Think, Save, Smile
1. Meal Plan. Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan. No, I don't have proof it's saving us money yet. But I am almost 98% sure it is. When I have the time, I must just go through our bank statements like a nerd to figure the figures to make sure. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy using all my groceries, having a plan, and not letting anything go to waste. Oh yeah, and making some AWESOME food I'd otherwise forget to make or not have the right ingredients for. Tonight, I'm making a herb roast chicken and spicy sweet potato & coconut soup. YES. PLEASE.
2. Buying boxes of cards instead of individual cards. $4 for a single greeting card? Are you kidding me? Sure, they're funny/cute/memorable. But are they really worth it in the end when I want to write my own message anyway? I think not.
3. Budgeting for gifts. I always find myself with something I wasn't expecting: baby showers, birthdays, Valentine's day, etc. And then it's scramble, scramble, stress, stress trying to fit everything in. Not anymore.
4. Keeping track of my spending as it is. I've begun this whole list keeping thing since I can no longer remember anything...a combination of stress, pregnancy, and probably just life in general catching up to me. I want to also start writing down EVERYTHING I spend. Maybe not for the rest of my life. But definitely until I feel like I know where my money is going.
5. Not giving in to my spending urges. A.k.a. "Carrying it around the store for 10 minutes." Remember my TJMaxx post and what I said about carrying my purchases around the store until reality sets in and I can really see if it's something I need vs. something I just really want? Well...this applies to things I can't literally carry around the store too. It's called WAITING and putting a good amount of thought into things rather than PANIC PURCHASE syndrome.
6. Bringing a made lunch to school. I already do this. I made myself get into the habit last fall. It has probably saved us thousands of dollars. No, really. THOUSANDS (note: slight sarcasm but mostly dead seriousness). This is a habit I will continue. And I will continue to cringe as I watch my classmates not heed my advice and buy lunches/dinners/whatevers daily. And I cannot stop myself from calculating the calorie intake/cash outtake going on there. Oy.
Some of these probably seem very "well no DUH" but they're so easy to either forget or ignore completely. Of course I want to buy crap I don't need. Of course I want to go out for lunch EVERY SINGLE DAY. OF COURSE I want to buy everyone presents (giving is my love language, HELLO!). But should I? No...not necessarily. So here is to trying harder, doing better, and being a little bit happier because I'm being diligent and making an effort. Yay for feeling accomplished!
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