Part of being minimalist means also eating simply.

Besides not having any time to make elaborate meals, I like the predictability of breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My husband and I have started alternating cooking duties; one week I make all the dinners, the next he does.  We fend for ourselves for breakfast and lunch, but we’ve come to the conclusion that easy stuff is best.

I should say upfront that I am not gluten intolerant.  I love bread.  I love pasta.  But I don’t love bloating.

Breakfast: Queen Street Bakery Gluten Free breakfast bread (the best) with peanut butter or almond butter, and sometimes banana slices if they are around (baby loves banana, so they often are not).

Lunch: Leftovers from dinner, sandwiches made with Queen Street Bakery Gluten Free bread, or rice bowls from a nearby coffee shop.

Dinner: Varies, of course. Tonight, for example, I made chickpea and sweet potato curry, a recipe mash-up courtesy of Budgetbytes and MichaelSmithChef recipes.  I Omitted orange juice and tomato sauce because I didn’t have them and upped the curry since we love spicy food.  I love the site Budget Bytes.  She has some great meals that are cheap, cheery and simple.  I also made this apple kale dijon salad the other day.

 

Buy on paper: July in review.

I talked about buying on paper in my post last week, the practice of writing down something you wish to purchase, but didn’t, out of self-restraint and good sense.  I wanted to share with you my list for July.  It’s pretty long, more than I would like.  I’m embarrassed that so much of it is clothing (totally unnecessary ones).  I would love to be at a point where it’s not about self-restraint, rather, a reduced desire for things in general, and clothing more specifically.

There were major temptations, thrift stores, online shopping, and that trip to NYC at the end of the month. Here is “Le list”, in all it’s glory.

If anything, “Le list” is an indication that I am weak, and strong at the same time.

Le List:

• July 3: Urban Decay Naked Palette on the Sephora website.  A site I spent a lot of time on during my maternity leave.  $64 + tax.
• July 9: Diane Von Furstenberg silk shirt at a pop-up shop.  I put it on hold as the guy was going to give me a the a discount – no tax – if I got cash.  I came to my senses as I was walking to get said cash.  $90.
• July 10: Tibi dress and silk shirt online.   This was in my online shopping cart.  Honestly, what saved me was the fact that they don’t ship to Canada.  Yay for Canada. $260 (US) + tax.
• July 10: Urban Outfitters shirt and shorts online.  This is the shirt that I saw on un-fancy‘s website and wanted to get.  Of course I also wanted a pair of shorts to go along with the shirt.  $100 + tax.
• July 15:  Magazine at a grocery store.  I was near our rented cottage, at the check out line and my husband asked me if I wanted a magazine.  I was quick to say yes, but just as quick to decline as I realized that would constitute as a purchase.  I decided two months ago I would no longer be purchasing books and magazine that I can get from the library.  $5 + tax.
• July 19: A pair of second-hand jeans from Value Village. $12.99 + tax.  (What I did buy was another pair of jeans from Value Village $9.99 + tax, plus a birthday present for my husband, $2.99, a wooden dinosaur puzzle, to replace the one he gave me on our first date, which we proceeded to break and lose pieces during our various moves).
• July 30:  Urban Outfitters, white shirt from July 10.  I went to a doctor’s appointment and happened to walk by the store.  I dropped in to try on the shirt.  It was lovely, but I just purchased two white shirts from Uniqlo.  I smartly walked away.  $59 + tax.
• MONEY SAVED: $590.99 + tax = ~ $667.82.  Whoa.

Any regrets?

None.  Honestly, I thought I would be sad not owning the Tibi dress, but I don’t even think about it anymore.  Which is sort of the problem.  I want to remember this feeling, of it not mattering anymore after the fact.

Free books!

It’s called the library. We have a great library system in Toronto, which I used (and probably abused) between the ages of 8-14. Seriously, I took out entire rows of Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys, and then racked up late charges. Oh younger me, what were you thinking? Also, I always wonder if I could’ve learned a new language, or skill if I actually read something useful instead of books about youths who sleuth (that sort of rhymes when you say it outloud).

So yes, a few months ago, I decided that I was sick of buying books that I didn’t end up reading. Even on my e-reader, which is probably a minimalist approved technology, I was not reading at a clip that would warrant even 1 book a year. I turned to the library. They have fashion magazines, cookbooks, current literature, etc.  Amazing!

Since using the library, I’ve actually read more. I finished a book (Decoded, by Mai Jai), which is quite a feat for me for a variety of reasons (as a new mom, there’s not much time to read. As a PhD student, I feel guilty reading anything that’s not related to my research).

Suffice to say, I still can’t return books on time. I’ve paid about $10 in late fees over the last few months, but have taken out 30+ books and 5+ magazines. A pretty good deal I would say. Plus, late fees support the library. I consider it a charitable donation. =)

The rules of buying on paper.

I can’t remember where I read about this, but if I do I will link it here. It’s pretty simple, the concept of buying on paper, anything that has lasting power (i.e. takes up space in your home and won’t decompose) is off limits.

In my opinion, it differs from just wanting something and writing it down. It has to be something you would actually purchase, if you were the old you. So for me, June me would buy x, y and z without much thought vs. July me, who would write down x, y and z and feel a sense of satisfaction from “buying it on paper”, with money still in the bank. The point of this exercise is that it puts a break on our desires to consume easily and immediately.  The act of writing actually sort of (not really) produces the same feeling. But you do get a good feeling from seeing what you’ve abstained from.  The thinking goes that by the end of the month, you will no longer desire those things. Delayed gratification.

If you still wanted the item, you would be allowed to buy it, but you would see how fleeting those desires were.  For us, I’m counting anything my husband or I purchase.  Nothing counts for baby right now (especially since we bought her an exersaucer, or as my husband’s colleague calls it, the “ignoresaucer”.  In the future, I will practice minimalism with baby as well, but for now, I need to get myself sorted.