live a luxurious life

was in order today. I have to budget until my next paycheck…when my pantry gets low I freak out…something about no food in the house makes me hungry. If the cupboards are full I am okay, I hardly eat at all…so much for my phobia. Must come from being a mother and providing for my children all those years.

Today I scored big on real honey, real vanilla, real apple juice, gourmet tropical trail mix and swiss miss hot chocolate. You would think this merchandise was past it’s expiration but it isn’t…I was amazed…nothing in the store is over $1.

Wish I had this store when my sons were young…they would have eaten like kings. ;)

I once was talking to the wife of a very wealthy Texas developer and asked where she found some really cute decorations for the dinner party they were having. She said the dollar store.

She then went on to say that’s where she buys alot of things to save money. Quality and fun doesn’t have to be expensive. I have been going ever since.

Yesterday I found the dollar store here in the wilderness and scored big on spices, revlon nail polishes(2 for $1- scarlet curtain and caramel crush) and scented candles.

I can hardly wait to go back. It is a shopper’s playground!

I dreamt of the “calgone take me away” life. A place where I could do exactly what I wanted when I wanted to do it.

Live in a place that was beautiful and inspiring. I dreamt to have a freedom I really had no idea existed at that point in my life.

Now that I have this opportunity, I am overwhelmed with the possibilities. ;)

alot of money to live luxuriously. It helps! However living luxuriously is more than spending money.

To me living luxuriously means living well all of the time no matter what is going on around us.

It means taking extra good care of ourselves so we can be our best in everything we do.

Don’t wait for others to do nice things for you – get yourself at least one special treat that makes you smile each day.

It doesn’t have to be expensive just delightful to you – a new shade of nail polish, a new fishing lure, a colored ink pen in your favorite color (mine is purple), a scratch off lottery ticket…you get the idea.

then do that for the people you love too for absolutely no reason other than you love them – a special recipe, a cartoon clipped from the morning paper, a flower from your garden, a batch of their favorite cookies, a coupon for a car wash, massage or hug – you get the drift.

get in the habit of indulging your happiness.

Living luxuriously means buying quality instead of quantity.

It’s okay to save up our money for something that will last for generations then spend it on something that will break as soon as we get it home.

To dine on real, delicious food instead of the $1 menu at our local fast food restuarant because we are always in such a hurry. Plan ahead, pack a lunch or snack and always carry fresh bottled water with you.

Slow down! Enjoy the day! Center yourself with quiet reflection, meditation or prayer then go about your day with a peace in your heart that you have no conrol over anything but yourself.

Take different routes to work or if that isn’t possible make your commute your own personal haven – listen to music you love, audio books are a wonderful pastime, or listen to your favorite comedian or motivational speaker.

Don’t let others at work take up your time…it is valuable. Do your work with gusto and be the best at it you can be!

Take time to find what your heartsong is…instead of vegging out in front of the TV or computer find a hobby that relaxes you(woodworking,gardening,sewing,knitting, painting, sculpting,etc)

Expand your mind. Read great literature (even if we borrow it from the library) instead of filling our minds with whatever violence and degradation the television producers want us to imitate.

Find your personal style and have fun with it! Be true to yourself! Shop sales they are wonderful!

This is absolutely essential! Take small 3 or 4 day vacations each month to rejuvenate your life- the travel agencies have tons of discount getaways all of the time that are affordable.

If you can’t afford that go to your nearest best hotel and order room service for the weekend or head out to the nearest lake with your camping gear and enjoy the beauty of nature…whatever recharges you! Just get away from your humdrum everyday routine.

If you have children swap out babysitting for the weekend with someone in your family or your friends – they will love this idea! Or take them with and make it a family tradition that it is okay to have mini vacations…

If we live our lives to the fullest each day right where we are now then the extras we can afford by having more money are just perks to an already luxurious lifestyle.

hard working middle class family that struggled to provide for us.

Money was always an issue. My hometown had a huge class system of the Haves who lived on the hill and owned the businesses and the Have Nots who lived in the valley and were the workers.

We lived in the Valley.

At a very young age I pronounced I was moving to Texas because everyone knew Texans were rich. Technically it is the 8th largest economy in the world today.

I did eventually get to Texas but my have not roots were deep. I led a quiet passively comfortable life while others around me lived high on the hog. Regardless when my husband died he left me with over $100,000 of debt most to Uncle Sam. I lost everything.

Just as I was getting back on my feet I was struck down with a brain tumor. Have to admit that one knocked the wind out of my sails for the last 3 years.

I’m ready to stand up and try this again!

They say the third time is the charm ; )