Wow, 2022 has already been quite the whirlwind! So much has already happened since the last time I wrote. I got a new job (and I’m kinda obsessed) and leaving my old job and starting this new one has put a lot of things into perspective for me. There has been a huge shift in my mind about what is important to me in my life. I think because of this shift, I also really struggled to decide what this blog would be about. I have so much yet so little to offer. I have a lot of small tidbits of knowledge that I could share, but I wonder if anyone would be interested or find any of it useful. So instead of writing about things that I already know, I’m going to share the things that I haven’t quite figured out yet. Kinda like a journal, something to keep myself accountable for.
I’m currently navigating the beginning of 2022 with big goals in mind. Everyone makes a “New Year’s Resolution” and I’ve decided that these goals of mine aren’t that exactly, but lifestyle goals. For instance, I’ve recently come to terms with what I guess you can call a shopping addiction. Because it feels like I don’t even buy a lot, but every month I come out spending more money than I have earned (mostly on nonsense from Amazon). I’ve tried budgeting tools and apps in the past, but it seems nothing works quite like the old excel sheet my dad gave me when I was 16. I don’t have a copy of that sheet anymore, so I dug around and found a Google sheets template for a monthly budget and this has already helped tremendously!
I started this budget by setting some strict rules for myself:
No fast food for work, must plan meals and make grocery trips accordingly
No Amazon except for necessary things: daily makeup, skin care, dog food
Freeze credit cards, can only unfreeze for Greece/Italy related flights, hotels, etc.
No new clothes unless thrifted
No new home decor or furniture unless thrifted
Exceptions: Thrifting, appliances/necessities for the home
Sticking to these rules is extremely important to me for a few reasons. Number 1: I am buying a town house this summer! It’s a new construction build, so it is taking a while for materials but I’m not in a huge rush and I’m glad I have extra time to save up. Number 2: TRAVEL. I’m going on a trip to Greece/Italy in August and I want to be able to fully enjoy the trip without worrying about finances, I don’t want to have to cut corners just because I spend too much money on Amazon, haha. Number 3: I would like to overall make more conscious decisions about what I’m spending money on, like if that new pair of shoes is really worth it or if that money can go towards something more important like a refrigerator, etc.
Something else I am starting is habit tracking. I want to make an effort to create daily habits like making the bed, clearing the dishes out of the sink every day, and going to bed at a decent time. I’m trying not to be too terribly strict about this, because I don’t want to quit after not checking all of the boxes on a few days but I do want to make a lifestyle change to include more things in my daily routine to keep a healthy mind.
So stay tuned as I work my way through this crazy life of mine and hopefully as I continue to improve my budget, I can share more of this journey!
Until next time!
XOXO, Lauren
