So far 2017 is off to a bangin start and people are smashing their goals left and right. The trick though is to not lose that momentum after the month starts. Half way through the month is when people start to lag and their goals seem further and further away. I've some tips and tricks on how stay to motivated and keep the money in your pocket and the goal diggin going.
The first trick I do is I use Pinterest and pin inspirational boards to Pinterest and trying different workouts. I also like to make a meal plan for the week and meal prep on Sunday's. This saves me tons of time and money. I like do a weekly fridge check on Saturday and keep a running inventory on all of the items in my pantry and fridge so that I never over buy. I cleaned out our pantry last month and realized just how much I over bought on food products we never eat. It was very eye opening to see where all that money went and how much food we don't actually consume. We eat pretty simply and buying a bunch of stuff for our pantry was silly and pointless because we didn't need all of that food. Now that I keep a running inventory of everything we eat on a regular basis, what we eat and spend on food stay consistent and I'm even able to stash a bit of mad money into savings.
Cable TV: I know we all love our weekly real housewives fix and we all need grey's in our life, but do you really need to be spending $80 plus on a bunch of cable channels you probably never watch? Opt for a netflix and hulu account and you'll be savings tons of year. You can put away that money every month towards a vacation account and save up enough for your dream vacation. You'll be at your vacation goal in no time and cable will seem like a silly memory.
Spending Habits: I adore Target and that mug that says, "I adore long, romantic walks down the Target aisle" was truly made for me, but let's face it. Do I really need to be spending anywhere from $45-$100 a week at Target on items I don't really need? I mean, I know I want the newest workout leggings and I must have that book that's out on Amazon's must-read list, but that money adds up quickly and I would rather put that money away in a saving's account where it can grow instead of being depleted on Target items. If you love to shop like I do, make various savings account for items on your must-have list. Save up for a new FitBit or book, rather than spending the money right away. You might even find that you didn't really need that new book in the first place and you may be able to find that must-have book at your local library. Long, romantic walks down the aisle at Target are great, but not if it means not having a savings account.
Purge your closet: Purging and going through my close room (yup, you read that right, closet room) was a truly eye-opening experience for me. Do I really need 100 pairs of workout leggings (oh I counted them) 25 sports bras and 20 outdoor jackets? More importantly, do I really an entire room solely dedicated to clothes, accessories, and shoes? Instead, I bought a cheap wardrobe from Ikea, got rid of any shoes I haven't worn in a year, and moved my dresser into my bedroom. Now, I have a dedicated workout space which feels so much better than having that room be dedicated to clothes. I'm still in the daunting process of purging all of the clothes I don't need, but I'm doing the work and getting rid of anything that doesn't bring me joy. And I'm talking literal joy here, if I don't absolutely love it, I'm not keeping it. Now, when I go into that room I can workout in it and breath a sigh of relief. Plus, having dedicated workout space that's all my own is an awesome stress reducer.
YouTube: I have a YouTube channel where I do a lot of cooking tutorials and how-to's. YouTube is an absolute life saver when you don't know how to do something, but need to learn fast. Thinking of spending the money on hiring a web desiger? YouTube it first before you shell out the cash. Want to learn how to make some crafty? YouTube is fantastic for this too! I use YouTube like I use google and I have to say both of these are super life savers.
Redo!: Want a bigger space? Want to brighten things up for the New Year? Go to Home Depot, buy some buckets of white paint, go home take everything down in the room and get to painting. Painting is a simple and affordable way to make a space pop without knocking down walls or doing any major construction. My in the process of re-doing my office/blogging space and I plan on panting the room white. Then, I'm going to pick up some fun succulents from Trader Joe's, grab some wooden, triangle shelves, and re-do the entire space. Not only will all of the clutter be gone, but my writing space with be a motivating, safe, place for me pour my heart out and write away.
Have any tips for me on how to save money and keep the momentum going in the New Year? Comment below and tell me how you plan on achieving all of your goals this year. Do you want to go on a trip? Are you saving up money to buy a house? Do you have a room that you want to purge and re-do? I want to know!
I hope these tips help you have a wonderful and prosperous 2017!
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