The Rachel Cruze Show - Smart Ways to Make Your Everyday Life (and Budget) Easier

Starting point is 00:00:05 Daily habits are what create true peace. There's almost never a get-rich-quick scheme that makes life easier and more stress-free. It really is the daily discipline of making small choices that have a high impact. Hey, you guys, welcome to this episode of the Rachel Cruise Show podcast. I'm so glad that you're here. So in this episode, I'm going to chat about three life lessons. Chucky Cheese has taught my kids. Then we'll go over five one-minute habits that can keep your life clutter-free.

Starting point is 00:00:40 But first, let's talk about why fast food has gotten so expensive. Take a listen. Okay, is it just me or has your order of chicken nuggets and fries gotten ridiculously expensive lately? I mean, I remember as a kid you could get like a double cheeseburger combo meal for like $2. We really missed those days. But now we're basically paying $15 per entree at both fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants. So today I want to talk about why fast food has gotten so expensive

Starting point is 00:01:08 and how you can prepare for this change in your everyday life and in your budget. And stick around because I'm also sharing my favorite cheap meal on the go when I'm in a pinch. Okay, according to recent data from the U.S. inflation calculator, food prices have risen almost 26% since 2020. And as recently as August of 2022, the rate of inflation for food has reached the high,

Starting point is 00:01:33 highest peak since 1979. And this includes the cost of foods that we buy ourselves at the grocery store and wholesale ingredients that restaurants use to make their menu items. And I don't know about you, but I definitely remember feeling shocked by how much essential costs go in to the rising prices of everything during the pandemic. And it feels like ever since then, we've never really come back down to where we were pre-2020, which brings us to today when not only are we feeling it in our weekly grocery budgets, but also when we treat ourselves to a meal on the go, you know, for convenience, if you know what I mean. Okay, before we get into some practical solutions for this, let's dig into the why behind this challenge so you can know more of what to expect

Starting point is 00:02:21 when it comes to restaurants. So number one is the cost of labor. Minimum wage has steadily increased in many states over the years. So it ranges anywhere between the federal-mandated $7.25 per hour all the way up to $17 an hour in D.C. Now, hear me out. We obviously want people paid well in the food service industry for sure. But if you're trying to grab a sandwich in New York or L.A., that cost is going to show up in your bill if each employee is making almost $20 an hour. So whether you're eating in a fast food drive-through or a sit-down restaurant, the cost of labor, is a key part of this equation, which brings me to the second factor behind the rising fast food costs. Number two, tipping culture. So if you know me at all, you've heard me probably talk about

Starting point is 00:03:09 guilt tipping before. George Camel and myself, we've talked about it on our podcast, Smart Money Happy Hour, because listen, I'm all about generosity for sure, and I'm a great tipper. And tipping people fairly is something that, again, I think is needed. But it has gotten a little out of control. recently, where, again, that 15, 20% at a sit-down, nice restaurant, and you had a waiter who served you over an hour or two, like, that's an experience, and we're going to tip for that. But tipping 10% as you're standing at the counter getting your sub at Jersey mics, it's kind of like, oh, my God. And people don't know what to do.

Starting point is 00:03:45 It's one of the most awkward things right now in our culture. It's like, I feel bad not tipping, but also like, I'm standing here, ordering food, and I'm going to be taking the food and walking away. So again, I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing with all of this tipping, but it's definitely a factor that you have to think about when it comes to your food budget. And it can get a little out of hand. I mean, 10% on a $12 meal every single day of the week it's going to add up. All right. Number three, increased education about health. So increased access to technology and social media and news stories and articles. We now know more than ever about the food industry and how it really affects our health. And many people, have made the decision to eat healthier because of this information. So whether it's going vegan or vegetarian or you're eating only, you know, organic meats or fruits and vegetables, when you're shopping at farmers markets or even, you know, having your own chickens, all of this has now become the norm, you guys. That's how a lot of people now buy their foods. And so fast food restaurants have

Starting point is 00:04:46 caught onto this trend. And they want to compete with restaurants and grocery stores. You know, you think about whole foods and sprouts because, again, it's really great. great quality food, and so now fast food companies are trying to match that. So instead of a million different versions of bacon cheeseburgers, they're now going to have veggie wraps and smoothies and salads, and they're offering a wider variety of menu items with more ingredients, which is great, but it also is going to cost more. So gluten-free and vegan and protein-rich alternatives require more effort, therefore a higher price tag. And like most things, popular food options naturally adjust with trends and demands of the time. Okay, now that we've covered the why behind the rising cost of

Starting point is 00:05:31 fast food, let's talk about what we can realistically do to manage this, because the truth is, like a lot of things in life, we have very little control over it. We have basically no control over the price of food, just like when gas or eggs or used car prices spike, it is a bummer, not fun. But at the end of the day, it is our job to handle our money in such a way that we're able to adjust accordingly when it comes to necessities like this. And one thing that you can do, though, is utilize reward apps. So almost every fast food chain now has reward apps. And the Chick-Fleigh app, one of my favorites, it will give you random rewards based on your location. If you visit one regularly, it's pretty great. Now, not to be a party pooper, but there always is an option

Starting point is 00:06:18 just to cut out food from restaurants entirely for a season of your life. And that, my friend, will save you a lot of money. So if fast food has gotten too expensive to squeeze into the budget, just say no for the time and then circle back once you have some more wiggle room in your budget. And another thing to keep in mind is that you always have full control over your monthly budget, and you have a decent amount of control over your income as well.

Starting point is 00:06:42 So if you're making a good salary and you feel good about the money that you're bringing in, then the best thing that you can do is make sure that you're spending it wisely. And you want to be intentional with every dollar of that paycheck, That is why I highly recommend using a monthly budget to stay on track, especially when it comes to food and your four walls, which is food, shelter, utilities, and transportation. And which you get in the habit of budgeting, it really does become easier to adjust and fluctuate when costs go up. And you can kind of decide, you know, what categories go up and which ones go down. Okay, now it's time to share my number one cheap meal on the go, because if you knew me, I am not against fast food. I mean, you can give me a fast food restaurant.

Starting point is 00:07:21 Give me a Wendy's, give me a Burger King at McDonald's, a Chick-fil-A, a Sonic, and I can tell you what I would order from each of those places. Even Taco Bell, not mad at it. We don't do it a lot, but it's still pretty good. But I would say, I'm a sandwich girl, so give me Shalotskis. I love a number one without black olives, so good. Or Firehouse Subs, the Italian. I mean, it's just the best.

Starting point is 00:07:44 Delicious, delicious, but I do love some fast food. Not going to lie. What does Charles Entertainment Cheese really have to be? to offer us when it comes to major life lessons. Well, you might be surprised because just for fun, I want to share three life lessons that Chuckie Cheese has taught my kids and myself recently. I shared one of these on my Instagram recently, and so many people had thoughts in the comments about it. So I was like, okay, we'll kind of expand on it a little bit because let's face it, we all need helpful ways to find contentment and gratitude. And I'm dying to know if I'm the only

Starting point is 00:08:27 one who has experienced some of these big existential realizations when I take my kids to birthday parties at places like Chuckie Cheese. Our lesson number one is the shine rubs off. Just like the massive selection of shiny cheap prizes behind the Chuckie Cheese counter, most purchases we make will not live up to the initial hype. And for me, even when I think back to small, cheap Amazon jewelry purchases that I've made in the last year, many of those trends are already done with. So whether it's fancy dinners with food that is gone the next day or jeans that you bought

Starting point is 00:09:02 that are in style, but next season they won't be, or a new iPhone that you bought last year, but now there's two newer versions already out. I mean, this is the life that we live. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not mad at spending money on stuff that you need or stuff that you want. That's a part of life. But don't get so caught up in the materialism and consumerism that you lose sight of what's really important.

Starting point is 00:09:24 So keep your focus on your long-term money goals. that are really going to last and make sure that you're working towards financial peace rather than financial flashiness. And so my kids, they fell into this because all they were dying for, dying for, were all these cheap toys. And I told them, you guys, you're going to get them. And then that newness is going to fade very, very quickly like it always does. So it was a good lesson that I needed to know. All right, lesson number two is, is that real cheese? Because speaking of flashiness, have you ever been so underwhelmed after buying something? Maybe you debated on a shoe purchase that you saw online for a few weeks, and then they finally came in the mail, and they were

Starting point is 00:10:04 miserable to walk in. Or maybe you thought that your home would finally be complete once you got that nice sofa, but then when it was delivered, it just was not as comfortable as you thought it was going to be. Sometimes, again, it's just like those prizes at Chuckie Cheese. They're going to look better than what they actually are, because let's be honest, it's all crap. It's all crap. It's all crap that they get. And then it's going to break two minutes later, like it always does, or they lose it and it happens, right? So for us adults, just remember that when you're saving up for something, make sure that you research it and that you're like, okay, this is actually worth my work and my efforts because you don't want something that's just going to break. And don't rush

Starting point is 00:10:45 into a purchase just because it seems too good to be true or you're desperate to get it. Okay? So taking our time and just being realistic about all the stuff. And don't by crap. That's the lesson. All right, lesson number three from Chuckie Cheese, don't miss the party. So we all remember being a kid and we are so focused on playing the games to get the points and the tickets and then to go get the prizes that sometimes you miss out on the fun that's right in front of you with friends and cake and pizza because you're just so focused on getting the stuff. Now, this lesson may sound a little cheesy at first, no pun intended, but I really believe this one with my whole heart because the real value of taking control of your money in all the small

Starting point is 00:11:27 daily habits that you have is about what you're building along the way because yes, I am a huge fan of paying off debt, living below your means. Yes, I believe in following a monthly budget. Yes, I believe in paying your house off early and investing in retirement. But it's the transformation and the character that you build along the way is the reason why I do what I do. Because when you really start to think about it, anything can be an idol if we're not careful. And if you're all worried about saving for your kids' college, but you're not enjoying the moments with them that you're missing the point of all of this. And if you're so laser-focused on being frugal, you forget to make generosity a priority at times,

Starting point is 00:12:05 and that's robbing you of the joy that comes with that. So the life you've been given is priceless. So don't forget to be present and practice gratitude for all that you've accomplished, money-related or not. And if you're looking for more ways to teach your kids about contentment and gratitude, I have a couple of kids' books out that teach those exact lessons. One of them is called I'm Glad for What I Have, and the other one is called I'm Glad for Where I Am. So they're just adorable.

Starting point is 00:12:30 I love them. Make sure check it out, and I hope your family enjoys them. So one thing that I know for sure about life and money is that daily habits are what create true peace. There's almost never a get-rich-quick scheme or an expensive high-tech appliance that makes life easier and more stress-free. It really is the daily discipline of making small choices that have a high impact, which is exactly what we're going to talk about today. So I want to share five one-minute tasks that you can do to create and maintain a clutter-free life and stick around until the end because I'm sharing my number one non-negotiable hack

Starting point is 00:13:15 for keeping my money organized and in check. So first, let's just do a little imagining, shall we? Picture this with me. You're sitting on the couch scrolling through social media after dinner, and you promised yourself, you're going to get up in 10 minutes to finish loading the dishwasher and putting the clothes away in the dryer. Then suddenly it's been 45 minutes and you haven't moved and you give yourself another 10 minutes and then another 30 minutes go by and then another 30 and by the time you finally get yourself off the couch to finish those last two tasks, you're annoyed with yourself

Starting point is 00:13:47 because you procrastinated doing something that literally took only five minutes and could have been done hours ago. Guilty. Guilty as charged. So again, if that has been you, you are not alone. Majority of Americans are exhausted emotionally, physically, spiritually, professionally, and sometimes the simple things are the hardest things to do, especially if they're small enough to just keep putting off. And I totally get that. But I promise you, doing these five quick things will make a world of difference at almost no cost to you. So the first habit, that's always a game changer for me, is literally just making the bed. And I'm going to be the first to say it. I'm not great at this. But it is not

Starting point is 00:14:31 that big of a deal. And that's what I tell myself. So if you are a working parent or a stay-at-home parent, like whatever it is, one of the best things that you can do is when you get up is just a make the bed. And there's books written about this and like all of it. But I'm telling you, this one thing can give you a sense of control and peace when it comes to the space. So avoid feeling like you can't get stuff done and relax when something like this just takes you 60 seconds, okay? And it will, again, bring you this level of visual organization and decluttering that will actually make your morning routine go faster or more productive, or at least that's what the science says. But I believe it. I believe it. So make your bed. Number two, the second habit is to keep your life clutter-free

Starting point is 00:15:17 is putting shoes away. There's nothing quite like walking in the door of your home and immediately unlayering from the day. And all you want to do is just kick off your shoes and relax. And you can, but just take those extra few seconds and put them in your closet. And if you have a spouse or kids, they need to go along with this one as well. We have a place in our house where the kids' shoes are. Amelia has been, Caroline has one, and Charles has one. I'm like, it's amazing. All the shoes, if you just put them in, it just feels great. And it takes 30 seconds, right? And you can do this as a unified effort if you need to to get everybody doing this. But it is amazing, a small task that can create a lot of peace. And when everyone is doing their part when it comes to putting their belongings

Starting point is 00:16:00 in the right place, it actually takes like the kitchen and the living room and the back porch and all of that peaceful. And then when you have to leave the house, you're like, where are your shoes? You know where it is. It's like my biggest pet peeve. But it's amazing. When you have a place for it, There is less clutter, less things that you're tripping over. You know what's going on, and it's a small habit, but it's a great one. All right, the third one-minute habit to declutter your life is empty the car when you get home. Now, again, I get it. Chaos is like part of my life, I feel like, especially if you're parenting kids and you're like one-on-one with them and you've got three kids in the back

Starting point is 00:16:41 and you're trying to do car seats and seatbelts and drinks and snacks and you're running this and get in this bag and a towel for the pool. I mean, it's just everything. It is just chaos. But once you're done and you put everyone inside, come back to the car and unload it. Again, it takes a minute, maybe a minute and a half. But what's going to be the best is you're taking out your coffee cup,

Starting point is 00:17:02 you're taking out water bottles, trash, all of it. You're grabbing stuff. And you're done. And then when you get back in the car, there's a piece that happens because the clutter is gone. So make that a habit. The fourth habit that makes a huge difference for me is having a designated place for kids' school stuff. This is a big one.

Starting point is 00:17:21 Backpacks, sports bags, binders, homework, art projects, papers that come home from school, all of it. This can create so much clutter. So rather it just being a pile on the kitchen floor, have a place for it. Ideally, like a closet or something that it can be put away and every kid has an area that is theirs, okay? And this is amazing. So they put their backpacks there, coats. Again, this is where our kids' shoes are in our house. Everything is in a place.

Starting point is 00:17:48 And then I got a bin that I empty their folders because, God bless elementary school kids, but they come on with a lot of worksheets. A lot, a lot, a lot. Love to see the schoolwork. Glad they're learning and all the things, but there are so many papers. And I don't have time every day to go through each of them and be like, am I going to keep this, not because I will keep things that are, like, funny that they've written or something like really sweet or handprints.

Starting point is 00:18:11 There's certain things I keep. Everything else I trash. But I don't want to look for it every day. I don't want to look through everything. So I just put everything in a bin. And then probably like every three months, I take that bin down and I just go through it. It takes me about 10 minutes, but it's great. But having a place where everything goes, again, it takes a minute, one minute.

Starting point is 00:18:26 And the clutter is gone, and it just feels great. It feels organized, which is so key. All right. Now it's time to reveal my number one habit for making my life peaceful and clutter free. And this one is about money. And it really does affect every part of our lives because my fifth tip to staying organized and bringing you peace is to use a monthly budgets. So budgeting is something that I am all about because it gives you such guidance and

Starting point is 00:18:55 direction on where your money's going and you're the one that gets to create the plan. It's up to you. You get to sit down and say, where do I want my money to go this month? Your income comes in. Where's it going to go? What's it going to do? And if you don't do this, I really do believe there's a level of subconscious angst and kind of stirring that happens. But when you have a plan, you have something visual that you know

Starting point is 00:19:15 where your money's going, it is going to create peace. So if you've not downloaded every dollar, this is the best budgeting app. And you can create a free budget if you go to every dollar.com slash Rachel, create that first budget and get in the habit. And again, once you do this, each month, updating your budget month to month, it's going to just take a minute or two. It's really not going to take that long, especially when you're in the habit of it. But that is going to give you such, such peace. All right, you guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. And if you love the show, make sure to leave a review, subscribe, and even share it with your friends and your family. Getting the word out about this content is so important because we want

Starting point is 00:19:51 people to work smarter, not harder, when it comes to their money. So thanks again for listening. And remember to take control of your money and create a life you love.

The Rachel Cruze Show - Smart Ways to Make Your Everyday Life (and Budget) Easier

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