Day 314 - Eating on a Dollar a Day?

I guess it can be done. My friend Devesh sent me the link to this social experiment conducted by a couple who wanted to see if they could eat on a dollar a day (a dollar for each of them). While I have some issues with their set-up, overall it is very interesting read and a lesson in how far a dollar can stretch.

My main qualms with it are as follows:
1. I wish they would have connected their experiment with some greater social message rather than just proclaiming it a "challenge" for themselves. Given the alarming rate of global poverty it seems like it would have been an easy link.
2. A dollar a day for food is one thing. I wish they would have put themselves on a limited budget for everything and see how frequently they traded off food for the option of heat or a place to sleep.
3. They sort of cheated since they bought a lot of things in bulk up front and then rationed it out by measuring. Realistically if someone had to survive on a dollar a day its likely that they had to earn that dollar that day. Which if that was the case you wouldn't be able to buy anything in a store (what cost a $1 or less? ramen noodles or a candy bar i suppose). What you would have to do is work 5-7 days to amass enough money to purchase anything and not eat during that time frame. Again - details, but it's true. This is the exact reason those living in poverty get stuck in a perpetual cycle - no access to credit or resources that can help them "get ahead" a little.

Ok I'll step off my soapbox. Check it out for yourself!

Day 306 - Do Fewer Things

I love the above stickies from prettybitter.com. I came across these in the January issue of Real Simple and have been feeling much more grounded about my growing list of New Year's resolutions that I had to get done.

I adore Real Simple magazine. The whole magazine centers around organization and simplifying your life. The January issue spoke to me even more when the big title on the front said: FEEL CALMER NOW. Yes. I need that. It was the perfect thing to get me back into a sensible approach to goal setting. So now I give you - my new simplified "resolutions" that I am working on right now:

1. Stretch every night.
2. Find more ways to cook at home.
3. Go to bed at 11p, wake up at 7:20a every day.
4. Don't drink alcohol until February 5th.

That's it. That's all I'm working on right now. I'm not studying for the GMAT, I'm not learning Spanish, I'm not becoming the world's best knitter (altho Justin's scarf is coming along nicely...) I am just focusing on a few things this month. January's focus is around better health habits.

Now not to say I'm not still making to-do lists and spreadsheets and budgets. Those are definitely all still happening, but I won't crucify myself if I skip a day of totaling my receipts. Someone told me it takes 30 days to make something into a habit so hopefully the above goals will become habits by early February (except for the no alcohol - what a boring habit) and I can move on to some new goals.

As for the one thing I will do tomorrow? Tomorrow I will pay my phone and utilities bill. Ah - simple enough. I already feel calmer.