 I used to love the feel of having money in my wallet. But what I was putting in my body as a result of cheap food that wasn't good for me and splurging on clothes and shoes instead of experiences that will help me grow as a person--I realized my priorities was jacked up.
 This is where I turned to my Bible, which I enjoy reading as to kinda help me reanalyze habits I learned from my upbringing, as well as find communities to help me stay on track, as well as to give support to. As of right now, I have been leaning more towards the Seventh-Day Adventist's way of going about the Bible because they also take into account the health message of the Bible. I'm a Louisiana gal; while health sounds great and all, I would rather stick to exercising and eating whatever I want and work towards eating whatever I want in moderation. But no, the Bible calls for all around health--mental, spiritual and physical, which doesn't include just exercise but also what you ingest in your body. And so, I now have changed my priorities and with that I have changed what I am cheap with/splurge on. I am cheap with:
Clothing
I think of spending money like investing.
Clothing I want versus need (i.e. another pair of jeans among the 10 I have)
Shoes I want versus need (i.e. a new pair of pumps vs. quality winter boots w/no-slip for ice, snow-resistant & high enough to walk through 6 in. of snow)
A handbag or tote I want versus need
Some foods that I want versus need
Now, don't get me wrong. Of course, I make exceptions depending on the quality of the bag or design of the shoes and clothing, but I definitely won't make it a habit. Sometimes, I absolutely splurge on things I want versus need, but I make sure my necessities are of quality and taking care of first with savings put aside before I splurge on anything that I want. And sometimes, as a devout bargain hunter, what I need do not always require me to splurge but when it does, I make the necessary investment.
But I will "splurge" (meaning pay or spend > $100)
Computer / Phone: I am a small e-business owner and blogger. I need quality working phones that allow me to continue to scale and grow my business aka keep making money for the things I desire to do--travel, pay bills on time, and give back.
Quality food: My first 3 years of college, I bought food my Mom normally bought for us. Granted, we were poor but never hungry; however, the quality of our food left us deprived health-wise, although my Mom bought what she could afford. Knowing what I know now about being cheap in America, I do my best to purchase quality goods as much as possible. Examples: Milk - I purchase lactose free, gluten free and soy free almond milk instead of dairy milk. Veggies - I have really begun to love veggies and will buy lots of veggies, which do not typically cost much. Herbal tea- I love me some herbal tea and making my own tea at home versus buying it already made. It's great for my bowels, digestive system and mental health. Bread - Instead of processed white bread, I will eat brown and wheat, and I enjoy Naan and flatbread as well. Farmer's market - I love to support farmers and purchase food that they labored to nurture and grow from the land, and newfound appreciation I owe many thanks to my experience working on a farm.
Travel and Adventure: Experience and learning is a priority if I want to accomplish the personal goals I have of living a life of simplicity, happiness and fulfillment, which will stem from living in harmony with others and Mother Nature. It will also be practical if I desire to accomplish my professional and career goals of helping those desiring to contribute to social good to do so with the ncessary tools, resources, strategies and max impact, while I educate and alleviate poverty worldwide. AND, as mentioned in a previous post, travel and adventure is also one of my favorite ways to take care of and love myself.
And though this is not food, I splurge on quality natural hair styling products as well, and things I can re-use to help make my life more efficient and save the planet, like SandCloud's Re-usable Hot/Cold Thermal (use code SHATOYIA25 for 25% off!). But of course, and this is the sad part, many of us are forced to buy cheap because we simply cannot afford anything else. It is sad that America makes health so expensive, when it is a birthright.
   America's capitalism is surely at [majority] fault here, but our perpetuation of the system in our willy-nilly spending and our love for convenience, meaning we are willing to sacrifice so much just to have things quicker and easier, is also at fault, and we have to take accountability for our actions. We are not taught what we need to be taught in schools (i.e. how to save or how the capitalist system works) and so we blindly pay to get the system going (have you ever thought about the profitability of the bail system?) We would prefer pleasure over health and well-being, and well, the capitalist system is feeding off our all of innate desires that we indulge and fail to control (i.e. impulse spending and our need to be accepted and validated.)
  But you can decide. NO MORE. Decide for yourself what's worth being cheap with and what's worth splurging on. Is it worth splurging (investing your hard earned money and spent time) on clothing and shoes only to have enough $ to eat crappy food that ruins your skin, physique and energy levels, making you feel awful an dless productive? Is it worth splurging on that new IPhone (investing your hard earned money and spent time) instead of taking a trip to experience being on an island, soaking up sun, and drinking from a coconut for an entire week? For me, NAH it ain't not work it.
Where was I when I wrote this?
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Getting BBQ with a friend I met there and enjoying live music with a local band.
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Save or Splurge? What do you think? Let me (and other readers) know in the comments below!
¡VIVA TU VIDA MEJOR (Live your best life)!
Until next time,
Shatoyia, La Princessa de La Paz
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