February is JUST around the corner and it’s a new year, so we all want to tidy our closets and keep our resolutions, right? Let me share our family’s annual #FrugalFebruary resolution with you:
It all started when one of my husband’s co-workers brought up this idea of saving money as a challenge during the shortest month of the year, February. Let’s just say that expectations met with a lower standard is incredibly great for boosting our egos! Some years we were better than others, but we always tried hold strong each February without slipping up. If anything, the main idea here is to create good habits to sustain us for a healthier lifestyle. Another bonus? Being frugal in some areas can open yourself up to be able to do other things that you didn’t necessarily think you had enough finances for!
Disclaimer: We’re NOT claiming to be experts or perfect by any means. And we all know that one size does not fit all. So with that said, I’ll share what rules we’ve tweaked that best apply for our own #FrugalFebruary.
THE RULES
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DRINK MORE WATER
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EAT MORE GREENS
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WORKOUT AT LEAST 3X/WEEK
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And to be specific, we try to do (at least) #10 push-ups DAILY. Sometimes that includes the kids piled on top of Adam’s back and it makes me giggle like crazy!
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Make all meals at home whenever possible (limit dinners out; take out)
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Exceptions: Valentine’s Day, planned vacation trips that happen to be in the month of Feb., company dinners
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make meal plans (to lessen waste)
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start the day with A healthy breakfast
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In my case, I’m aiming to make a healthy smoothie every morning
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only purchase needs, not wants
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Bye bye online shopping…. (sigh)
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no sweets/candy; limit processed sugar
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This is a particularly hard one for me. I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, and I tend to crave something sweet after dinner before we go to bed. And of course that’s THE WORST!
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no alcohol
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Exception: while on VACATION!
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pack SCHOOL LUNCHES
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no starbucks/coffee outings
Busy moms, listen up!
So if #FrugalFebruary already sounds incredibly overwhelming, then try at least doing this ONE goal this month. Healthy breakfast smoothies. It’ll give you a great start to your day, and elongate your blood sugar so you’re not HANGRY an hour later.
FAB 4 SMOOTHIE
Here are the base ingredients that I’m using for my breakfast smoothies. Nutritionist Kelly preaches that by using these 4 as a combo: Protein, fat, fiber, and greens (spinach, kale, basil, whatever you like) we’re turning off our hunger hormones and creating a meal replacing smoothie. Keep in mind that these smoothies are a thicker pudding like consistency, but this will help keep your body satiated for far longer.
#1. FROZEN SPINACH
(I usually buy this from Trader Joe’s), or I’ll use frozen kale or other brands from Mariano’s, etc. It’s a good freezer staple to keep in stock.
#2. MCT OIL (HEALTHY FAT)
I usually order this on Amazon Prime. I also will use this oil as a cooking oil (it has a high smoke point which is great for the stovetop) for its added benefits.
#3. PROTEIN POWDER
I also really like Vital Proteins collagen peptides. Protein and a collagen boost- yessss please! I get mine from either Amazon or Costco.
#4. FIBER
I’m using these organic white chia seeds from Amazon, but you could also do flax seeds too.
Smoothie Recipe:
2 scoops collagen protein powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 tablespoon MCT oil
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (or almond milk if you prefer!)
Handful frozen spinach
Couple of ice cubes
Optional: small handful of fresh fruit (whatever is on hand); and/or a tablespoon of almond butter
Blend and enjoy!
other favorites
VIT B COMPLEX
After getting bronchitis that quickly turned into PNEUMONIA last fall, I’ve been religious with taking this DAILY. It helps boost your immune system AND boosts your energy. Lord knows I need both since I’m surrounded by kids!
Healthy recipe cookbook
Normally I’m not big on collecting cookbooks because they tend to add to my piles that I try and keep tidy. By following Kelly LeVeque over on the ‘gram, and I’m motivated to try her other smoothie recipes out. I love that I can control the ingredients, and they’re easy to make.
coffee creamer
I use this in my coffee daily and love it so much, I have it on Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program. Because it’s shelf stable, I love being able to outsource this with direct shipping because the grocery stores don’t always have it in stock.
tea ball infuser
Usually I opt for convenience (fine, call me lazy) and when I run out of my Yogi Tea Bags, I just head over to Amazon Prime to get more. I have a few bags of loose leaf tea, but I never used it because I didn’t have a tea infuser… until Christmas! My SIL gifted me this, and I looooove it. So easy, and I like that I can use it to stir my tea too!
There you have it- So, I challenge YOU to join me! You can set your own rules, exceptions, whatever! In any way you decide to challenge yourself, be sure to tag me in your social media posts so we can cheer each other on! Frugal February, here we come! 🙂
“Never live your life towards a destination. it’s got to be about the journey. You’ve got to start loving the journey, and build the life that you love. The past is the past, the future gives people anxiety, but the present is a gift and we just have to be so grateful.” — kelly leveque
