Pack yo' lunch: Saving Money tricks

This week I tracked every single expense. I wanted to see where my money was going. Even though I was conscious an careful, I still spent $143. This included gas, lunch, snacks, and personal items. It's way too high.
One of the things that I want to change is my eating out for lunch. I always go to the nearest fast food joint and order a chicken salad of some kind.

That racks up to be $8.50-$9.00 a pop.

I took a trip to Aldi and got items to eat on at work during the week:

I almost stroked seeing the difference shopping at Aldi vs. Publix.

Almonds were only $3.99 vs. $6.99 at Publix.

Bringing my own lunch and snacks is going to save a bundle. $20 for all this stuff only adds up to $4 a day!

That's what I'm talking about. No need for couponing to save money. Just a small trip to the grocery store!

Closet Crisis: Season Change

The changing of the season is a perfect time to do some major clean-out of the closet. I prefer to keep my summer clothes out during the season with winter clothes put away and vice versa. It makes the closet more manageable without being totally overflowing.

If there is an item of clothing that I did not wear during the season...it's gone! I don't want to have to worry about the excess time wasted in storing, deliberating, putting away, pulling out, sifting through. It just becomes too much stress to worry with.

Also, if there are items that are damaged or stained, they go too!

I'm liking the streamline method of having only clothes that fit well and that I wear. I'm not in a contest to see how many useless clothes I can hoard. I want to look good, feel good, and have little stress when it comes to getting ready in the morning.

If you feel overwhelmed, it's easy to restore some needed order:

• Throw out stained, damaged, and unworn clothes.
• Pull everything {yes, ALL} items of your cloest. Purses, clothes, old boxes, belts, shoes etc. until it is completely naked.
• Keep items that you wear and that's in good condition. Donate items that you haven't worn. Throw away items that's damaged or stained.
• Hang up new season's items neatly and with other like items.
• Sit back and enjoy the serenity of an organized closet area.

I have to remind myself that I have too much stuff if I'm contemplating buying "organizational items." Multiple pieces of the same kind are not welcome in my closet. I do not need 10 white shirts. I do not need 14 pairs of tennis shoes. They deserve a new home. I like simple choices. It makes life so much easier in the mornings.

That's Clutch.

Oooo lah lah! I found the perfect minimalist purse to meet my needs. It is a clutch, so it is very classy. The colors go with black or brown outfits, and the design is precious!

I found it at Target for $16.99....score! I am thrilled. Plus, I've gotten a bazillion compliments since I've been carrying it.

I was really nervous about using a clutch every day because I always wear a purse with a strap. It's really been a breeze and very convenient. I haven't lost it. It can be gotten into easily. It's small, so I don't overload it with useless stuff.

Currently in my clutch:

•  Flat wallet: keeps my cards and a little bit of cash
• Car keys: only keeping the keys I actually use on the key ring. That's my car key & house key
• Bert's Bees lip gloss

That's it and I am surviving just fine.



Raid the Pantry.

This week is a no-spend week on buying groceries. I have plenty of misc. items in the pantry that can be transformed into an edible meal. The cost of food has risen so high, it's a wonder any of us have money to eat.

The Menu

Wednesday:

• Shake n' Bake chicken
• Black eyed peas

Thursday:

• Low Carb Chicken Pasta
• Salad

Friday:

• Tuna Patties
• Okra

These will be very easy to throw together, pretty scrumptious, and will empty the pantry, making the rest of this week a no-spend grocery week! That makes me happy. It's important for us to become creative with the things we currently have. This is a big money saver, plus keeps our resources in check. It's a fun little ego boost to know that you can make something out of what you thought was nothing!

My new office.

My gosh! Is this even real life?

I have an office now. A real one. One that I can step into and have my stuff inside four walls of my very own. It's a haven for me because I have always worked in a cubicle.

An office means peace. I'm no longer in the middle of mass chaos and people around me. Interruptions are limited.

I can get stuff done. I can focus. I can breathe.

This is the best I could do in my attempt to have a minimalist office. I only allow things that I use all day long to be on top of my desk. Unfortunately, it takes a million different devices for me to get through a workday.

But, I do try to keep it as tidy and efficient as possible.

Organization and simplicity - oh yeah, and peace and quiet - is a lovely combination to a workday.

I love this little nook of mine. So very much!