More Money!

Anyone reading my blog would have to wonder, "How does she have the money to buy all the stuff she blogs about?"

Some of my purchases are covered by our household budget, but many items are purchased by me personally with my discretionary spending money simply because this is a passion for me.

Shawn & I are allotted a very modest sum every two weeks that is meant to cover any personal purchases. This allottment is completely discretionary which means that we cannot judge or dictate how the other uses theirs. (Within moral limits of course!)

In the past, my spending money paid for Tim Horton's, Starbuck's, and other fast food purchases. I still have to use it for the occasional date with friends but now that impulse food buying is a thing of the past, the money tends to accumulate and allow for bigger purchases that actually contribute to my life in a positive way.

People say that living a healthy lifestyle is expensive, but watching my husband, kids and friends blow all their spending money on chips, chocolate, ice cream, fast-food extras, coffees and other fleeting pleasures leads me to decide otherwise. An unhealthy lifestyle is much more costly.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty for having money in my wallet and for the enjoyment I get when I buy something that helps me in my journey. That is when I have to remind myself that anyone can increase their spending power simply by doing a few things differently. Here is a brief list of things that I do regularly to avoid squandering my spending money needlessly:

1. Pack a lunch-We have a grocery budget for a reason. Bringing a lunch from home avoids the need to buy fast food with my spending money instead.
2. Bring water & a snack-I do this regularly and am teaching my family too. Whenever we leave the house, we bring water and whatever snacks we need unless we are planning to eat out. Occasionally, the unexpected happens but it's pretty rare.
3. Just say "NO!"-I haven't had a coffee, donut, ice-cap, or ice cream sundae for half a year now (some items longer than that) and those darned fast food signs STILL beckon me as I drive by. I don't know if I will ever be completely immune to the marketing that we are bombarded with but if I am faithful to do steps 1 & 2 on this list, I never have an excuse to give in.
4. Eat at home-It is always cheaper to buy your food at a grocery store and prepare it at home than it is to eat out and grocery purchases are covered under the grocery budget.
5. Scale it down-When we do occasionally eat out, we try to order only what we absolutely need to satisfy our hunger until our next eating opportunity. I don't drink pop and I try to abstain from french fries as much as possible so I order a sandwich or a chili a la carte. My water bottle and a couple dark chocolates (kept in my purse) are all I need to complete the meal. Forget ordering dessert!
6. Change the Activity-Whenever possible, I like to focus my social time around physical activity rather than eating. Not all my friends are enjoy this so I still find myself at restaurants and coffee shops but that is not my preference. A chat while walking or cycling can be very enjoyable.

That is just a few things that I do to make my dollars stretch further while adopting a healthier lifestyle. Whatever your income level is, these strategies will work. Sometimes we are looking for big things to help us get rich and healthy but doing small things consistantly is often all that is needed!