Turning the Feb 28 Boycott Into a Full 40-Day Spending Fast

Since we’re also coming up on Lent (March 5 - April 17), I’ve been reflecting on how this could be more than just skipping purchases for a day. I’m Catholic, and even though I’m not super strict, I take Lent seriously—it’s a time of sacrifice, reflection, and giving back. And a huge part of Lent isn’t just giving something up, but also doing something meaningful for my community.

This year, I’ve decided to extend the February 28 boycott into a full 40-day fast from consumerism. But this isn’t just about personal discipline—it’s about taking back power. We live in a system where a handful of massive corporations, especially in tech and retail, dictate our choices, extract wealth from us, and undermine democracy in the process. The more we mindlessly consume, the more control we hand over to them. The way we spend—or don’t spend—matters. The goal here isn’t just to break personal habits; it’s to push back against the oligarchy that thrives on keeping us addicted to convenience and disconnected from our own communities.

I want to be as strict as possible— I want to challenge myself to cut out everything unnecessary and see what changes. That means:

  • No impulse shopping, no retail therapy, no mindless Amazon orders
  • Avoiding big corporations whenever possible—no Amazon, no Walmart, no Target, no Starbucks, no fast fashion. FARMERS MARKETS! Local grocery stores!
  • Cooking at home instead of ordering takeout unless it’s from a small/local place and only on Sunday. NOTE: thank you to the comments that emphasize that we need to start supporting small businesses. Given my financial situation, I have to overall limit my spending, but the goal is to really help local businesses so I’m gonna make a concerted effort to support them only.
  • If I buy something unnecessary, I have to give up something I already own—if I cave and buy a piece of clothing, I have to donate one
  • If I give in and get takeout, I have to fast for one full day to make up for it AND throw away a clothing item
  • If I do shop, it needs to be on a Sunday since technically Sundays during Lent don’t count as part of the 40 day fast. I will still adhere to the other guidelines
  • Ash Wednesday & Good Friday – Mandatory fasting (one full meal, two small meals, no meat is typical)
  • Fridays in Lent – No meat (some fast entirely)

So I’m curious—what are you all planning for Lent this year? Is anyone else thinking about taking on a spending fast or something similar? If you’ve done something like this before, what was the experience like for you?

And of course, ANYONE can participate. We used to have fish frys at our local Newman center and would get the community together just to eat fried fish. We said a little prayer, but we didn’t jam our faith down anyone’s throats. Again, it’s just about community and service.

“Service is love made visible” — Stephen Colbert

Sincerely,
A Catholic who actually remembers the First AND MOST IMPORTANT Commandment

PS: Peace be with you.

Update: After that fucking shit fest at the White House today, I broke the spending rule and donated to Ukraine. Not that I technically break it? Not really. I just wanted to make everybody aware to donate. Ukraine deserves better, and we deserve a better president than that fucking piece of garbage that we have now.

https://u24.gov.ua http://war.ukraine.ua

🇺🇦Слава Україні! Героям слава! 🇺🇦