Tag: Personal Finance

Keeping Money in Your Pocket: COVID-19 and Beyond

On By Clinician LifestylistIn career, lifestyle, Personal FinanceLeave a comment

I’ve been away from writing here for a little while due to major career and life changes, even before a little thing called the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic hit. What I’ve been learning on my own journey is that the best ideas on managing lifestyle work in good times and prepare you for the storms. Here are some thoughts that I hope will be of use to everyone here- whether you’re on solid footing and looking to accelerate financial growth, just starting your career and learning, or had everything turned upside down recently.

  1. Mind your money. Having mindfulness about spending allows us to track where we are at right now. Before even considering making cuts or re-prioritizing expenses, we need to know the current landscape. Think of this as the initial diagnosis before starting on a plan. I use an online platform to track spending (Mint, not an ad) and get both a snapshot and long view of how I’m doing. Turns out buying lunch here and there at local spots has been reasonable for me, but dinner- watch out!
  2. Do the debt stomp. Growing toward financial independence means breaking ties with anything controlling our lifestyle other than ourselves. In times when you have income, getting any debts out of the way is a critical step, and the faster we stomp it out, the more money saved in the long run. On the numbers side, all that interest goes back in our pockets, and then compounds in future investments! On the mental side, we’re back in the driver’s seat, baby.
  3. Go for the biggest bang. Careful spending on big ticket items like housing, cars, and travel will bring great savings. Everyday purchases are important too, since learning how to budget on these items helps sharpen the wealth growing skills, but the relative impact of saving thousands on single items is a great place to start. For me, focusing on keeping rent as low as possible in my high cost area and monitoring food expenses has kept so much extra in my pocket (and going toward financial goals). With COVID-19 restrictions, we’re all getting to see the impact of travel on our finances. What positive changes can you keep going?
  4. Do it Yourself. As much as we can in-source daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, laundry, and so on, we can save money. Of course, there is a link between using support services and being able to work more hours/ have more energy, which can boost in income and allow for time in other important areas. However, while in the debt stomp and growing wealth phases, we can keep exercising the skill of keeping money in our own pockets. My decision point comes down to whether I can do the task without feeling like I’m burning out. A good run of the numbers might be helpful here too.
  5. Share with important people in your life. Talking to a partner or with close friends and family can have many benefits. Sharing plans helps to clarify my understanding and intentions, creates accountability, and draws support along the way. Being on the same page with a partner can also really help accelerate work on goals, and foster a healthy relationship. Even more, when others are in on my plans, they seem more understanding of my lifestyle and choices (e.g. trying a new cookbook vs. all the Michelin star restaurants in town; finding the best local theater vs. the touring Broadway show). 

On my journey, I have put effort into increasing my skills in lifestyle management and financial health as I entered my professional career and navigated career changes. I’m thankful for these skills as the storms have rolled in, and continue to learn beneficial lessons.

Share your biggest pocket saving tips in the Clinician Lifestylist comments below!

How to Feel Culture in Any Town

On By Clinician LifestylistIn lifestyle, Nutrition, Personal FinanceLeave a comment

Whether living in a big city with a lot of entertainment options, or in a quieter rural area, it’s reasonable to feel uncertain how to experience culture when busy with clinical duties and focused on a lifestyle that centers on growing financial independence. Staying at home every day and eating beans and rice does not cut it for me. Here are some easy ideas that help me inject culture and fun into my lifestyle. 

Eat. Create soulful meals at home and try out cooking your own take on international cuisines. I like to give beans and rice an upgrade with Caribbean style. Add a little flair with jerk spices and a side of fried plantains.

Listen. Find out what engages others. Talking to friends, colleagues, and neighbors is a great way to pick up on local events and experiences. Find out what engages others. Talking to friends, colleagues, and neighbors is a great way to pick up on local events and experiences. One note of caution for those of us on the financial independence path- listening to others can be a great resource, but can also have negative impacts when we surround ourselves with others who are in a different financial position or mindset. Growing financial independence is easiest with connections to like-minded others.

Wear it. A scarf around the neck for a secret Francophile, or a printed head wrap for an Africana scholar can evoke a sense of culture in oneself. A few select pieces can make an impact without breaking the bank!

Go. When particularly restless, try a road trip to check out the surrounding areas. Any change of scenery can help feed the wanderlust, without breaking the bank with a big trip. Some of my favorite cost effective itinerary items are walking around historic landmarks, hiking, visiting parks, and perusing public festivals. If I have to eat out, finding a new casual, local spot is usually a fun and satisfying alternative to standard fast food options and even fine dining.

The Clinician Style

On By Clinician LifestylistIn career, lifestyle, Personal FinanceLeave a comment

This post is geared toward early career clinicians, but may benefit advanced career folks too! When transitioning into my new professional clinician job, I was excited to make sure I looked the part too. At the moment, I’m mostly working in an outpatient office, so I rarely put on scrubs or a white coat. I also wanted to continue growing financial independence and not break the bank by upgrading my wardrobe. Here are some key choices that I’ve made:

  1. Getting a feel for the work environment and culture. Every hospital, clinic, or office will have a different standard of dress, whether stated or implicit. If you are in a department or group practice, it’s great to start by looking at how more senior professionals. I like to meet or exceed senior clinicians in dress level, within my own lifestyle guidelines as far as brands, number of pieces, and actual cost.
  2. Getting the full picture of what’s already in the closet. I start off the wardrobe plan by opening my closet doors and pulling out any clothes in storage. Since the middle of my main grad school years, I’ve had some work clothes that were shoved aside when not needed for hospital rotations, or was just getting tired of them and wanting some new clothes for internship and residency years. Even after donating and selling a bunch of items before moves, I still had some nice pieces that hadn’t been worn for awhile but were still stylish and well fitting enough to bring back in a new setting.
  3. Checking out thrifted options before buying new. Online marketplaces are also a stop before new retail. If new is a must, I like to see if the store is listed on coupon code websites or try waiting for a sale to come along.
  4. Good grooming goes a long way. Whether you’re lower or higher maintenance with your look, not underestimate the value of solid grooming to elevate style. I’m a fan of the “5-minute face,” approach to using a few basic makeup and hair products. For guys, a regular trim and some moisture on the face or lips can do the trick. Lastly, doctors, let’s not forget that our hands and nails are often on display!

Here are some of my favorite pieces:

  1. Pockets, pockets, and more pockets in tops and bottoms
  2. Wedge dress shoes for comfort and style
  3. Grown up backpack for commuting
  4. Hospital logo fleece jacket lives in the office
  5. Hair comb lives in a desk drawer

5 Steps to Double Energy Levels Overnight

On By Clinician LifestylistIn lifestyle, Nutrition1 Comment

We hear a lot about what to eat, but much less about how to eat. Until recently, I struggled with maintaining a healthy diet that would also keep my energy up throughout the day.

This was my old routine: First I would wake up around 6 am, get dressed and have breakfast at home every morning, make a cup of black tea after arriving at work, and have additional caffeine or a light snack mid-morning, all before midday lunch. Then in late afternoon, I’d often find myself snacking again to fight hunger pangs or a dip in energy so I could get through to evening activities and to dinner.  

So basically, I was eating first thing in the morning regardless of how hungry I was within the limited window of making breakfast at home, and then struggling to manage hunger throughout the day. I felt particularly susceptible to the 3 pm energy slide and would snack just to stay awake even if I wasn’t hungry. Furthermore, because this was a “snack” it was an easy opportunity to grab less than ideal treats from the vending machine or hospital cafe. I often justified it because I needed energy to get to the gym or make a decent dinner later in the evening.

On my new meal schedule, my energy shot up the charts. Here’s what I’m doing now:

  1. Don’t force an early meal. I’m no longer routinely eating food before heading out the door to work.
  2. Hydrate. I drink water or caffeinated beverages in the office early morning- tea and/or sugar-free energy drink are my go-to’s.
  3. 1st meal of the day in late morning or midday. If I only drink water or tea, I’m usually ready for this meal by around 10:30 or 11 am, but it can often go to noon if I have an energy drink. The exact timing also depends somewhat on my work schedule, but I’m finding that this constraint is working better for me than the window of time for eating breakfast at home.
  4. 2nd meal of the day in late afternoon. Eating around 2 to 3 pm gets me through my usual energy dip, and I go for more real foods. 
  5. 3rd meal in mid evening. The later lunch carries me through to a typical dinner time around 7 pm.

In essence, I am no longer constraining myself in the morning, but instead eat a more satisfying first meal when I’m hungry, and use my 2nd meal to get through a known problem spot in late afternoon. Plus, with afternoon snack time now a meal, I eliminate the extra calories (and expense) of eating this on top of the 3 main meals.

If you want to try my energy boosting meal plan, or have your own hacks for how to eat, share in the comments!