My Buy & Spend Nothing Tips

Ok, I am like every other girl out there, I do like a shopping trip …. or two. But I try my best not to buy to just ‘have things’. I have to really want something. When I changed my working hours to part time a few years ago to focus on acting and studying, I had saved some money aside, but I also really had to be smart with how I shopped and what I spent. Even when I went back to working full time I kept my smart spending habits up and still do everyday and I really think they make a difference. So with ‘Buy nothing Day’ nothing day happening Friday 24th of November I decided to do a post with some of my tips. But the best tip of all, before you are about to buy something, really think about whether you NEED this or just want it.

Below are some of my tips.

Buy & Spend Nothing Tips

Food Prep On The Go.
An over night chia porridge bowl I like to make to grab out of the fridge when I am on the go.

Do a big shop and prep your food. Not only will this save you money but it will also help you to stay healthier. Truthful moment, the other day I spent about €4.00 on 4 slices of bread with less than a handful of peppers on one piece of bread. Yes I nearly got sick when the girl at the till called out the price and I just wished I had made a sandwich at home prior to leaving the house, but due to not being prepared hunger struck and hunger won.
Get your H2o. When out drink water, it’s healthier and it cost’s nothing. Take a reusable bottle to fill up with you on the go and to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Grow your own food.
Some of my herbs I grow on my balcony.

Can you sprout from jars in your kitchen? Can you ferment your own yogurt in your kitchen? Can you grow herbs or plant a fruit and veg ‘shop’ in your garden? The answer to the above is yes! I grow my own herbs from my balcony and come summer I hope to again grow tomatoes and strawberries and eat them as I please. Here is a link to my tips from growing herbs at home –Best Herbs To grow At Home
Keep and eye out for free events and concerts. These can be great, not only are they social, but you might find yourself at and liking something you have never even heard of before. A great site I like to use to find free events on in Dublin is Dublin Event Guide (Free)
Instead of eating out, eat in!

See what you have available in your kitchen and make something out of it. If you are having a dinner party, cook the mains and designate one friend for a starter and another for dessert. My gal pals and I regularly take it in turns to host little dinner nights at our homes to catch up on one another’s life 🙂
Get familiar with your local library. Ok I loved the library in my local town, since moving to Dublin I don’t even know where the nearest library is (I am sure there are a few of them), but I used to every two to three weeks take out a murder mystery book (my favs) and get lost in it for a few evenings. This library in particular was the best. If ever I ran past my return date, they always just told me to ring and let them know and they would add on another three weeks.
Educate yourself and visit some museums and historic parks with a picnic.
One of my local parks has a lot of history and a built in museum so I sometimes take a picnic and just enjoy some time out.

Be a tourist for a day and look up some free museums in your local area. Some can be a really cool day out, my favourite to go to are The Dead Zoo (National History Musem), National Museum of Ireland and National gallery of Ireland. All of these museums are located very close to each other, so while you are doing this free education day….. why not also pack a picnic to have in St. Stephens Green.
Have A Movie Day (at home). Make sure your home is stocked up with food and treats and have an at home movie day or tv show day. Either let it be a random one that you pick out the films when one finishes or have a theme. Coming up to Christmas my partner, skye and I have decided we are having a family movie day where we will watch Christmas films, such as Elf, Home Alone, The Holiday and Love Actually and we plan to team with it with some Christmas food. This sort of thing can be tailored to each holiday: Scary films for Halloween or if you wanted to go really deep… ‘The Passion of The Christ’ for Easter.
Have an at home beauty pamper.
Some of my favourite products to pamper myself with from LUSH

You can do this with friends or solo. We all have product at home that can make us feel beautiful so why not have the ultimate pamper session at home. You really only need the basics for this. Softer hair leave in conditioner for a few hours or better yet if you have a hair mask, do at at home facial, with some exfoliator, hot towels and moisturizer, before you get into the shower to was this all out do an all over dry brush and scrub for your body and then get into the shower and wash everything away. After you get out moisturise yourself head to toe and do your nails. You will feel amazing after this…..Obviously all the while using cruelty free products.
Exercise.
I do most of my exercise and yoga at home after I drop Skye to school.

Exercise can be done at home, outdoors or on the go ALL FOR FREE. Be smart here, if you love the gym obviously you probably all ready have a membership. If like me your grá for the gym has yet to develop and grow, you have so many other options to keep fit for free.
1. At home. Once your get moving and have some work outs in mind this can be easily done from your house. It can also be done while traveling in hotel rooms.
2. Youtube & Pinterest. It’s nearly 2018, EVERYONE has access to Youtube and it is full of informative work out videos. Literally any area of your body that you are trying to target can easily be done through a quick search. Any form of exercise you are trying to start, weight training, yoga, pilates or cardio all have very informative videos with very good instructors are available to help.
3. Do a TV work out. These can be really fun to do if you’re watching the right show, obviously it has to be something you like and you just make a few rules along the way such, say your watching Harry Potter and you make the challenge of every time Hermione says ‘Harry’ you do 15 jumping jacks. I have a Pinterest folder with some work outs saved which you can do here – Irish Mountain Child – TV & Film Workouts.
4. Workout En-route. Get of the bus or Luas a stop or two earlier and walk the rest of the way. Better yet cycle into work. Use the stairs not the lift.
5. Find hidden gems on foot. Go for walks or runs in your local park, go for walks, runs or cycles in your neighbourhood or if you are on holidays also explore by foot.