Frugalista Update #1

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I started my Frugal February journey on the 1st and this is my first update.

GOALS 

No coffee, specifically Starbucks 

I had coffee today (lol), 2/5, after struggling to stay alert & craving the taste of hazelut creamer (weird, I know). I've decided to cut back to one cup of coffee a week, only if I really need it.

Get more sleep 

I failed at this yesterday, thanks to a dear friend of mine who only has time to talk after 12 am. Being that I work from home, it isn't that hard to catch up on sleep, but I need to be more strict on when to work and when to play.

Plan meals ahead of time

Yeah, right. I decided to drive to my parents house throughout this week so I wouldn't have to cook. Lazy? Maybe. It worked though. For this coming week, I plan to cook much larger meals, i.e. casseroles, etc., so that I can have leftovers for a few days. That will prevent me from wanting to eat out & will save time.

Keep hair in protective styles

I am a scarf fanatic, so this was not a big challenge. I wear scarves every day and will be getting small box braids in a few weeks. I plan on whipping up a hair cream to keep my edges moisturized.

No eating out

No biggie. I have barely been out of the house since the 1st and I definitely haven't purchased any food while I was out.

Do not purchase any hair/beauty products

Surprisingly, I was not even tempted to buy beauty products. The reason could be that I practically fill a beauty store with what I already have. If anything, I need to get rid of products I no longer use.

Cut back on cell phone usage/change plan 

I haven't changed my cell phone plan yet, but I did cut back on minutes. By the way, I hate TMobile.

Set aside money to pay debt
Student loans suck. I already set aside money for my savings and made arrangements to pay certain loans back towards the end of the month.

Prolong big purchases until holiday/ or buy on Ebay

I made my last purchase on 2/1, via Ebay for less than $5 total. I purchased 2 books.  Ebay and I are great friends, so he'll understand that I can't bid on anything until March. However, I did make a list of what I wanted:) 

I saved at least $50 this week, between Starbucks & eating out.

For the most part, this really isn't hard. The only thing I am had issues with is not drinking coffee, but hopefully my FIX today will suffice for the upcoming week.

And...(drum roll)...

 I am starting a video series on skin & nail care this week. I love pampering myself & through my experiences as a model, I've adopted a great regimen that consists of homemade mixes, essential oils, and most importantly, a healthy diet. I can't wait to share.