I have some catching up to do....
I am grateful for my animals. Although they shed and make me sneeze, and sometimes they drive me bonkers, they also are so wonderfully cuddly, and they are a constant source of unconditional love, my flaws and mistakes and all.
I am also grateful that we live in an area where I have access to bulk food stores, thrift shops, discount grocery stores, active online yard sale sites, inexpensive local produce/farms, local butchers, reasonably priced organic foods, etc. This area makes it easy to find high quality clothing, furniture, and food for my family at good prices. And if I cannot find what I need, there are multiple resources an hour in any direction.
Showing posts with label consumerism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumerism. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Stay Tuned For Giveaways!
I am now an official Moms Meet blogger. Thanks to Kiwi Magazine and other sponsors, I will now be able to provide product reviews and giveaways of fun Eco friendly products for families. Can't wait!
Monday, August 27, 2012
On Minimalism
Lately, I have been reading a lot of blogs and essays concerning the subject of minimalism. I'm not talking about the literary or artistic movements, nor am I talking about the home decor trend of everything stark black and white and barely there. I'm talking about living a minimalistic lifestyle--rejecting, even rebelling against, consumerism, getting rid of unwanted and unused items, getting out of debt, pursuing passions and life goals over material goods, etc.
This lifestyle appeals to me, even though it is the complete antithesis of my life a few years ago. I think it attracts me because it *is* the polar opposite of my former dreams and goals, and those goals, the need to possess lots of (and the best) stuff have wreaked havoc on my life, my health, and my sanity. Being able to focus more on living a self-reliant lifestyle, having less "things" to worry about, being able to say "NO!" loudly and firmly to the trappings of consumerism, will all lead to my ability to pursue my dreams and my passions that truly matter--and what a more fulfilled life that will be, not only for me, but for my family as well.
I want to be able to have a firmer resolve, to spend less, to give more, to share my time and abilities with others, to reject jealousy, to conquer my goals and chase after my heart's truest desires. I want to choose to tromp around outside in this big, wide world when I need comfort, instead of going up to the mall to snag some little thing that provides me temporary happiness--only until I get it home. Can you imagine being able to live a life where you mainly rely on yourself and your family, instead of what society or friends tell you is important? Can you imagine being able to live without a mall or Walmart? Can you envision being able to grow your own food, or make your own, most of the time, or to find outlets for the freshest food you can, instead of relying on processed convenience foods? That makes my body happy just thinking about it.
This kind of life is possible, with a true desire and conversion to a philosophy of minimalism and self-reliance. It's better for your family, the environment, and for you. And I want to examine it more closely and pursue the changes necessary to obtain it.
This lifestyle appeals to me, even though it is the complete antithesis of my life a few years ago. I think it attracts me because it *is* the polar opposite of my former dreams and goals, and those goals, the need to possess lots of (and the best) stuff have wreaked havoc on my life, my health, and my sanity. Being able to focus more on living a self-reliant lifestyle, having less "things" to worry about, being able to say "NO!" loudly and firmly to the trappings of consumerism, will all lead to my ability to pursue my dreams and my passions that truly matter--and what a more fulfilled life that will be, not only for me, but for my family as well.
I want to be able to have a firmer resolve, to spend less, to give more, to share my time and abilities with others, to reject jealousy, to conquer my goals and chase after my heart's truest desires. I want to choose to tromp around outside in this big, wide world when I need comfort, instead of going up to the mall to snag some little thing that provides me temporary happiness--only until I get it home. Can you imagine being able to live a life where you mainly rely on yourself and your family, instead of what society or friends tell you is important? Can you imagine being able to live without a mall or Walmart? Can you envision being able to grow your own food, or make your own, most of the time, or to find outlets for the freshest food you can, instead of relying on processed convenience foods? That makes my body happy just thinking about it.
This kind of life is possible, with a true desire and conversion to a philosophy of minimalism and self-reliance. It's better for your family, the environment, and for you. And I want to examine it more closely and pursue the changes necessary to obtain it.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
I'm SO There....
If you live in the Mid-Atlantic states, you should consider going to the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pa. It is a HUGE event chock-full of vendors and exhibits encouraging self-reliance, a DIY attitude, organic and natural living, emergency preparedness, and so forth. Plus, they will have amazing speakers, like Joel Salatin and the beyond inspiring Temple Grandin, animal rights activist and spokesperson for autism awareness (she is autistic herself). (I linked the miniseries based on her life.) I'm not able to make the fair on the day she is speaking, but if I did, I'm pretty sure I'd pass out at her feet from the exposure to sheer awesomeness and inspiration. :) There will be kids' activities, too, and loads of yummy, healthy food vendors and products for sale.
The fair page can be found here.
The fair page can be found here.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Lean, Mean, Green Machine
Then, there's the desire to buy humanely produced, organic, local foods...the hope to fulfill as many of those labels as I can when I purchase an item at the grocery store. But, there's a lot involved. Sometimes, we as consumers have no idea whether or not an animal has been humanely treated in order to give us our eggs or our milk. How do we know if a worker has adequate working/safety conditions producing our crops/coffee/what have you? A lot of organic foods cost more--a lot more. Some people don't have access to inexpensive, locally produced meats and produce. Making informed food choices is not so easy, either.
There's SO MUCH that can be done--using less water/electricity, buying used items whenever possible, cloth diapering instead of using disposables, growing your own food, writing to congressional representatives over pertinent environmental issues close to our hearts, riding bikes or driving fuel efficient cars instead of taking big SUVs everywhere, buying fair trade coffee and chocolates and produce...as mere individuals/families, it is SO easy to get bogged down with feeling like we need to do it all. I applied to become a Mom Ambassador for Moms Meet, a group of several hundred thousand moms who meet in small, local groups to discuss eco-aspects of parenting, families, pet-raising, and the like. I so desperately want to be more "green," but I think to myself, "Ugh, I'm such a fraud. We aren't even recycling, for God's sake. I'm not green at ALL."
But, the thing is--it's not about doing it all. It's about doing the little things. Little changes add up to something majorly big. I try to buy more used items, or to donate and give away what we don't want/use anymore to compensate for the new things we buy. We are trying to make more informed choices regarding what we eat. We buy more organic foods, we're eating less dairy, I have vowed to either buy locally raised farm eggs or cage-free organic eggs from the store from now on. We make more of an effort to become more involved in our community, to appreciate the outdoors more. Doing the little things is better than nothing at all. One little thing leads to another, which leads to another, and maybe it inspires someone to make a change in their own life, which leads to MORE changes, and suddenly, one little thing turns into something BIG. Little things can change the world. Even if we're not recycling.
Monday, July 23, 2012
A Combo Entry: What We Store And How We Prep (Cereals), and Bargain-hunting For Books
This will be a two part entry because I want to keep up with the "What We Store and How We Prep" series in this blog, but I also want to explore how we can snag inexpensive books, for those of us bookworms on a budget.
One of the more "silly" things we store in our food supply is cereal. Any parent can immediately understand why. For the whole family, cereal is yummy, has a decent shelf-life, can be filling, and is relatively easy to stockpile, if you know what you are doing.
Right now, we have nine boxes of cereal on hand. Some are Cheerios, seeing as I have itty-bitty kids in the house, two are Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, some are organic granolas, organic raisin bran, and all natural, un-frosted wheat squares. There are an additional two opened boxes of Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters and Cheerios on the top of our fridge.
For those of you who enjoy the comfort of cereal as much as we do, here are some tricks of the trade:
1) Shop with coupons when your supermarket is having a combination sale. For example, my store will run sales where you can get $6.00 off instantly when you buy four boxes of cereal at full price of a certain brand. Say, it's Kellogg's this week, and each box at regular price runs $3.29. Times that by four, and you get $13.16, minus the $6.00 off sale, and that takes it to $7.16. Add a coupon to the mix. Most cereal coupons give you so much off of multiple boxes, which, in this case, you are buying. If you have a coupon for $2.00 off of three boxes, take $2.00 off of $7.16, and you just scored four boxes of your favorite brand name cereal for $5.16. If your grocery store doesn't do this, look for some that will.
2) Warehouse clubs often have great deals on "staple" cereals, like Cheerios. We buy the most commonly used cereals in our home this way.
3) Check scratch and dent grocery stores. I get organic cereals at a local discount grocer for $1.75 a piece. Even if they are a month or so past their best-by date, they are still good.
4) Bulk food stores often have plain cereals, like corn flakes and such, and even generic Lucky Charms, for bulk, but are stored in plastic bags instead of boxes. These too can be a good deal.
5) If you like organic cereals, but not the price, sometimes, if you look diligently, stores will occasionally put them on sale if you buy multiple boxes of a brand. These sales are worth the splurge if you are into organic food, and will often make the organic cereals competitive. I recently caught Kashi cereals on sale for $2.00 a piece if I bought three. That is cheaper than the generic line of non organic cereal. But, you have to look for them.
Now, onto another subject dear to my heart. Books. Lately, I have been devouring all the wonderful books I can find. I unfortunately love the splurge of a brand new book, and my bank account has taken a bit of a hit as a result.
That being said, I love used books, too, and have recently been enjoying books via my Kindle Touch as well. You can find both for cheap or free, with work.
For your Kindle: There are many resources for FREE Kindle books. Books on the Knob is a link that I have posted on the list to your right, and they will showcase free books worth mentioning. Also, there are lots of lists that can be emailed directly to your email account (though I don't often have the time to look at those as much), such as EReaderIQ. You can look under the Kindle Store (Amazon)'s Best Sellers lists, and they will have the Top 100 Best sellers for various genres of free books that you can peruse.
Hard copy books: Check out yard sales, thrift stores, and library book sales for treasures that often cost mere cents. Today, at my local library, I bought two self help books, a book on training a household dog, and a book about the Apollo space missions--for $1 TOTAL.
Hopefully, you've gained something from these tips. Happy shopping!
One of the more "silly" things we store in our food supply is cereal. Any parent can immediately understand why. For the whole family, cereal is yummy, has a decent shelf-life, can be filling, and is relatively easy to stockpile, if you know what you are doing.
Right now, we have nine boxes of cereal on hand. Some are Cheerios, seeing as I have itty-bitty kids in the house, two are Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, some are organic granolas, organic raisin bran, and all natural, un-frosted wheat squares. There are an additional two opened boxes of Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters and Cheerios on the top of our fridge.
For those of you who enjoy the comfort of cereal as much as we do, here are some tricks of the trade:
1) Shop with coupons when your supermarket is having a combination sale. For example, my store will run sales where you can get $6.00 off instantly when you buy four boxes of cereal at full price of a certain brand. Say, it's Kellogg's this week, and each box at regular price runs $3.29. Times that by four, and you get $13.16, minus the $6.00 off sale, and that takes it to $7.16. Add a coupon to the mix. Most cereal coupons give you so much off of multiple boxes, which, in this case, you are buying. If you have a coupon for $2.00 off of three boxes, take $2.00 off of $7.16, and you just scored four boxes of your favorite brand name cereal for $5.16. If your grocery store doesn't do this, look for some that will.
2) Warehouse clubs often have great deals on "staple" cereals, like Cheerios. We buy the most commonly used cereals in our home this way.
3) Check scratch and dent grocery stores. I get organic cereals at a local discount grocer for $1.75 a piece. Even if they are a month or so past their best-by date, they are still good.
4) Bulk food stores often have plain cereals, like corn flakes and such, and even generic Lucky Charms, for bulk, but are stored in plastic bags instead of boxes. These too can be a good deal.
5) If you like organic cereals, but not the price, sometimes, if you look diligently, stores will occasionally put them on sale if you buy multiple boxes of a brand. These sales are worth the splurge if you are into organic food, and will often make the organic cereals competitive. I recently caught Kashi cereals on sale for $2.00 a piece if I bought three. That is cheaper than the generic line of non organic cereal. But, you have to look for them.
Now, onto another subject dear to my heart. Books. Lately, I have been devouring all the wonderful books I can find. I unfortunately love the splurge of a brand new book, and my bank account has taken a bit of a hit as a result.
That being said, I love used books, too, and have recently been enjoying books via my Kindle Touch as well. You can find both for cheap or free, with work.
For your Kindle: There are many resources for FREE Kindle books. Books on the Knob is a link that I have posted on the list to your right, and they will showcase free books worth mentioning. Also, there are lots of lists that can be emailed directly to your email account (though I don't often have the time to look at those as much), such as EReaderIQ. You can look under the Kindle Store (Amazon)'s Best Sellers lists, and they will have the Top 100 Best sellers for various genres of free books that you can peruse.
Hard copy books: Check out yard sales, thrift stores, and library book sales for treasures that often cost mere cents. Today, at my local library, I bought two self help books, a book on training a household dog, and a book about the Apollo space missions--for $1 TOTAL.
Hopefully, you've gained something from these tips. Happy shopping!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Back to Our Roots
Lately, I have possessed a desire to really know more about what my family is eating, consuming, putting in or on their bodies, where it comes from, and how to incorporate natural medicine into our health care. My motives are relatively simple. For example, have you ever taken a really hard, long look at the ingredients, say, in the lotion you use on a daily basis, or that sticky-sweet candy that you're giving your kids? I know I don't always, and even when I do, I couldn't tell you what the ingredients mean. Propylene glycol? What is that? Is that something I want my children consuming? Is that something I want inside or on my body? Food is being recalled every day--why is it being recalled? What are the quality controls put into place? How is the food gathered, processed, produced? Where does it come from? Or, another example, why is it that I pay hundreds of dollars for the simplest things at a doctor's office--treating a cold, or a sunburn, or an earache, when I never seem to see a doctor for longer than five minutes, and, often, we're back in two weeks because such-and-such antibiotic failed to work--again.
I am striving to know more. I want to have more of a say as to what goes into and onto our bodies. I want to know what these ingredients are. I'd like to know who makes my food, who has a say in what is "safe for consumption" and what isn't. I'd like to walk the fields where our produce is grown, or where the cows are fed who provide our meat and our milk. I'd like to know that I have the knowledge to treat minor health issues with natural or home remedies. I'd like to buy foods that contain as little additives and chemicals as possible.
So, I'm pursuing these questions and goals. I am learning to navigate the natural and organic sections of our supermarkets--buying all natural or organic foods, cleaners, or beauty/bath products when it is feasible (oh, how I am addicted to agave nectar). We love buying local produce and meats when possible. I am researching what is in our food, and who says that it is acceptable. I am discovering that I have the ability to treat certain health issues myself and naturally.
There's so much to learn, and I'll never be able to live a 100% organic, natural lifestyle. Some health issues absolutely require medical intervention--many do, in fact. It's not possible to eat and use 100% natural and organic products all of the time, nor, do I want to (this mother has a mass market frozen pizza planned for dinner tonight because I am feeling lazy). Sometimes, I need to buy my meat or my fruits and veggies at a traditional store. There will be more things in my house with ingredients that I don't know than those where I do. The goal isn't 100%. The goal is KNOWLEDGE. The goal is freedom from reliance on mass produced goods and medical treatment when possible. The goal is having more say as to what we eat, consume, and use. A goal of getting back to our roots, relying on Mother Nature's wisdom when I am able.
I am striving to know more. I want to have more of a say as to what goes into and onto our bodies. I want to know what these ingredients are. I'd like to know who makes my food, who has a say in what is "safe for consumption" and what isn't. I'd like to walk the fields where our produce is grown, or where the cows are fed who provide our meat and our milk. I'd like to know that I have the knowledge to treat minor health issues with natural or home remedies. I'd like to buy foods that contain as little additives and chemicals as possible.
So, I'm pursuing these questions and goals. I am learning to navigate the natural and organic sections of our supermarkets--buying all natural or organic foods, cleaners, or beauty/bath products when it is feasible (oh, how I am addicted to agave nectar). We love buying local produce and meats when possible. I am researching what is in our food, and who says that it is acceptable. I am discovering that I have the ability to treat certain health issues myself and naturally.
There's so much to learn, and I'll never be able to live a 100% organic, natural lifestyle. Some health issues absolutely require medical intervention--many do, in fact. It's not possible to eat and use 100% natural and organic products all of the time, nor, do I want to (this mother has a mass market frozen pizza planned for dinner tonight because I am feeling lazy). Sometimes, I need to buy my meat or my fruits and veggies at a traditional store. There will be more things in my house with ingredients that I don't know than those where I do. The goal isn't 100%. The goal is KNOWLEDGE. The goal is freedom from reliance on mass produced goods and medical treatment when possible. The goal is having more say as to what we eat, consume, and use. A goal of getting back to our roots, relying on Mother Nature's wisdom when I am able.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Love for Local Business
I am so blessed to live in an area where we are surrounded by friendly, accomodating, and budget-friendly local business who market to those who are striving to maintain a self-reliant, provident, and sustainable lifestyle. This is one of the many advantages of living in a more rural community/region.
I stopped at two of my favorites today. The first is one of many Mennonite-run bulk food stores (which also has a wonderfully fantabulous bakery). I picked up some homemade rolls (heaven on earth, they are), and I also purchased locally made maple mustard (which is divine on pretzels).
The second is a "scratch and dent" discount grocery store. The service is so courteous and helpful (they even take your groceries to the car for you--who does that anymore?). Today was "Frozen Food Wednesday." While there, I bought 5 pounds of pulled beef, 3 pounds Sysco-produced chicken tenders, 4 lbs. of Wendy's chicken nuggets, 4 lbs. Burger King chicken strips, 5 lbs. Burger King onion rings, 3 bags sweet potato fries, and 8 pork sirloin steaks at 8 ounces each (64 ounces total/4 lbs.)...about 28 pounds of frozen food, and a case of the cutest mini Heinz ketchup bottles (8.7 lbs.) for, get this, $55. My freezer is FULL. Before you think, "Holy cow, that's a lot of unhealthy food," while I know some of it was produced by fast food chains and sold to this little grocer, think about it--these are fast food items that are usually cooked in a deep fryer that is loaded with grease, which leaves the food loaded with grease. Whereas, I can take these home and bake them as a somewhat healthier alternative. Could be worse, right? And, when I feel the need to go out to eat fast food....
I encourage you to peruse your own area for wonderful local business that sell whatever you might need--be it pet supplies, food items, emergency preparedness equipment, locally grown produce, whatever. I also want to encourage myself to work harder to move away from shopping at big box stores so often, and to instead develop a preference for buying from small businesses, when pratical and feasible.
I stopped at two of my favorites today. The first is one of many Mennonite-run bulk food stores (which also has a wonderfully fantabulous bakery). I picked up some homemade rolls (heaven on earth, they are), and I also purchased locally made maple mustard (which is divine on pretzels).
The second is a "scratch and dent" discount grocery store. The service is so courteous and helpful (they even take your groceries to the car for you--who does that anymore?). Today was "Frozen Food Wednesday." While there, I bought 5 pounds of pulled beef, 3 pounds Sysco-produced chicken tenders, 4 lbs. of Wendy's chicken nuggets, 4 lbs. Burger King chicken strips, 5 lbs. Burger King onion rings, 3 bags sweet potato fries, and 8 pork sirloin steaks at 8 ounces each (64 ounces total/4 lbs.)...about 28 pounds of frozen food, and a case of the cutest mini Heinz ketchup bottles (8.7 lbs.) for, get this, $55. My freezer is FULL. Before you think, "Holy cow, that's a lot of unhealthy food," while I know some of it was produced by fast food chains and sold to this little grocer, think about it--these are fast food items that are usually cooked in a deep fryer that is loaded with grease, which leaves the food loaded with grease. Whereas, I can take these home and bake them as a somewhat healthier alternative. Could be worse, right? And, when I feel the need to go out to eat fast food....
I encourage you to peruse your own area for wonderful local business that sell whatever you might need--be it pet supplies, food items, emergency preparedness equipment, locally grown produce, whatever. I also want to encourage myself to work harder to move away from shopping at big box stores so often, and to instead develop a preference for buying from small businesses, when pratical and feasible.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Refurbished Products--a Great Steal or a Raw Deal?
The hubby and I have, in general, steered clear of refurbished products. As a rule, we're pretty big fans of full warranties on products. The only used items I love are books (there's something so wonderful about a previously loved book). We even avoided used cars in our marriage, stating for a long time that we would always want a car with a full warranty and known owner history.
That is, until we were in a pinch, needed a larger car, and found the used car of our dreams for the right price.
Suddenly, the savings (and the Carfax report) became worth it, and we amended our used vs. new car statement to allowing used cars where we could validate the previous history and reliability of the vehicle.
As for refurbished items like electrics and such...well, we haven't been as willing to test the waters, so to speak. Between not being able to determine the past record of the item, as well as the shortened warranty, we had trouble justifying the purchase of a refurbished item.
I have, however, decided to try a couple refurbished kitchen appliances, and I'll explain my thought-process, the savings, the concerns I have, and will hopefully be able to update my readers to the long-term result in due times.
I have wanted a full-size Ninja Kitchen System 1100 for some time. I had a $30 food processor that bit the dust on its third use, and had been wanting a replacement for a while. We bought a $20 Ninja Express Chop and LOVED it, but I desperately needed something with more than a 2 cup capacity. However, when you're working on a budget, spending $159.99 just willy-nilly for a food processing system seemed extreme.
My lovely hubby had some spending money set aside, and he willingly purchased a refurbished Ninja Kitchen System 1100 for me for $69.00 at Big Lots. The price was over 50% off of retail, and beyond missing a dough paddle (which we don't need because we mix our dough with the Kitchenaid mixer), it seems to work just fine. As an added bonus, because it is a system of many interworking parts, Ninja offers easy replacement for even the motor, if we end up desperate if something quits on us. So, due to the low cost and easy access to replacement parts, that seemed to justify the purchase, and also the shorter warranty.
When our state tax refund arrived, I ordered a Cuisinart convection toaster oven/broiler, which was a refurbished unit as well. I have yet to receive it, but I felt safe enough doing it because it was through Wal-mart, who offered an extended warranty for it for $6.00. Considering the retail price was originally $175.00, and I paid $69.00 for it, plus the $6.00 extended warranty, I still received a great deal being able to snag an oven with all of the features we had been eyeing, at the cost of a cheap one (which we have already, and which we HATE). So, in this case, the low cost of the unit, plus being able to extend the warranty, and at the same time getting as many of the features as we wanted seemed to justify the "refurbished" label. We shall see whether I still say that once the unit arrives.
So, we're trying something new in an effort to save some money and work within our budget, and I'm curious to see how this new shopping strategy pans out. Right now, if these items work well for us, we will have bought over $300 worth of products for about $140-150 dollars, less than the retail for just one of the items. Have you had luck with refurbished items?
That is, until we were in a pinch, needed a larger car, and found the used car of our dreams for the right price.
Suddenly, the savings (and the Carfax report) became worth it, and we amended our used vs. new car statement to allowing used cars where we could validate the previous history and reliability of the vehicle.
As for refurbished items like electrics and such...well, we haven't been as willing to test the waters, so to speak. Between not being able to determine the past record of the item, as well as the shortened warranty, we had trouble justifying the purchase of a refurbished item.
I have, however, decided to try a couple refurbished kitchen appliances, and I'll explain my thought-process, the savings, the concerns I have, and will hopefully be able to update my readers to the long-term result in due times.
I have wanted a full-size Ninja Kitchen System 1100 for some time. I had a $30 food processor that bit the dust on its third use, and had been wanting a replacement for a while. We bought a $20 Ninja Express Chop and LOVED it, but I desperately needed something with more than a 2 cup capacity. However, when you're working on a budget, spending $159.99 just willy-nilly for a food processing system seemed extreme.
My lovely hubby had some spending money set aside, and he willingly purchased a refurbished Ninja Kitchen System 1100 for me for $69.00 at Big Lots. The price was over 50% off of retail, and beyond missing a dough paddle (which we don't need because we mix our dough with the Kitchenaid mixer), it seems to work just fine. As an added bonus, because it is a system of many interworking parts, Ninja offers easy replacement for even the motor, if we end up desperate if something quits on us. So, due to the low cost and easy access to replacement parts, that seemed to justify the purchase, and also the shorter warranty.
When our state tax refund arrived, I ordered a Cuisinart convection toaster oven/broiler, which was a refurbished unit as well. I have yet to receive it, but I felt safe enough doing it because it was through Wal-mart, who offered an extended warranty for it for $6.00. Considering the retail price was originally $175.00, and I paid $69.00 for it, plus the $6.00 extended warranty, I still received a great deal being able to snag an oven with all of the features we had been eyeing, at the cost of a cheap one (which we have already, and which we HATE). So, in this case, the low cost of the unit, plus being able to extend the warranty, and at the same time getting as many of the features as we wanted seemed to justify the "refurbished" label. We shall see whether I still say that once the unit arrives.
So, we're trying something new in an effort to save some money and work within our budget, and I'm curious to see how this new shopping strategy pans out. Right now, if these items work well for us, we will have bought over $300 worth of products for about $140-150 dollars, less than the retail for just one of the items. Have you had luck with refurbished items?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
What We Can Learn From the Great Depression
In an effort to try to encourage myself to take on a more frugal, self-reliant lifestyle, I have been researching accounts of the Great Depression. What a truly humbling experience this has been for me. I read the stories and see the photographs, and my heart becomes full. Knowing how the American people suffered reminds me to count my blessings that my choice to become provident is just that--a choice--and not something that I have been thrown into in an attempt to survive. I encourage you to take some time to find out more about this period of time in our history and to see what you can learn from it, and I pray that it will help motivate me to create a more self-reliant and humble lifestyle for our family.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
You Can't Eat Your TV....
The hubby and I were having a discussion about our efforts to live a more frugal lifestyle.
In an attempt to do so, we have sacrificed a lot that our peers are doing. We don't go to movies more than maybe once or twice a year, if that. We don't buy gadgets much anymore. (I did buy a Kindle Touch the other day, which is quite wonderful, but I earned that money on the side by helping a family member with organizing a craft room.) We wear cheap clothing, and often find ourselves really pushing some items to their limits. Vacations? Nope. Randomly spending one or two hundred dollars at the mall "just because?" No. Shopping tends to have a very definite purpose, or it's purely window shopping.
Sometimes, I feel a little resentful at times because I feel like everyone else is out having fun, and we're paying down debt and trying to do and be better, which makes us feel a little awkward at times. It's easy to feel left out. It's hard when others don't understand what you are trying to accomplish and poke fun of your discretion.
One of the things we have been working on, as you have noticed, is food storage and emergency preparedness. We have sacrificed a lot of "fun" in order to build a small surplus of food, and now, to work on goals for our increased safety as a family. We have others asking us how we do it, and honestly, that's how--sacrifice. We refuse to go into more debt to accomplish these goals. It's not the point. The point is to simplify our lives and prepare for a rainy day, not to make our situation even worse by adding more debt onto the pile. It's not just about preparedness, or cutting costs, or having some extra food. We are working on changing our whole outlook on life.
And it's not easy. We stumble. We screw up. We splurge sometimes. We overspend. We get wasteful. But, as my hubby reminded me today, you can't eat your TV, or your cute clothes, or your iPods and iPads. Living frugally and becoming self reliant is learning to focus more on needs, rather than wants, and simplicity.
My husband is very wise. And he's provided me some food for thought on this warm, gray day.
In an attempt to do so, we have sacrificed a lot that our peers are doing. We don't go to movies more than maybe once or twice a year, if that. We don't buy gadgets much anymore. (I did buy a Kindle Touch the other day, which is quite wonderful, but I earned that money on the side by helping a family member with organizing a craft room.) We wear cheap clothing, and often find ourselves really pushing some items to their limits. Vacations? Nope. Randomly spending one or two hundred dollars at the mall "just because?" No. Shopping tends to have a very definite purpose, or it's purely window shopping.
Sometimes, I feel a little resentful at times because I feel like everyone else is out having fun, and we're paying down debt and trying to do and be better, which makes us feel a little awkward at times. It's easy to feel left out. It's hard when others don't understand what you are trying to accomplish and poke fun of your discretion.
One of the things we have been working on, as you have noticed, is food storage and emergency preparedness. We have sacrificed a lot of "fun" in order to build a small surplus of food, and now, to work on goals for our increased safety as a family. We have others asking us how we do it, and honestly, that's how--sacrifice. We refuse to go into more debt to accomplish these goals. It's not the point. The point is to simplify our lives and prepare for a rainy day, not to make our situation even worse by adding more debt onto the pile. It's not just about preparedness, or cutting costs, or having some extra food. We are working on changing our whole outlook on life.
And it's not easy. We stumble. We screw up. We splurge sometimes. We overspend. We get wasteful. But, as my hubby reminded me today, you can't eat your TV, or your cute clothes, or your iPods and iPads. Living frugally and becoming self reliant is learning to focus more on needs, rather than wants, and simplicity.
My husband is very wise. And he's provided me some food for thought on this warm, gray day.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
What We Store and How We Prep: Personal Hygiene/Toiletry Items
One of the many things that we store in the event of an emergency/financial downturn (in our home) are personal hygiene and toiletry items. I do this for several reasons:
1) I have tricks to scoring them in bulk, for minimal cost.
2) Generally speaking, a lot of this stuff doesn't expire. (I ask you, have YOU ever had a box of tampons "go bad"?)
3) In an emergency, maybe, for example, deodorant isn't something that will save your life, but if you are already sacrificing a lot of comfort, maybe not being stinky will make you feel better. I remember someone saying that they would pack a razor because smooth legs would be comforting to them. If it makes you feel good in a time of crisis, why not?
We stockpile toothbrushes/toothpaste, deodorant, hand and bar soaps, body washes, shampoos, razors, lotions, tampons/pads, and toilet paper. I'm sure I might be forgetting something, but you get the general idea. Sometimes, I'm not as good with keeping up with a stockpile of pads and such, but I try to keep at least some excess around the house.
So, what are the tricks to getting these items for little $$?
1) I have tricks to scoring them in bulk, for minimal cost.
2) Generally speaking, a lot of this stuff doesn't expire. (I ask you, have YOU ever had a box of tampons "go bad"?)
3) In an emergency, maybe, for example, deodorant isn't something that will save your life, but if you are already sacrificing a lot of comfort, maybe not being stinky will make you feel better. I remember someone saying that they would pack a razor because smooth legs would be comforting to them. If it makes you feel good in a time of crisis, why not?
We stockpile toothbrushes/toothpaste, deodorant, hand and bar soaps, body washes, shampoos, razors, lotions, tampons/pads, and toilet paper. I'm sure I might be forgetting something, but you get the general idea. Sometimes, I'm not as good with keeping up with a stockpile of pads and such, but I try to keep at least some excess around the house.
So, what are the tricks to getting these items for little $$?
- Utilizing warehouse stores. You can find stuff like deodorant for really inexpensive prices. For the amount of two bars of it at a normal store, you can snag four at a warehouse club. And they do carry name brands, like Secret, Dove, and Degree. Warehouse stores are also excellent for toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, body washes, shampoo, razors, toothbrushes/toothpaste, soap, etc. If you're not much of a couponer, you can still get great deals using this method.
- Shopping sales. The weekly circular of your local grocery store is key here. A lot of grocery chains will post their ads on their websites (I know mine does), if you don't wanna pay for a newspaper (I know I don't). A lot of times, stores will have "stock-up" sales, which are where you will be able to find these items for less. For example, at my local grocery store, I picked up Dial hand soaps for $1 a piece. 8 hand soaps for $8 is pretty good. Items like toothbrushes and toothpaste can be good deals going this route, as well.
- Coupons. I am NOT a coupon sort of gal, but I do use them on a few items, and this is one aspect of my storage where I am known to use them on occasion. I can get low-cost, swanky razors this way, along with pads/tampons, lotions and shower gels, shampoos...the coupon market seems to love this subsection of the grocery store. And, once again, you can find many coupons online, or have a friend save the circulars out of his or her newspaper, if you can.
To give you some rough figures, we have 11 bottles of hand soap, 24 bars of "normal" soap, about 6 9-roll packs of toilet paper, more body washes and shampoos than I can count, same with lotions, two large pump bottles of baby wash (and I mean LARGE), four large bottles of kid-friendly shampoo, about a dozen (plus) toothbrushes, three full sized, unopened things of toothpaste, plus numerous sample sized ones (we also like hoarding sample sized products when we can get them)...I say this not to brag (OK, maybe I am a little), but to show that getting a good stockpile is POSSIBLE on a LOW budget. We have a grocery budget right now of about $300-500 a month, which includes all food, emergency prep items, long term food storage, extra for our short term food storage, personal hygiene stockpile, cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils and small appliances/supplies, AND our children's clothing budget and formula/diaper budget. With the right tools, you too can do this. If my terrible-at-finances self can do it, I promise you...YOU CAN, TOO!! Get motivated, and start stockpiling/preparing for a rainy day!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Randomosity
I feel like blogging, but don't really have any cohesive message to share, so I'm just gonna ramble and see where it takes us.
The other day, I was changing seven month old Bean on the bed in her room. She's rolling now, so I placed her perpendicular to the edge of the bed, thinking that, if she rolled, she'd roll down the bed, and not off of the bed. I took my eyes off of her for two seconds as I reached for some baby blue jeans in her dresser not more than a foot behind me, and I heard a sickening THUNK followed by a wail of epic proportions.
My baby gal fell off the bed.
I snatched her up, and once I calmed her down and checked her out, I called the doctor's office, where the nurse assured me Bean would be just fine, and that this happens to every mother. But, I was sobbing. I never thought it would happen to me because I was "smarter" than that. And yet, no matter the preparations, the good intentions, it happened anyway.
Which got me thinking about just life and motherhood and children in general. Life is like that when you're a parent. You can prepare kids, you can nurture them, you can have the best of intentions, and think you know it all. But, we don't. Parents goof up. Children go off the beaten path. They screw up, too. I think it's just the nature of parenting and growing up. As long as we do our best, and try to make it through slip ups, it'll work out somehow. Kids fall off the bed. Sometimes, stuff happens, and it's what you make of it.
----
We registered the Goob for pre-K today. We tried to prepare him by telling him he was going to take a look at his new school this morning. When we got out of the car, he happily proclaimed that he wanted to hear a school bell, and his excitement made me both happy for him, and a bit misty eyed at the same time. When did he grow up? When did he stop being my little baby? I watched him as he looked around at all of the children, the gymnasium, the playground, and he was enthralled. I sat back as he played with other little kids waiting as their parents signed paperwork, and I knew that I was making the right choice for him and for what he needs at this point in his life, even if it does make me a bit teary-eyed and slightly sad inside. It will be a transition for both of us.
----
In other less emotional news, I snagged some more freebies this week. Some of the haul includes more digital magazine subscriptions (stuff like Kiwi and Harper's Bazaar), three six-ounce tubes of Jason all-natural whitening toothpaste, which retails for just under seven bucks a tube, and I got three for free plus free shipping, a personalized travel mug, a photo calendar for my desk at work with pictures of the children, two more personalized humorous birthday cards, and I sent away for a free sample of body lotion from the Burt's Bees company. One of the lessons I have learned in scoring free stuff is that I don't need everything just because it says it is free, and also, if you want to get free stuff, but have to pay for shipping, it can start adding up fast, and before you know it, it isn't worth it anymore. So, like everything, it's a balance.
Cheers!
The other day, I was changing seven month old Bean on the bed in her room. She's rolling now, so I placed her perpendicular to the edge of the bed, thinking that, if she rolled, she'd roll down the bed, and not off of the bed. I took my eyes off of her for two seconds as I reached for some baby blue jeans in her dresser not more than a foot behind me, and I heard a sickening THUNK followed by a wail of epic proportions.
My baby gal fell off the bed.
I snatched her up, and once I calmed her down and checked her out, I called the doctor's office, where the nurse assured me Bean would be just fine, and that this happens to every mother. But, I was sobbing. I never thought it would happen to me because I was "smarter" than that. And yet, no matter the preparations, the good intentions, it happened anyway.
Which got me thinking about just life and motherhood and children in general. Life is like that when you're a parent. You can prepare kids, you can nurture them, you can have the best of intentions, and think you know it all. But, we don't. Parents goof up. Children go off the beaten path. They screw up, too. I think it's just the nature of parenting and growing up. As long as we do our best, and try to make it through slip ups, it'll work out somehow. Kids fall off the bed. Sometimes, stuff happens, and it's what you make of it.
----
We registered the Goob for pre-K today. We tried to prepare him by telling him he was going to take a look at his new school this morning. When we got out of the car, he happily proclaimed that he wanted to hear a school bell, and his excitement made me both happy for him, and a bit misty eyed at the same time. When did he grow up? When did he stop being my little baby? I watched him as he looked around at all of the children, the gymnasium, the playground, and he was enthralled. I sat back as he played with other little kids waiting as their parents signed paperwork, and I knew that I was making the right choice for him and for what he needs at this point in his life, even if it does make me a bit teary-eyed and slightly sad inside. It will be a transition for both of us.
----
In other less emotional news, I snagged some more freebies this week. Some of the haul includes more digital magazine subscriptions (stuff like Kiwi and Harper's Bazaar), three six-ounce tubes of Jason all-natural whitening toothpaste, which retails for just under seven bucks a tube, and I got three for free plus free shipping, a personalized travel mug, a photo calendar for my desk at work with pictures of the children, two more personalized humorous birthday cards, and I sent away for a free sample of body lotion from the Burt's Bees company. One of the lessons I have learned in scoring free stuff is that I don't need everything just because it says it is free, and also, if you want to get free stuff, but have to pay for shipping, it can start adding up fast, and before you know it, it isn't worth it anymore. So, like everything, it's a balance.
Cheers!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Holy Freebies, Batman!!
Maybe there is something to this freebie thing....
In one day, I scored the following:
In one day, I scored the following:
-2 Bath and Body Works travel sized products worth $10 total--you can find the source for this coupon here. I printed one for me, and one for the hubby so I could get two items. Expires on 2/20/12.
-Purex Ultra Packs sample--found here.
-2 copies of Consumer Action Handbook--this is a government produced publication that tells you filed complaints with product brands...could be useful...I ordered one for me, and one for the hubby. Found here. Order processed.
-Free 12 month subscription to Ladies Home Journal—unknown if I will receive this. You can try it HERE.
-Destination Weddings and Honeymoons subscription, digital, received--from www.valuemags.com
-Parenting: The School Years (12 months digital subscription)—received, from here.
-More magazine 12 month hard copy subscription—processed. The details are here.
-Marie Claire magazine digital—received
-Food Network magazine digital—received
-Nylon digital magazine—received
- Cosmo digital magazine—received
-1 issue Reader’s Digest humor magazine digital—received
(I found the above 5 on SlickDeals' Freebie Forum under "Free Magazines." The site in on my link list.)
-2 humorous birthday cards from cardstore.com. Promo code MCSFC0212. (Expires TODAY.)
I am not going to turn this blog into a site purely on deals and freebies. That's not the point. My point, however, is this.... We live in a "I want this now" kind of society. We want what we want, when we want it, doesn't always matter the cost to ourselves, our financial peace, our families, etc. And even when we attempt to be frugal, we occasionally want to splurge. I know I do. But, I am learning a few things:
1) I DON'T have to have "it" right now, whatever "it" might be. "It" is just stuff. Things aren't important. It's not worth it to spend the rest of my life in debt and losing sleep at night because I just HAD to have this or that.
2) Splurge. Everyone needs to once in a while. But, look to find ways to spend little on those splurges, and see if you can find them for free. Case in point--I LOVE magazines, but I hate paying money for something that is predominantly advertising. I never knew how many free mags I could get online, without giving them info about accounts, and without getting a bill. Sure, maybe some are digital, but it's FREE, and it's a SPLURGE, whether or not you physically spend money. I got $10 of Bath and Body Works stuff today for FREE--just by doing a few minutes of research online.
Find new frugal ways to have fun.......you never know, it might just be free!
Freebies--Too Good to Be True?
I discovered, about a month or two ago, that with a little work, you can snag a fair amount of "freebies" online. It takes a fair amount of research, planning, checking of websites, and time filling out information, but it is doable. There are inherent pros and cons, such as needing to create a junk mail account for "special offers," etc., but I'm experimenting to see if this "Freebie Quest" is really a good idea/use of my time, or whether it is more trouble than it is worth.
So, I'm using some blog space to keep track of what I snag on an occasional basis, mainly for my benefit, but to see whether or not my skills improve, whether or not I abandon this idea, and if it does improve, whether or not others have any interest in this along with me.
So, what I snagged for free this week/will be arriving at my door soon (hopefully)....
-2 free years of Better Homes and Gardens magazine (hard copy--offer expired, no auto renewal)
-9 months of digital Saveur magazine (a digital subscription, no auto renewal)--RECEIVED
-a free sample of Quaker Oat Squares cereal--offer expired
-American Baby magazine subscription (hard copy)--always available
-BabyTalk magazine subscription (hard copy)--always available
-a hard copy issue of Bridal Guide magazine (hey, why not...no fees, no renewal, no bills...will be fun to see how trends have changed since I got hitched)
-100 free business cards from Ink Garden, and a $16.98 promo code due to an order error (offer expired)--ORDER SHIPPED
-supposedly, a subscription to Fitness magazine (I'm a little skeptical of this ever arriving)
-2 textbooks for my teaching job, thanks to an awesome book rep--SHIPPED
-a free $49.99 scarf from Sneekpeeq (expired)
So...we'll see what arrives (and what doesn't.) I might give up on this if I don't see results, but if nothing else, it should be interesting to see whether or not I can make anything of this practice, and at the very least, you, my dear reader, will get a first-hand review of the art of snagging freebies. (I will never, ever, attempt to get something for free that asks for my bank/credit info--never, EVER--and neither should you!!)
**Interested in snagging freebies? Most of my info comes from some of the links I have on my sidebar, like Raining Hot Coupons, the Freebie forum, Free Magazines, etc.
So, I'm using some blog space to keep track of what I snag on an occasional basis, mainly for my benefit, but to see whether or not my skills improve, whether or not I abandon this idea, and if it does improve, whether or not others have any interest in this along with me.
So, what I snagged for free this week/will be arriving at my door soon (hopefully)....
-2 free years of Better Homes and Gardens magazine (hard copy--offer expired, no auto renewal)
-9 months of digital Saveur magazine (a digital subscription, no auto renewal)--RECEIVED
-a free sample of Quaker Oat Squares cereal--offer expired
-American Baby magazine subscription (hard copy)--always available
-BabyTalk magazine subscription (hard copy)--always available
-a hard copy issue of Bridal Guide magazine (hey, why not...no fees, no renewal, no bills...will be fun to see how trends have changed since I got hitched)
-100 free business cards from Ink Garden, and a $16.98 promo code due to an order error (offer expired)--ORDER SHIPPED
-supposedly, a subscription to Fitness magazine (I'm a little skeptical of this ever arriving)
-2 textbooks for my teaching job, thanks to an awesome book rep--SHIPPED
-a free $49.99 scarf from Sneekpeeq (expired)
So...we'll see what arrives (and what doesn't.) I might give up on this if I don't see results, but if nothing else, it should be interesting to see whether or not I can make anything of this practice, and at the very least, you, my dear reader, will get a first-hand review of the art of snagging freebies. (I will never, ever, attempt to get something for free that asks for my bank/credit info--never, EVER--and neither should you!!)
**Interested in snagging freebies? Most of my info comes from some of the links I have on my sidebar, like Raining Hot Coupons, the Freebie forum, Free Magazines, etc.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Happy Holidays?
I am a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to all things holidays.
It's not that I don't enjoy the idea behind holidays, because as a rule, I do. I used to think Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, and Halloween were magical when I was a kid. I remember staring, fascinated, at our Christmas tree. I remember hunting leprechauns with my Kindergarten classmates. I anxiously awaited a box of Valentines every year, and of course all the candy. I remember a sense of awe and wonderment whenever a holiday came around. I miss that.
I find that I want my children to find the holidays just as breathtaking as they grow up. But, the problems I struggle with during the holidays tend to stress me out and want to sometimes crawl into a hole. I hate, hate, hate the commercialism that seems to accompany each special day. I loathe the commercials that tell us how much we are lacking and failing our families if we don't do x, y, and z this year. I struggle trying to balance extended family with our own little brood, and all of the stress that can bring to the (literal) table on holidays. I never quite know what to do for other people, the right things to make, say, buy, and so forth. So, what should be magical ends up turning into a bit of a fight, and I wait for the holidays to simply be over.
But, not anymore.
I have resolved this year to make more of each special day as it comes. The hubby and I made a romantic dinner and dessert on New Year's Eve. I threw an actual birthday party for my son, and gasp! It turned out OK, and he loved it. I have plans to do projects and special little things for my family from February 1st up until Valentine's Day. Nothing major, and nothing expensive, but definitely things that will show my family that I care about them, and that will hopefully teach The Goob to show love to others as well, seeing as we also have little things planned some of his loved ones, too.
My goal in this is to learn how to love holidays again, and how to find that magical spark, for myself, and for my family. I have a goal of learning how to reject the commercial and focus instead on showing love, making more handmade and heartfelt gifts, and learning to appreciate the little things that make the holidays so great. I want the holidays to be about love and happiness again, and not simply what needs done and how much money needs spent.
It's not that I don't enjoy the idea behind holidays, because as a rule, I do. I used to think Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, and Halloween were magical when I was a kid. I remember staring, fascinated, at our Christmas tree. I remember hunting leprechauns with my Kindergarten classmates. I anxiously awaited a box of Valentines every year, and of course all the candy. I remember a sense of awe and wonderment whenever a holiday came around. I miss that.
I find that I want my children to find the holidays just as breathtaking as they grow up. But, the problems I struggle with during the holidays tend to stress me out and want to sometimes crawl into a hole. I hate, hate, hate the commercialism that seems to accompany each special day. I loathe the commercials that tell us how much we are lacking and failing our families if we don't do x, y, and z this year. I struggle trying to balance extended family with our own little brood, and all of the stress that can bring to the (literal) table on holidays. I never quite know what to do for other people, the right things to make, say, buy, and so forth. So, what should be magical ends up turning into a bit of a fight, and I wait for the holidays to simply be over.
But, not anymore.
I have resolved this year to make more of each special day as it comes. The hubby and I made a romantic dinner and dessert on New Year's Eve. I threw an actual birthday party for my son, and gasp! It turned out OK, and he loved it. I have plans to do projects and special little things for my family from February 1st up until Valentine's Day. Nothing major, and nothing expensive, but definitely things that will show my family that I care about them, and that will hopefully teach The Goob to show love to others as well, seeing as we also have little things planned some of his loved ones, too.
My goal in this is to learn how to love holidays again, and how to find that magical spark, for myself, and for my family. I have a goal of learning how to reject the commercial and focus instead on showing love, making more handmade and heartfelt gifts, and learning to appreciate the little things that make the holidays so great. I want the holidays to be about love and happiness again, and not simply what needs done and how much money needs spent.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Back to (Financial) School
I've been struggling a lot with my goals to get out of debt and spending less money.
It's difficult. There's pressure from all sides--commercials tell us we need more, more, more. Friends don't always understand why you don't want to spend even a few dollars and sometimes joke and criticize. If you're an emotional spender, like myself, in times of stress, you find yourself nickel-ing and dime-ing your money away in a futile attempt to feel better for a bit. When money is tight, and you get behind on bills, the feelings of inadequacy are like a kick in the teeth.
And then there's the shame of getting into debt in the first place.
Needless to say, there's a mountain to climb, and it's often terrifying and daunting.
However, my wise hubby shared an analogy with me. I spent six years in college, doing a lot of drudge work, doing things that I didn't want to do, sometimes facing the criticism of others, stress, mistakes, failures, and so forth, all in the pursuit of something greater that would benefit myself and my family someday in the future. I didn't always want to keep going, but I did, and it was worth it.
Finances are very much the same thing. You spent years learning from mistakes, picking up new skills and habits, doing things you don't want to do, making sacrifices, dealing with stress, often for years, all for the sake of a future benefit.
And the thing is, stress and all, I loved being in school, and even contemplate going back--and a lot of times, while in school, I wanted it to be over so badly, but the success and the end goal makes me want to go back. So, when things get me down when it comes to financial goals, maybe I need to relate it to my schooling--something that will take years to accomplish, and strength and hard work I often don't feel capable of--all to ensure a comfortable future for me and my little family.
It's difficult. There's pressure from all sides--commercials tell us we need more, more, more. Friends don't always understand why you don't want to spend even a few dollars and sometimes joke and criticize. If you're an emotional spender, like myself, in times of stress, you find yourself nickel-ing and dime-ing your money away in a futile attempt to feel better for a bit. When money is tight, and you get behind on bills, the feelings of inadequacy are like a kick in the teeth.
And then there's the shame of getting into debt in the first place.
Needless to say, there's a mountain to climb, and it's often terrifying and daunting.
However, my wise hubby shared an analogy with me. I spent six years in college, doing a lot of drudge work, doing things that I didn't want to do, sometimes facing the criticism of others, stress, mistakes, failures, and so forth, all in the pursuit of something greater that would benefit myself and my family someday in the future. I didn't always want to keep going, but I did, and it was worth it.
Finances are very much the same thing. You spent years learning from mistakes, picking up new skills and habits, doing things you don't want to do, making sacrifices, dealing with stress, often for years, all for the sake of a future benefit.
And the thing is, stress and all, I loved being in school, and even contemplate going back--and a lot of times, while in school, I wanted it to be over so badly, but the success and the end goal makes me want to go back. So, when things get me down when it comes to financial goals, maybe I need to relate it to my schooling--something that will take years to accomplish, and strength and hard work I often don't feel capable of--all to ensure a comfortable future for me and my little family.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Welcome to the Path Less Traveled
Over the weekend, I found a little sign that stood out to me while shopping at Dillon's Country Treasures. It's a simple, green, rustic looking sign with the phrase, "Welcome to the path less traveled." I put it above my kitchen window, and pondered why it stood out to me so much, beyond the fact that it references a Robert Frost poem, and I am an English literature buff.
I have been struggling a lot lately, wanting desperately to make changes in my life. I want to repair our financial situation and work on whittling down debt. I want to be a more productive and loving wife and mother. I want to become more frugal and really work toward making our family more self-reliant and provident. And when you work toward making those changes, it can be really difficult. I watch friends spending tons of money on their families at Christmas, and I worry about our modest budget and gifts and what others will think of them. When I shop with friends, I think about every purchase as I watch them buy what tickles their fancy. I feel like the only person who struggles with motivation after cleaning up the same messes day after day. I feel like the only parent who loses their patience with their kids so often.
And it can be really difficult sometimes, wanting to be like other people, feeling like the only one who is saying no to stupid little purchases, or who can't do this or that because we're trying to pay down debt. Sometimes, friends do look at you funny when you say you don't want to do this or that, or can't spend the money right now. But, the thing is, beside this sign is another little one that says, "Forever and always, no matter what." I am doing these things for my family. Sure, maybe I can't keep up with my friends when it comes to shopping, and maybe we aren't spending as much as another family is at Christmas, and maybe I am cleaning the same stuff time after time, but I'm doing these things for my family, who is mine forever, and who really matter. Sometimes, keeping up with everyone else is "the path most traveled," but it's going to be "the path less traveled" that will the best for my family and those who are truly important to me. And if they are walking it with me, it's not a bad road to be on.
I have been struggling a lot lately, wanting desperately to make changes in my life. I want to repair our financial situation and work on whittling down debt. I want to be a more productive and loving wife and mother. I want to become more frugal and really work toward making our family more self-reliant and provident. And when you work toward making those changes, it can be really difficult. I watch friends spending tons of money on their families at Christmas, and I worry about our modest budget and gifts and what others will think of them. When I shop with friends, I think about every purchase as I watch them buy what tickles their fancy. I feel like the only person who struggles with motivation after cleaning up the same messes day after day. I feel like the only parent who loses their patience with their kids so often.
And it can be really difficult sometimes, wanting to be like other people, feeling like the only one who is saying no to stupid little purchases, or who can't do this or that because we're trying to pay down debt. Sometimes, friends do look at you funny when you say you don't want to do this or that, or can't spend the money right now. But, the thing is, beside this sign is another little one that says, "Forever and always, no matter what." I am doing these things for my family. Sure, maybe I can't keep up with my friends when it comes to shopping, and maybe we aren't spending as much as another family is at Christmas, and maybe I am cleaning the same stuff time after time, but I'm doing these things for my family, who is mine forever, and who really matter. Sometimes, keeping up with everyone else is "the path most traveled," but it's going to be "the path less traveled" that will the best for my family and those who are truly important to me. And if they are walking it with me, it's not a bad road to be on.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Why I am Grateful, #24 and #25
I am grateful for the fact that, minus buying some small gifts for a few friends, we have most of our Christmas shopping done...all of the family shopping is complete! And I'm really excited about that because now I can tune out the Black Friday commercials and sale ads and focus on the season itself. (I really, really, really hate the commercialism of Christmas and Black Friday, but that's a rant for another day...let's just say, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is essentially Christmas without the materialism, and now the retailers want to take that away from us via Black Friday hell.)
Today, I am also grateful that we had a Thanksgiving meal large enough to supply us with ample leftovers, which I will be turning into pot pies a la Paula Deen today.
TURKEY POT PIE
Today, I am also grateful that we had a Thanksgiving meal large enough to supply us with ample leftovers, which I will be turning into pot pies a la Paula Deen today.
TURKEY POT PIE
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 11-ounce cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 10 3/4-ounce cans cream of celery soup
1 large Turkey skinned, cooked, boned and cubed
2 medium onions, diced
2 cup cooked butternut squash, diced (I'm just gonna use a can or two of canned veggies...corn, maybe peas, or mixed vegetables, or whatever is frozen downstairs)
2 cup cranberry sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the crust, dust surface with flour. Cut 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover each pot pie. Mix egg and milk together and brush onto each lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes. Dough will rise and turn light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pies.
In a large saucepan heat the milk and soups. Stir in turkey, onion, squash, cranberries and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. In an oven-proof pot, fill with mixture and top with the pre-cooked lattice square. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes until bubbly and puff pastry is deep golden brown.
Cook’s Note:
Cutting the puff pastry with a fluted-wheel creates elegant edges.
Good substitutions for cheddar cheese soup are cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup.
Recipe Courtesy Paula Deen
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Why I am Grateful, #17: Local Foods
My kiddos and I, along with my mother in law, ventured out to Alpine Pantry, a Mennonite run bakery/grocer that sells local foods, bulk foods, homemade jams, from-scratch baked goods, and food storage items. It's a tiny little place in the middle of nowhere, but the food is always top-notch quality and oh so yummy.
I'm lucky to live in an area where I have access to local butchers/grain fed beef, inexpensive local produce, pick-your-own-produce farms, beekeepers/apiaries, farm eggs when I want them, etc. A lot of these items are trendy in bigger city settings, and that usually means a lot of $$$, but here I can buy a lot of natural, quality foods, from local businesses, for my little family, for only a few dollars. Today, for $34, I bought a thing of Old Bay Seasoning, a dozen homemade rolls, a loaf of homemade cinnamon bread, ten coconut jam cookies, 3 jars of homemade jams (strawberry-rhubarb, pumpkin butter, and apricot-pineapple), and 32 oz. of grade A maple syrup from S&S Maple Camp...all at Alpine Pantry.
And that is why I am grateful today.
I'm lucky to live in an area where I have access to local butchers/grain fed beef, inexpensive local produce, pick-your-own-produce farms, beekeepers/apiaries, farm eggs when I want them, etc. A lot of these items are trendy in bigger city settings, and that usually means a lot of $$$, but here I can buy a lot of natural, quality foods, from local businesses, for my little family, for only a few dollars. Today, for $34, I bought a thing of Old Bay Seasoning, a dozen homemade rolls, a loaf of homemade cinnamon bread, ten coconut jam cookies, 3 jars of homemade jams (strawberry-rhubarb, pumpkin butter, and apricot-pineapple), and 32 oz. of grade A maple syrup from S&S Maple Camp...all at Alpine Pantry.
And that is why I am grateful today.
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