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When you're poor...
Jan. 22nd, 2013 01:13 amSingle Dad Laughing posted this today:
http://www.danoah.com/2013/01/10-things-you-need-to-splurge-on-when-money-is-tight.html
Basically, it's 10 things you should splurge on when you are broke. Obviously, not all at once. He pointed out that he had a very lean year, and discovered that being ultra-frugal can make one crazy. Each of his ten things were things that were self-care oriented items.
It got me thinking because I myself am dealing with some very lean times. I have been dusting off my own self-care list for when I'm perilously broke.
So here it is: Kukla's guide to feeling good while you're broke
1. Lean in favor of comfort foods. Most "broke" periods are brief, so you won't be living like this forever. Indulge in the cheap comfort foods that you love, because trying to actually lose weight when you are penniless is a baaaaad idea.
2. But don't neglect your veggies. Think of a fresh veggie that you love, and buy a bit of that. The veggies are good for you and eating nutritious food will make you happier, really! When you need to take a break from the cans from the food pantry, a bit of fresh veg is awesome. (My favorites: Chinese Broccoli, Bok Choy, or Asparagus. The previous two are ridiculously cheap at the Chinese grocery store.)
3. Eat off of the good dishes. Seriously, this costs you nothing! Get out the good china. Dig out the dessert dishes to serve those canned peaches. Drink water out of the champagne glasses. Do this even if you are eating over the sink by yourself, but consider setting a pretty place to eat at the table. Feed the cat food from a pretty saucer.
4. Eat the food hoard. Find the neat stuff you've been saving for a rainy day. I busted out the hearts of palm I had been holding on to, and shared it with friends in a gorgeous salad. I've been pulling out the exotic teas, too. Paw through the pantry and find things that you've put off eating because they're "special". Make pumpkin pie shakes/smoothies, or bake the cake mixes just because and put sprinkles on them. Dig out the bamboo shoots and stir-fry them with the fresh greens you bought. Open a can of sweetened condensed milk and drink it in your Chai tea or just eat it with a spoon. I won't judge. :D
5. Pamper at home. If you are a girl, you've probably received some "bath stuff" as gifts, and it's sitting on a shelf in your bathroom closet. Get that stuff out and use it. Foot cream? Body butter? Goop for your hair? Some kind of facial mask? Use it! If you are a dude who has not gotten any of this stuff, nudge a female friend. She has tons of this stuff and would probably like to share it. I personally volunteer; let me know if you want some "bath stuff" and I'll pick something nice out for you. Failing all of that? Run a bath and put your favorite shampoo in it for bubbles. Mmm. Bubble bath. I might go do that now...
6. Revisit the DVD collection. You bought those DVDs for a reason, right? Find something you haven't watched in a long time or something you bought but never got around to watching. I like to make some real popcorn with butter and sea salt for this kind of thing. Put in a DVD, curl up with a blankie, eat some popcorn. Way cheaper than going to the movies, seriously. If you have internet, consider cruising Hulu for little known movies. I just found a very surreal movie from early in Brendan Fraser's career that I not only hadn't seen but hadn't known about!
7. Do something for someone else. You haven't got any money, but you might have "stuff" that someone else can use. You might be able to give a few minutes to a friend to listen to their troubles. You might be able to share that DVD and popcorn, that bath stuff, that good china. Offer to babysit and offer to barter for the time. We all "know" that doing something nice for someone else makes you feel great, but we often forget when we're mired in our own misery.
8. Splurge on the good things. The link above mentions high-end sunglasses, steak dinner, and expensive jeans. I don't need to spend lots of money on those things at all. Doing so is not going to improve my life. However, I have three things I would recommend instead. Your mileage may vary, but consider that spending a bit more (or a lot more) on a single item that will improve your life is better than spending a little bit on some crap that doesn't help. If you can figure out which is which, do that. My three things?
Thing One: Really Good Shoes. I'm not talking fashion here, I'm talking function. Buy the best pair of shoes you can afford, and replace them when they wear out. I have NEVER regretted this.
Thing two: a decent mattress or a good mattress-top. You sleep on it, dude. You're going to spend almost half your life on it. Your back will thank you for it. Don't use an old busted mattress; get canned goods and save up for a proper mattress, and replace it at the recommended time.
Thing Three: A Doll. Before you all roll your eyes at me and say I can't afford them, I would like to point out that those BJDs make me very happy. I'm not saying I need to buy one every day or every month, but a once-a-year purchase of a really nice BJD for my collection is a reasonable thing. I don't give a gnat's whisker for designer sunglasses. I think anyone who spends more than $20 on a pair of (non-prescription) sunglasses is wasting their money on something pointless. I don't wear jeans anymore (mainly because Zombie Knee says NO!) so buying a $100 pair of quality jeans is actually kind of a waste of money for me. As for a steak dinner, Dan says he's talking about a high-end steak house steak. I say, Longhorn for a slab of prime rib. Paying more money doesn't make the meat any tastier.
So the real information behind number 8 is all about finding the thing that improves your life dramatically, even if it is "too expensive". 'Tis always better to buy a few quality things than to waste money on a bunch of crap. :D
9. The Pedicure. You all know that I have become a pedicure evangelist. Dan mentions it in his list, too, and he's NOT WRONG. Yes, it will run you about $20 plus tip. Do NOT skimp on the tip. You don't even have to get the manicure to go with the pedicure, in my opinion, but get someone to do your toes for you while you sit in a massage chair. You can afford it once in a great while, so do it. Somehow, for me, the world looks brighter when my toes are soft and cute.
10. Stone Soup.
Get together with someone who is also broke and collaborate on the food. Maybe your friend just bought a bag of salad greens and might not finish them off before they get slimy. Maybe you have a couple of chicken breasts in the back of the freezer. Maybe another friend has some canned veggies from the food pantry. Maybe somebody has some rice. Get together and make a meal to share. We get into this mentality that we can't share food because we're broke. We can't go out to eat with our friends because we're broke. We can't have people over because we're broke. Bull! Call someone or post to your blog that there will be a Stone Soup night, and everyone who comes should bring something to make it a meal. You might notice that number ten incorporates elements from some of the other numbers as well. Good for you; that was deliberate on my part.
Being broke can make a person feel isolated. If you have a friend who begs off from social things due to being broke, consider offering to pay for them to join in. "We really want you to come with us to see The Hobbit, so I'll pick up your ticket." Or perhaps, "We want a sushi night, and we know you can't afford to come but we want you there anyway. We'll pick up your portion if you come along and order some rolls!" If you are the broke friend, and you've begged off from social events a lot lately, propose a get together that you can manage such as, "Hey, who wants to mall-walk with me?" or "Sunday I'm going to the zoo/Art Museum/otherfreething. Who else wants to join me?"
In other words, take care of yourself. Take care of your loved ones. And sometimes a small indulgence can go a long way toward making you feel better about your lot in life at this moment in time.
http://www.danoah.com/2013/01/10-things-you-need-to-splurge-on-when-money-is-tight.html
Basically, it's 10 things you should splurge on when you are broke. Obviously, not all at once. He pointed out that he had a very lean year, and discovered that being ultra-frugal can make one crazy. Each of his ten things were things that were self-care oriented items.
It got me thinking because I myself am dealing with some very lean times. I have been dusting off my own self-care list for when I'm perilously broke.
So here it is: Kukla's guide to feeling good while you're broke
1. Lean in favor of comfort foods. Most "broke" periods are brief, so you won't be living like this forever. Indulge in the cheap comfort foods that you love, because trying to actually lose weight when you are penniless is a baaaaad idea.
2. But don't neglect your veggies. Think of a fresh veggie that you love, and buy a bit of that. The veggies are good for you and eating nutritious food will make you happier, really! When you need to take a break from the cans from the food pantry, a bit of fresh veg is awesome. (My favorites: Chinese Broccoli, Bok Choy, or Asparagus. The previous two are ridiculously cheap at the Chinese grocery store.)
3. Eat off of the good dishes. Seriously, this costs you nothing! Get out the good china. Dig out the dessert dishes to serve those canned peaches. Drink water out of the champagne glasses. Do this even if you are eating over the sink by yourself, but consider setting a pretty place to eat at the table. Feed the cat food from a pretty saucer.
4. Eat the food hoard. Find the neat stuff you've been saving for a rainy day. I busted out the hearts of palm I had been holding on to, and shared it with friends in a gorgeous salad. I've been pulling out the exotic teas, too. Paw through the pantry and find things that you've put off eating because they're "special". Make pumpkin pie shakes/smoothies, or bake the cake mixes just because and put sprinkles on them. Dig out the bamboo shoots and stir-fry them with the fresh greens you bought. Open a can of sweetened condensed milk and drink it in your Chai tea or just eat it with a spoon. I won't judge. :D
5. Pamper at home. If you are a girl, you've probably received some "bath stuff" as gifts, and it's sitting on a shelf in your bathroom closet. Get that stuff out and use it. Foot cream? Body butter? Goop for your hair? Some kind of facial mask? Use it! If you are a dude who has not gotten any of this stuff, nudge a female friend. She has tons of this stuff and would probably like to share it. I personally volunteer; let me know if you want some "bath stuff" and I'll pick something nice out for you. Failing all of that? Run a bath and put your favorite shampoo in it for bubbles. Mmm. Bubble bath. I might go do that now...
6. Revisit the DVD collection. You bought those DVDs for a reason, right? Find something you haven't watched in a long time or something you bought but never got around to watching. I like to make some real popcorn with butter and sea salt for this kind of thing. Put in a DVD, curl up with a blankie, eat some popcorn. Way cheaper than going to the movies, seriously. If you have internet, consider cruising Hulu for little known movies. I just found a very surreal movie from early in Brendan Fraser's career that I not only hadn't seen but hadn't known about!
7. Do something for someone else. You haven't got any money, but you might have "stuff" that someone else can use. You might be able to give a few minutes to a friend to listen to their troubles. You might be able to share that DVD and popcorn, that bath stuff, that good china. Offer to babysit and offer to barter for the time. We all "know" that doing something nice for someone else makes you feel great, but we often forget when we're mired in our own misery.
8. Splurge on the good things. The link above mentions high-end sunglasses, steak dinner, and expensive jeans. I don't need to spend lots of money on those things at all. Doing so is not going to improve my life. However, I have three things I would recommend instead. Your mileage may vary, but consider that spending a bit more (or a lot more) on a single item that will improve your life is better than spending a little bit on some crap that doesn't help. If you can figure out which is which, do that. My three things?
Thing One: Really Good Shoes. I'm not talking fashion here, I'm talking function. Buy the best pair of shoes you can afford, and replace them when they wear out. I have NEVER regretted this.
Thing two: a decent mattress or a good mattress-top. You sleep on it, dude. You're going to spend almost half your life on it. Your back will thank you for it. Don't use an old busted mattress; get canned goods and save up for a proper mattress, and replace it at the recommended time.
Thing Three: A Doll. Before you all roll your eyes at me and say I can't afford them, I would like to point out that those BJDs make me very happy. I'm not saying I need to buy one every day or every month, but a once-a-year purchase of a really nice BJD for my collection is a reasonable thing. I don't give a gnat's whisker for designer sunglasses. I think anyone who spends more than $20 on a pair of (non-prescription) sunglasses is wasting their money on something pointless. I don't wear jeans anymore (mainly because Zombie Knee says NO!) so buying a $100 pair of quality jeans is actually kind of a waste of money for me. As for a steak dinner, Dan says he's talking about a high-end steak house steak. I say, Longhorn for a slab of prime rib. Paying more money doesn't make the meat any tastier.
So the real information behind number 8 is all about finding the thing that improves your life dramatically, even if it is "too expensive". 'Tis always better to buy a few quality things than to waste money on a bunch of crap. :D
9. The Pedicure. You all know that I have become a pedicure evangelist. Dan mentions it in his list, too, and he's NOT WRONG. Yes, it will run you about $20 plus tip. Do NOT skimp on the tip. You don't even have to get the manicure to go with the pedicure, in my opinion, but get someone to do your toes for you while you sit in a massage chair. You can afford it once in a great while, so do it. Somehow, for me, the world looks brighter when my toes are soft and cute.
10. Stone Soup.
Get together with someone who is also broke and collaborate on the food. Maybe your friend just bought a bag of salad greens and might not finish them off before they get slimy. Maybe you have a couple of chicken breasts in the back of the freezer. Maybe another friend has some canned veggies from the food pantry. Maybe somebody has some rice. Get together and make a meal to share. We get into this mentality that we can't share food because we're broke. We can't go out to eat with our friends because we're broke. We can't have people over because we're broke. Bull! Call someone or post to your blog that there will be a Stone Soup night, and everyone who comes should bring something to make it a meal. You might notice that number ten incorporates elements from some of the other numbers as well. Good for you; that was deliberate on my part.
Being broke can make a person feel isolated. If you have a friend who begs off from social things due to being broke, consider offering to pay for them to join in. "We really want you to come with us to see The Hobbit, so I'll pick up your ticket." Or perhaps, "We want a sushi night, and we know you can't afford to come but we want you there anyway. We'll pick up your portion if you come along and order some rolls!" If you are the broke friend, and you've begged off from social events a lot lately, propose a get together that you can manage such as, "Hey, who wants to mall-walk with me?" or "Sunday I'm going to the zoo/Art Museum/otherfreething. Who else wants to join me?"
In other words, take care of yourself. Take care of your loved ones. And sometimes a small indulgence can go a long way toward making you feel better about your lot in life at this moment in time.
