i have found lately i have been losing motivation to post frequently. i think my finances might be suffering as well because of this, although i really have tried to do well.
my main problem areas are takeaway food and beverages and grocery shopping.
the takeaways i can deal with, as i will work on decreasing the costs. i actually already have been, as the most of the costs are from catching up with a friend and we have begun sharing a meal if we need one, or just having a coffee.
grocery shopping is a tricky one. having spent three weeks with my father and that side of the family, where they all eat organically and fresh, i have sort of turned over a new leaf and begun buying organic here and there. i am really trying to keep costs down, but i think this is something i want to do, so we'll see how i go. the other reason grocery costs are high is because i haven't had the motivation to do a full shop, and so have been going to the supermarket every couple of days for items, and therefore probably purchasing a few things each time that i don't actually need. 
i'll try and work on that.
lately i just can't bring myself to push a trolley around for over an hour. i know every couple of days the time would add up to over an hour, but i just can't do it at the moment.
does anyone else ever have these days? (or weeks, i should say).
in good news, i am about to update my side profile with my savings and debt amounts. i transferred $700 (my tax refund) into my home loan/uni fund account, which brings the balance to over $1200. woohoo! have reached goal #2 and am closer to #3 every week.
bf and i have been (well, i have mostly, with bf looking over my shoulder now and then) having a look on the internet at some properties so that we know what we can expect to be looking for in a few months time. the prices of units seem to be steady, but have fallen slightly in a year, which is good news for us. there are also a lot more on the market than there was a year ago. houses seem to be out of the question at the moment, the cheapest at $450 000 and most ranging from $500 000 - $800 000 for a 3-4 bedroom slab house.
it's been a bit tricky sometimes with cooking meals, BF eating meat and I not, but overall it hasn't changed our routine that much. i am planning on buying a heap of small steaks or cutlets to freeze individually. this will give me a bit more freedom as i can cook him a cutlet and add it to whatever i am cooking.
eating out is tough, i have discovovered. i guess i am normally used to eating in restaurants that do have a wide range for vegetarians, whereas lately we seem to be going to places like pubs and clubs, which usually only offer one vegetarian meal. so i'm going to have to do some research and find some good places to eat around here! sooner or later i am going to get sick of raviolli and nachos...!
finding it tough
July 28th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
July 28th, 2008 at 10:32 pm 1217284339
July 28th, 2008 at 10:43 pm 1217284981
July 28th, 2008 at 10:53 pm 1217285598
July 29th, 2008 at 12:56 am 1217292972
and while all the environmental and health factors feature very strongly in my decision, as well as the cruelty to animals bit, i find that my main reason is the fact that i don't like meat, like some people don't like broccoli. i just DONT LIKE IT! and isn't it insane that people accept that fact more readily than they do the others? it makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
also, of which i have noticed, i feel much better when i don't eat it. i don't know if it was the way maybe my body developed sans-meat as a youngster, or if i just eat healthily without meat, i don't know, but i know i feel less bloated