My American Express has been put on a diet. Sob! Between the shaky economic forecast, having the baby and moving into our new home, we've started to put a dent in our savings so my groom and I have decided that the only thing left to do is to create a budget and stick to it.
Gone are my daily Starbucks, no more regularly scheduled massages (which I haven't really had since I had the baby but still... knowing that it's a no-no makes me want to run out and hop right up on that table!), no new super-cute shoes just because they're on sale... you get the picture.
So, how does one "treat" themselves and reverse the stressors of daily life while living on a tight budget?
Here's how I figured out what would work for me:
1. Sit down, close your eyes and relax. Think about what you would do to relax if you have unlimited time and resources. What elements would be included? For me, water is the first thing that pops into my mind. Lazing in the sun at the beach, listening to the ocean, hanging out in a boat on a lake ...
2. Think about who would be with you - or, would you be alone?
3. Write down a list of things that make you feel relaxed and energized - both physically and emotionally.
4. Write down a list of things that make you feel pampered and good about myself.
Now that you have your lists, get creative! How can you do those things either for less money or better yet, for free?
My lists look like this:
Things that make me feel relaxed and energized:
- Working out
- Eating well
- Getting enough sleep
- Spending quality time with my family
- Reading a good book
- Going out to dinner
- Going out with friends
- Listening to music really loud in the car
- Taking a hot bath with US Weekly and a glass of wine
- Being away from everything - weekend trips or overnights
Things that make me feel pampered:
- Mani/Pedis
- Blow-outs
- Massages
- Taking time just for myself, shopping or meeting up with friends
- Starbucks (I'm addicted)
When I look at my list of what's really important to me, most of them are free, or at least low-cost anyway. We really looked into what is vital for our lives and cut out the extra stuff that we can live without - while saving for things that really matter.
So, here is what we've done. We have decided that once a month, we are going to have a pot-luck dinner with some of our "couple-friends" - we had the first last weekend and it was a BLAST! Good food, good friends and best of all, I scored a great new salad recipe (thanks, Kate!) We've grown up over the past few years (although if dinner was any indication, in some ways ... not so much) and going out all the time just doesn't work for us anymore. This is a great way to still spend time with friends but not worry about the baby being at home with a sitter - and, that added expense.
I'm clipping coupons and have already found (thank you, coupon.com) that I'm saving an average of $40 when I'm going to the grocery now. That's insane to me! What the heck was I thinking going without coupons before?? Planning our "menu" for the week in advance has not only helped cut down on the meals that we spontaneously eat out, but has helped with eating healthier, snacking sensibly and has saved me a ton of time in planning and prepping for dinners. I'm a huge fan of saving time.
By cutting out the "treats" like mani/pedis, blow-outs (of which I can do at home) and shopping when I don't really need anything, we can save for things that really matter to us - like a nice dinner out with a sitter at home, or being able to go away for a mini-vacation, whether it's an overnight trip or for a weekend.
Go to a discount hotel overnight for a family "adventure" - order in room service, swim in the pool and be a tourist in your own town. Poke into stores that you don't frequent, go to the library and enjoy walking around town. The kids will be excited about the change in routine and having dinner while sitting on the bed watching a movie is always fun for the little ones!
For me, finding the time in the day-to-day to actually do the things that make me feel great - going to the gym, reading, taking a bath - can be difficult. Turning off the TV, making small changes in my day-to-day routine and staying off the computer at night have really made a difference in how much "free time" I have.
Some of the things that have worked for me:
- Put the laundry into the washing machine in the morning, switch to the dryer at the end of the afternoon and fold before bed while catching the news or your favorite TiVo'd shows.
- Wash everything with a dye-free soap - better for the environment and your skin. If you have a baby, you can mix the laundry together and not worry about it.
- Run the dishwasher every night and first thing in the morning, unload. That way, the machine is always open and you don't get that overwhelming pile in the sink.
- Turn off your blackberry when you get home from work. As long as everyone has your home number in case of emergencies, work can wait. Spend this time with your family.
- Run errands during your lunch break. Keeps those weekend days freed up for family fun.
- Split up the housework!! My husband, God love him, does the majority of the housework on a daily basis so that I can focus on our son. That frees up time on the weekend for all of us and we never have to spend a full day of the weekend on chores or errands.
Take a vacation day while your little one is at daycare or being watched by a family member. You and your hubby can reconnect or spend the day catching up on life and you don't have to spend the extra money on a sitter.
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