I’m excited to share a new topic on the blog under my Lifestyle section, called “Adulting”. A phrase that us millennials use to refer to the acts of being an adult. Usually associated with some form of struggle. With that struggle, comes lessons learned that I hope to share with your throughout my journey of adulthood. Here are some things I have learned over the years about good and bad spending habits.
Cut Out the Coffee Shop
As a stockholder of Starbucks, I appreciate your business. BUT as a friend, I’m telling you to cut it out. I wake up each morning and walk straight to my regular ol’ coffee pot and pour myself a cup with my favorite Coffee-mate French Vanilla Creamer. In my opinion, this is the best cup of coffee I can get. And it cost me about 25 cents. Of course when I’m on vacation, I love to try out local coffee shops and splurge on a latte here and there. But if you’re one of those people that go to Starbucks (or wherever) daily or even a few times a week, you are seriously spending some unnecessary hard earned money.
Nails & Beauty Routines
When I was growing up, getting my nails done was a huge treat. Certainly not a necessity. As an adult, I caught myself on the “treat yoself” bandwagon there for a bit and was shocked at how much I was spending. I literally cannot imagine how much some women spend MONTHLY to maintain their nails, hair, wax, eyelash extensions, spray tan, and facials. And yes some women get all that done each month. Do yourself a favor… stop getting those eyelash extensions that cost you $40 every 3 weeks to refill… are they really worth it? Give yourself an at home facial with this facial kit that I love by PeterThomasRoth or this one from GlamGlow is on sale… and treat yourself in the comfort of your own home & wallet! These are some of my favorite sheet masks from Neutrogena too.
Stop getting that dip powder manicure that costs $55 a month that really isn’t “better for your nails” like they say. Take yourself a bubble bath and do your own mani/pedi! I love to turn on the spa music on YouTube and have my own at home spa day! My favorite polish right now is this one in color “Pink a Card”. Sure its great to have a girls day and get your nails done here and there as a treat, but not every month. Grab yourself an at home self tanner that works wonders and you can use more than once. This one from FakeBake is $26 a bottle and I have used it 6 times and still can probably get 2-3 more out of it!
Use What You Have Before Buying More
This is something I have gotten much better at over the years. Its’ so easy to see a new product in store that is tempting to try immediately. Then you’re left with 6 half used bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or makeup that is perfectly fine to use and you are wasting money on searching for the next it thing. Use it til the last drop!
Shop Off Season
I cannot tell you the steals I have found at end of season sales. I’m talking $300 riding boots brought down to $58 kind of deals! Sure, I’m a woman, I love to shop. BUT I love a good deal more than I just love to shop! I hope you have found that in my posts on fashion that I am very frugal when it comes to shopping. With the continuous competitive market in retail, there is likely to be a sale at least once a week even when shopping in season. If there’s a product you’ve been eyeing, just keep watching, it or that retailer is likely to be on sale before you know it!
Cook at Home
On average, when we (me and my husband) go out to dinner, we spend about $75. I can typically buy groceries for a week’s worth of food for about $120 for the two of us. Just put that in perspective of what you are spending out vs what you could cook at home.
Workout at Home
While I love a good Barre class as much as the next girl, gym costs and boutique classes are no joke these days. Even if your membership rates are low, they’ll get ya with the cancellation fees if you ever move or try to cancel! I have found so many great workout videos on YouTube that I love! I’m currently obsessed with POPSUGAR Fitness. I bought a set of weights from Walmart to keep at home and I have been loving that time for myself and the results!
Analyze Usage of Your Bills
This is such an “adult” thing to say but you need to be watching your bills to see where your money is going. Don’t just pay them mindlessly. Last month, we had a lack of rain in the area and were running the sprinkler system every night. Not really thinking much of it until the bill came in the mail and was $100 MORE than the previous month. We said, NOPE, and cut wayyy back on the sprinklers this month. Some utility companies allow you to monitor your usage online, so you won’t get that surprise bill you weren’t expecting. (We are new home owners and already learning so much!)
Tithe
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. -Proverbs 3:9-10
This seems self explanatory to me. I grew up in a household that tithed 10% every month and that is something my husband and I have chosen to do for our family as well. You must give in order to receive.
Company Match Contributions
If your company offers a 401K or stock program match, you are simply throwing money away if you aren’t contributing at full match. Also, while your company may have a default option for your 401k account, did you know that you can change it to what works best for your future? A lot of company investing options default to a target based fund which can be full of hidden fees. Make sure you check yours out to avoid spending on unwanted fees over the years. The more you save for retirement now, the more it will accumulate over time.
I know this post is a little different than what I usually share on here, but I feel like I have so much more to share as a service than just fashion and beauty! I hope you found a helpful tip or two to get you on the right track. One thing that my husband told me once that has really helped put spending in perspective is to think “How long would I have to work to pay for this?”. Sometimes when you think about it, its worth it, other times it’s not. It definitely helps prevent any impulse buying you really should be thinking twice about.
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