Breaking bad spending habits

I have been doing some research on my spending habits and figuring out what I should do to save and here's a couple of things I've decided to start with.

Shopping for food
I've used to just stop by a grocery shop anytime I need something. I might only need milk, but when I go to the store I never leave with just the milk. So the cost of the milk for me is way more than it actually is.. I also throw away food because they get bad. I might have five different cheese because I'm not sure if I have any and I by it just in case.. So I am learning to plan my grocery shopping ahead. I make a list of what to buy and I only go shopping two or three times a week. Some people go to the store only once a week, but because I live alone and my schedule can change a lot in short time, it's better for me not to stock on groceries for more than the next couple of days.
And I never used to take the receipt with me, but I am now forcing myself to actually look how much I've spend and what did I get for the money spend. Very educational indeed..

Bigger purchases
I don't go buying straight away anything that I really don't need right here and right now. Meaning that if run out of gas, I need to buy gas right now, right? But if my blender breaks down, I really don't need to buy new one, at least not right away. Instead I will sleep on it a few nights or few weeks and really think wether or not I actually need one, and do I need it now, and how much I am willing to pay for one etc. And if my coffee maker breaks I don't go buying a new one right away but I take my time to compare brands and prices and I look for any discounts. I am using coffee for example because fresh coffee is something I NEED to have in the morning in order to get my day started, but really, I can get by with instant coffee for a few days to save potentially a lot of money and avoid buying something I might regret.

10 ways to pamper yourself for free (or almost free)

•  Get a good book from the library
•  Go for a walk and take your digital camera with you
•  Browse through your music library and listen to some oldies for change
•  Check out any free galleries, concerts or other cultural events
•  Take out any pens and paints and get creative, don’t think too much, surprise yourself
•  Go visit a friend you haven’t seen for a while
•  Clean your house and pick or buy some fresh flowers
•  Browse through homes for sale on the internet, searching all around the world makes it even more interesting
•  Try some new recipes and enjoy a three course meal, and set it nicely
•  Take a long bubble bath (or shower), shave your legs, treat yourself for a manicure/pedicure, put on some perfume and your favourite night gown and just enjoy being you!

Who's home do you live in?

It doesn't matter if you own your home or if your renting, but who's home is it? If you look around, what do you see? We get used to seeing our home every day and we don't see it the same way a stranger would, so here's something to try. Get a mirror, preferably larger than a pocket mirror but small enough for you to carry with you. Now take a look at your place through the mirror. What do you see?
Does your home reflect who you are? Does it reflect who you used to be or who you want to be?
If you see things that you never use, get rid of them. If you see things that are broken, get rid of them. If you see things that are ugly and cheap, hide them (or get rid of them).
I am not selling you feng shui, but make sure you home is making you feel not only safe and relaxed but also confident about yourself and your goals, what ever your goals are.
Now, don't go spending money on latest trends or new appliances, but instead make the most of what you already have. Get rid of stuff that is holding you back or reminding you from the times when you had even less money that now. Sell the stuff for some cash or if you still need them, keep them hidden. Don't forget to dust, wash and polish. Anything looks better sparkling, shiny and clean.
Isn't it easier to believe to be succesfull when you're reminded of your achievements instead of been stuck with memories of your hard times?
If you need to buy something for your home, go for the quality if you can afford it. If you can't without been set back with your goals, then don't. And never ever take your credit card to IKEA with you..

Stop making more debt

Well, that's it, right? Stop making more debt. Done. Let's go to the next step.
No.
If you're a woman you propably have been on a diet at some point. Remember how you promised to start eating healthy and never eat junk food again. Sounds so easy, but it's not.
I've seen Suze Orman on Oprah a couple of times and she has given some good advise on how to get out of debt. Suze's advises are for people living in US and since I live in Europe not all her advices are directly applicable. However, I agree mostly with her advises on how to manage (credit card) debt.
I have two credit cards at the moment and what I am going to do is to cancel the other one, so I can't make more debt on it. Suze warns you not cancel cards so that your credit score (called FICO score in the USA) doesn't go down. However in my case I am not in need of any bank loan now and the bank can not change my mortgage terms on their own, so I have nothing to lose there at the moment. The other credit card I will still need to have because I have no emergency funds what so ever.. But I have taken this card out of wallet and sealed it in an envelope so that I am not to use it unless there actually is an emergency. I have also deleted my credit card information from all the online shops I have been using.
Now, I will pay minimum on the cancelled card and as much as I can for the active card. In addition of paying the minimum on the credit card bill, I will make another payment on my payday, paying everything I have left from the previous salary.
Does this make sense to you? Please leave a comment.

Dress for success

I was just recently watching one of these very popular reality shows. The season was just starting and each team was asked to vote for a leader based barely on their appearance. They didn't even know each others names yet. No suprise that both teams voted for the strongest and smartest looking man to be their leader.
Think about it. If someone who doesn't know you would be describing you, what would they say? How would they evaluate you? How would you want them to perceive you? If you want to you can ask your family and friends, but remember that they already know you pretty well, so they look at you differently than someone who meets you for the first time.
So think about what you are saying by your appearance, clothing and manners.
I definately think that you should spend a good deal of money to buy quality shoes and quality clothing. Not only to look smart but to feel confident! Buy a pair of good quality timeless shoes that go with almost anything and you never have to be aware of you achy feet or shabby shoes in an important meeting and you can focus on what is really important. The same goes for a couple of smart suits (or other clothing, if you're working on another industry), socks, jewellery, watch and most importantly underwear!
Also get a low haircut that is easy to maintain, short or long, it's up to you, but keep it so that it doesn't steal the attention even if grows out a little and if there's a rainy day and no umbrella..
Ask yourself do you feel like the person you want to be? Do others see you as you would want them to see you? A good quality basic wardrope can make a world of difference to your confidence and your appearance, but go with it as you can afford it. The first suit and a pair of shoes you should buy no matter what. Buy them with your first salary or even use your credit card if you must, but the rest you should save for first! Buying good quality clothing is definately an investment on your self and your career, but you never ever invest on high interest credit such as credit cards or other loans as such!