The Good Life . . .

As you can tell there’s nothing following “The Good Life . . .” This blog’s primary purpose for being created was for my digital analytics class. It’s the end of the semester and it’s time to put my all my work, analytics and thoughts into one final paper, otherwise known as MY FINAL PAPER OF COLLEGE! (cue balloons falling from the ceiling)

Through this blogging process I’ve learned so much. Not only about how to create a blog, but also how to track and analyze the metrics overtime. It’s been fun to see all of your reactions to my posts. The most viewed post was “The Good Life . . . by being present.” This was by far one of my favorite posts and I'm so happy it got the views it did. I was humbled by the responses and compliments I received to this post and many others.

Now the big question: Will I be continuing “The Good Life . . . for less” after the semester concludes?

That’s a great question and my honest answer is I have no clue. I wasn’t completely thrilled with the layout of my blog so I would first and foremost change blog platforms. I would also keep the same direction as this blog but do a few minor tweaks to the path I want to take. I’d also love to include more of my own pictures and my personal tumblr page. The question for me is if I want to exert more of my time and energy into this blog. I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this. I’m also sure you all have a thing or two to teach me about The Good Life.
My email is annaschott2@gmail.com. Share away!

Best,
Anna

The Good Life . . . with a smart closet!

We all love a walk in closet until we find ourselves knee deep in clothes with nothing to wear. I admire minimalism and simplicity and want to be more disciplined about this lifestyle, especially with my wardrobe. It is challenging when we are surrounded by a materialistic culture, but I’m speaking for myself when I say that I feel a lot more at ease and at peace when there is less materialistic items to deal with in my life.

 I came across a really helpful post the other day called “How to Shop Like a Minimalist – 12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying.”
It’s a great guide to change your mindset before deciding to buy clothes. It’s also helpful for those who struggle with uncluttering. Here are the 12 Questions to ask yourself:
    1. Would I really buy this if it wasn’t on sale?
    2. Am I trying to justify this purchase because I think it will motivate me to do something? 
    3. Is this something I will end up annoyed at when I’ve used it for a bit? 
    4. Do I feel compelled to get this largely because it’s a “good” brand? 
    5. Would I be getting this just because I’m trying to fill a quota? 
    6. Does this item really work well with what I have? 
    7. Would this purchase be for a hypothetical situation or potential future life? 
    8. Would this item be higher-maintenance than is worth the bother? 
    9. Does this really make sense or do I have to rationalize it? 
   10. Am I filling a gap or making a pile? 
   11. Is this really me, or is it someone else on Pinterest? 
   12. Do I really, really like this, or am I trying to convince myself I like it for various “logical” reasons? 
The full descriptions of these 12 questions can be found here.

There’s nothing wrong with buying clothes for yourself, especially if they are a necessity. It’s when excessive consumerism takes ahold of you and you’re swimming in a huge closet with nothing to wear. Sometimes simplicity is best. Sometimes that’s all The Good Life is about. Simplicity.

Living The Good Life . . . with less!

I’m gearing up for another move. I’ve moved about 2 times a year for the last 4 years and I’m happy to say that this next move will keep me stagnant for more than a year. Hallelujah!

As I’m mentally organizing what needs to be packed and when the moving truck is bringing my furniture, I have a slight panic attack about how much I need to do before the time comes. Even after moving so many times I have still collected more items than I would have liked. Usually after you move so many times you get the hang of what you need and what you don’t need. I on the other hand can’t part with a lot of my things which actually angers me.

Did you know that Americans have more stuff and more space for that stuff than ever before? Do you think it’s actually possible for Americans to learn how to scale back?
Check out this great infographic that puts it all into perspective: (to find a clearer view click here)

This idea of less will someday become my norm and my Good Life. How easy is it for you to live with less?

The Good Life . . . while budgeting

It may be a daunting word.
Budgeting.
Some find it annoying. Others call it discipline. I call it a challenge.

Whether you’re a family of five or a recent college graduate, setting financial goals and building a budget that works specifically for you will only help you in the long run. It may sound scary, especially if you’ve never done it, but it’s something that will be rewarding since you work so hard for the money you earn.

It’s time to take control of your finances and understand where you’re spending your money and how much. Don’t let disaster strike. Ignorance is not always bliss. The time starts now to start making money work for you, not against you! It’s not always easy but it is worth it. Change can be a good thing and how do we expect life to get better if we don’t make positive changes in our lives?

Here’s something that can help figure out a budget that works for you. It’s called the 50/20/30 Guideline. This guideline breaks the budget into three buckets rather than multiple categories. It also helps you figure out how much you want to allocate to each bucket every month.
  
The 50/20/30 Guideline buckets are: 

1. Fixed Costs
2. Financial Goals
3. Flexible Spending

Get the full description of the guideline here as well as how you can apply it to your own budget: https://www.learnvest.com/lp/how-to-budget-your-money

Eating Out . . . for less!

We all want to save money but that’s hard to do when eating out is so much fun. I am a huge believer in eating in during the week and then allowing myself to go out to eat on weekends. No one should have to sacrifice time with friends or family because going out to eat is too expensive. It doesn’t have to be like that!

An article I ran across in Forbes addressed the issue of eating out for lunch during the week. Americans are typically going out for lunch on an average of twice weekly and spend $10 each time. If you think about that on a yearly basis that means they’re spending $936 annually. I’d say brown bagging your lunch isn’t too bad of an idea knowing that you could save over $900. Think of how much you could do with that money. The options are endless. (Touryalai)

Now when it comes to dinnertime $10 is pretty cheap for a meal. You’re lucky if you can find anything on the menu under $10 (please note I’m a broke college student and money doesn’t grow on trees). I’ve formulated my own money saving ideas for all those sick of forking over well-earned cash for your favorite dish or drink of choice.

 
My Money Saving Deals For Eating Out: 

• Choose places that offer deals online - such as Groupon, Yelp, or Restaurant.com. That way you don’t have to sit in the car and continuously ask, “Where do you want go?” 
• Time your meals over Happy Hour - The drink prices are a steal! 
• Like, Follow and check in on your favorite restaurants via social media - You’ll be surprised how many times restaurants will announce special deals. 
• Split a meal - Many restaurants pile on the food where it seems to be two portion sizes. Why not split it and then maybe treat yourself to dessert with the money you saved from the two entrees? 
• Don’t order food that doesn’t reheat well - Maybe start thinking about what you want for lunch tomorrow and order that. 
• Say NOOOOO to dessert - That’s hard being a dessert enthusiast to say but you can still have it, just not at the restaurant. It’s usually over priced and not that amazing. Hit up your favorite ice cream shop or another favorite dessert shop where you know the dessert will be on point for what you pay. 
• Dine on appetizers - If menus only had appetizers I’d still be happy, maybe happier. I’ve learned that appetizers are the instigators of fullness. Some places serve huge portions. 
• BYOB – Some restaurants let you bring in your own wine and all you have to pay for is the corkage fee. It’s usually cheaper than buying a bottle at the restaurant. It never hurts to call the restaurant and check on their BYOB policy. 

 Saving money is always a good thing, but still having just as good of a time while saving money is what The Good Life is all about. All it takes is a little strategy and a hungry tummy and you’re set.

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References:
Touryalai, Halah. "Lunchtime: Americans Spend Nearly $1K Annually Eating Out For Lunch." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2013/09/25/lunchtime-americans-spend-nearly-1k-annually-eating-out-for-lunch/>.

The Good Life . . . by simplifying

I guarantee this won’t be the last post about simplicity I’ll I’ve ever write. I love the idea of simplifying things because I’m someone who overcomplicates just about everything. When I put my mind to something and really try to simplify, my life tends to get a little bit easier.

I’ve always loved the saying “There is beauty in simplicity.” I really do think that less is more and the simpler the better. There are some fun occasions when this doesn’t apply, but for a majority of time I stick to what I don’t need I don’t have. I once heard someone say “Don’t carry what you don’t need in your pocket, in your home or in your heart.” Think of how meaningful that saying is especially going from tangibles to intangibles. There’s so much noise in all of our heads that affect how we live our lives. If we control the clutter on the outside, don’t you think it would be easier to unclutter our thoughts on the inside? I certainly do.

Simplicity overall helps with a more balanced life and healthy lifestyle. I follow a really inspirational blog called Becoming Minimalist. I really love it because the writer Joshua Becker writes about such relatable issues we all have. He brings really insightful solutions and I currently ran across a post about simplifying your life. The post is called "The 10 Most Important Things to Simplify in Your Life."


Here is the list:
1. Your Possessions
2. Your Time Commitments
3. Your Goals
4. Your Negative Thoughts
5. Your Debt
6. Your Words
7. Your Artificial Ingredients
8. Your Screen Time
9. Your Connections to the World
10. Your Multi-Tasking

Find the full post here: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-10-most-important-things-to-simplify-in-your-life/

Overall I think everyone could use a little more simplification to really be able to experience The Good Life. I know I do.

The Good Life . . . without missing out!

 

The fear of missing out controls a lot of the decisions people make today. You may not want to miss out on a TV show, a get together or a latest trend. The fear is everywhere. Because it’s everywhere and such a common issue, it keeps people constantly checking their phones, emails, social media platforms and more.

When life continues to be about more, more, more you will eventually always be missing out on something due to everything going on, instead of focusing on the really meaningful things in your life.

With all this going on we feel urgency because there’s just so much stuff to do. So how does all of this affect us? The enjoyment of the experience lessens. As humans we naturally want to have as many great experiences as we can, but the only way that can happen is if you stop cramming everything into your schedule and relax. (Easier said than done, but stick with me.)

It’s impossible to not miss out on something. It’s going to happen no matter what, but the more you filter out things in your life the more intentional you become about how you spend your time and who the people are that you are going to invest that special time with.

While it may sound like you’re doing less, you will actually learn that by choosing things that mean more to you the more energy and attention you will give to those experiences all while truly enjoying them. Sometimes you’ll actually be happy that you missed out something because the alternative is so much better.

There’s no need to overwhelm your life just because that’s seen has “having more.” Yes you do have more, more stress.

Let’s all start thinking of using technology not as a curse, but as a tool. Make time for others, but most of all, make time for yourself. Enjoy life in the moment and embrace your time with loved ones. And most of all start living The Good Life, without the FOMO (fear of missing out).

More happiness . . . for less!

Graham Hill has it right. He understands the value of having less stuff and the happiness it brings.
He gives 3 main approaches to living little (in 400 square feet):
    1.  Edit ruthlessly – cut the extraneous
    2. Think small – space efficiency (save money)
    3. Make multifunctional items

He doesn’t mention that everyone needs to live in a 420 sq. ft. living space. But he does want others to consider the benefits of an edited life. He advises people to go home and walk through the front door asking oneself, "Could I do with a little life editing? Would that give me a little more freedom? Maybe a little more time?"

Let’s make room for the good stuff to live The Good Life!

The Good Life . . . by being present

I currently lost a special loved one this past week. Losing someone is one of the hardest things a person can go through. I no longer try to understand why things happen rather I accept that they happen and trust that it’s meant to be. What I do know is that losing someone you love leaves a heartache difficult to heal, but the love and memories you have with that person no one can ever steal from you.

It takes difficult times in our lives to reconsider how we live our lives. This past week put me into complexity mainly because I realized that life still has to go on even after losing someone. Though it’s hard, it made me realize how thankful I was to have the opportunities I did to be fully present in this loved one’s life.

When I say present I don’t just mean being somewhere physically present. I mean being somewhere and being mentally and emotionally present in that moment and creating lasting memories no one gets to take away. For my generation that’s easier said than done. Take a look at this video of how the millennial era has changed the perception of being present.

See what I mean? We’re so infatuated with technology and objects without a beating heart we don’t even realize we’re shutting ourselves out. We call much of the media we use today “social” but when we use it aren’t our doors usually shut? We’re becoming unsocial and missing out on special moments, experiences and the act of just looking into someone’s eyes.

The Good Life is about being present everyday, everywhere. It’s about going out in the world with no distractions and living life the real way. Look up from your phones and stop worrying about announcing to all what you have done. Sometimes the best memories are shared with a loved one.

- - - 

Dedicated to my grandma. You are so loved and will be missed greatly. 
Give grandpa a bear hug for me. 

Being a Consumer . . . for less!

Recently I did some furniture shopping at a huge furniture store with my trusted sidekick, my mom. I don’t do well at places like that, which she knows, because the options are endless and to be honest, a little overwhelming. I don’t really care for shopping anyway. During the middle of my shopping venture I sat down on a couch and looked out at the dozens of people spread across the open floor buying hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of furniture for their homes. It’s almost to the extent of excessive consumerism.

Though I seek the minimalist life to lead me to The Good Life, I’m still a consumer. To live, I have to consume. But the biggest struggle myself and America makes is when it becomes excessive. I use excessive meaning when consumerism goes beyond necessities. Credit cards allow us to swipe a card and pay for something we don’t even have the money for!

 

So many times we see nicer homes, cooler cars, designer clothing and edgier technology and we believe that there lies a promise of fulfillment. Better yet, happiness. I’m sorry to let you down but couches don’t talk and your designer bag can’t call you to go out for drinks. Instead, those bigger and fancier things lead to the addictive nature of wanting MORE. 

  

Like I mentioned, consumption is normal and necessary. Excessive consumption is not normal, nor should we allow it to be. Here are three benefits as to why you should escape excessive consumerism:  

    1)   You save MONEY! I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to not abuse credit cards and understand checks and balances. If you have no sense of money or budgeting then ask for help. It’s true that over 35% of Americans have debt and unpaid bills. The average amount of debt is $5,178. I couldn’t believe when I read this:

“The share of Americans in collections has remained relatively constant, even as the country as a whole has whittled down the size of its credit card debt since the official end of the Great Recession in the middle of 2009”(Walker).

We need to change that by making better choices and educating ourselves. Money makes the world go around. So it’s important to realize how and why. 

    2)   Less pressure. Who really cares if your best buddy just got a nicer version of the car you have. Or if the couple next door just redecorated their kitchen or got new landscaping. Oscar Wilde once said, “ Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Isn’t that true? We let our possessions own us. That’s silly. Stop caring about what others have and start noticing the value of what you already have. 

    3)   Realization that the intangibles mean so much more. The truest and most fulfilling aspects in life are actually invisible. Think about love, or faith or hope. All three of these things can’t be bundled up in a plastic (or paper) bag and paid for with cash, debit or credit. There are so many other things in this world that are way more important than what we own. Seek The Good Life in the right places.

In the end, we all consume. It’s inevitable. But what I’d like to see are consumers pushing back and not letting advertisements (and jealousy) stand in the way of our true desires.

The Good Life can be yours just as easily as The Joneses next door who got a new pool out back. Aren’t you glad that you can go enjoy it for free? 

 

- - -

References:

Walker, J. (2014, September 27). Americans In Debt: 35 Percent Have Unpaid Bills Reported To Collection Agencies. Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/americans-in-debt_n_5629137.html

The Good Life . . . with a Type A personality

In the end, our health is the most important thing we’ll have.

The last couple of weeks have been hard due to some health issues of a close family member. Visiting a family member like this is never easy but it always makes me aware of how crucial my health is and how much more mindful I need to be about the decisions I make. It reminds me to take care of myself and start thinking of self-care more as a health benefit rather than an afterthought. Many people have Type A personalities (including myself) that come with qualities of being impatient, competitive, highly conscientious, achievement oriented and sleep deprived.
What can this do to a person? A lot of “unhealthy” things actually (Scott).

     · Hypertension (high blood pressure) 

     · Heart Disease 

     · Job Stress 

     · Social Isolation 

     · Premature aging 

     · Teeth Grinding 

       And much more . . .

How can we learn to live The Good Life with these characteristics? Here’s an idea: Minimize. The research is out there, but it’s the believability and the execution we must do to make it beneficial in the long run!
Take a look at the statistics of how clutter affects a person:

You can’t take anything with you when we leave this earth so start owning less and living more.
Here’s why I have started the minimalist journey:
1) I spend less money
2) Moving is easier – I’m a professional mover by now
3) It’s visually appealing – less stuff = an airy feel (not so weight down by possessions)
4) I’m more productive – possessions can rule your time
5) Easier to clean
6) More freedom
7) I can invest in meaningful things

The Good Life can be attained by any personality trait. Either way, make sure your lifestyle leads to a healthy one. If minimizing is part of that journey, then lace up them Nike’s and start yours!

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Scott, M. (n.d.). Type A Personality Traits, Characteristics and Effects. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://stress.about.com/od/understandingstress/a/type_a_person.htm

The Good Life . . . with creativity!

I’ll be honest with you. I have a creative gene and I’m really proud of it. I’m not extravagantly creative, but I’m pretty decent at making something out of nothing. I don’t know the science behind it but I’m pretty sure that creativity is hereditary and in that case, I got it from my momma. I grew up learning how to sew, being enrolled in piano classes, baking and doing every project under sun for 4-H - if you don’t know what 4-H is you have missed out on one of the most beneficial and positive youth development programs in the US. I owe a lot of my character and abilities to the program.

Over the years I realized creativity has become an outlet for me. Not only was I trained from a young age that creativity can be fun and fulfilling, but I also learned that it can be expressive of who I am without spending a lot of money. I grew up in a small town and we didn’t have money to throw around. We spent it wisely and cautiously. Saying that, none of my creativity outlets cost a lot. Fabric, paint and piano lessons don’t add up to a mortgage payment like some outlets do.

The Good Life for me not only means living in the state known as The Good Life (NE), but instead understanding what makes me happy and pursuing that.

What makes you happy? If it’s a creative outlet, which I'm sure it is, I urge you to pursue that path. Being creative doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money.

It can be anything from:

·      Cooking/Baking

·      Painting

·      Creating music

·      Drawing

·      DIY projects (I recommend Pinterest – it’s not just for women!)

·      Learning a new trade

·      Starting a collection

·      Gardening 

·      Recreating a piece of furniture you already have

·      Blogging

·      Thrifting

           See more below:

Need more inspiration? Start by observing and listening to the world around you. Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be. Start small and don’t be so hard on yourself. No one becomes Picasso overnight nor do you have to share your creativity with others. Practice your skill and start understanding how important growth and improvement is.

Find how good The Good Life can be by introducing creativity into your life. Start with paper and a pen. Pretty sure that’s in all of our budgets.