I have very little tolerance for cheap stakes. There is a difference between being frugal (which I wholeheartedly support) and being downright cheap. Frugal people know what is worth spending their money on, and what they need to skimp on. Cheap people skimp on everything and don’t care about quality. Cheap people will often try to keep up with the proverbial Joneses but will nickel and dime when the bill comes, or not tip their server enough.
Hopefully you see the difference.
Anyway, I’ve thought a lot about frugality in recent months and the importance of it. I’m a firm believer that anyone can live the life they want to and still save aggressively for retirement and/or a house, but you just might need to save in some areas. Here I’ll discuss the areas one should NOT skimp on and also share some tips on saving money but still getting high quality. I hope you enjoy.
Food
You get one body, so treat her well! That being said, the definition of health varies from person to person, but most people generally agree that a diet high in organic fruits and veggies, lean meats and limited grains and dairy are what you need. So, how doth one eat healthy on a budget? Ahemmm.
- The frozen section: many fruits and veggies come right off the vine and are frozen immediately, so they’re actually quite fresh, high in nutrients and taste delicious. Frozen spinach and frozen riced cauliflower can be put in many dishes to amp up the nutrition and are often totally tasteless. I often sneak riced cauliflower in mac and cheese because a certain significant other of mine (who seldom reads this) doesn’t like veggies. Muahahaha.
- Shop the meat that’s on sale and freeze it: I am actually new to this little trick because I recently discovered THIS article. Even meats at the higher end grocery stores eventually go on sale, so pay attention, buy in bulk when it’s on sale, and save it for when you need it.
- Set strict parameters for yourself when it comes to eating out: the bulk of my calories come from eating out, and I’m sure I’m not alone. For me, I only allow myself to eat out when I’m dining with other people. If it’s a situation of me being too lazy to cook when I’m eating solo, I force myself to cook. There’s no point in eating out when you’re not enjoying it with other people!
- Stay the hell away from the pre-made food area. Yes, even at Trader Joe’s. Is the pre-made food area great financially? Absolutely, but it’s rarely good for you health-wise. While it’s all nice in a pinch, don’t make buying pre-made food a habit. There’s often a ton of sodium and hidden sugars to where it’s not worth it. Which brings me to my next point…
- Pre-make your own food and freeze it. You’d be amazed how many things you can make to freeze and eat later. Obvious contenders are fatty casseroles (no), but many soups freeze well, as do many breads and pasta dishes. Utilize your mason jars and use those to freeze pre-made foods for you to grab for a day in the office. Just make sure you cool any food that’s in mason jars before you freeze them!
Skincare
In Europe, 1,400 ingredients are banned from skincare products. In America, a grand total 30 are banned. This article shed a ton of light on how incredibly scary that is.. In short, your makeup or skincare very well could be giving you cancer. Does that sound crazy and doomday-ish? Maybe, but I’m sure this is one of many reasons Europeans live longer and healthier lives than Americans.
Cancer and scariness aside, reminiscent of what I said before, you only get one body, in particular you only get one epidermis (that’s your skin, in case you forgot your middle school biology lessons). Treat. It. Well. Invest in a great serum, use high-quality eye cream, don’t ever put Cover Girl on your face again.
Anything that goes on your skin gets absorbed in to your bloodstream within 26 seconds. Keep that in mind when you put funky stuff on it.
All that being said, it’s no secret I’m an Arbonne consultant, but there are other companies that adhere to these high standards. I’ll link my page here, but, if Arbonne isn’t your thing, I’ll share some friends’ pages who sell other highly-ethical and health-conscious products.
Arbonne: Favorite for not only skincare, but the vegan protein shakes are the best, best best out there.
Beauty Counter: They have a mist sunscreen that is to DIE for and I love how many colors their makeup comes in.
Young Living: While not skincare per se, I do love their Theives toothpaste. Also, I am soooo ordering the insect repellent stat. Mosquitoes love me, and I haaaate putting weird stuff on my skin to repel them. I’ve heard amazing things about YL bug repellent, so I am excited to try it for myself!
Exercise
Does everyone need to be spending $160 a month on Orangetheory like this weirdo? No. But, if it’s the only way you can exercise, it’s worth prioritizing. I know for me with the amount of work travel I do, I would not make exercise a priority if I did not schedule my classes ahead of time and know I’d have a $12 penalty if I didn’t show up.
Find something you love and will stick to. Exercise is far too important to not pay for. If you live in a warm area and can run outside every day and will stick to it on your own accord? Great! Just mix it with some strength training and you’re good to go. If, however, you’re like most of us and need some accountability, paying for exercise might be worth spending money on.
Some of my favorites besides Orangetheory are:
Dance Factory Fitness: Unfortunately, this class is only offered in Cincinnati, OH, but check it out if you’re in the area (or tell people who are in Cincy about it!). I promise you’ll be hooked. The classes are not your weird aunt’s Zumba. DFF is way more high-energy and mixes strength along with the cardio. The music is super fun and you end the class feeling like a million bucks (and now realizing you worked out.. Seriously, it’s that fun).
Soul Cycle: At the risk of sounding like a total millennial, Soul Cycle is super fun. The music is blaring, and you don’t even realize you worked out. Michelle Obama is a huge fan too and, even if I’m not a fan of her politics, she looks damn good.
There you have it, friends. Remember you only get one body so take care of it no matter what the cost. Other parts of your budget can be cut in to, but not something that won’t help you live a happy and healthy life.
Enjoy your week!