Healthy Eating Grocery List

While pondering my refrigerator  tonight for some dinner I realized that I really needed to get groceries and I figured maybe it would be something you guys would be interested in. Since I have started to eat healthy in March I have started to find lots of little things that I truly love that are healthy-ish.  I have been very good at avoiding temptations while grocery shopping just remember one little tip don't go looking for groceries when you are hungry, you will come home with everything. 
Lets get started with the goodies:

• Egg Whites- perfect for a breakfast burrito or french toast with less cholesterol 
• Greek Yogurt- Key lime by Dannon Oikos is my all time favorite
• Fresh Fruit- Strawberries, Blueberries, Bananas, Nectarines
• Berry Blast Juice- Bolthouse Farms Juice Smoothie-- so much berry goodness
• Cottage Cheese- great topping on salad or just as a side
• Jalapeno String Cheese- Spicy snack
• Spring Mix Salad- Perfect on sandwiches, wraps, and in salads
• Frozen Veggies- Steamable ones are the best and quickest....watch that cheese sauce
• Bagel Thins- 100 calories for bagel instead of 300
• Chicken Breast- BBQ Seasoned by Oscar Meyer is the BOMB
• Tortillas- perfect for all wraps and breakfast burritos
• Peanut Butter Brownies- Fiber One! 90 calories for a brownie with fiber, OH YES
• Pasta- Whole grain... I can't give up my pasta just yet...

Well hopefully that will help you get some ideas for some healthy foods to add to your list-ies! I try my best to eat healthy but sometimes I fail. I don't let that get me down you just need to move forward and focus on the next meal. Oh, and don't forget the most important thing water ( I don't buy bottled water I just drink from the tap). 

Tips to Save on Cash!!

So in my adventure of saving money for purchasing a house of my own over the last three months I have made a list of great ideas that helped me save cash in the long run and I am willing to share my ideas and hopefully they will inspire you to cut back on your spending even if it is just one of two things...

• Do not buy bottled water-- buy a filter and reusable bottle
• Bring your lunch to work
• Walk to the store, bar, or work to cut back on gas
• Use those not-so-favorite products that are under your sink or in your closets
• Use reusable plates and dishes (not paper or Styrofoam)
• Buy products in bulk
• Shop at thrift stores or garage sales instead of always buying new
• Have your own garage sale to make a little extra dough
• Make coffee at home instead of stopping at Starbucks every morning
• Avoid the vending machine
• Don't feel guilty if you don't buy candy from your coworkers child
• Avoid those "quick trips" to the store for only "three items" (we all know you leave with 8)
• Get washable cloth napkins instead of always buying paper towel
• Limit your fast food and restaurant eating 
• Wait 8 weeks instead of 6 weeks between hair colorings
• Rent Movies from Red Box rather than maybe $10.00 for a movie at the theatre 

Not only am I saving extra cash to add to my down payment I am also collecting my coins to purchase a kitchen table that I have had my eyes on for years! Sometimes having a short-term loan is all you need to dig for coins at the bottom of your purse or under your car seat. 

I promise you will be so excited when you check your bank account and you have an extra $50.00 or you cash in your coins and you have $78.36 to put towards a new make-up item or table (like me) You really feel very accomplished when you reach a goal or see your savings account growing, even if it is just a little, it was more than last month.  You need to stay positive just think if you went to Starbucks every morning for a $4.00 coffee that's $120.00 a month. Now if you brew at home and add some creamer for a month you would pay roughly $20.00, now that is saving money, honey!  Hopefully these tips will inspire you to save a penny or two

Enjoy!

-Chelsea

UPDATE!- 3 months later

This is a well deserved blog post! I have been super busy in the past 3 months. Here is what I have been up to

• Turned 21 (finally)
• Did my first 5K (....blog post to follow)
• Eating Healthy
• (trying)... to work out regularly
• Having a garage sale
• Father's Day
• Saving up for a house-- trying to save money
• Using up the beauty products
• Taking time to lay at the beach
• Playing Volleyball Thursday Nights
• Reorganizing my make-up collection

I have been working so hard to stay healthy and keep my weight down. I was working really hard a cutting down my spending money on those little trips to Target here and there but hey, when you need a new swimsuit sometimes you just have to splurge, right? I have been busy looking at homes to purchase and some I love some not so much but that's the great thing about looking at all kind of houses.  I had a great time on my birthday at the end of May. I never thought about how much money it costs to go to the bar for a night. Yikes.  I am trying to get back on track with blogging, fitness, and money!  Here is to the new journey....

Enjoy

-Chelsea