This year for Lent, my roommate and I once again decided to give up caffeine for 40 days (which is actually 47-ish days including Sundays). It has already been quite a difficult process. I remember my experience last year.

The headaches...

The long, sleepy days...

The stab to the heart every time another friend got an iced mocha...

But despite the frustration (and occasional tears), I do realize how important it is for me to give up caffeine for these 47 days. I have become 1. addicted to caffeine, and 2. I love coffee, bought or brewed at home, but I especially like to buy iced coffee.

Not buying coffee the past few weeks has definitely helped me save money (despite the fact I have fallen back onto raspberry/vanilla Italian cream sodas... but at least they are cheaper than coffee, and I don't buy them every day!), which I know my wallet will appreciate later down the road.

I have also been a lot better about drinking enough water every day. I guess when you don't have a coffee to sip on, your water bottle is a great substitute.

Giving up caffeine has also helped me with knowing that I can live without caffeine keeping me awake. Even harder than just giving up coffee was also giving up teas -- because several teas are also caffeinated, I have to check all packages before I pour myself a cup of tea, to make sure it isn't accidentally a caffeinated tea.

Thankfully, my roommate gave up caffeine as well. And while we both have our off days where we threaten the other that we are going to go get a coffee, we are able to keep each other in check. Even when our friends tempt us by saying they'll buy us a coffee (and I am totally keeping a tally of how many each person owes me at this point), we have been able to resist thus far!