'The Surprising Thing I'm Giving Up for Lent This Year'

Woman using credit card to buy something on Facebook Marketplace

The great thing about Lent (if you choose to partake in it) is that you’re the one who gets to decide what item or act you’re going to give up. Nobody orders you to stop eating chocolate. No one commands you to stay off of social media. No one tells you that you can’t watch Netflix. If you decide to partake in Lent, it’s 100% your choice to choose what you want to go without for six weeks.

Because of that, sometimes it can be hard to pick. You can go the easy route and give up something you won’t miss that much that won’t be that difficult for you to follow through with, or you can completely commit by cutting out something that actually requires you to practice self-discipline from Ash Wednesday (February 14) until March 28.

So what did I decide to give up? It’s probably going to sound like an odd choice if you don’t know me. However, if you do know me, then you’ll understand why I chose to give up Facebook Marketplace for Lent this year.

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Giving Up Facebook Marketplace for Lent

Like most girls, I love to shop. And while I do enjoy going to actual stores, my go-to place over the years has been Facebook Marketplace. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve always lived in really magical, eccentric cities (like Manhattan, Brooklyn and Orange County, where I’ve always been able to find amazing hidden gems listed), but I’ve become overly obsessed with the app and spent quite a bit of money on it.

In fact, I’ve found a majority of my home decor from there. I’ve bought my fair share of unique pieces, like a gumball machine, a quirky leopard character rug, a hot pink Alexander the Great bust (that my husband and I drove an hour away to pick up), and a starburst crystal floor lamp (that we almost couldn’t fit into our car).

I’ve also gotten furniture items that were in rough shape—like $20 side tables and a cute table lamp that I DIYed and upcycled—as well as amazing pieces that I bought way below their price points—like a full-length floor mirror for $70, a fuchsia Mosier velvet storage bench for $50, a white faux-fur area rug for $20, a desk for $35, and a set of gold finished emerald green bar stools for $60.

However, the best bargain I’ve ever gotten was when I purchased a pair of mustard-colored Lilly Velvet accent chairs that typically cost around $200 a piece, for $40 each.

Related: 'Instead of Giving Something Up for Lent, Here's What I'm Adding to My Plate'

And while I always have fun hunting for home accents and furniture on Facebook Marketplace, I know that I spend way too much of my free time scrolling on it each day.

Sometimes I’ll catch myself looking through it multiple times during the day, and other times I’ll open it to check for one thing and end up browsing for an hour. Because of this, I’ve realized my love of Facebook Marketplace has reached an unhealthy level and I have become borderline addicted to it. That’s why I have decided to give it up for Lent this year.

To help make the process easier for me, I deleted the app from my phone in hopes that I’ll be less tempted to browse and buy something if I have to actually open up my laptop to do so. I know it will be challenging for me at first, but that’s what Lent is all about. Plus, it’ll allow me to be more present and save me some money as well.

Who knows? Maybe once Lent is over, online shopping (specifically on Facebook Marketplace) won’t even be one of my favorite activities anymore! Instead, maybe I’ll have replaced it with another hobby, or I’ll just enjoy getting on there when I’m bored. Only time will tell!

Next: 125 Hobbies for Women That Will Give You a Fun Break From the Daily Grind