Simply Tasheena

Prior to visiting London, I was researching various stores and how much food cost in the UK. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon a couple of YouTube videos with people doing a $20 a week food budget. As many of you know, I mostly eat a plant-based diet. However, I consider myself a pescatarian because I occasionally eat seafood. 

Even though I have a monthly grocery budget for my family. I tend to go off track when it comes to shopping for myself. Also, since I’ve started to eat a lot healthier. My family and I typically eat different meals each night. Prior to my healthy eating journey. I would make one of two meals a week that we all could enjoy.

Since October is right around the corner. I started the challenge in September. I want to challenge myself to only spend $20 a week on groceries or a total of $80 for the month. I’m hoping that this challenge for myself will turn into a lifestyle change. Below are some of the things that I plan to do to be successful with this challenge. Also, I haven’t decided if I will roll over the money each month that I don’t spend. Still deciding on that aspect. I will say that my goal is to create more meals based off of what I already have at home. 

Grocery List

I plane to create a grocery list weekly and stick to it. I’ve learned that when I have a list I spend less time in the grocery stores.

Meal Plan

I’ve learned that my eating habits and grocery bill are a lot better when I meal plan. My ultimate goal is to plan for myself and family for the entire month. I will start off continuing to do weekly meal plans though.  

Buy What I Need

I’m horrible at this. I’m a bulk shopper by heart which means that Costco and Bj’s will not see a lot of me. I plan to only buy what I need and use what I have prior to running to the grocery store. This also means that I have to start and be a little bit more creative of what I eat in a day and plan for the week. 

Food Tracker

Half of the time I forget what I have in my deep freezer and refrigerator. I plane to keep a list of the items that I have and check the items off the list once they're used. From this list, I hope to accomplish gaining a sense of what we actually buy, eat and use. I have a really picky palate but also like to try new foods. I’m hoping to keep at a list of foods to not buy again to avoid wasting money. 

Do you currently have a grocery budget? Do you stick to it?

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We are still in the mist of Blogger conference season with Mom2.0, Blogalicous, and so many others coming up. These tips are coming at perfect timing. I wanted to share with you a few tips for the four items that you’ll need for your next conference. I know one of the biggest questions is what do I actually need and shouldn’t leave home without from conference newbies and I wanted to combine a list of items that I just can't leave the house without.

Power Bank

Say it with me "Bring a power bank" between tweeting, Instagram, Facebook and/or Snapchat. Don't leave home without a power bank. I made the mistake this year forgetting my power bank in my suitcase at the hotel. Well, guess what. Within an hour or so, my phone was about to die and I had to use someone's power bank. Not every conference will have charging stations. Some won't even have power strips at the tables. Come prepared and invest in a great power bank. Upon arriving back home from Blogger bash I immediately invested in a high-quality power bank. Trust me, you’ll be asking yourself “why didn’t I buy this sooner".

Business Card

This is a no-brainer. However, you’re human and will forget stuff. If you plan on attending a blogger conference. Make sure that your business cards are up to date with your current information and also make sure that you don’t forget to pack them. In the event that you run out or are about to run out allow people requesting a business card to take pictures of yours and I highly suggest getting the contact information of the brand if you run out of business cards.

Water/Snacks

I always suggest having snacks on hand. When I arrived back from Blogher’17 and Blogger Bash I was exhausted. I made sure that I stayed hydrated and had plenty of snacks with me. You’re not going to like all of the food offered at the blogger conference. Plus, you really don’t want your stomach growling while speaking with a brand rep. Carry a water bottle and a small snack to assist you with getting through the day.

Paper/Pen

This might sound really simple. However, in the event that your phone dies, or you lose it and/or it starts to malfunction. Have good ole trusty pen and paper with you. Nothing sucks more than needing to write a quick mental note or someone’s contact information. You can decide what your preference size is. From a legal size notebook to a pocket notebook. Carry one with you for those just in case moments. You may prefer to hand write everything. Do what works for you and bring enough for the conference.

The list can go on and on. I would highly suggest you check out my other blogger conference tips posted here. However, these are the four items that come to mind if you have to grab what you can and go to a conference.