Lately I have been feeling off. I happens every year when Chicago's winter hits (unofficially). The darkness at 4:30 p.m., the constant cloudiness, the frequent snow/ice/rain combine to kill my motivation and make me want to hibernate. I don't have the luxury of sitting around and doing nothing, though, so I needed to find my inspiration again. I needed to pull myself out of this rut. I've ... Read more
Inspiration From “The Year of Less” by Cait Flanders
**This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! My most recent Audible listen was "The Year of Less" by Cait Flanders, who apparently also has a popular personal finance blog I was not familiar with. This book was in my Audible recommendations after listening to "Girl, Wash Your ... Read more
Free or Low-Cost Self-Care Methods
As much I love to use $6 to $8 bath bombs and natural masks as part of my self-care, I realize I and others don't always have the money to spend on these items. You can still practice self-care for little to no money. That's because self-care isn't about buying something to make yourself feel better (unless I guess that's what works for you?), it's about taking time for yourself and allowing ... Read more
What I Didn’t Know About the Fourth Trimester: Maternity Leave Lessons
Maternity leave is over. I'm back to work full time as an editor. A positive is that I can work from home, though returning to work was still depressing and overwhelming. But on my first day I realized I also felt something I didn't expect: relief. I felt relieved to be forced into a routine that is in some ways familiar. I felt more like myself than I have in months. Now that I am working again ... Read more
Spending Ban Update and Lessons
** This post was originally published in April but has since been updated. In March I shared my goal of doing a pre-baby spending ban on certain categories. I wanted to stop unnecessary spending, especially it comes to dining out, before our baby is born so I can focus on financial goals. Now I want to provide a spending ban update and lessons I learned in hopes of inspiring those who want to ... Read more