Yesterday I made an AWESOME chart breaking down how Americans eat and waste over $9,000 worth of food and drink a year. Between fast food, coffee and throwing away spoiled food... we are literally throwing away our savings. If you did not catch yesterdays podcast or blog, be sure to check it out after reading this one, you will gain a lot of insight into easy ways to track where your money is actually going.
So yesterday I got my first question from a listener! Check it out!
'Hey Sabrina, I love your podcast, and I love how they are all 15-20 minutes long, so I can get in the right mindset right before work. I do have a question though, I was wondering what advice you would give to someone with this dilemma. I started out the new year wanting to get healthier, I was planning on joining a gym and doing your 30 day goal setting challenge. However, after listening to your Save More Spend Less episode, I feel like maybe getting a gym membership is a bad idea. Is spending $35.99 on a gym membership a bad idea if I am trying to save?'
I love this question.
This is a dilemma that I deal with also.
And this is what it comes down to.
Self awareness.
I pride myself on being completely aware of my body, my mind and what I need in order to reach my potential.
One thing I encourage you to do is start paying attention to yourself.
I know without a doubt that when I have a gym membership I am committed to going. There is no question I WILL be using the money I spend in a good way!
So these are the questions you need to ask yourself:
How dedicated are you to working out? Is this a phase?
Is this something you are committed to doing for the full year?
Do you have a plan written out for when you are going? Are you just going to wing it?
If you are going to just wing it… it probably won’t last long.
If you are committed to a plan, and yourself. Then YES by all means, go get that membership!
Now me myself, the reason I save money is so that I can splurge on things that are good for me. So I don't spend money on fast food I don't spend money on coffee I don't waste food.
For me, spending money on things that are benefiting me physically, mentally or financially … are ALWAYS wise decisions.
So I refrain from fast food, coffee, gas station food, vending machines, … so that I can have that money to spend on things like:
Working out
Eating healthier food at home
Educating myself
Books (I have so many books)
Seminars and Webinars to better myself and my outlook on life
Joining a gym, if you are committed, could benefit your life in so many other ways.
You will be happy, more optimistic, positive… feel better about yourself. You will be more productive at work… because you will be getting stronger… and lighter. Your confidence will go up, your quality of sleep will increase. And those awesome endorphins that you hear about… will kick in… and life will just seem a bit better! Which will snowball into all aspects of your life, if you allow it to.
Now, if you are living paycheck to paycheck, be careful. You are going to have to replace something… in order to get that $35. So you may have to replace drinking with your buddies on Friday and Saturday, and start going to the gym Friday and Saturday. Not only will that make sense health wise… but also money wise.
With that I also want to share a short story that my dad just shared with me yesterday.
'A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do i know you won't sting me ?" The scorpion says, " because if I do, I will die too." The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream , the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp "why?".....to this the scorpion replies to the frog: "It's my nature…'
This is such a powerful story… because we ALL have a natural path that we follow. If you have not worked out in 20 years… it is going to be hard to jump back in. If you have had trouble saving for 15 years… it is going to be hard to start to save… or spend less.
As the nay-sayers say… ‘people don’t change…or you can’t change people’ and to a degree I agree. BUT… YOU yourself have control over your mindset...if you CHOOSE to take control.
You need to start looking at your life from an outsider… looking in. What makes sense? View your daily and weekly activities, and are they lined up with who you are wanting to truly be?
Align yourself with a person who is healthy and working out and make sure everything in your life is lined up with that focus and goal… if you do that… the expensive bad habits will be eliminated… giving you the extra cash for the membership and still allowing you to save!
So are you going to stick with your nature? Are you going to continue to do the things you have always done… and continue to get the same results? Or are you going to take MASSIVE action mentally and physically to alter your life?
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Xo- Sabrina Victoria
Do something awesome today!