Isn’t It Time for You to Get Rid of Those Apps You Never Use?
When we collected our staff’s weekly updates last Friday, our editors unraveled pesky headphone cords, basked in crime TV, baked puff pastry, and finally closed the extra browser tabs.
Some of us have been more focused this week on personal improvement, whether it’s careful budgeting, finally hanging out with old friends, realizing the importance of breakfast, or taking time to soothe chronic skin problems.
What updates have you made this week? Let us know in the comments.
Clean up the clutter of apps (under duress)
After iTunes failed to copy all of my data from my iPhone 6S to my new 8, I spent a couple of hours downloading and logging into all of my apps manually. Turns out this is a great way to get rid of apps that I never use. Thanks, Apple.
Nick Douglas, staff writer
Buy new bright discs.
I bought a lovely new tokyo bike and I am very happy with it. She is yellow, her name is Miss Mustard. We love going to Trader Joe’s for groceries.
Patrick Allan, staff writer
Consider the condition of your scalp
I have a prescription shampoo for rough scalp. In fact, my head feels much better. I used over-the-counter drugs and they just didn’t work. Then I moved to the dermis and now I have a shampoo with a high concentration of sulfur, but my head is no longer falling off.
CLAIR LAUER, FOOD AND BEVERAGE EDITOR
Make a plan to catch up with your long-lost friends
I’ve made a list of friends I haven’t seen in a long time. I try to go through the list and schedule a time for everyone, even if it takes me months. I think writing down their names helps me to take the initiative, instead of longingly wondering what they are doing and assuming that these days it is simply too difficult to get together.
MICHEL WOO, PARENT EDITOR
Get rid of bad breakfast habits
I have a bad breakfast. More often than not, a latte is my first meal of the day (I classify a serving of coffee as a kind of liquefied version of the cereal). Occasionally I take breakfast packs from the wine cellar, but my humble lifestyle prevents me from making it my daily habit. Besides, by the time I’m sitting at my table and ready to eat, I’ve already lost my appetite and would prefer something more suitable for lunch. The solution is simple: outsource your breakfast and make sure it’s cheap. My new daily routine includes a piece of quiche, the greatest invention of humanity. The pie itself is inexpensive, about the same price as the breakfast package, and can be bought in a nearby market after a normal business day. My insatiable eating habits mean the quiche only lasts three days, but that also means I’m full of food and fuel before those days begin. Quic-free days usually mean I’m full of food, not food, which makes me seriously consider the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” as more than a dumb catchphrase.
PATRICK AUSTIN, STAFF WRITER
Make a plan for where your money goes
I’m usually pretty good at saving money and sticking to some semblance of a budget, but I can also play fast and fluently when it comes to charging things on a whim. Plus, over the past few months, I moved to a much more expensive apartment and took a new job, which meant my finances had changed significantly and the unfinished budget strategy I had used before was completely outdated. This week I sat down and took a close look at my income and operating expenses and drew up a new budget based on the 50/30/20 rule – 50 percent of your income should be for basic necessities (rent, food, electricity), 30 percent for entertainment (restaurants, shopping, travel) and 20 percent on savings. I also made a plan for what to do with this 20 percent savings (a combination of emergency fund, retirement accounts and other investments) And I have to say that having a concrete plan is a huge relief from a problem that I did not even suspect caused me stress.
VIRGINIA K. SMITH, LEADING EDITOR