Spending cash instead of plastic

Today I had someone bring up to me the idea of using cash over plastic. I've seen tons of articles on both of these opposite ideas.  Different ways work for different people I'm sure, but lately I've been going with the cash option.

Starting in march, I want to take out $150 cash every payday (every 2 weeks) and have that be my entertainment and more fund. Now, this doesn't include major bills such as rent, credit cards, phone etc. This is strictly entertainment, groceries, coffees, and meals out.

I have done this before and it's worked really well in the past. Because for me personally, if I can see the physical cash dwindling down in my wallet, I'm much less inclined to spend it.  With plastic, it's easy to swipe and just forgot you ever spent money, which is a very bad habit.

With this system, I'm hoping I'm able to survive. I should be able to considering I've already cut my grocery and morning coffee costs.

Anyone else have luck with the cash over plastic system?

The coffee expense

Ever since college, I have been an avid coffee drinker.  Having at least one cup a day, give or take. Now I know there are millions of other people out there who have the same addiction that I do. We are surrounded cafes, coffee shops and even Starbucks in our local grocery stores, which I have definitely been a customer at.

Because of my love for coffee, I decided to see how this expense is affecting my budget and how much I'm losing from my goal of being a millionaire.

During college, I definitely was a Starbucks girl. I rationalized in my head everyday that a $5 latte is totally normal and that I could afford it. Well, nothing like a cup of coffee slapping you in the face to realize that is ridiculous. Since then, I have pretty much broken up with Starbucks and am now an avid Tim Hortons fan. Which my wallet is happy with, but I tend to go overboard.

I'd say I go to Tims and get a medium double double about 3 times a week, having coffee at work the other days.  So...

$1.64 (which I think is what I pay every time) x 156 coffees in a year = $255.84

I'm actually shocked with that number.  For some reason I thought it would be more.  Regardless, that is $255.84 that could be going into savings.  So, because I own a Keurig coffee machine, I wanted to price out what it would cost per year if I used strictly that and never bought coffee at Tims again.

The kind of Keurig K Cups I normally get are $13 for a box of 18 on average, which means each cup of coffee costs me $0.72.

$0.72 x 156 coffees in a year = $112.32

That is much more reasonable. Telling me that obviously I don't need to waste time going to Tim Hortons, as much as I LOVE roll up the rim right now... haha! Not to mention the gas that I'm using to get there, when I can just make coffee in the comfort of my own home.

I could be saving $143.52 a year from cutting out Tim Hortons! Now don't shake your head, I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but any bit counts. Especially with the goal that I have!

So coffee from home it is! I really hope I can stick to this actually, it will be tough, but if anyone see's me with a Tims in my hand, feel free to get mad at me! I'm sure there will be a few exceptions from the rule, but cutting the majority out will definitely help in my journey. Seems like a positive to me :)

Becoming minimalist

Becoming minimalist is a fairly new concept to me.  I have always heard it, but I never fully understood what it meant, which may sound silly, but judge not my fellow readers! To me that just meant being organized and not having a lot of stuff.  Now although that is correct, I always considered myself to have those qualities. Yet, who am I kidding?! I'm far from minimalist, but I would slowly like to get there.

The topic of minimalism definitely relates to my drive to me a millionaire before I'm 30.  Cutting down on useless products and stuff will help keep me organized as well as keep my life on track in terms of my spending. I don't want to buy things that I don't use or that just take up pointless space in my apartment.

I read somewhere that 80% of our activities are completed with only 20% of our things! Now I'm sure those numbers aren't set in stone, it depends on the person, but I feel like that statement has definite validity.  

Let's back track a little though on how my life is now.  I've always considered myself to be average or above average in the 'clean & tidy' category.  My apartment is pretty much always clean and organized, but I have little areas that are cluttered and I am running out of room for my stuff.  Which in my mind, isn't a reason to get a bigger place, it means I have some major spring cleaning and organizing to do.  

Do I really need 22 bottles of lotion? no.

Do I need 136 different pens and pencils? no. (I do have an obsession with office supplies though, specifically pens! But that's a post for another day!)

Do I need old magazines and old text books? no.

Do I need a closet full of drawer organizers and boxes when they aren't being used? no.

These are all areas that I need to work on, and hopefully start to organize and whittle down to only what I need, not what I want or what's on sale on large quantities, *cough* body lotion.  That way I can efficiently function in daily life without getting lost in a clutter abyss.

Is anyone else working towards becoming minimalist?