Remembering YOU on a Budget

If I have learned anything in college it is that I need to actively make moves to avoid losing myself in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In my first few years of college, I succumbed to the pressures, took on more than I could handle, and didn’t do anything to take care of myself. I had no way to take a break or breathe throughout my weekly schedule. 

When I had just about enough, I started to look for things that I could do regularly to reward myself for my hard work, unwind, and take care of myself. The only problem is that I don’t have the available funds to spend on myself regularly. Much of the reason my schedule is so heavily loaded is that I am working multiple jobs at a time just to stay afloat. So, I needed ways to treat myself on a strict budget. 

FabFitFun came first. I had seen it all over social media. People were loving this box subscription service called FabFitFun. I followed it for a couple of months before jumping in, but once I did I was hooked. FFF sends me a series of products every season that I use regularly but never would have bought for myself otherwise. Clothing, jewelry, handbags, and skincare products, are all types of things I receive every season. It’s essentially a small, and utterly affordable, shopping spree that I gift to myself every couple of months. Each box has over $200 worth of products in it, all for about $50 per box. So in a given year, I receive nearly $800 worth of products for a little less than $200 with the annual subscription. When looking at this in the great scheme of things, that’s an incredible deal! The way I evaluated this to determine if it was worth it or not was by looking at my monthly expenses. Do you know how easy it is to spend $50 a month on nothing??? That’s 2 cups of coffee a week!! Just two!! Lets be real, you all definitely get more that 2 cups of coffee/tea a week or grab a quick lunch (or a coffee and a muffin) at least once a week, too. I knew if I could muster up the dollars to do that every week/month, I could definitely afford to pay that much every 3 months for a whole box of goodies.  

Hand & Stone was the next one. I’ve danced for 18 years and never had I ever gotten a massage. For years, my muscles have been in permanent knots, yearning to be rolled out and released. I had always loved the idea of getting a massage but I couldn’t justify spending $100 (before tip!) every time I wanted one. Well, it took a huge rock to my emotions to get me to go. Shortly after going through a hard break up, I decided I would finally treat myself. Needless to say, I walked out of there that day with a membership. A Hand & Stone membership costs about $60 a month, which entitles you to a pre-paid monthly service – a standard massage or facial. Going back to the same discussion above, this cost is easily spent in food and coffee and other unnecessary small expenses throughout the month. Thus, to afford this, I needed to cut back on some of the smaller things. For a monthly hour of pure relaxation and ability to unwind was well worth making my own Chai tea lattes at home a little more often.  

Lastly, I joined a gym. On an off whim idea, my roommate and I decided to take a trial boxing class. It kicked our butts but it was the best workout I had ever had. I go to the gym regularly on my own but I always leave the gym unsatisfied – never feeling like it was a good workout. But walking out of a boxing class, I feel stronger and healthier. The coaches push you, challenge you, and train you to succeed. They are wonderful people and truly want you to reach your highest potential. Who knew, that having a trainer yell at you to work hard, push harder, and stay focused would be just the motivation you needed to reach your goals. I still, nearly a year later, say that paying for this membership was the best investment I’ve ever made. Ninety percent of my weekly workouts are composed of boxing classes, making it well worth the expense. Boxing allows me to get an incredible workout while also shaking off all of the stress each day may bring. No matter what, I can walk into the gym stressed, overwhelmed, upset, or angry but I will always walk out of there in a much better mood! Plus, as a woman living on her own in a big city, the physical art of self-defense taught through boxing is so important for me to have as well. 

These three outlets are the ones I use to prioritize and pamper myself without going overboard with respect to my budget. FabFitFun is a cost-reduced quarterly shopping spree. Hand & Stone is a physical break, and boxing is a mental/emotional break. There are always options out there that will work for everyone. It is so important for us not to get caught up in the craziness of life and forget about taking care of ourselves. I know that life gets crazy and money gets tight but none of it matters if you, yourself are not all there to deal with it. Sometimes, paying for something expensive in a lump sum is scarier than spending the same amount of money over time, in multiple smaller amounts. I am a victim of this – 100%. But what is important to think about is where else those funds would be spent. If coffee and take out lunches are your answer, then I encourage you to re-prioritize your monthly expenditure to include more of the self-care spending you always wanted to have. 

 

 

 

• budget
• mental health
• self-care