Tips To Make Your Mornings Easier, Healthier, Cheaper and More Relaxing

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #50YearsofBreakfast #CollectiveBias

I'm lucky enough to be a morning person for the most part. Once I'm up, I'm up. Unfortunately it's the physical act of getting out of bed that is the difficult part for me. I'm so bad about hitting snooze 3 or more times, then stressing trying to get ready for work, working up an ugly sweat while frantically walking the dogs and running out the door without remembering to get any breakfast.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, my show off of a boyfriend gets right up when the alarm goes off, makes his breakfast, drinks it while gazing out the window leisurely, packs his things, kisses me goodbye (I'm more than likely on the 3rd snooze at this point) and he's out the door 45 minutes before I am.  Taking a page from his book today, I've come up with some ways for both you and me to make our mornings cheaper, healthier, smoother and more relaxing.

On days when I stay over at CB's house I have to wake up at 6am rather than 6:30am. I never hit snooze when I have a 6am alarm. Perhaps I get right up because I know I have to hit the road as soon as possible since traffic headed into Dallas can be brutal, and 30 minutes makes a huge difference. 

Whatever it is, I'm never stressed on those days, I'm never pressed for time. The dogs get walked at a calm, sweat-free pace and I always remember breakfast. It really makes for a much calmer, easy-going morning. 

I'm such a sucker for that darn snooze button. It isn't like the sleep I get for those 9, 18, sometimes 27 minutes is good quality sleep. I pretty much just lay there with my eyes closed, mentally counting the time I think is left on the snooze clock. Starting this week, I'm not going to hit snooze!

On mornings when I manage to get out the door at least 10 minutes earlier than normal, I always stop for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. The lines are guaranteed to be long, I always think I have more time than I actually have, and I end up 10 or 15 minutes late to work.

Another reason you and I should ditch the drive thru?

To save MONEY! I did a quick calculation of how much I spend at the coffee shop, and it is kind of insane. There are some weeks I stop every single morning for coffee, and boy does that add up.

Venti Iced Coffee with Non-Fat Milk: $3.19

Bacon and Gouda Breakfast Sandwich: $3.71

Total Coffee Stop: $6.90

If I stop 3 days/week, which is pretty normal for me, that adds up to $20.70/week

....... Or $82.80 a month.......

....... Or $993.60 a year.......

Oh my goodness gracious. That is insane. I'm insane. Must find coffee-shop abuse counseling! HAILP. 

So let's take my same coffee shop breakfast concoction.  This whole time I thought I was making a healthy choice with the breakfast sandwich I choose, but now, I'm not quite sure. Although my coffee has very few calories, the breakfast sandwich I eat has 350 calories and a staggering 18 grams of fat.

Earlier I told you CB likes to drink his breakfast each morning while leisurely gazing out the window at the sunrise. Well, he first introduced me to Nestlé Carnation Breakfast Essentials when we started dating. He drinks them every single morning. So I decided to give them a try too! I went to my local Walmart and picked up a pack of the Nestlé Carnation Breakfast Essentials Rich Milk Chocolate flavor. They also had Vanilla and Strawberry options.

The nutritional label on this healthy breakfast drink was drastically different from my coffee shop sandwich. The Rich Milk Chocolate powder, when mixed with fat free milk, is only 220 calories and 0.5 grams of fat. It also adds 21 vitamins and minerals and 13g of protein!

It takes approximately 23 seconds to make this breakfast drink. I can take it with me in the car, wait and make it when I get to work, or stop hitting snooze and drink it leisurely with CB while we stare out the window and watch the sunrise. Hah. Perhaps I could convince General and Veenie to watch with us too?

Want to give this healthy, fast and filling breakfast a try? There is currently a promotion at CarnationFreeBreakfast.com: 

1. Buy any 2 Carnation Breakfast Essentials products

2. Get a clear photo of your entire receipt and then text with keyword BREAKFAST to 811811 for submission instructions or email it to redeem@CarnationFreeBreakfast.com or upload your receipt here.

3. You will receive a code back once the receipt has been verified that you can share with your friends and family for a free breakfast, up to a $7.99 value! 

So you're sharing breakfast and they are too! Carnation Breakfast Essentials® will actually even be donating $25,000 to Feeding America to help those in need. For all the details, check out their website! 

Strawberries and Pineapples are SO delicious right now, not to mention the colors will put you in the best of moods to start your day. Plus, they make for the prettiest of Instagram pictures. Want to know what fruits and veggies are in season for Spring? Check out this helpful website!

So if we are all going to stop hitting snooze, get up 30 minutes earlier, ditch the drive thru in favor of an easy, healthy and inexpensive breakfast drink... what are we going to do with all that extra time?   Why not get some blog stuff done with your newfound morning time, like answering comments and planning social shares!