Run Cocky, Run!

Now, if you live in a block of units, you may well be versed in the idea of some room-mates... ie. cockroaches. Ugh. That said, I've lived in plenty of units and studios and have never had a cocky problem as bad as I do now...

I've bombed, I clean, I scrub, I bomb again, I spray the sprays... and still, they come. That is, until I went to the health food store in Glebe a couple of weekends ago and was recommended Lo-Line cockroach baits from the girl in there. I was getting a bit worried about all the toxins I was spraying around (with the bombs - ie. leave the house for 3 hours minimum while it's going off!) and the rate at which I was going through the cockroach spray. So I thought I'd try out something natural.

And voilaa - I'm in love with these things!

Normally, I'm not the kind of person to rave on about pest control, but geez, these things are GREAT. And best yet, they don't kill me in the process :)

You literally peel off a sticky layer, put a tab in the middle of it that attracts the cockies, and when they go to get it.. they get stuck. So you see them stuck there.. not the most pleasant thing to look at - but instead of spraying stuff around and then the cockies come back, these things KEEP HOLD OF THE DAMN BUGS.

Just had to share it - if you've any bug probs, give it a go! ;)

Stop nickle & diming

It makes sense, and it's something I fall prey to constantly... I can't afford a big purchase like a new top or fabbo bag.. and heck, I have debt to pay, you know... so instead, I'll purchase a constant stream of knick-knacks.. a mag here, a juice there, a hair clip here (hey, it's only $10!!).. you get the idea.

SO this post I came across today is FAB. Do you find yourself doing this??

How to stop nickle & diming yourself into the poorhouse:
1. Get real with yourself - needs vs. wants
2. Identify where you’re nickel and diming yourself - write it down!
3. Once you realize you’ve got a “problem,” promise yourself you’re not going to make the same mistake twice.
4. Stay “real” and hold yourself accountable.

So, in all honesty, where I am doing this?
* coffees, juices, drinks... too much! We have a coffee machine at work, and a filtered water dispenser. This is my new best friend. This week, it's all about cutting back aggressively on purchasing drinks. Plus, I have a million water bottles so I'll just keep filling them up!

* magazines... yep, I love the trash. But i can read the trash online, and anyway, Perez Hilton spills the beans way before the mags do. Just need to make sure I carry books with me on the bus!

* takeaway... enough said. I live on the stuff. This week, agressively STOP buying snacks, bring lunches to work, eat dinner at home.

Update forthcoming. And personal stories welcome!

the dreaded "B" word

This week I'm going to work on a budget.

I used to be really good at that kind of stuff. But over the last wee (or not so wee) while, it's just gotten a bit out of hand.

So this week I'm going to work on one, and stick with it.

I know everyone is on a different page here - different living situations, different incomes, outgoings and more... and some ppl just don't like talking about money. But I would love some advice - would love to hear your ballpark figures of how much, reasonable, is a good 'living' budget for one week. How much does the average person spend on food each week? Do you have a certain amount that just goes straight into a bills account each week?

I'd love to hear how ppl divide and conquer this money thing.

All advice welcome! x

What's up?

+ yummy chocolate brownies
+ joining the library and lending out a moosewood cookbook
+ Mexican for dinner from chocolate dog café
+ finding a Sydney Compact! Check them out – Enough Already
+ astroboy!
+ sleep ins
+ bookcrossing

- hangovers
- rushing to vote today, and finding out I’m a month early, d’oh!
- money or lack thereof
- broken air conditioning at work and oh so hot days!
- lack of motivation to be healthy

'ello there!

well it's certainly been a while between posts.. but this new job is keeping me busy and happy and excited and away from the computer. I forgot just how tired you get when learning something new! Lots of brain power going on ;)

So anyway, I joined the library right next door to my work today, and the video store across the road. So here's to free books and lots of dvd's with no excuse for not returning them!

I got out a couple of books today -
* Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
* The Path of Practice - a Maya Tiwari book I was so excited to come across
and
* Dr Joshi's Holistic Detox.. which I always read in bookstores and thought I'd borrow so I can learn all the yummy recipes!

More soon,
x

The world is telling me...

not to shop!

Cats & Kittens, seriously. When I started communicating with Compact Oz and the No More Stuff people, I took the option of not giving up spending completely, but rather : "Nooo, I can't do without my regular shopping fix (but I promise to think about how I can cut back anyway."

And on the whole, I've been pretty good with this - have been quite organised, no trashy or other mags have been purchased or snacks at work. But yesterday I was running late and it was either buy lunch or go hungry. I was not gonna last the whole day with now lunch so bought some stuff. Today - same story, I really have to get up earlier.

But all in all, it's about cutting back where you can. And like the gals from the site told me:
This initiative is really about developing healthy shopping habits, such as thinking about your second-hand options before you buy new.

I agree : )
And that is definitely what I'm doing.


Hi Stella,
Thanks for your interest! This initiative is really about developing healthy
shopping habits, such as thinking about your second-hand options before you
buy new.
Good luck with the new job!
Cheers,
Jacinta.

Spend-Free Day #1

Ok, day one - done. I know this might be really simple for some ppl but I gotta say, this really makes me aware of how much money (ie. spending) and emotions are tied in close for me.

For some ppl it's food, for some it is alcohol.. for me, it's a combination of things, and spending. I have this big aversion towards spending up big - but when it comes to buying magazines, or some fun jewellry, or some food to nibble on or a top... bring it on. I justify it because I'm only spending a few dollars here or there, but yikes, does it add up.

Today however, I didn't succumb to any impulse spending. I brought my lunch to work, including snacks, and public transported it all over the city to my after work writing course.

- A regular Monday sees me purchase my trashy NW mag - instead, it's online to Perez Hilton for me (hey! it's stress relief hehee).
- A regular Monday would see me purchase lunch - instead, I was prepared and brought it to work. Same for snacks.
- A regular Monday would see me tuck into a lovely takeaway coffee to 'kickstart' my day - instead, I'm making good use of our fantastic proper coffee machine at work. It's full cream milk, which I find gross (so does my skin), but until I make the cut to a caffeine free day, full fat it is. Blah. But real coffee, yum.
- And a regular Monday when I've got a writing course after work, would see me grab some takeaway for dinner and cab it home - instead, I trained & bussed it home from North Sydney and tucked into some delish pasta I prepared last night, which will also do for lunch tomorrow.

So here we go :)

'Normal' life resumes

I started a new job on Friday, so here is a welcome back to regular hours, Monday to Friday. And here comes the need for a bit of a routine that I'm going to stick with - particularly as I'm going to have to be more organised than usual with the no spending. That's right - this week is going to be a spend free week!

As a list maker from way back, here's a bit of a look at how I hope the week will roll out:

Monday - morning walk, commence writing course (wk 1) at Sydney Writers Centre
Tuesday - morning walk
Wednesday - 6am yoga class (course) at Yoga Synergy
Thursday - 6.30am yoga class at Samadhi Yoga
Friday - 6am yoga class (course) at Yoga Synergy
Saturday - walk
Sunday - rest day

* every day, take lunch to work, and eat dinner at home.

Feeling really refreshed after a yoga workshop yesterday with the UK's Simon Low, and a fun dinner last night with W and Mary. Excited for the new gig to kick in this week and for some healthy eating to start happening.

Updates to follow :)