me share how I spent every last dalasi of what I was allotted.

Sunday, April 17: Day 31
I was still at the Basse House, our refuge where we can sometimes have electricity, sometimes have cold water, sometimes have fan power. However, as it often is, the power didn't ever come on during the day, so we just sat and waited and sweated. The pump that we drink out of is also run by Basse power, so we didn't even have potable water. In order to compensate for all the sweat I poured, I needed water. It's biology. So, I sent someone with four dalasis to buy me two bags of water (about a liter).
Item: Water bags (2) Cost: 4D Remaining: 10D

Thus, the trek started. I went to my friend Sunny's house first, and relied on her hospitality and generosity to house and feed me. Thank god, she's an impeccable host, thus, I spent no money. One day left, and ten dalasis.

Tuesday, April 19: Day 33
Second day of the trek, and I went to my friend Trish's house. She was also an impeccable host, feeding me benachin and dancing the benachin dance to celebrate the delicacy we were consuming. However, since she knew this was the last few hours of my dollar a day, AND I had ten dalasis left, we would splurge. And buy a delicious, slightly cool, Coca Cola is a glass bottle.
Item: Coca Cola Cost: 10D Remaining: 0D

Later that night, we were looking for entertainment. So, we entered a hut with a generator attached that was showing a football game. We agreed if they asked us for money, we would plead ignorance and then leave. luckily, no one did!
Item: Viewing of 0-0 tie football match between Manchester and Newcastle Cost: 0D! Remaining: 0D

So, it's finished. I made it without going over my meager wages, but JUST BARELY. Let's reflect and discuss what I've learned and how I'm going to be a better person after this experiment.

Revelation #1: It's hard to be social when you are under such a strict budget. Hanging out with people often involves food, drinks, activities, most of which cost money. I never made this connection before, but this could be a very good reason people of similar economic statuses hang together. Even though we all get paid the same, hanging out with Peace Corps volunteers was difficult, because they had more disposable income to spend than I did. I ended up hanging out in village more than usual, because travel and activities cost money.

Revelation #2: You're always worried about money. Even though I had more money, since I was prohibited from spending it. I have to imagine I worried much less than people who only HAVE one dollar a day. Small events can make a huge differences in a person's finances, and I was often worried about what something would entail. Even eating lunch at school has hidden costs sometimes, and when that comes up too often, it's trouble.

Revelation #3: I prepared a lot for this. I spent some money to stock up so that I was at least slightly comfortable for most of it, and never had to go without basic necessities. But, if an emergency ever came up, and money was stolen or it all had been spent, I'd be IN TROUBLE. Without my stocking up on oatmeal, phone credit, and other things I use all the time but don't need, I would be WAY over. I spent money on food very few times, and both times it was pretty expensive. If someone sneak attacked me and said, "You must do a dollar a day for the next thirty days, starting today!", I'd be screwed. I would probably get way skinnier and never go anywhere.

So, it was hard. In general, I could still do the things i wanted to do, but had to make a few concessions along the way. The only reason it wasn't impossible was the prep. without that, I don't think I would have made it.

A SAD EPILOGUE

You'd think I have learned to go without some things, or appreciate spending less money. But, as soon as I rolled into Basse on the first day of financial freedom, I immediately bought four cans of coke to stock pile, and a giant thing of juice, adding up to a third of the cost of my entire month. Maybe in a few days I'll even out and spend less but not none, but right now I'm splurging. And those cokes were SO WORTH IT.