Who DOESN’T love saving money? I know I sure do, especially in these uncertain economic times. Unfortunately it took the coronavirus pandemic’s restrictions on where we shop to REALLY get my attention. I actually saved some dough during this horrible time by doing the following things!!
1.Don’t pay an arm and a leg at fancy-dancy stores
Once the six foot apart social distancing mandate departs, the first thing I will do is bear hug my friends that I’ve sorely missed. During the embrace, if you get a whiff of something spicy and citrus, it’s not my breath. LOL! It’s my new facial skin care products.
Let me introduce my two new little friends. LOL! I am in love with my Clear & Clean lemon gel cleanser and Neutrogena turmeric moisturizer. With brick and mortar malls shut down, it limited the amount of options to shop at my go-to stores. It taught me a lot about self-restraint, buying things I don’t really need and emotional spending.
I was all out of my Clinique skin care products that I normally purchased at Lord & Taylor or Macy’s at the mall five minutes from my home. I’ve used the products for thirty years– a brand loyalist. Since the stores were closed due to the pandemic, I hurried over to Walgreens where I was pleasantly surprised as I wandered the aisles. I knew nothing about these products before I bought them.
To be honest, it was the bright, cheerful yellow color of the lemon gel cleanser bottle that got my attention. It’s one of my favorite colors. And, I have always loved lemon. Lemon pie. Lemon pound cake. Lemon yogurt. Lemon sorbet. Lemonade. So, WHY NOT, lemon gel cleanser? LOL!! It leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. And, only $5.99.
I did a double take when I saw the TURMERIC moisturizer. It’s not something I normally think of as an ingredient for skin care. I enjoy it in Indian meals like coconut chicken curry. I was unaware of it’s noninflammatory properties. This three ounce bottle costs $9 compared to the four ounce bottle of Clinique moisturizer that costs $28. I love the spicy scent and it’s non-greasy. This is a no-brainer! Sorry, not sorry, Clinique. Walgreens won me over!
2. Pack a lunch
You will save money when you take the time to pack a lunch. It beats going to unhealthy fast-food restaurants or pricey eateries. During the last few months, I have made a lot of salads, usually spring mix with cherry tomatoes; hard boiled eggs; onion; celery; pepper jack cheese; carrots and raisins. Sometimes, I take left-overs from the previous night’s meal. I also pack several bottle of water, lemon yogurt and almonds to snack on later in the day to re-energize myself. I have a colorful coral and green lunch bag that I purchased from Marshalls after Christmas. It makes me feel special since I eat my lunch in my car most of the time, as a home care nurse. As for dinner time, it’s a wise move to plan your menus so you’re not grocery shopping when you’re starving. You’ll end up spending even more money.
3. Raid your closet and dresser drawers
One day while rifling through my dresser drawers and closet, I found items that I’d forgotten about; a pair of Sketchers sneakers, numerous t-shirts and pants. I was shocked to rediscover these items. It made me feel resourceful to wear them again. A lot of times we are out buying things we don’t NEED just because we WANT something new. This is the longest period in my life that I have gone without buying more chandelier earrings to add to my already crazy stash. And, guess what? I didn’t fall apart. I made it through without losing my mind. LOL! My new normal after this pandemic will focus on making smarter financial decisions, cherishing life and loving my family and friends. Period!
