Evening Contemplations... Looking at My House Through Other Eyes

Yesterday I mowed my lawn at 8:30 at night. The days are getting shorter here in the Midwest and though just a month ago there would have been plenty of natural daylight to finish the job, last night it was pretty darn dark out by the time I finished. I hadn't mowed in quite awhile, and the lawn was looking pretty shaggy. I knew that it was supposed to rain, and since I can't mow when it is wet, I figured I better get it taken care of while I could. I'm sure I missed a spot or two, but it was at the point where no matter what I did, it was bound to look better than it did! It turned out to be good timing, a few hours later it started to pour.

While I was outside pushing my mower about, I got to thinking about my house. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the bills that I forget how wonderful the place really is. Recently one of my coworkers, let's call him Darren, asked me about where I lived. "Hey, don't you live on Fabulous Boulevard*?" he said, "I have a friend who is looking at home for sale on Fabulous Boulevard." I confirmed that yes, that was where I lived and yes, it really is fabulous. Darren then asked how to get to Fabulous Boulevard, as he wanted to see the house his friend was looking at. I gave him directions and then said, "And hey, if you want to see where I live, it is the big blue one with the dark blue trim." (I have worked with Darren for years, and had even went with him to look at a house back when he was shopping for one for himself.)

So, Darren grabbed his roommate and they went off to see the house their friend was looking at. Apparently, as they were driving around, they also checked out my house - several times. According Darren's roommate (who happens to work with my sister, which is why I know this part of the story**) they drove by my house a couple of times - going around the block and coming back to admire it. (Rereading this I realize it makes Darren sound a bit creepy - trust me, he isn't. He is just like me, someone who loves old houses.)

This story made me step back and look at my house in a new light, figuratively speaking. In actuality I was stepping forward pushing my mower in the gloom, but you know what I mean...

It was one of those moments when you suddenly step out of yourself and see things from a completely different view. I've always loved these big grand Victorian dame houses - and here I am, living in one. True, it isn't exactly under the conditions I would have wished, but how often does life go perfectly according to plan?

I occasionally get stuck on how big the house is, how old it is and how much work it can be, but then there are moments like last night when I realize that other than the paint and occasional landlording problems, the house really isn't that much work. Once the house is painted, I don't have any huge problems that must be done. I have some that should be taken care of in time, but nothing all that pressing. Yes, it is big, but I never feel 'lost' in the house. I don't feel like I am rattling around in it. The size works for me. And yes, it is really old, but then again, that is part of its charm.

So, I go back and forth in my mind about whether I want to sell it or not. There are days I want nothing more, and other times, like last night, when I start to question if that is really what I want. The truth is, the point is moot. I am not going to put it back on the market until the economy picks up a bit anyway. Until that happens and I see homes in my area selling, I'll just keep going at it as I am. Still, it is nice to have moments like last night when I can look through someone else's eyes and see how lucky I really am.






* No, Fabulous Boulevard is not really the name of the street where I live. It is a red herring to protect me from financial blog stalkers.

** What can I say? It is a small world. When you consider I am only 4 degrees of separation from Chuck Norris, three from Dan Ackroyd and two from the late Pavarotti (and no, I am not famous nor do I know anyone who is - it's just chance,) the fact that my coworker's roommate works with my sister just isn't that big of a coincidence.

Photo by: tsuntsun3
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Weekend Shopping

This weekend I was feeling a bit decadent! I ended up spending the majority of the weekend at home, taking care of all those little nagging home projects that we all have. I weeded the garden, started pruning back some trees (got rained out though), did laundry and cleaned the house. I also tackled some improvement projects that have been bugging me - re-gluing a mirror that had come out of its frame, fixing my drain spout and spot cleaning my dining room rug.

In addition to all this time at home, I ended up running a few errands about town and I spent more than I am used to. It was a strange feeling - I've rather gotten out of the habit of shopping! I don't usually go that often anymore, and when I do go, I tend to make one quick stop and that's it. This weekend was a little like the old days and how I used to shop, with a few little exceptions....

The first thing was, I had serious coupons. In fact, not once, but twice, did I have employees of different stores say to me, "Wow, this is like what we get as our employee discount." I've got to say, that felt pretty good! The second thing was how many of purchases were preventative maintenance. Not all, but most of the items I bought were to try to prevent future damage. Here's some examples:

Nightlight and timer - I bought both of these items for safety and security. The nightlight is for my cabin. I always keep a low wattage dusk-dawn nightlight on up there so that the house looks a little occupied, even when I am not there. I saw the last time I was up there that the one I had had burned out. The nightlight (with LED bulb) was about $7. Well worth the peace of mind! There were cheaper ones, but I liked the LED light for low electrical usage and I liked that it was a yellow/white light rather than blue. The blue ones are fine, but I think the yellowish light looks more "homey", if you know what I mean.

The timer was for at home. My big old Victorian house looks mighty dark at night, even when I am home (as I tend to be in the back part of the house.) The other night when I drove home from a friends', I noticed how dark and abandoned the place looked from the street, and I decided it would be a smart idea to get a programmable lamp timer for a light that was close to the front of the house. That way, whether I am home or not, the place looks occupied. I decided on a programmable timer would let me do different settings for weekday and weekend modes. It was $14.00. For both of these items I had a 10% off coupon.

Duster - Although this isn't strictly preventative, it is part of maintaining a house. My house has 10' and 12' ceilings, plus all sorts of old fashioned nooks and crannies. I bought an inexpensive microfiber duster with an extend-able pole so I could get up there and clean out the cobwebs. Lowes had them on sale for 20% off. I will say this, I've always felt that tidy house = a tidy mind, so cleaning out that dust and those cobwebs (some of which I am sure have been there since I moved in) felt great!

Plumber's snake - My tenant is having shower drain problems again. I was up there this winter and cleaned it out, but then last week she let me know it was clogging again. Both times that I have gone up to clean it out, I borrowed my co-worker's snake. I know he'd lend it to me again, but for $10, I decided it was just easier to buy my own, especially since I got an email from her today saying that even though it is a lot better, it still isn't completely draining. Guess who will be heading up there with her elbow length rubber gloves again this week?

Dental Items and Hair Care - I had a 20% off coupon for Rite Aid (one of the places I got the employee discount comments.) which was only good for this weekend. I bought some mouthwash that prevents cavities and some Head and Shoulders shampoo. I was really happy with the sample I got of their new line and I've been wanting to pick some up. My plan is to alternate shampoos each time I was my hair, that way I can stretch my high end stuff out a little longer and my hair doesn't get fatigued with using the same thing over and over.

Books - Not at all preventative. However, I had a great coupon (this was the second of my employee discount comments) for 30% off two paperbacks. I had one in mind for a gift and I splurged on the other for myself. I haven't bought a new book for myself in I don't know how long... probably over a year. (This is coming from a woman who used to drop $150 every couple of months on books. Not anymore, though!) So, I let myself splurge, and I have to say it was worth every penny of the $7.00, especially since I am a re-reader and know I will read what I bought again and again.

Rug - This was my one "big" purchase this weekend. The rug is 30" x 40" and was $25.00. Why did I buy it? Well, when I was vacuuming and cleaning my bedroom, I noticed that the carpet near my vanity was getting lightly spotted with makeup. It wasn't too bad, but I do have light gray carpet. Since I plan on selling my house in a few years, and don't plan on replacing the carpet, I bought a pretty dark red rug for under my vanity. It looks great, is washable and will help protect my carpet!

Watch batteries - Okay, also not preventative, but it is money making opportunity. I have some watches that are really great, but needed new batteries. Now that they have batteries in them, I can turn around and sell them on eBay.

Drain Spout - As mentioned, my downspout needed repair. It was horribly mangled recently when a friend of mine ran it over with a very large truck. Accidental, of course, but one of those things that definitely needed fixing. Without this section, the water would come down off my gutters and pool up near the foundation - not good! I replaced the portion that moves the water out and away from the house. It only cost $8, but does a lot towards keeping the basement dry.

When I got home I was kind of surprised by the number of shopping bags I had.* I don't remember having that many for a long time. The best part was that I didn't have one drop of buyer's remorse. I felt good about everything I bought, and it all had a purpose - even my book splurge!




* I brought my own reusable bags, I hate plastic bags.

Photo by: the G
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Car Repairs and Budgets

I mentioned a little while ago that I was in the process of completing a few routine car maintenance items in order to keep my car on the road longer. My car is five years old and I am determined to drive it until it falls apart! I paid it off this June and I am absolutely loving not having a car payment and I want to make that feeling last as long as I can. Shortly after I wrote that post, a coworker of mine noticed that one of my brake light bulbs had burned out out, so I added that to my list of auto repairs. I also took a peek at my car's manual for other standard services I should have done. I missed my 30,000 mile routine service by 10,000 miles, so now I am going through the manual and picking them off one at a time as I have the funds.

Currently, I am in search of a local mechanic I can trust. I've read some reviews on some local shops and heard some good things about a place down the street, but I haven't been won over yet, so for the past few years, I've been taking mainly it to the dealership for oil changes. I know that everyone says that dealerships overcharge, but I have to say, I really like my dealership. The service people are all friendly and helpful and in 5 years they have never tried to get me to buy something I didn't need. Awhile back I had a horrible experience with one of those little quickie oil change places - not only were they incredibly pushy, but the oil change cost about twice what it does at my dealership! At that time I swore, "Never again! From now on it is either the dealership or a reputable mechanic for me.

So, off to the dealership I went - I had the bulb replaced, the oil changed and the air filter replaced. While these are all things I could have (and have in the past) done myself, I know that if it was up to me, the job would never get done...

My dad was a car guy and he taught me how to change oil and change air filters. It isn't hard, just a little dirty. Changing bulbs is even easier, but let's face it, I'm busy, and if those things had to wait until I had the time and more importantly, the motivation to do them - they wouldn't get done. I'm all about being frugal, but this not a job I was excited about doing myself, so I didn't.

The cost for the oil change was $27, the tail light was $4.83 and the air filter was $29.85. All total, with tax and everything else, it came to $64.41. Now here's the great news - I had the money all set aside in my budget. When I redid my budget back in June I started a car maintenance fund. I have a Honda and it has been incredibly reliable so far, but as I said, it is 5 years old, and this is the time things start to break. Currently I am putting $50 a month into the account, so I had plenty to pay for these repairs. In the future, once things have settled down a little, I plan on upping that amount considerably. I plan on it being not only my repair fund, but also my "next car" fund. As I said, I am really liking this no car payment thing. It would be great if I could pay for my next car in cash!

I am really pleased with my car maintenance budget. Last year I had $25 in my budget each month for repairs, but I didn't actually take the money out of my regular checking account. This meant that some months that extra just ended up in general funds, but when I did need the money, I never had enough. Now, I take that $50 out of general checking and it goes into a small savings account. That way, it is actually there when I need it! When I got back to the office, I just did a quick transfer between accounts and poof! everything is taken care of. Man, is that a nice feeling.


Photo by: His Noodly Appendage
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Conversations on the Benefits of Having a Budget

So the other night I was sitting with a friend of mine, we'll call her Maxine (since that is what she calls herself) and we were discussing budgets. Maxine has a seasonal job. She works very hard fall through spring, but in the summer her work is so slow that she usually is laid off. I should note this is an actual lay off - unlike what is happening now where "lay off" essentially means "fired" - she is rehired again once work picks up.

Maxine was telling me that for the first time, she used a budget to plan out her erratic year, and she was really happy with how it came out. "I love my budget," I sighed dreamily. Maxine looked at me, puzzled. She had discovered how good a budget can be, but hadn't yet found the love. "Why?" she asked. "Tell me why you love your budget."

So I did...

Prior to having a budget, I equate my financial situation with walking through the woods - blindfolded. I knew that there were rivers and bears and trees and grassy meadows out there, but I didn't know where they were. People say that ignorance is bliss, but not in my case. Sure, I could pretend to be happy because I didn't see any danger ahead, but inside I always felt lost and scared - never knowing when something terrible was right in front of me. Even the good times were filled with fear - was the sun shining on my face because I had made it to a big sunny clearing, or was I standing on the edge of a cliff?

Over the last year I've been perfecting my budgeting strategies. Simply figuring out what bills I had to pay and how much money I needed each month was like taking that blindfold off. Sure, there was still danger, but at least now I knew where it was. Suddenly, I could see the little roots across the trail that used to trip me up. I could easily avoid them. Do you know that in the last year, when I have had to come up with nine hundred dollars each month and seriously feared foreclosure, I have never had one late bill? That I have never had to use my overdraft protection? And in fact, I have had far more money in my account than I ever had before? The biggest step was just taking off that blindfold.

Then I have tweaked that budget, tried new budgeting challenges and even created an extra budget based on time, which was like creating a map. The blindfold is off, I can see what is ahead of me, and now I even have a map so I can plan ahead. Sure, nothing is perfect, surprises could still pop up, but the big obstacles I can avoid or find my way across. It is so much easier to find the sunny meadows now.

Don't get me wrong, I still wish I had more money.. who doesn't? I have big goals and am working hard to make them happen, but I while I still have my own internal drive, I don't have nearly as much fear. Getting your financial house in order isn't about being super organized or being great with numbers. It isn't about sacrifices, suffering or scrimping. It is about putting everything on automatic so you don't have to worry anymore. It's making it so you can just glance around and see where you are in the woods, rather than having to feel your way every inch. People sometimes say to me about how much work it must take to do what I do, and I just keep trying to tell them, yes it is a little work - but all it does is make life so much easier.



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A Few More Tips and Tricks on Menu and Meal Planning

So, you have your grocery list in hand, menu sketched out, now what?

Psychsarah made a comment in my last post about how she makes her grocery list with items sorted by aisle. She says:

I find this doesn't take extra time to make my list this way, and it saves me tons of time at the store, because I don't go down aisles I don't need anything from, and I don't have to double back because I get everything I need in that aisle all at once.

Her comment was very timely because I was going to recommend doing the same thing! My ex and I used to have a word doc that we would print off with different grocery categories: Produce, Dairy, Canned Veg., Meat, and so on. Now, because I prefer to jot my list on the back of a junk mail envelope (with my coupons tucked inside, naturally.) I just roughly group items together by where they are in the store. Produce goes on top, then I leave a little space and jot in meat items, then a bit more space and put in dairy, etc. It isn't perfect, sometimes I end up writing something in sort of crammed in on the side because I didn't leave enough space, but for the most part it works - and, as Psychsarah said, it saves going up and down the aisles.

So, you are about to go to the store, what now? I make sure I have my calculator, a pen, my list and coupons. I also try to make sure to grab the recyclables (in Michigan you can return soda bottles and cans for $.10 a piece. Since you can do it at the grocery store, I consider my bottle return money a grocery coupon.) Finally I get my reusable cloth bags. Now, here's the thing. I find I have to put my recyclables and reusable bags in the front seat. If I don't, I forget - guaranteed. I won't remember until I am deep in the freezer aisle and getting ready to head towards the check out, so my goal is to always make sure I have those things where I will remember them. Some grocery stores will give you a small credit if you bring your own bags, but that isn't why I do it. I do it because I hate what plastic bags do to the environment.

But it is my calculator that is my true shopping friend...

Math is just not one of my strong suits, and remembering strings of random numbers, even less. On the back of my envelope, I jot down the price of each item as it goes into the cart. When I have 5 or 6 items, I pull my cart over to a quiet spot and add them up. This way I can keep a running total of my purchases and not end up going over. This is really important when using a cash system for grocery shopping. If you don't know how much is in there, what happens if you get to the checkout and find you are over? Do you have the guts to ask the sales clerk to put something back? I don't - I get embarrassed easily! I would much rather know I can afford everything in my cart before it is rung up.

My calculator is also my friend when it comes to figuring out item unit prices. My store usually has it on the shelf label, but not always, and especially with sale items. Buying the larger package isn't always the better deal. As I said, I get embarrassed easily and at first I was a bit self conscious about walking through the aisles with calculator in hand, but I quickly got over it. In this day and age, everyone has their own ways of saving a few dollars and this is one of mine.

So, you've got your groceries, you've gone through the checkout, loaded all your purchases in your reusable bags - now, don't forget to check your receipt! At some places I can see everything as it rings up, but some times it is hard to do. If the number is drastically different than what I have calculated, I try to find out why. I admit, how hard I work at this depends on the amount and whether I have ice cream melting, but people are fail-able as are the computers they program - more than once I have found errors on my receipt.

One more tip that has saved me money - when I get home, I try to never put produce in the "crisper" drawer anymore. Most of my produce now goes on the second shelf - right in front of my face when I open the refrigerator. For me, that simple change really helps prevent spoilage. In fact, I noticed this morning that a cucumber I bought at the market is looking a touch wilted. Tonight I am going to make refrigerator pickles so it doesn't go to waste. Having the produce where I can see it reminds me to make the dishes that have perishables in them first, and save the dishes that call for frozen and/or canned items for later.

Hmmmm... writing this article has just made me very hungry!


Photo by another meal planner: Kurt Wagner
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The Who, What, Where, When and Why of Menu Planning

Who:

You! Menu planning is all about making it easier for you. I'm writing about how I menu plan and grocery shop, but really this is all about you. Take whatever you can use from this and discard the rest. For example, I readily admit that I have never had kids or had to cook for a larger family. The closest I have ever come was making a menu for a dinner party, so there may be considerations when it comes to making food for multiple people day in and day out that I won't even think about. Just like there isn't one set perfect budget for every single person, there isn't one set way to make a menu. Do what works for you and your family.

What:

Here's what you will need to make a menu - 1 pen or pencil and 2 sheets of paper, scrap is fine.
Optionally you may also want a cookbook or two and/or access to a computer. You may also want your coupons and/or store fliers.

One sheet of paper is going to contain your menu. Personally, I really recommend writing your menu down. If you want, do it day by day. My ex and I used to do this. Having your menu by day has some advantages, specifically in that you can see in a glance what the week looks like. You can also stack the menu so that the dishes containing perishable produce are first and the ones using frozen or canned items are last. Our menus would look something like this:

Monday Dinner
Turkey Kabobs, Oven Fries (Weight Watchers, pg. 85)

Tuesday Lunch
l/o kabobs and fries

Tuesday Dinner
Out, dinner with friends
Note: thaw chicken for Wednesday!

Wednesday Lunch
Ham and Cheese wrap sandwich, apple, yogurt

Wednesday Dinner
BBQ Chicken (Grilling C/B, pg. 105)
Grilled onions, corn on the cob, boiled potatoes

...and so on. It works well, especially at pointing out times you need to plan a spare lunch or extra food for company. We also made notes about thawing food and marinating food for the following day. However, menus like this can feel constraining. It comes back to that old inner rebel not wanting to make what is on the sheet. That is why I don't make my menu that way much anymore. Now I tend to make lists of things I can make and then just cook them up whenever I want. In some ways it requires more thought, because I have to plan the night ahead if I need to thaw food out, but it still works better for me. My menu now looks more like:

Shrimp Curry (Penzy's Catalog)
Rice with Onions (Indian pg. 161)

Tuna Salad stuffed tomatoes

Grilled chicken
Lebanese potato salad (Lebanese, pg 86)
Green beans

...and so on. This gives me a little more flexibility and I can even swap out things. If I don't want the green beans one night, I can look down the menu and maybe have broccoli instead - that kind of thing. It is up to you what will work best but, however you decide to make your menu, write it down. After all, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry... especially when they are forgotten.

The other sheet of paper is for your shopping list. Here's what I do - as I jot down a dish to make, I also jot down all the ingredients I need on my shopping list. For me, this is the big advantage to making my menu ahead of time. I can create my shopping list right then, while the recipe book is open. I can also make sure I have whatever I need - a quick look in the kitchen to see if I have enough chickpeas for the hummus recipe, for example. Personally, I like to make my grocery list on the back of an old junk mail envelope. Then I can tuck my coupons inside and I am ready to go. Because I am now on a cash system for groceries, I use the other side of the envelope to add up the price of what is in my cart.

Where:

Recipes can come from different sources. You can get them from books, online, in magazines, from friends and family, even make them up on the spot. Let me give you a couple of tips when it comes to using cookbooks...

When you are first starting out, use just one or two cookbooks for your entire menu. When I started making menus, I cooked almost entirely from The 15 Minute Single Gourmet, sadly out of print now, but what I loved about this book was that recipes were 15 minutes from fridge to table. On top of that they were all healthy and designed to make a single serving. Ironically I usually doubled the recipe so I had leftovers for lunch the next day! Now my cookbook of choice is Mark Bittman's The Best Recipes in the World. My theory is that an abundance of choices sometimes makes it impossible to choose. Limit yourself and make it easier by flipping through just one book.

Personally, I enjoy occasionally flipping through my cookbooks over my morning coffee. I mark recipes that look good with little markers I have made by cutting sticky notes into strips. (I also have some reusable Post-It arrows that work well too.) I don't do this often, maybe once a month, if that, but I mark anything that looks good. Then when I make my menus, I can just flick to the page and know there will be something that looks tasty.

When:

When you make your menu is up to you. My ex and I used to do it over Sunday morning breakfast. We'd pack a tote with a few cookbooks and go out to eat. Pouring over cookbooks while eating breakfast, waiters always thought we owned a restaurant! Now I like to make mine Thursday or Friday night so I can make my list to take with me to the Farmer's Market. Kari from How I Became a Fiscal Fussbudget says she makes hers at the store after seeing the manager's special on meat. When you make it is up to you - I like to do it when I can get on the computer afterward and search for coupons, but I see the advantage of waiting until you see the store deals. It is up to you.

Why:

I pretty much discussed this in depth yesterday. Why is because it will save you time and energy. The goal of a menu isn't to be a straightjacket - it's to be a map. It is to help you stress less and enjoy your evenings more! I am all about that.



Photo by: Urban Combing
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Why Menu Planning is Worth the Hassle

Continuing with my series on menu and meal planning:

So, why do a menu at all? Isn't it a lot of time and effort?

Because making menus saves you time and money, plus it is good for your health and your stress levels. Here's how:

Time

When you have a list of meals you can make right at your fingertips, it saves a ton of time staring into the refrigerator with the door open. Instead, with a menu, right when you walk in the door you already know what's in there and what you can make.

Many people think cooking takes longer than eating out, but if you think about it, the average pizza delivery is 30 minutes, but there are tons of cookbooks out there with meals that take 30 minutes or less. I even have several cookbooks all dedicated to 15 minute or less meals! If you know what you are going to make and know you have all the ingredients, you can make a meal in less time than a restaurant can serve it.

No more emergency grocery store runs. Ever realize in the middle of cooking a meal that you don't have an ingredient you thought you had? Making a menu (and a shopping list from that menu) prevents this.

Less time spent shopping - when you know what you need, you can get it and get out. Having a plan means you have to spend less time going up and down every single aisle in the grocery store, and more time at other things you would rather be doing.

While making a menu does take a little extra time, you save far more than you spend. It isn't about being super organized, it's about making your life easier.

Money

You know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? Throwing away produce that has gone bad. Ugh I hate that! I used to do it to myself a lot, and it is just like taking your money and throwing it into the compost pile. With a menu I am more likely to use up what I buy while it is still fresh.

Personally, I am not a big fan of stocking up. I know people who are, and I see why they do it, but in my case, money is scarce enough that I want it in my bank account rather being tied up into 50 cans of sale priced tuna. With a menu I buy just what I need, when I need it. On the other hand, when I do occasionally stock up, having a menu helps me use my sale items. Say chicken is on sale and I buy a family pack. I'll put chicken on the menu several times so I use it up, rather than forgetting about it until it looks like an ice age hit it.

Menu planning also curbs my impulse grocery shopping. When you have a detailed list in hand you can hit the grocery store, get exactly what you need, and get out. Oh sure, occasionally something I didn't plan on still ends up in my basket, but very rarely - and certainly a lot less than when I used to roam up and down the aisles looking for whatever "looked good."

If you have a plan, you can search for sales and/or coupons. After I have made my grocery list, I always hit the computer and look for coupons for those items and then look through store fliers for sales. Sure, you can go to the store and just buy whatever is on sale, but what about the other ingredients? For example, say you see ground Italian sausage is on sale and you have a coupon for some pasta - lasagna starts to sound good. Now what about the ricotta cheese, the tomato sauce, the spices? Do you know if you have them at home? Will you try to find a coupon or just buy them at full price? If you planned it ahead of time, you would have known what you had in the cupboard beforehand and had a chance to look for sales.

Cooking from scratch is almost always cheaper than restaurant food or processed food. Think about it... let's take an $.89 burrito. Yes, it will cost me more than $.89 to buy all the ingredients to make a burrito, however, I can make a lot more than one burrito with what I buy. My favorite tortillas are $1.25... for 30. Add together the cost of the food then divide by the number of meals you can make, and you will almost always do better by cooking at home. Personally, my budget is $125 a month. If I didn't buy cleaning supplies, pharmacy items, bags, wraps etc. also out of that budget, (which I do) my meals cost would roughly be about $1.40 per meal. When you throw in all the other stuff that I buy with grocery money that isn't actually food, I bet I am a lot closer to that $.89 number, and I eat well, really well. Tonight on the menu? Grilled bruschetta chicken, sweet corn on the cob and fennel salad. For desert? Haagen Daas ice cream. (chocolate) Take that $.89 burrito!

And that isn't all...


Health

As I wrote in yesterday's post, I believe it is easier to plan a menu around what you already eat than to try and change your diet all at once. That doesn't mean that you can't start slipping in a few healthy meals here and there. Even just planning out your healthy snacks rather than hitting the work vending machine makes a difference. As I mentioned yesterday, on my most recent menu I tried to hit some seafood dishes because I was feeling like I wasn't eating enough fish.

The closer food is to its original state, the healthier it is. Doing a little bit of pre-planning means you can start eliminating overly processed foods that are high in sodium and fat and low in nutrition.

When we don't eat well, our bodies don't feel well. For example, if I eat too much greasy food, my face will begin to feel oily. If I don't drink enough water, I can get major headaches. Too much rich food leaves me feeling bloated. I do love to eat out and I do love me some horribly unhealthy food, but I have learned that, like everything else, it needs to be done in moderation. By making sure I eat well most of the week, I can allow myself to indulge a little now and again, without feeling bad. (Like my Haagen Daas. heh!)

Stress

Let's face it, there are very few hours in a day once you subtract time spent commuting, working, running errands and sleeping. Having a menu takes a little stress out of your day by giving you your time back. You can walk in the door, glance at your menu and put together a lovely meal to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. I don't know about you, but I don't find grocery shopping relaxing. I enjoy it, but I would much rather do a few, very productive trips, then do what my coworker does and go nearly every day.

It might seem counter-intuitive, but having a menu actually allows you to be spontaneous. Let's say three of my friends called me up and said they wanted to have dinner tonight. I could easily invite them to my house - I know I have chicken marinating, I have two left over salads in the fridge, and have fresh summer corn ready to go. I could plan a meal in minutes, just based on what I already have on the menu. But what happens if they would rather go out instead? No problem! I can just shift my menu items to another night.

Any time spent worrying is adding to your stress level. The reason to have a budget, ultimately, is to get your financial situation in order so you never have to worry about it. Making a menu works the same way, the goal is take away the worrying and the over thinking, and put things on automatic so you can just relax.

Photo by: seq
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Fighting Foreclosure's Frugal Menu Planning

Angelica of Learning to Manage My Finances wrote a comment on yesterday's post that I wanted to respond to. She says:

It´s interesting you´ve written about grocery shopping when I was about to ask you to write something on the subject. Could you write some more on food planning and menus? I tried menu planning but it turned out to be a total failure: I plan what I should eat, buy everything, and then always want something else :) Maybe I should base on not what is needed and useful, but what I usually tend to eat. After scrupulous writing down all my expenses I discovered I live mostly on fried rice! I was really, really surprised that I eat rice that a lot. Sometimes I cook something else, but I have to kinda force myself. Maybe this month I should use my habits as the guide and buy more rice and some things to cook risotto, paella and the like (a chance to learn to cook them, too) :)

So, could you please dwell some more on your eating habits and menu making? If that´s not a secret you don´t want to tell :)

Angelica, I will be happy to, thanks so much for asking! In addition, you might want to check this post that I wrote awhile ago about how I choose what to cook. As I started to write today's post, I realized that this is a question that I want to explore in depth, so I am going to turn this into a series. Over the next few days I will write about my years of menu planning, shopping and cooking and the lessons I have learned from it. Today I am just going to hit some general ideas about planning a menu and talk about a few pitfalls I have encountered.

Menu Planning:

Awhile ago I read something that said that all the unread books on our bookshelves are there because we want to be the kind of people who read those books... but aren't. We want to be someone who has read Last of the Mochians, Naked Lunch or The Heart of Darkness, but what we really go back to, time and time again, is our dogeared copy of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stories. I think we frequently get too ambitious with our menus too. We want to be the kind of person that bakes their own bread and makes pasta by hand, or we think it would be a great idea for our health to eat salads all week, but the reality is, by the time we get home from work the last thing we want to do is bake bread, and after the second salad of the week, we are speed dialing the local pizza place.

My first piece of advice on menu planning is to be honest with yourself and make menus that actually reflect how you eat. Know your schedule and how long you will have to cook each night. I like to have a variety of things on my menu - some slow cook dishes for the weekends, some 30 minute or less meals for weekdays and some items I can throw together in just a few minutes for those nights I have no time at all or am just plumb exhausted by the time I get home. For example, on my current menu I had a shrimp curry (cook time 1 hr. 15 min) for the weekend. It worked great because while it was cooking I was doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen. Last night I had salmon with ginger glaze and crunchy fennel salad (cook time under 30 min.). It worked because I got home at my usual time and had time to cook, but tonight, when I will be working the part time job until 10:00 p.m. I need something fast and easy, so I'm planning on tuna salad stuffed tomatoes (cook time 10 min. or less).

I am all for trying to improve your diet or be more frugal through your menu, but my strong suggestion is not to overdo it. Start changes like that in moderation. For example, I realized that I have not been getting a lot of fish in my diet, so I made an effort to have a couple fish based meals, but I made sure to pick things I know I like and counter it with other non-fish meals. (The rest of the week I have chicken and vegetarian dishes on the menu.) I have tried making menus based entirely on "what I thought I should eat" rather than "what I actually eat" and it was a recipe for failure. Slip one or two new dishes in, if you want, but also plan on old favorites. Creating a menu of food you won't eat is like making a budget you won't stick to - in the end it's just a waste of time and energy. I have done it, many times. Now I know that when it comes to making my menu, I need to be honest with myself.

Here's another tip: Punishing yourself is no way to eat...

It is easy to sit on high and tell yourself you will eat what's on the menu when your belly is full, but that changes dramatically when you're hungry. For example, I don't care for cooked carrots, but awhile back I was given a large bag of frozen carrots. It came with other foods I did want so I didn't feel right about turning them down. Last month I found a recipe for a spiced carrot soup that sounded pretty good, and I really do want to get those carrots out of the freezer, so I put the recipe on the menu... however, it never sounded like something I wanted to eat - so I didn't make it. I moved it over to this month's menu, but if I don't make it, I'm going to scrap the recipe and maybe make the apple carrot muffin recipe I found instead. Know what you are really going to eat. Buying ingredients for food that doesn't get eaten is just a waste of money.

One other quick point about menu preparation - a menu is a guide, not a lawbook. Some people work really well with a weekly regimen like Monday meatloaf, Tuesday pasta, Wednesday chicken, etc. I don't. I don't know what I am going to be in the mood for and I hate being locked into having to have something - my inner rebel comes out. Instead, I prefer to make a much looser menu and then just pick off it what sounds good. Sure, by the end of the week the choices are a lot more limited, but as long as I have made sure there are things on it I like, that usually isn't a problem. I do always have a back-up though. Sometimes I don't feel like a meal, so I plan for that. I might make sure there are ingredients for grilled cheese or toast with peanut butter in the house. I might know that I have pasta, fresh basil and tomatoes at hand. I like those "third tier" options as backup plans - they are my defense against getting frustrated and eating out.

To summarize:

- Create a menu that has dishes on it that fit your busy schedule
- Make sure it has food on it you actually like and will eat
- It is okay to set goals with your menu, but do them in moderation or it will backfire
- Don't punish or try force yourself to eat something you don't want to eat by putting it on the menu. You either will regret it later or just never do it at all.
- Making a menu day by day is great for some people, but if you need flexibility then be sure and give yourself other options. Don't turn your menu into a straight jacket!

Over the next couple of days I will right about how and where I get my recipes, how I grocery shop and other meal planning techniques. Thanks again to Angelica for asking such a great question that has me inspired!



Photo by: cloth.paper.string
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August Grocery Shopping - Experiments in Saving Money

So as I mentioned in my last post, I am determined to have a better plan heading into August than I did in July - starting with my grocery shopping. Friday night I worked at my part time job then came home and kicked back with my shopping lists, coupons and recipe books to create a menu for snacks and meals for the next couple of weeks. I ended up with a list for the farmer's market, the grocery store and a couple of spices needed from Penzy's. Saturday morning, I hit the farmer's market early. The place was hopping and up to the rafters in beautiful produce. I was thrilled to see that the first ears of corn are hitting the market, which meant I could pick them up and cross the bagged frozen corn off my grocery store shopping list! I love shopping at the market, but I hate the crowds, so I try to make sure that I am well out of there by 9:00 a.m.. Other purchases there included: tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes, cucumbers, parsley and raspberries. Yum!

After the market it was back home for coffee and breakfast (including some of my fresh picked raspberries.) Over coffee I hopped on the computer to see if there were any additional coupons I could get for my shopping list and also peeked at the sale flyers. There were some pretty good deals out there this week! Then it was time to grab my bottle returns, shopping lists, coupons and my calculator and head out the door. The first stop was to Penzy's. I try to buy all my spices there or at other small spice shops. Ounce per ounce, it is frequently less expensive than the megamart, and the quality is much, much higher - not to mention fresher. It is also frugal in another way - I have found that certain Penzy spices (namely cinnamon and cayenne) are so intense that it makes sense to use a little less (up to a third less) in recipes.

After Penzy's it was off to the grocery store, but first I decided to make a little detour and try something new...

Along my route from the spice store to my usual grocery store was a Save-A-Lot. I have never shopped there before, but had heard they were a bit like Aldi... of course, I had never shopped at Aldi before either. But I thought, "Why not?" I had my grocery list in hand and figured I could swing in and see what it was all about - and maybe find a few things for less. Here's what I ended up getting:

- One can of black eyed peas $.59
- Two cans kidney beans, $.59 each
- Two cans of black beans $.69 each
- 3 pound bag of frozen, skinless, boneless chicken breasts $4.99
- One box of aluminum foil, 25' $.79
- Ground turkey $2.69
- One bag of green lentils $.79
- 3 pound bag of yellow onions $1.99
- One red onion $.99 a pound, my onion was $.56
- Plain string-less tea bags $.99

Total - $16.00

These were all things I was planning on getting at my local grocery and none were on sale there, so price-wise, I did quite well. Now the question is quality. I've already cooked with the onions and the lentils and they were great, but it isn't as though there is much in the way of processing there. It will be interesting to see what I think of the meat, tea and canned beans. I will be sure and let you know.

Shopping at Save-A-Lot was interesting. Not all prices were low, milk for example, is cheaper at my megamart. I also noticed they were missing some things that seemed like obvious foods for them to carry - like butter and plain yogurt. On the other hand, they had a lot of Hispanic based foods, including a big endcap devoted to everything you need to make tamales. (This store is located near some Hispanic communities.) In the meat section I noticed a lot of unusual cuts - smoked neck bones and fresh pigs feet, for example. I wondered if they had them because they were relatively cheap pieces of meat, or if they were, like the tamales, a cultural preference of their shoppers. In a way this is an advantage to me - I happened to love tamarind flavored products and can usually only find them in my Middle Eastern market. They had quite a selection at the Save-A-Lot and while I stuck with my shopping list this time, I might give something a try next time.

I will certainly say this in favor of the store - it was clean, well lit, and the people working there were very friendly and helpful. Since I am not a fan of crowds, I also really appreciated the wide aisles and the fact that was pretty quiet compared to most grocery stores. Their selection wasn't a large as a regular grocery, but if I end up being satisfied with the quality, I will certainly go back there again.

What about you? Are you an Aldi or Save A Lot shopper? What do you think?




Photo by: Alicia Griffin

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The Benefit of Having a Plan - July Savings and Spending

Yesterday I wrote about my July income. The other part of the equation is comparing my spending and saving to my budget each month. Here's the breakdown for July:

In most areas I was right on target with my budget. This has been something I have been really working on a lot over the last year - not only figuring out the numbers, but also figuring out how to make it all work. I've written a lot about making finance personal, and gotten a lot of great comments in agreement from all of you on how budgets need to be customized to the person. There is no "one size fits all" budget. Of course, once you have a budget, it can't just be some sheet of paper that gets tucked in the back of the drawer - for far too long that is what I used to do. I'd make these great budgets and live with them for a month or two before I forgot about it or got bored with it. This past year I have found that my budget needs to be a living, breathing, changing document. It has to have the flexibility to fit with my circumstances, but also, I need to find ways to make my circumstances fit the budget.

A couple of examples are my Car Maintenance and Gift funds. Each month I was allocating a set amount to each of these areas, figuring that some months I would spend it, and some months I would save it and add the extra to my emergency fund. But you know what? Life doesn't work that way. Some months there are multiple birthdays, weddings and special occasions - other months have none. It is frequently feast or famine. I found that in the quiet months I would end up with extra in my budget but in the busy months I always ran short. Car Maintenance is the same way. There are months I don't need to do repairs, but on the months that I do it was almost always more than amount I was budgeting. It took me awhile to realize that what I needed to do was have small saving accounts for these items and have the amount automatically put into them each month. That way my budget comes out right each month and the money is there when I need it. This is working far better for me than the old system.

The other change, that I have mentioned before, is the use of the envelope system...

If you've been reading my blog you know that I've been trying an experiment of using the envelope system for Grocery and Home Improvement expenses for the past two months. These were tough areas for me, I had set budgets for them that I knew I could live with, but was regularly going over. The envelope method has helped a ton in this area! This month I spent all of my Grocery money, but I didn't go over. In my Home Improvement fund I actually have $26.00 still in the envelope!

But once again, this month I learned something about myself, or perhaps I should say I was reminded of something that I have known about myself - I am a planner and I work much better with a solid plan. Usually I make make bi-monthly menus and plan my grocery shopping accordingly. That way I always have a list of dishes I have all the ingredients for, ready to go. I come home, pick something off the menu and start cooking, knowing it will be something I like and that everything is at hand. This month was kind of a wonky month. For some reason I didn't make my menus, instead choosing to wing it. Not smart. I just don't improv that well, especially when I am busy. I spent all the Grocery money, but with very little left over and actually running short at the end of the month. It was fine, I mean I had food I could eat, but I had a couple days where I had to get a little creative there. That wouldn't have happened if I had planned better. So, tomorrow I plan on sitting down with cookbooks and menu planning pad and being a lot more organized for August. I will feel better, eat better and spend less.

Interestingly I not only spent all my Grocery money, but I actually went over my Dining Out budget. It was only by $22.14, but still. Some of it was that I was a bit more social this month, and I am totally okay with that - spending time with friends and family is important to me, but some of it was dining out because I didn't have a better plan. Again this goes back to the difference between knowing I have great food waiting to be made and served up, and having to come up with something on the fly with the weird ingredients I had on hand. Sometimes it seemed easier to grab a meal out. That's something I can fix by simply making a menu and stocking up on some healthy ingredients for quick on-the-go meals.

The other area I went over in my budget was my "Misc." category which this month paid for my haircut the other day and some expenses relating to the garage sale. Again, it was only by about $20, but with a little better planning, that could have been avoided.

However, I was able to save considerably in a few areas - my utilities were way down (I do the budget plan and they reset this month, giving me one month of gas that was prepaid,) and auto fuel was also low. My electric and cell phone bills were also lower than budgeted. That, combined with my home improvement excess, (minus my overages) means that I was able to save $192.37 this month! Money not spent is money saved baby! It will get added to my income meter on the right there and be moved into the House Painting fund. Sweet!

So, over all July wasn't my best month, but not the worst either. Some lessons learned, for sure. On both the income and the savings side, I am expecting August to be even much better.



Photo by: Djnn76

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Fighting Foreclosure July Income

Well, I am taking a look at the last month and naturally, a little disappointed in my extra income. This is the lowest amount I've gotten to date. However, it isn't all bad news! Remember, I reset my budget this June and am not counting all the gains that I get every single month due to all the work that I did last year - both in increased monthly savings and increased earnings. I started June 2008 being $900 in the hole every single month and by June 2009 I was getting $250 more than what I needed. So, though that number on the sidebar there is low, I still paid all my bills on time and in full and had money to set aside.

There are other bits of good news as well - this month has been great for book sales. Of course most of my transactions are $3.00 or less so it takes a lot to make a significant amount of money, but still, I've been very pleased with how things have been going. Especially since things were so slow the month before. I love having book sales - even though they don't add a lot, those little snowflakes of income really boost my mood.

Plus, there are good things on the horizon...

Part time job 1 has some work available from the end of this week through next week. Happily I was free almost every single time they needed someone, so I will be picking up 5 shifts over the next week. That will be fabulous! In addition, I just got my contract for part time job 2 in the mail. They need me 3 weeks out of the year, one in October, February and May. I am glad to have that work all lined up! Those extra paychecks really add up.

The garage sale I had this year was a lot of fun and helped my budget by nearly $200. I am hoping that I can plan another one in early fall and make a little more money. Not only does it help earn a little extra, it also helps me clean out my closets and drawers! That's always a good thing.

The other good news is in spending. I continue to be pleased with using the envelope system for Home Improvement and Grocery purchases. While I admit, the pantry is a little low right now and I am at the edge of the grocery budget with just $4 left in the envelope, I still have food to eat and only one more day before I can go grocery shopping if I want to. Since this was continually an area where I went over in my budget in the past, I am proud that I am reigning it now.

So, even though things weren't quite as good as I would have liked, I cannot complain. I have money in my pockets and the bills are all paid. Since I paid off my credit card and car last month, I feel like a bit of the stress has been lifted off. Now, all I need to do is get enough put away to paint the last two sides of my house! My birthday is in September and I would love to have it done by then!!


Photo by: pixieclipx.

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Budget by Date - When Are My Bills Due?

I've been working on a new type of budget - one based on time.

That's right, time.

You see, I get paid twice each month, on the 7th and the 21st. Almost all of my bills (well over half) are due sometime in the middle of the month so they are paid out of that 7th paycheck. The other part of my bills are paid after the 21st, and so come out of it, but here is the sticky part - my 7th paycheck is not enough to pay for all the bills that are due then. This means I have to save some out of the 21st to pay for the next month's bills. The question is, how much? How much many dollars have to stay in my checking account from the previous month to pay for the following month?

Confused? Try living it.

I needed to calculate that carryover number for a couple of reasons: 1) I hate worrying about money. If I know how much has to be in the account, then I will make sure that happens, but without knowing the dollar amount, I feel like I am floundering. Knowledge is peace of mind. 2) If something does go awry, I'll know. That gives me the chance to fix it... rather than finding out when I get an overdraft slip in the mail. 3) Extra money that I earn and that is left over is going to my house painting fund. I need to know how much I can take out, while still leaving a buffer.

The first thing I did was print out a couple of my bank statements, and then I went through and made a list of my bills and when I pay them...

Here are some examples:

7th - Gas bill, cabin
7th - Electric bill, cabin
7th - Gas bill, home
7th - Monthly transfer to car registration fund
7th - Mortgage, cabin
8th - Mortgage, house
13th - Gas credit card
18th - Electric bill, home
1st, 7th and 14th - Weekly transfer to insurance fund
1st, 7th and 14th - Weekly transfer to Christmas fund


21st - Monthly transfer to water bill fund
21st - Phone bill
22nd - Monthly transfer to trash bill fund
22nd - Monthly transfer to emergency fund
21st and 28th - - Weekly transfer to insurance fund
21st and 28th - - Weekly transfer to Christmas fund

Even though I haven't included the amounts in here, you can easily see how heavily loaded the first of the month bills are. In fact, the last part of the month is almost all transfers - these are small amounts I take out each month and have auto-deposited into accounts I have set up for specific annual reasons, like my Christmas fund and my insurance fund (which pays for auto and life insurances.) In addition, after that first paycheck each month I have been taking out the money for my envelope system grocery and home improvement budgets. That makes for a sort of lopsided bill payment schedule. See I have the money to pay for everything - I just need to make sure I have it when I need to pay it.

So, along with listing all my monthly expenses by date, I jotted down the amount of each bill. This allowed me to add up all the expenses and figure out exactly how much I need in my account at any one time - as well as that magic carryover number. Now on the 30th of the month I know how much I need to keep in checking for the following month, which also tells me how much extra I can siphon into that house painting fund.

My time budget is not going to replace my standard budget, but it did point out a couple of things. For one thing, I realized that instead of doing weekly transfers, I would be better doing monthly transfers at the end of the month. One of the first things I did was adjust those to one lump sum to be transferred on the 22nd. I did the same thing with my car registration fund transfer - moved it from the 7th to the 22nd. (I should note that some of these funds are for very small amounts of money, but I hate having "unexpected" bills of $100 or more. Because I budget monthly it is so much easier for me to have a little taken out regularly over the course of the year rather than have something hit when I am not prepared.)

The other thing I realized is that I don't have to wait until the 7th to take out my grocery & home improvement money. Actually, it is smarter to take it out on the 1st. Making these changes will take some of the burden off the 7th and spread it out a little more evenly. It still isn't a perfect system, I still have to make sure that there carryover, but its getting better, and I definitely have a better handle on it.



Photo by: RG of CS.

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Nine Frugal Hairstyle Tips

Today I am going to get a much, much needed haircut. My hairstyle is pretty simple, it is just long and straight, but I haven't seen a stylist in awhile and I am starting to feel a bit like Rapunzel. My ex was a hairstylist, so for quite awhile I had direct access to great hair care. Now I see a friend of my sister's who, conveniently, just happens to work across the street from me. So, from having a few stylists "in the family" as it were, I thought I would put together some tips for saving money on hair care. Don't worry, I am not going to tell you to shave off all your hair or let it grow long like Crystal Gale. Nor am I going to suggest dreadlocks or a using a flowbee. Your hairstyle is your own and your own personal style. I'm just going to list a few ways you might be able to shave (ha!) a few pennies off:

1. Talk to your stylist. Do you go to the same person every time? If so, and you are looking to cut down the cost of hair care, be honest with them, however do not expect or even ask for a price break. To ask them to discount their prices for you is not only downright rude, but it also implies that you do not value their work. Besides, in many cases the prices are set by the salon, not the stylist. Instead, ask them to help you figure out ways to meet your budget. Maybe change your style slightly so you can go a little longer between cuts, possibly changing the products used (some color options cost less than others), or skipping on extras like after cut blow drying. Enlist them to help you get the look you want at a price you can afford.

2. Sometimes one aspect of a cut is more important than the other. If the color is key, you might still want to spend more on a top notch colorist, but can get the cut done elsewhere, or vice versa.

3. If you don't have a stylist that you are dedicated to, consider shopping around. Many people have had luck with the stylist schools. For me, this would be fine, since my cut is basically just making sure it is cut straight across, but for some people this isn't an option, I know. In that case, talk to your friends. Get referrals from them and ask them how much they are paying. Look for someone who will treat you right, but at a price that is comfortable.

If you have a particular cut or type of hair, a less expensive salon or school may not be an option. If so, you might want to look at other small discounts...

4. While my hair is mostly low maintenance, I do tend to like salon shampoos and conditioners. However, if I use one brand for too long, it will stop working for me. No mater how much I scrub, my hair simply won't feel clean anymore. That's when I know it is time to switch shampoos. Recently I tried a sample of the new Head and Shoulders Volumizing shampoo and loved it. I haven't used H&S since I was a kid, so I was really surprised! I am going to pick up some and start switching back and forth between it and my more expensive salon shampoo. Hopefully this will keep my hair from getting over saturated by one brand. It will save me money by stretching out what I can use - plus it will make the salon shampoo last longer.

5. If you do like higher end shampoos, look for them at stores like Ulta. Prices there are similar to what a salon charges, but unlike a salon - they offer specials and coupons on a regular basis.

6. You have probably read this in other blogs, but most folks use way too much shampoo and conditioner. A dime to a quarter size dollop is really all you need - slightly more for longer thicker hair, less for finer short hair. If you haven't, give it a try. Decrease the amount you are using a bit at a time and see if you notice a difference.

7. Barter - If you have a stylist that owns their own business or rents a chair, some may be willing to barter. For example, my ex used to trade haircuts for two bottles of wine from a wine salesman. He also swapped cuts for massages from a therapist. One thing to note here, if you get your hair colored, remember that the stylist is purchasing that hair color for you. So, depending on your cut and what you have to trade, you might want to offer to purchase the supplies. You wouldn't expect a mechanic to install free parts, would you?

8. Air dry your hair - Okay, this is not an option for some of you ladies, I know. I will say though that the hair dryer eats up a ton of electricity. If you can let your hair dry naturally (or do as I do and wash it at night and let it dry while I am sleeping) you will cut down on your electric bill.

9. Be kind to your hair and your body - Most of us know that over-processed hair just stops looking good after awhile, and let's face it, there is little a stylist can do in that situation except cut it all off. Do what you can to treat your hair well, use more natural products and keep the backcombing to a minimum. Also, be sure drink lots of water and make sure there is Vitamin E in your diet - there is absolutely nothing like having clean, shining hair - naturally.



Photo by: Eleventh Earl of Mar

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The Week of the Garage Sale

I think this is the first week I have gone without posting since the start of my blog! Sorry about the interruption in service there, I was busy trying to make money by having a garage sale. Make no mistake about it, having garage sales are a ton of work. I made almost $200, which was fabulous, but I would hate to calculate my return per hour spent on planning, setting up, cleaning and manning the sale. That's why it is worth it to have some other benefits built in to the event...

1. I got to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world! My sister came over sign making night and we got to hang out and then I had several dear friends help set up, help man the sale and sometimes just stop by to hang out and chat. It was fabulous!

2. I got to meet a lot of my neighbors. As I wrote about recently, I have been just starting to meet the folks in my area. I don't consider myself much a social person, but there are real advantages to getting to know the folks who live nearby. One neighbor wants me to let her know when I have my next sale, since she will try to have one at the same time and we can double our signs and other efforts and hopefully get more folks to the sales. Another neighbor offered to lend a hand with one of my house projects. Another gentleman stopped by who used to live in my house back in the 80s. He was a lot of fun to talk to!

3. I cleaned out my garage. I hadn't realized how badly my garage needed a cleaning until I went to have this sale. It was pretty bad! I swept it all out and moved out all the lawn equipment to another spot for the sale. Now I am going to use this as an opportunity to reorganize as I put it back in.

4. It was an ego boost. I got so many wonderful compliments from so many folks on my house and garden. Since I am still in process of getting the house painted and getting the yard in shape, it was so, so nice to hear people letting me know that they liked what I was doing. I live in one of those "edge" neighborhoods. It has some beautiful homes, but also some rough looking ones. There are a lot of rentals, and while some are well cared for, some aren't. It is definitely an up and coming neighborhood, but there is still some "up" to go. I got the feeling that neighbors definitely appreciated the work I've been doing, which was nice.

5. We moved out a lot of "stuff." Most of my items were priced at $2.00 and under, so to make $200, I had to sell a lot of my former treasures. (Well, a lot of it was also my mother and sister's who both generously donated their stuff to the sale and said I could keep the money that was made from it.) Some of the things I sold were from my marriage, and it was great to see objects that bring me pain going to good homes and people who were exited about having them.

So, that is what I have been up to all week. I'll try to write a Fighting Foreclosure/Getting Nine Hundred Guide to Garage Sales later this week. In the meantime, I need to catch up on my blog reading!



Photo by: lesleyraez

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Auto Repairs and How to Keep Your Car on the Road

I spent last weekend (which was cold and rainy, by the way) up at my cabin. On the way up north I heard the Car Guys on NPR talking about an article they had on their website about how to keep your car running forever. Since one of my goals is to keep my little buggy going as long as I possibly can, I made sure to look it up. You can find it here: Best Ways to Keep Your Car Running.

I admit, I need to do some routine maintenance for my car. I've been keeping up on my oil changes (mostly) but I missed my 30,000 mile check up ah... 10,000 miles ago! The article recommends taking a look your owner's manual to see what is needed, as they put it:

If you're wondering how often to do these things, there's a book that explains it all to you. It's called the owner's manual. You'll find it in your glove box, shrink-wrapped in plastic, because — if you're like most of us — you've probably never looked at it. In the back you'll find a list of service intervals, and the services that are recommended during each of them. If intervals in the book stop at 120,000 miles, that doesn't mean you're done with maintenance. Go back to the beginning and start over (so, for instance, do all the services called for in the 7,500-mile service at 127,500). Nice try, though.

Because I really am inspired to keep this car running as long as I can, that is on my to-do list for this week - look at the manual and see what services I should consider doing. My car is running great - and I want to keep it that way. Again, to quote the article, "It's the stingy man who makes the most boat payments!" Getting these things done on a regular basis will mean less expensive maintenance down the road, I know... now all I have to do it come up with the money...

That seems to be a big problem this month. I have nothing coming in! Don't get me wrong, all the changes I have made over the last year has made it so all my bills are being paid in full and ahead of time. Theoretically I could "coast" for awhile if I wanted to, but I just can't. I have too many goals I need to complete in the next year.

One thing I am working on is a garage sale for this weekend. Hopefully that will bring in some extra money and will clear out some much needed space. It is also a nice time to hang out with some great friends and chat with my neighbors. There is also a little part time work available starting at the end of next week. I put in for as many shifts as I could possibly get, even volunteering to learn another department if they want. Hopefully, the two things will really help, because I still have to get the rest of this house painted and I am afraid I might have to borrow it from my mother......


Photo by: Miz GingerSnaps

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Fast, Fabulous and Frugal Comfort Food

I've had a couple of rough days at work lately and last night I was feeling the need for some comfort food. Fortunately, I had just read Small Notebook for a Simple Home's post on 20 Tips to Waste Less Food. One of Simple Notebook's tips was to make fried rice out of day old rice... and it just so happened that not only did fried rice sound like the perfect comfort dish, I also had all the ingredients at hand.

I used a basic fried rice recipe I found online and then modified it to fit what was in my kitchen. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 green onions, as desired
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons oil for frying, or as needed
• 4 cups cold rice
• 1 - 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce or Oyster Sauce, as desired

Preparation:

Wash and finely chop green onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Heat a wok or a frying pan and add two tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot, add eggs. Cook, stirring until they are lightly scrambled, but not too dry. Remove eggs and clean out the pan. (Note from me - eggs continue to cook when you take them out of a pan, so the best thing to do is slightly under cook them, otherwise by the time you eat them they will be overdone. This is especially true in a dish like this where the eggs will be cooked twice.)

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir-fry the rice for a few moments, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break apart. Stir in soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired.

When rice is heated through, add egg back to the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.

Note: If you are adding other ingredients, increase the eggs to 3.

---

I, of course, made a few changes to this recipe. Here's what I did...

It just so happened that a friend and I had made a stir-fry this weekend with chicken and all sorts of great veggies. The leftover rice I had was from that. I also happened to have a small handful of mushrooms and the middle heart of a bok choy. After cooking the eggs, I added my oil (I used sesame, but only because I had it on hand and I like the flavor.) I didn't use 4 tablespoons though, you can cut that down to just what you need to coat the pan. After I cooked the eggs, I removed them per the instructions, and then re-oiled the pan and quickly stir-fried up some garlic and the diced mushrooms.

After a minute or two, I dumped in the rice and then I used one tablespoon of soy and one of fish sauce - again, these were just things I had on hand. Finally I returned the eggs and added the chopped bok choy and the green onions.

It was so, so good. Better than a restaurant version and so very quick and easy! It was the kind of dish that I wanted to just keep eating - not because I was hungry, but because it tasted so good!! The thing I liked about this dish though, was that it felt so flexible. You could add any leftover veggie - broccoli, carrots, corn, peas - even leftover mixed vegetables. I could also see myself adding nontraditional ingredients like cauliflower or green beans. Adding chicken, salmon, shrimp or pork would be great too!

So, here you go - a frugal, functional, quick and easy dish to help you use up the last of the leftovers! I can't wait to have the rest for lunch!



Photo by: brilarian

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Living Together Before Marriage - The Frugal, and Not So Frugal, Side of It

Before I got married I lived with my fiance' for around a year. My goal was to see if I could live day in and day out with this person. I could see we were heading towards marriage, and for me, it was a chance to "try it on" if you will. I guess I thought that was why the majority of people chose to shack up, but according to this study, I was wrong:

Almost half of cohabitors of both sexes said spending more time together was a reason they moved in together, with only 9 percent of men and 5 percent of women citing "to test the relationship before marriage," the study of 1,294 unmarried Americans ages 18 to 34 indicated.

It is probably for the best. As you all know, my relationship ended in divorce. I'm not alone there - according to the study 50 to 75% of people that get married have lived together first. However, census data tells us that almost half of marriages end in divorce. Let me tell you, from a financial standpoint, two of the most expensive things you can do (and most stressful) are getting married and getting divorced.

Which brings me to another reason people move in together... cost. The old idea that two people can live much cheaper together than apart is not necessarily true. There can be cost savings, but there can also be hidden expenses...

Ask any "saver" who has ever tried to live with a "spender." Just as water will seek its own level, spending levels change when these two types hook up. The spender may end up saving more, but you can also bet that the saver will end up spending more. It is hard to be a financial curmudgeon when your partner is throwing dollars around like a ticker tape parade! After all, they always look like they are having so much fun...

The idea is that by living together you can save on gas, utilities, food, home furnishings, and of course, rent. I agree that couples who are actively working together to save money this way can do it, but I also submit that purchasing habits change when two people live together. For example, take food. I know I experienced this, and Get Stuff Done has mentioned it on her blog - living alone I tend to eat less expensive, more vegetarian meals. When I lived with someone, he liked big meals, and hey I'll admit, I enjoy eating them with him, but it was a kind of shopping I hadn't really done before then - at least not to that level. I don't have facts and figures from that time of my life unfortunately, so I can't do an exact comparison, but I would guess we spent at least twice, if not a lot more, on groceries than I do now. Also, my ex loved wine and I too, became a regular wine drinker and that added up in a hurry! That increased the cost for him as well, because I know for a fact that we bought better bottles of wine together than he did as a single man.

Which gets me into another spending element - people tend to buy better things when they are going in on something than when they are buying it for themselves. The Blu-Ray player that was $150.00 on sale might have been good enough when we are alone, but suddenly the $599 one with all the extra features is a lot more appealing when someone else is chipping in. It slips in slowly and isn't even something you would notice, but those spending habits creep up. I suspect a little of it is altruistic - you love your partner and want something nice for them. You might be willing to sacrifice yourself, but are hesitant to ask you partner to. The same goes for home furnishings - ever notice how many people move in together and need new furniture? Beds, for obvious reasons, are frequently the first to go.

Utilities are another area that doesn't really save. Think about it - twice as many bodies to wash, dishes to clean, trash to throw out. Even electricity, which you would think people can share, is used by different people different ways. My electric bills are considerably lower than what my ex's were when he lived alone in the same house, simply because we use power differently.

Then there are those great savings on rent... of course, after you've been settled in for a bit, the place starts to feel a little cramped. Maybe one (or both) need an office or extra closet space. Maybe an extra bedroom for a visiting family member... next thing you know your hoursing costs just went up. That's what happened to me - my ex's apartment was just too small for us, and that's how we ended up with a house that I am still paying for.

That isn't to say that two people can't save money by living together. I think they can. Especially, if they are both on the same page in spending and have the same financial goals. Having someone to help go through the budget and sort out financial decisions can be fabulous. There is nothing better than having someone you can work with and who will help you achieve more.



Photo by: interpunct

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