Feburary goals
So I'm really behind on this month's goals.
I've made some good progress - eating more protein, less carbs and more vegetables. I'm eating an entire turkey burger - not half and noticed how rapidly satisfied inside and outside I feel from filling up on protein. The difference is dramatic - I don't feel the urge to snack or want to look for a snack because I'm full, not stuffed but there's enough fat in my body to get me through late-night study sessions or at the gym.
So here goes the budget:
Grocery: $150, I bought a bunch of deli meat at Safeway again on sale for $2. They don't expire until early April so I'll have enough to make sandwiches or just chop them up and toss into salads, with more protein. Protein being the keyword.
Transportation: $60, this area's going to be a little more expensive than the usual $20-30. I'm going to taking the train to meet up with some classmates for group study which should relieve my constant anxiety that I've invested $2,000 into this class, and I have to do well on the exams. I don't feel ready but that's another story.
Cosmetics: $20, I'm attempting to de-virgin myself from my anti-makeup philosophy. I wore some foundation and powder before going out to the club last week where I paid a bunch of ATM fees. Just the little bit that I used made a noticeable difference in my appearance - the color added to my skin made it look smoother and brighter. And I've got coupons for Physicians Formula makeup which is on sale at Rite Aid. I might go with those or whichever else is on sale/clearance at Walgreens.
Entertainment: $20, I'm still debating whether to see Stellastarr in a few weeks. I need the extra hours after work lately to study. So I'm torn - they haven't played in SF for over a year. Some of my friends are going and I'd love to see them and catch up.
Austin trip: $200, I'm setting aside $200 this month for the trip to Austin mid-April after exams. I've been eagerly anticipating the chance of having gospel brunch at Stubbs in downtown. We missed gospel brunch by a mere 10 minutes last year and they wouldn't let us in. Bummer. I'll probably use this money to cover eating out expenses. I have enough miles with the AAAdvantage program for a free trip. It was part of the whole spend $250 and get 25K miles. I spent $250 on some things I bought and resold so I came out ahead.
Emergency fund: $100, I'm not too worried about jobs. I've got a phone interview this week and possibly some other leads I'm waiting to hear back on - submitted my resume through a referral from friend so my fingers are crossed. But better safe than sorry.
Combatting my junk food addiction - I'm addicted to Tositos restaurant style chips. I bought a bunch of bags for class. We take turns bringing snacks. And I love the lime flavor ones even though chips are empty carbs and send the blood sugar levels soaring. It's only one day a week but I feel bloated and full of gas after a big round of chips. I didn't pack enough meat in my salad today which meant I was hungry sooner than I expected. So I'm going to incorporate more lean deli meats into my salads, beans and tuna.
But so far this month I've sort of accomplished an ongoing complex task - taking care of myself. I'm slowly letting go of my spending $150 grocery fears by buying more lean deli meats and eating more vegetables.
I paid $85 from my flex spending card to see a nutritionist. I've tracked every single thing I eat and the time. In a few weeks we'll review my eating habits and make some adjustments to a sample menu we established.
And my glasses? I might've found the pair at an outlet near work. I tried them on but wanted to sleep on them before buying. The frame if they are still there are $19 but I'm not sure about the lens which the insurance company will reimburse $30 out of network vs paying only $10 if using an in-network provider.
The most important goal: go to bed before 2am. I'v been studying pretty late and while I'm alert, by Friday I'm wiped and exhausted.
I've made some good progress - eating more protein, less carbs and more vegetables. I'm eating an entire turkey burger - not half and noticed how rapidly satisfied inside and outside I feel from filling up on protein. The difference is dramatic - I don't feel the urge to snack or want to look for a snack because I'm full, not stuffed but there's enough fat in my body to get me through late-night study sessions or at the gym.
So here goes the budget:
Grocery: $150, I bought a bunch of deli meat at Safeway again on sale for $2. They don't expire until early April so I'll have enough to make sandwiches or just chop them up and toss into salads, with more protein. Protein being the keyword.
Transportation: $60, this area's going to be a little more expensive than the usual $20-30. I'm going to taking the train to meet up with some classmates for group study which should relieve my constant anxiety that I've invested $2,000 into this class, and I have to do well on the exams. I don't feel ready but that's another story.
Cosmetics: $20, I'm attempting to de-virgin myself from my anti-makeup philosophy. I wore some foundation and powder before going out to the club last week where I paid a bunch of ATM fees. Just the little bit that I used made a noticeable difference in my appearance - the color added to my skin made it look smoother and brighter. And I've got coupons for Physicians Formula makeup which is on sale at Rite Aid. I might go with those or whichever else is on sale/clearance at Walgreens.
Entertainment: $20, I'm still debating whether to see Stellastarr in a few weeks. I need the extra hours after work lately to study. So I'm torn - they haven't played in SF for over a year. Some of my friends are going and I'd love to see them and catch up.
Austin trip: $200, I'm setting aside $200 this month for the trip to Austin mid-April after exams. I've been eagerly anticipating the chance of having gospel brunch at Stubbs in downtown. We missed gospel brunch by a mere 10 minutes last year and they wouldn't let us in. Bummer. I'll probably use this money to cover eating out expenses. I have enough miles with the AAAdvantage program for a free trip. It was part of the whole spend $250 and get 25K miles. I spent $250 on some things I bought and resold so I came out ahead.
Emergency fund: $100, I'm not too worried about jobs. I've got a phone interview this week and possibly some other leads I'm waiting to hear back on - submitted my resume through a referral from friend so my fingers are crossed. But better safe than sorry.
Combatting my junk food addiction - I'm addicted to Tositos restaurant style chips. I bought a bunch of bags for class. We take turns bringing snacks. And I love the lime flavor ones even though chips are empty carbs and send the blood sugar levels soaring. It's only one day a week but I feel bloated and full of gas after a big round of chips. I didn't pack enough meat in my salad today which meant I was hungry sooner than I expected. So I'm going to incorporate more lean deli meats into my salads, beans and tuna.
But so far this month I've sort of accomplished an ongoing complex task - taking care of myself. I'm slowly letting go of my spending $150 grocery fears by buying more lean deli meats and eating more vegetables.
I paid $85 from my flex spending card to see a nutritionist. I've tracked every single thing I eat and the time. In a few weeks we'll review my eating habits and make some adjustments to a sample menu we established.
And my glasses? I might've found the pair at an outlet near work. I tried them on but wanted to sleep on them before buying. The frame if they are still there are $19 but I'm not sure about the lens which the insurance company will reimburse $30 out of network vs paying only $10 if using an in-network provider.
The most important goal: go to bed before 2am. I'v been studying pretty late and while I'm alert, by Friday I'm wiped and exhausted.
posted by SF Money Musings at
2:33 AM
4 Comments:
I swear by Wet N Wild cream eye shadow. It's like $2. That and some $2 blush, and you're set.
It's super easy to keep your grocery budget to $150 if you buy everything fresh and prepare it yourself. Basically don't buy anything with preservatives in it. You'll eat healthier, and your grocery bill will be so much less than you'd expect it to be. :)
Your budget looks great! I'm inspired by your progress in eating healthier and not snack as much (even though I'm full, I still love eating). That's something I've been trying to do the past few months too.
I've only recently started wearing a little makeup every day too. I do my eyebrows, put on a little foundation, some blush, and most important, I put on sunscreen. Taking the extra 5 minutes in the morning really makes a difference to my mood throughout the day...the trick is not to get carried away with buying new things!
PayDaze
http://wesorich.blogspot.com
Dog: I'll have to try the blush! I have plenty of eyeshadows from Maybelline that have never been opened even!
Krystal: I'm going to try extra hard in eating properly. I too love eating and lately have been taking a few bites of fortune cookie discs at 12am!
Pay: I feel the same way! Just a little bit of makeup improves my mood. I noticed that when I went out with my friends to the club.
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