Control That Spending

Hey guys!

I haven't realized how long it's been since I last posted anything. I'm really sorry for not keeping you guys up to date on everything. However, it's not like there is much that has happened anyways, since the last time I've posted, there isn't much new, basically school and studying all the time. the work season is over, so almost no more work for me, but there is still the odd catering here and there for parties and weddings.

Today I wanted to make tell you guys about the spending that I've been doing lately that has gone a little out of control without me realizing and maybe give a few tips on how not to spend as much.

Lately, I've spent a HUGE amount of money without realizing it. Now for a lot of you, the amount Ive been spending might not be all that much, but for me, it is way out of budget, even if the holidays are right around the corner. I know where I've been spending, which is mostly on food and coffees, which frankly, I really don't need. I've been buy soups and salads to go with my lunch, which I really don't need to. it started out as a once in a while thing, but then I also got lazy in packing lunches, so I would always get a little something to add to the food I got, and before I knew it it became habit. The semester is over now, so I just have to learn to not do that next semester. I've also been getting Starbucks very often, and we all know that Starbucks isn't the most value friendly coffee out there. There have also been a lot of sales lately, due to Christmas being around the corner and because of Black Friday. I've been shopping a lot more than I should be as well. And I've been going out for supper quite a bit with my friends. I need to not spend as much and start controlling how much I'm spending. Here are a few tips that I find helpful (from past experience)

1. Ask yourself if you really need we what you're about to buy. Do you need it or do you want it? Will you still be using it in a few weeks/months? If it's an article of clothing, how much will you be wearing it?
2. See if you can get it somewhere else for cheaper A lot of the time we want something because it's a brand name, but most of the time we can get the exact same thing (minus the name and the expensive tag) somewhere else and the quality is basically the same.
3. Set yourself a budget. Planning a big shopping day or to go out and shop for the holidays? Set yourself a budget, don't go above the budget, when you're setting your budget, because most of the time it means that the amount you're willing to spend will encompass everything that you need to get.
4. Don't impulse buy, think your purchase through, ask yourself the first 2 tips, and what works for me is to not buy the item right away and wait a bit. If you really want it, you'll still want it in a few weeks, if you don't that means you never really wanted it anyways. Waiting a bit can also mean that the item that you want will be on sale, then you wouldn't feel so guilty about getting it.
5. Don't carry so much cash with you, or leave your credit card at home if you have issues controlling how much plastic you use. This often helps because you won't have any money to buy the things you see. This is kind of related to the 4th tip because it will also make you think about whether or not you really need the item because it will require you going back to get it.
6. Write down everything you buy, this will help you see your spendings habits and tell you where you could cut some of your spendings. It also lets you see what you should be spending your money on and the 'extras' that you don't need.

 To control my spending, I'm going to try to stick to this list as much as possible:

1. No more spending on beauty products. I'm a sucker at Sephora, everything in there is just so tempting and pretty and hard to resists. I end up getting little things and I come home and realize I have similar products. The same thing is happening with nail polish. I have 31 bottles of nail polish (I just threw some out too). I realized today that I have a million similar colors and I have colors that I don't even remember having, which is not a good sign. I'm only going to spend on a beauty product when I run out of it at home.
2. Capping my spending budgets monthly, except for on boxing day. This is going to take some time because I will have to come up with a reasonable cap for my monthly spending.
3. Budget for boxing day or any day I'm planning to go out shopping.
4. Keep track of everything I spend. Basically making an excel spreadsheet to keep track of how much I spend.
5. Limiting the amount of times I go out. and when I do go out, trying to find less expensive alternatives.
6. Not spending extra on food. In the new school year, I'll make sure I'm packing enough food to not even be tempted to buy something extra to eat.
7. NO MORE COFFEE, unless I plan to have coffee with a friend, because I do not need that much caffeine in me.
8. Carrying less money on me. I've realized that when I have cash on me I'm more willing to spend, when I have to use my credit or debit, I hesitate a little more.
9. I'm only going to get something if I really need it, or if I've been wanting it for a long time.

I'll only start the spreadsheet and the capping in the new years, since we're already in December :P The rest of the list, I will try to start implementing the rest right away because the rate at which I'm spending my money is scaring me especially since I'm not working right now.

Hope some of these tips help you guys during the holiday season, or any time of the year :)

-J

Healthy Body Image

Hey Guys,

I actually have a few things I want to rant about today, but out of all the things, I think I want to talk about body image. Now I think I've already posted about this before... I'm not 100% sure, but I find it's something that we all have to be aware of.

Looking healthy and being skinny are two different things, but I've realized that a lot of people think that the two things are the same. In no way are they the same. Yes, looking healthy means that you would not be a puff ball walking around the street (no one is a puff ball walking around the street). But it doesn't mean that we all have to fit into size 0 pants and wear XS tops. Looking healthy means to look human, not to look like something that would snap as soon as the wind blows, leave that to branches. To look healthy means to have meat on you and to have some muscle tone. The average pant size in Canada is an 8, and ironically that is the size that I would want to cut down to at the moment (I just Googled the size, I actually though the average was a 6 or something) and it is 34 for men (I don't know what the equivalent is for women).

To be healthy, you don't have to look like the girls/guys on thinspiration memes or the people in advertisements. Now notice I put girl/guy, because yes, boys have this problem too. We have to stop thinking about people being obsessed with weight and looks as just a problem that females have. But yes, we have to learn how to differentiate healthy and thin.

I remember that when I was in high school, all the girls wanted to be a size 0, and of course most of the popular girls were super thin. But a lot of them were unhealthy, a lot of them wouldn't eat at all during the day. But not eating is not what I would call healthy, in fact it is the complete opposite. To be healthy means to lead a balanced lifestyle. You don't starve yourself over eat and then vomit it all out, you just have to learn portion control and have some will power and now binge eat. Starvation of bulimia is never the answer, and it should never be.

Now why bring this random topic up? Well one of my friends thinks that she should be thin to be able to look healthy and to be pretty. And it is so wrong, she looks at pictures of thin girls all day and then memes that have a really skinny girl with the caption "Still want that bag of chips?" I'm sorry, but that is now how you inspire yourself to be healthy, that is how you get yourself to think that you should be anorexic or bulimic. My friend is not fat, she is healthy body weight and she has a lot of strength. she doesn't eat healthy, but that's another story. To her, she has to look like the girls we see in the thinspiration adds before she is happy with the way she looks. And in her past, she has had symptoms that are related to anorexia and bulimia, she would either starve herself or she would eat and then vomit it all out, and yes she lost weight, but once she stopped, she gained weight again. She knows that that is not what she should be doing to loose the weight, and she is going to the gym instead (which is a good thing). I'm not discouraging her whole get healthy plan, but her reasons are not the right reasons.

She wants to look "healthy" because she wants guys to notice her, she wants her boyfriends to not feel ashamed of her (but they don't! and if they do, she shouldn't be with them in the first place!). Basically she is doing it so that she will look good. And I don't think that is the reason why any one should be trying to lose weight. If you want to lose weight, it should be for yourself, not for a guy or cause someone thinks you're fat. We should all be comfortable in our own skin (even though we aren't all comfortable).

I'm not thin, I'm nowhere near it actually, and I'm not what people would consider a healthy size either. I'm fat, and I know it, and I used to be very uncomfortable with it. It would bug me because a lot of my family members would point it out, and not so nicely either. But I've learned to deal with it. Yes I still wish I was skinny and looked amazing in everything I wear, but genetics play a factor in the way we look too, we can't all achieve the same muscle tone, and we don't all have an amazing metabolism. I've learned to be comfortable in my skin (well, more comfortable than before) and to make healthy lifestyle decisions, like taking the stairs when ever I can or choosing a healthier food over something unhealthy.

And calories are not the only thing we should be looking out for! I know they are a big part of weight gain and loss, but we also have to look out for carbs, proteins, trans/saturated/unsaturated fats and everything else, because something high in protein and complex carbs is better than something with with little calories, but with a lot of simple carbs. Learn how to look at the daily nutrition guide on food packages and learn how many calories you should be in taking for your age/gender/height, not everyone is the same and we all have different demands.

Finally, here are a few tips on how to have healthier lifestyle:

• Drink more water, don't go for carbonated drinks because they are high in calories and sugars. If you don't like water, try lemon water or 100% organic juices (I don't suggest flavored water because it is artificial flavor).
  
• "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a beggar." I agree with this because all the food you eat at breakfast will be used during the day to perform your daily functions. in fact, if you don't eat breakfast, you are more likely to intake more food during the day.
  
• Eat nuts and fruits as snacks. Nuts are supposed to keep you full and plus, they are packed with energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Fruits are also packed with vitamins and energy, they also have sugars to give you a boost in energy. Or if you can always go for a small salad.
  
• Try to get exercise into your schedule whenever you can. If you have time to go to the gym, go at least 3 times a week. If you don't have time, take the stairs whenever you can (if you got o McGill climb the hill everyday!), when you're studying stand and do some simple stretches while you're studying. During your study break, do some jumping jacks, or jog in place for a little bit. Just don't sit around all day.
  
• Don't eat at least 2 hours prior to going to bed, we don't do much in terms of calorie burning while we sleep (although fun fact: we burn more calories sleeping than we do watching TV). If you're hungry at night, drink a glass of milk, it will keep you full because it takes time to digest, and it's packed full of protein!

Now I'm not a pro at being healthy, but those are my suggestions. If you guys have any suggestions, let me know :)

Good luck on trying to lead a healthier lifestyle!

-J