1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: tip is to anticipate your upcoming needs so you don't 4 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: waste money or time. Today's tip comes from the Frugal 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: Girl blog. This blog is full of recipes and tips 6 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: for frugal living and expressions of gratitude for the blessings 7 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,279 Speaker 1: of a frugal life. The Frugal Girl blog also has 8 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: one of the most supportive reader communities on the Internet. 9 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: Today's tip actually comes from a reader comment. This person 10 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: wrote that frugality is often about anticipating and preparing for things, 11 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: which is absolutely true. I would broaden that word frugality 12 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: to afficiency. When we anticipate things, we are able to 13 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: spend less time and money than if we just deal 14 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: with our needs in the moment. I am sure we 15 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 1: have all had the experience of realizing around six pm 16 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: that we aren't sure what to eat, and aren't sure 17 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: we have the groceries to make anything. In any case, 18 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: deciding what to make and making sure we have the ingredients, 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: and then cooking too seems like too steep a hill 20 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: to climb, and so we spend fifty dollars or even 21 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: more getting dinner delivered for the family. Now. I love 22 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: restaurant meals as much as anyone, and sometimes it is 23 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: really nice to get sushi delivered as a treat. But 24 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: it is better when that is a conscious decision and 25 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: you can look forward to your yummy meal as opposed 26 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: to doing it just because you didn't think ahead to 27 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: have something you like readily available. When we do manage 28 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: to get around to groceries, I'm sure many of us 29 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: have had to make repeat trips to the store because 30 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 1: we didn't think of something. You agreed to bring cookies 31 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: to a reception on Sunday, but you are so fixated 32 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: on shopping on Thursday for the stuff you needed Thursday 33 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: and Friday that you didn't think about Sunday, and so 34 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: it is back to the store on Saturday or Sunday, 35 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: maybe when there was something else that would have been 36 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: more fun to do. Now, longtime listeners know that I 37 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: don't think we need to go overboard with anticipation. One 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: of my favorite phrases is that your future self will 39 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: not be incompetent if you do need to figure out 40 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: dinner on Thursday and there is nothing in the fridge. 41 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: You will do so you probably won't starve, and it's 42 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: not the end of the world to go back to 43 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: the store on Sunday if you need to. It would 44 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: be kind of ridiculous to think through everything you'd need 45 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: and say a month, when most of us probably go 46 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: to the show store once or twice a week anyway. 47 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: But in general, anticipation does save time and money. If 48 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,119 Speaker 1: someone is invited to a birthday party, you can order 49 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: the present as soon as you say yes. That way, 50 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: you don't have to pay for expedited shipping or make 51 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: a trip to the store. If you're running a business 52 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: and you think ahead of time about questions a client 53 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: might ask, or you map out your workflow so you're 54 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: not doing things last minute, you won't have to pay 55 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: for employee overtime. And sometimes it's just about doing things 56 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: in the right order. If you think about your Saturday 57 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: and you know you plan to plant flowers and clean 58 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: your car, you might want to bring the flowers home 59 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: from the gardening store before you go vacuum out your car. 60 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: That way, the dirt on the floor winds up gone 61 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: rather than lingering. By looking ahead thoughtfully, you can identify 62 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: anything you maan need in advance in order to save 63 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: yourself some cash and time. Efficiency is about anticipation. Now, 64 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: it's usually not awful if you don't anticipate, but it 65 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: does feel good to get it right. So you can 66 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: give yourself a little pat on the back when you 67 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: pull the meat out of the freezer a day ahead 68 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: of time and look forward to the dinner. You know 69 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: exactly how to make in the meantime. This is Laura. 70 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 71 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 72 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 73 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 74 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod that's b the number four then breakfast. 75 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 76 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled 77 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I 78 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 79 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 80 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 81 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: favorite shows.