Hip Tranquil Chick: Stretching Out Your Dollar While Nurturing Your Body and Mind

by Kimberly Wilson

written June 2009

Wondering how to stretch your dollar while also nurturing your body and mind? In this economy, it is essential that you take time to care for yourself while working within your budget. It’s easy to retreat into a state of removing small indulgences when tightening your budgeting belt. I’d like to share a few ways that I’ve found incredibly helpful for not only my pocketbook, but also my overall health.

Pack your lunch. Find yourself running out for an expensive, not-so-healthy snack mid-day? Pull your veggies, protein, bag of nuts, and fruit together the night before.

Bike, walk, or take public transport to work. Spend a lot on your daily commute and parking? Explore additional options that will allow you to breathe deeply, read or listen to a book, and maybe even get some exercise along the way.

Visit your local library. Addicted to bookstore browsing? Not a problem unless it translates to lots of unread books on your shelves. Try browsing your local library instead.

Download a movie. Love a matinee and tub of popcorn? Savor an indie flick or documentary in the comfort of your own home with family and four-legged friends nearby. Make your own light popcorn, sip tea or wine, and enjoy a movie on your own terms.

Carry a reusable water bottle. Find yourself parched while out and about? Forgo buying bottle water or sodas. Never leave home without your reusable water bottle that can easily be refilled at water fountains.

Take a staycation. Got the travel bug? Indulge in an exploration of the D.C. area. Full of free museums, amazing history, cultural events, and heaps of parks and gardens – you’ll be sure to find a perfect fit in your own backyard.

Make your gifts. Have upcoming birthdays or special events that require a gift? Explore getting crafty. Bead a necklace. Knit a scarf. Write a poem. Photograph their beloved pet. Bake a pie.

These small changes can have a powerful effect on revamping your creativity, developing foresight, carrying for the environment, supporting your local economy, nurturing your spirit, and slowing your spending.

Omwork (homework with a yogic twist): Reflect on a least one way to replace an old habit with a healthier, budget savvy habit. Note the savings and effect on your overall wellbeing. Ommmm for your body and your budget!
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About our Hip Tranquil Chick, Kimberly Wilson:

Kimberly Wilson is a teacher, designer, writer, activist, and entrepreneur with a master’s in women’s studies. She is the founder of Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. She penned Hip Tranquil Chick with hopes of inspiring fellow femmes to lead a mindfully extravagant life on and off the yoga mat. When she’s not bookstore browsing, you’ll find her designing the eco-luxe TranquiliT lifestyle clothing collection and her chunky gemstone jewelry line, sipping tea, or leading retreats globally. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio and in Daily Candy, Fit Yoga, and Shape. With a passion for do-gooding, Kimberly founded the Tranquil Space Foundation to assist young girls with finding their inner voice. Indulge in ongoing musings through her blog and podcast. Learn more at www.kimberlywilson.com.

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Related posts:

1. Hip Tranquil Chick: Reflection
2. Hip Tranquil Chick: Loving Yourself Fully
3. Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga Mat by Kimberly Wilson
4. Hip Tranquil Chick: CreativiT + VersatiliT + SimpliciT = TranquiliT by Kimberly Wilson
5. Hip Tranquil Chick: Let’s Leave A Legacy