Category: Lifestyle

Yes, it’s possible to be mindful on the cheap

It seems the price tag associated with mindfulness is increasing . From $1000 a night meditation retreats to the pressure to wear the latest designer yoga pants, it’s no wonder some dismiss it as something only to be enjoyed by wellness bloggers and celebrities on Instagram. Thankfully, there is a way to reap the benefits without going bankrupt in the process.

Art for the non-artist

I was born without the artistic gene – I struggle to draw a stick figure, but recently I’ve found my outlet. I received some adult colouring books for my birthday and have since created quite a few masterpieces. Aside from getting you to slow down and focus, it also makes you practice being imperfect (it’s ok to go outside the lines) and to be creative (like giving a person a purple face).

A true masterpiece – right?

Two birds, one stone

Sometimes on a packed tram there’s simply no room to pull out your book, and I find constantly scrolling down my Twitter feed makes me scatty and anxious. To try and chill out I’ve begun listening to podcasts. I find I can zone out from the guy coughing up his lung next to me and I sometimes even learn something.

Bend and stretch

I’ve done yoga on and off over the years but I’m no devotee. I’m not a fan of the chanting but I don’t mind the stretching and the excuse to close my eyes for an hour. I’m lucky my work offers yoga at work and I found even one session a week reduces my neck and back issues and stops me from worrying about the small things at work. Oh, and the teacher always reminds me to breathe which can’t be a bad thing.

Get help to stay still

I’d been keen to try meditation but hadn’t got around to it until my partner had trouble sleeping. I downloaded the free Australian-made app, Smiling Mind and we’ve both found it pretty useful with different levels and exercises to try. I find it stops me dwelling on work or the episode of Penny Dreadful I just watched before I head off to bed.

Treat your kitchen as a haven

I’m no gourmet cook but I love to potter around in the kitchen and find it quite soothing. I have a few favourite recipes that I now make most weeks and that I know will turn out ok, including my own yoghurt and granola. I’ve also recently begun making soda bread, using a few different recipes, like this one.

Get your hands dirty

An explosion of weeds in our front garden after a wet winter forced us to finally take the plunge into gardening beyond a few pots of herbs. Weeding is rather therapeutic and digging up deeply-buried roots is a fantastic way to relieve any frustration. Best of all it forced me outside to get some Vitamin D and fresh air.

What’s your favourite way to be mindful?

September 15, 2015
Old wins out in shopping quest

Last weekend I spent hours traipsing from shop to shop without luck.

On the hunt for a new winter coat and some new work outfits I had set off armed with my saved pennies ready to spend.

I began at the mall working my through boutiques, high street chains and department stores but by the end of the first weekend I had failed to buy anything. Nothing was quite right, and, even if it was I bulked at the price tag.

I also fretted over the quality of the item and whether the brand fitted my ethical criteria – namely how high it ranked on the Australian Fashion Report Card on worker exploitation. In the end a decision became too hard and I plodded home empty handed.

This weekend I was adamant I would buy something. I headed off to the same old shops hoping something would jump out at me or I would get to a point where I could convince myself spending $200 on a jacket was justifiable.

A couple of hours later without opening my purse and with my energy flagging, I decided to head home via a visit to two second hand clothing stores.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence op-shop proved to be an undiscovered treasure trove. I picked up two basic tops in great condition and a comfy blue and white striped Yarra Trail cardi for $16.

I then hit the local Salvos store which I visit regularly. This time the clothing gods must have been smiling down on me as I rifled through the well organised racks.

I found a Wish button up cream coat with matching belt that, with a dry clean will be as good as new, plus a cute cropped charcoal Portman’s jacket.

The loot didn’t stop there – I also got a soft grey Zara basic blazer, a short A-line black and white patterned skirt, one Sunny Girl grey jumper with a studded neckline, a black Esprit cardigan, a Ladakh striped shirt dress, two fitted dresses perfect for work or a wedding and two necklaces. The grand total? $98.

I returned home triumphant in the knowledge I had enough new clothes to get me through winter and ethically, my mind was at ease.

Next time instead of leaving the op shop until the last resort, I’ll head there first and save myself a weekend.

What have been your best op-shop finds?

May 3, 2015
Trim these expenses and save

Since turning 30 I’ve had an epiphany that I need to start saving more of my monthly income. A looming European holiday has also helped focus the mind (and bank balance).

So I decided to go through my expenses to see if there were any areas where I could tighten up. I decided I wanted to keep my gym membership but that a hedge trimmer could be taken to the following:

Phone

I’ve been incredibly lazy with my phone plan for years, and know that I’ve been paying far and still only have an iPhone 3 (Siri? Who’s Siri?). So finally I decided to make the switch. I’m BYO’ing my own phone (acquired second hand) to a different company and a cheaper phone plan.

Savings: $35 a month

Subscriptions

I’ve been paying for a mainstream newspaper subscription which gives me the papers on the weekend as well as full access online. But when I think about it, I don’t use the subscription to access news online and I’m quite happy to trundle up the street to buy the papers on the weekend.

Savings: $26 a month

Health insurance

I’m an advocate for private health insurance – I think it’s important that those who can afford it pay for it. I reviewed my policy and decided I could probably take off some of the extras I’d put on there, particularly since I quit playing netball to save my poor ankles and knees.

Savings: $20 a month

Reducing charity dollars

This one was a hard decision to make but I consoled myself with the fact that I’d been regularly upping my give to this particular charity since I’d signed up 10 years ago. I’ve reduced my donation a little for the time being but have every intention to increase the amount next time they call for a chat. I’ll also continue to give to one off charity asks throughout the year.

Savings: $80 a month

Bank fees

I’m pretty hopeless at keeping track of bank fees but there is one that I’m determined never to pay again – the $2 fee you cop when you withdraw money from an ATM that isn’t your bank. Now, $2 isn’t much but it adds up and it makes me think more about what other fees I might be paying unnecessarily.

Savings: $40 to $50 a year

I hope these changes will result in a few more euros for my trip. What are your smart money saving tips?

February 17, 2015