After relocating back to the U.S. post living abroad in HK for the last 5 years, I am facing somewhat of a "reverse culture shock." There are many things I took for granted while living as an expat that I need to reexamine now that I have returned home and back to reality. I can no longer take advantage of the huge tax savings and enjoy frivolous pampering such as facials, personal trainer, cheap cleaning services, and expensive dining out with friends that I became accustomed to, especially living in a city like NYC.
My monthly post-tax disposable income has decreased by almost 30% after relocating from HK to NYC! Given it has been only 2 months since my move (Oct 2012) and I am still monitoring my expenses, this huge pay-cut is definitely hurting my wallet. On top of the pay-cut, it doesn't help to mention that Nov/Dec are two months out of the year with the highest number of sample sales and holiday sales in NYC (and probably across the country)!
Rather than dwelling on my expat lifestyle in HK, I intend to move forward and plan to lead a more mature lifestyle which includes being more domestic and learn how to cook more! By end of the year, I no longer want to ask dumb questions to my sister (5 years my junior) about what spices and kitchen tools to use for simple home-cooked meals.
Goals for 2013 Food Budget (include: groceries, snacks and dining out):
- $500 per month
- Get into a habit of planning weekly menus and grocery lists
- Learn how to use the oven more
- Increase my knowledge on various spices and seasoning
- Create and maintain a healthy and balanced diet (also include regular fitness)
