Adult hot Minimalism & The Holidays - Black Friday - lookmybody - lookmybody

Hello Lovelies!

Today I wanted to talk about the challenges of adopting a minimalist lifestyle during the holiday season.  I LOVE the holidays - thrive on it even!  Despite the winter blues, the holiday season is always a happy time of year for me.  But this year, after getting rid of all of my junk, I really was curious to see what the holiday season would mean to me.

Cue Black Friday - and oh what wonderful sales there were.  There were a few items I did NEED - a new winter coat, winter boots, and a couple of work appropriate sweaters.  As I shopped (online) for these items, I found some real gems!  But I made the mistake of purchasing a few items that I really didn't need .... and I instantly regretted it.  I was actually quite surprised to look at the items and realize that they brought me no joy.  Look at that - I adopted the Konmari method without even reading her book!  I ended up returning 8 items - sweaters, shirts, and even a jacket that I realized brought me no happiness, and added absolutely no value to my life.

I've come to realize that even though I still (and probably always will) love shopping, after getting rid of things that add no value to my life, I see no reason to continue to purchase items that will only end up in a giant donation bag in a few months.  There's no sense in wasting my money for the thrill of shopping, when I can achieve the same thrill from window shopping or online browsing.  Even if those items are on an incredible sale (40-60% off!!!!!), it still amounts to waste if it's not a necessary addition to my life.

Black Friday will always be fun for me.  The time spent on finding a great deal on an item I really need, or on an item a friend wants for Christmas, will always be enjoyable to me.  But what's even more enjoyable is the satisfaction I get from knowing that I have spent my money wisely, and that my life will remain light and uncluttered.

Cheers to you, and to finding items that bring joy to your life!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Unlearn! [#MoneySavingMondays] - lookmybody - lookmybody

Decluttering can be fun, addictive even.  I remember the first time I got rid of items I didn't want ... it felt so freeing.  The more you purge, the more you want to purge, until you've gotten rid of all of the items in your home that do not add value to your life.

But ... then what?  When you're staring at empty drawers and piles of empty hangers ... what do you do?  If you're someone who is addicted to the concept of purchasing and owning material possessions, then all you've done is created space for more items.  That's the problem I ran into when I first started decluttering.  I did a great job of cleaning out my clothing and accessories, but then I felt ... empty without all of my stuff.  I felt the urge to replace my items with newer ones, and so the cycle began.

When trying to make a life change, such as trying to lead a more minimalist lifestyle, it is important to tackle the habit, and not the result of the habit.  Yes, I may have too much stuff, but that's the result of my shopping/hoarding tendencies.  I can't just get rid of my excessive possessions, I need to stop myself from purchasing items in excess.

Does that make sense?

The point is, when you are trying to save money, you have to focus on unlearning those poor habits that cause you to spend money.  Treat the problem at the root.  Why do you feel the need to purchase so many pieces of clothing, when you won't really wear them all?  Why do you feel the need to go out to eat so often, when you are great at cooking and could make this food for half the price?  Why spend money, when there are ways to save?

Cheers to unlearning unhealthy habits, and learning to be financially healthy!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Auto-Transfer! [#MoneySavingMondays] - lookmybody - lookmybody

Today's tip goes hand in hand with an earlier #MoneySavingMonday post.  Remember when I said saving 10 percent of your income is a great way to save slowly? Well, if you set up automatic money transfers? You can save 10 percent AND do it without lifting a finger.

I transfer a set amount of money into an untouchable Tax Free Savings account on a biweekly basis, which coincides with my payday. This means that whether I want to or not, I'm saving money, and the money is not accessible to me unless I go into my account and request it to be moved to my chequings or savings account.  I have chosen to deposit my money into a TFSA, however feel free to deposit your money into whatever account you'd like!

This tip may be difficult for those who are not on a fixed income, however don't worry!  Your automatic transfers don't have to be in large sums.  Something as small as 5 or 10 dollars a paycheck is a start until your income increases or becomes more predictable.

Hope you enjoyed this little tip! Cheers to saving without thinking!

Xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Do It Yourself! [#MoneySavingMondays] - lookmybody - lookmybody

I'm willing to bet that a large number of services you pay for can be done at home for free.  Don't believe me?  Here are some services that I used to/currently pay for that I for SURE can do at home for a fraction of the cost:

1. Manicure/pedicure
2. Oil change
3. Detailing your car (grab a vacuum and go for it!)
4. Dry cleaning (hand-wash those clothes girl/guy/person!)
5. Facials (Check out the 'Beauty" tab for some awesome DIY face masks!)
6. Colour your hair (as long as you're not trying to do anything fancy, dye your own hair my friend)
7. Make your own coffee (skip those drive-thru lineups! You'd be surprised at how much you save)
8. Trim your hair (and now you know you won't get scissor happy!)
9. Grooming your eyebrows, beard etc.
10. Hair removal (waxing especially!)

I could go on, but it's getting late and I'm sleepy.  But there are 10 different tasks that you could save time and money on by doing yourself.  Ok some of them might take up some more time, but it's worth it in the end.  I mean, if you're not busy, why not give yourself a manicure or tweeze those brows!  You'll learn a new skill, and become less dependent on others to provide certain services for you.

At the same time, balance your DIY undertakings with your need for self care.  If you need to go get a mani/pedi, do it and enjoy every minute of it!  But do your research - chose an affordable salon, pick a cheaper service, space out your salon visits.  Do what you need to do, but be money smart while you do it!

That's it for today folks.  Cheers to doing it on your own!

xoxo, Jayy