I’m a little late in posting this, but I decided to give myself and/or my family a monthly challenge. I thought it might be fun to have a goal to work towards each month.
After reviewing last month’s grocery spending and realizing that it was WAY over budget, I thought that a grocery-based challenge might be a great place to start. Over the past few months, our grocery spending has been all over the place. For some reason, it is one of the most variable areas of spending in our budget. I think that it is primarily because I find myself stocking up on groceries when they are on sale, which then results in higher food bills.
So this month, we will not be purchasing any prepackaged goodies, snacks, cereal, and the like, in hopes of lowering our grocery spending and eating more healthily. We already eat a primarily process-free diet, eating a majority of our meals at home, made from scratch. We will really just be cutting out some of the extras. It shouldn't be too much of a loss. I plan to buy in bulk (from our natural foods store), make all of our snacks (such as granola bars), and try to do some preserving of goods from our garden.
According to a 2007 USDA Publication about the average food costs of individuals and families, it is suggested that our food costs should fall between $631.20 and $1236.10 each month for a family of our size. Now, these figures are for the thrifty plan and the liberal plan. In our efforts to keep to the most frugal ways possible, I would like to see our grocery costs fall between the thrifty and the low-cost plans. The low cost plan would put us at $820.40 per month for our family of five.
An average of the thrifty plan and the low-cost plan puts us at $725.80. My goal is to get our food costs down to $650. I think that is an attainable goal. Let’s see where we are at the end of the month and see what adjustments we need to make.
So far this month we have spent $115.07 on groceries. I’ll keep you updated.
Showing posts with label Frugality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frugality. Show all posts
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Baking Soda is My Friend
As a child, I loved to clean the bathroom. I’d grab the can of Scrubbing Bubbles (after I was assured that it didn’t contain any CFCs) and went to town. I would trade chores with my sisters so that I could clean the bathroom. To me, cleaning a bathroom is fairly straight forward, and orderly…just the right core for me.
Well, now that I am older and wiser, and no longer use Scrubbing Bubbles or any chemical in my bathroom, my joy of cleaning the bathroom has waned a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it more than say the kitchen, but for a while, it just wasn’t the quick and easy project I was hoping it to be.
So there I was, cleaning the bathroom one day, struggling to get the hard water stains and soap scum off the all-in-one tub/shower with vinegar and water, when for some reason I got to thinking about Comet (you know, the powdery stuff in the green can). I’d never used the stuff before, but I had seen the commercials as a child and got to thinking about baking soda. So I said to myself, “I wonder if baking soda will work like Comet does?” Again, I’m not sure exactly what Comet is made of, or how well it works (I could look it up online if I really wanted to), but the fact that it popped into my head some twenty years after seeing a commercial really does say something about advertising…or my memory, not sure which one.
I sprinkled some baking soda on the side of the tub, and started scrubbing a bit with a wet rag. Guess what? With little to no elbow grease, the hard water stains and soap scum were seemingly melting away. I was so excited. I had found my new best cleaning buddy.
Now, looking back at my Green Housekeeping book, it talks about using baking soda for a plethora of things…controlling odor, draining cleaner, fire safety, stain removal, etc. It does mention the use of baking soda as a nonabrasive cleanser in the kitchen section, but for some reason my “memory” must be lacking in some areas because I completely forgot about it. I guess I should maybe reread this wonderful book and see what other useful information I can “re”glean from its pages.
So give it a try. I can get a large, 4 lb. box of baking soda at the Commissary for next to nothing (they used to carry the 12 lb. bag, but I can’t seem to find it anymore). Sprinkle a bit in the sink or in the tub and just give it a little rub with a wet rag. Let me know your thoughts. I’m a big fan. Can’t believe it took me so long to “re”discover this tried and true cleaning method.
On a side note - I also found a book the I’m going to check out from the library, Baking Soda : Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of by Vicki Lansky. I’ll let you know if I come up with any other useful tricks for baking soda.
Well, now that I am older and wiser, and no longer use Scrubbing Bubbles or any chemical in my bathroom, my joy of cleaning the bathroom has waned a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it more than say the kitchen, but for a while, it just wasn’t the quick and easy project I was hoping it to be.
So there I was, cleaning the bathroom one day, struggling to get the hard water stains and soap scum off the all-in-one tub/shower with vinegar and water, when for some reason I got to thinking about Comet (you know, the powdery stuff in the green can). I’d never used the stuff before, but I had seen the commercials as a child and got to thinking about baking soda. So I said to myself, “I wonder if baking soda will work like Comet does?” Again, I’m not sure exactly what Comet is made of, or how well it works (I could look it up online if I really wanted to), but the fact that it popped into my head some twenty years after seeing a commercial really does say something about advertising…or my memory, not sure which one.
I sprinkled some baking soda on the side of the tub, and started scrubbing a bit with a wet rag. Guess what? With little to no elbow grease, the hard water stains and soap scum were seemingly melting away. I was so excited. I had found my new best cleaning buddy.
Now, looking back at my Green Housekeeping book, it talks about using baking soda for a plethora of things…controlling odor, draining cleaner, fire safety, stain removal, etc. It does mention the use of baking soda as a nonabrasive cleanser in the kitchen section, but for some reason my “memory” must be lacking in some areas because I completely forgot about it. I guess I should maybe reread this wonderful book and see what other useful information I can “re”glean from its pages.
So give it a try. I can get a large, 4 lb. box of baking soda at the Commissary for next to nothing (they used to carry the 12 lb. bag, but I can’t seem to find it anymore). Sprinkle a bit in the sink or in the tub and just give it a little rub with a wet rag. Let me know your thoughts. I’m a big fan. Can’t believe it took me so long to “re”discover this tried and true cleaning method.
On a side note - I also found a book the I’m going to check out from the library, Baking Soda : Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of by Vicki Lansky. I’ll let you know if I come up with any other useful tricks for baking soda.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Purchasing Locally Grown Produce
As many of you know, we signed up for a half share of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to supplement the vegetables that we will be harvesting out of our garden. We will be getting a weekly delivery of in season vegetables, right to our door. Not knowing how our first year gardening in Florida will result, I figured it was a good idea to supplement our efforts with the CSA. I have paid $15 a week for our weekly half share, which will continue for the next thirteen weeks and will be delivered on Thursdays.
In addition to the weekly CSA delivery and our garden, we are still going to the farmer’s market each week to see what the farmer’s have in stock. I am finding my weekly farmer’s market trip to be very relaxing and educating. I talk with the local farmers, find out about their produce, and learn a bit about what grows well locally. I have met a wonderful organic seedling farmer (who gave me a “new” type of tomato to try last Saturday) who is very knowledgeable and has beautiful herb, vegetable, and flower seedlings. She is one of many local farmers who are interested in getting to know the people who are purchasing their goods and to share their philosophies, background, and little tips to boot.
To cover all my bases, last week I also signed up for a local “buying club.” This buying club is for organically grown local veggies. I paid $10 to become a member for the year and will be able to purchase in season vegetables each Saturday as I need them. This farmer has a website that will list the weekly offerings and prices, so I will know ahead of time what is available for pickup each Saturday. My friend and I both had trouble finding his farm last week, so he has generously offered to specially pick strawberries for us this week, which are no longer part of his weekly offering.
Because my CSA delivery is on Thursday, and I can check on my buying club offerings at any time, I will know before Saturday’s farmer’s market what I will need to round off our fruits and vegetables for the week, hopefully allowing me to frugally buy locally grown, in season produce each week.
I feel that it is important to support local farmers and local businesses. Buying locally grown and produced goods help reduce the need for transportation of such goods. Take for instance a bunch of collard greens. Buying locally grown collard greens eliminates the need for fossil fuels to be used to transport collard greens thousands of miles from another country, or even from another part of this country. Buying locally also helps the local economy. If my dollar is going to the local farmer, that farmer is then able to spend the dollar at a local restaurant or to purchase clothing from a local retail shop, keeping the money circulating in the local economy.
I know that we won’t be able to purchase all of our produce locally, but we are sure going to do our best. I have decreased our purchasing of produce such as bananas (which for some reason don’t seem to be grown in abundance locally) and avocados (from Mexico). I try to stock up, in particular, when I see locally grown fruits. For instance, I’ll be getting three pounds of strawberries from the buying club this weekend. I’m sure the kids will eat quite a few, but I plan to freeze a good portion of them for use throughout the summer. When our garden’s vegetables are ready, I’ll be canning and freezing them so they too can be used throughout the year, rather than buying the same item later in the year from another country.
I’m looking forward to the challenge of buying locally, or if necessary, at least produce grown in the USA. I’m going to start having the kids look at the labels on fruit and vegetables at the grocery store and talk to them about where our food is coming from and see what they have to say. I’m betting that they will choose to buy local goods rather than those from another country, and may even choose to walk right on past the grapes from Chile.
In addition to the weekly CSA delivery and our garden, we are still going to the farmer’s market each week to see what the farmer’s have in stock. I am finding my weekly farmer’s market trip to be very relaxing and educating. I talk with the local farmers, find out about their produce, and learn a bit about what grows well locally. I have met a wonderful organic seedling farmer (who gave me a “new” type of tomato to try last Saturday) who is very knowledgeable and has beautiful herb, vegetable, and flower seedlings. She is one of many local farmers who are interested in getting to know the people who are purchasing their goods and to share their philosophies, background, and little tips to boot.
To cover all my bases, last week I also signed up for a local “buying club.” This buying club is for organically grown local veggies. I paid $10 to become a member for the year and will be able to purchase in season vegetables each Saturday as I need them. This farmer has a website that will list the weekly offerings and prices, so I will know ahead of time what is available for pickup each Saturday. My friend and I both had trouble finding his farm last week, so he has generously offered to specially pick strawberries for us this week, which are no longer part of his weekly offering.
Because my CSA delivery is on Thursday, and I can check on my buying club offerings at any time, I will know before Saturday’s farmer’s market what I will need to round off our fruits and vegetables for the week, hopefully allowing me to frugally buy locally grown, in season produce each week.
I feel that it is important to support local farmers and local businesses. Buying locally grown and produced goods help reduce the need for transportation of such goods. Take for instance a bunch of collard greens. Buying locally grown collard greens eliminates the need for fossil fuels to be used to transport collard greens thousands of miles from another country, or even from another part of this country. Buying locally also helps the local economy. If my dollar is going to the local farmer, that farmer is then able to spend the dollar at a local restaurant or to purchase clothing from a local retail shop, keeping the money circulating in the local economy.
I know that we won’t be able to purchase all of our produce locally, but we are sure going to do our best. I have decreased our purchasing of produce such as bananas (which for some reason don’t seem to be grown in abundance locally) and avocados (from Mexico). I try to stock up, in particular, when I see locally grown fruits. For instance, I’ll be getting three pounds of strawberries from the buying club this weekend. I’m sure the kids will eat quite a few, but I plan to freeze a good portion of them for use throughout the summer. When our garden’s vegetables are ready, I’ll be canning and freezing them so they too can be used throughout the year, rather than buying the same item later in the year from another country.
I’m looking forward to the challenge of buying locally, or if necessary, at least produce grown in the USA. I’m going to start having the kids look at the labels on fruit and vegetables at the grocery store and talk to them about where our food is coming from and see what they have to say. I’m betting that they will choose to buy local goods rather than those from another country, and may even choose to walk right on past the grapes from Chile.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Do You Freecycle?
What is Freecycle you ask?
Freecycle is a network of people who give things to others (for free) that they might otherwise toss into the landfill when no longer needed, though those things might still have some usefulness left in it. Items that you have outgrown or no longer love, but have not worn out or worn through, are all acceptable offers on Freecycle. No, those holey shoes your son wore through wouldn’t be a good thing to give through Freecycle. But that cool mist vaporizer you have sitting in the garage would.
The mission of Freecycle is “to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.”
To get involved with the Freecycle network, check out their website. It is a great feeling to know that the Freecycle network is available throughout the country and across the world.
We recently Freecycled a VCR, two fake-leather folding chairs, and a vacuum that needed a new plug. I was in need of a carpet shampooer and asked if anyone had one they were looking to get rid of. A few hours later a woman posted that she did and would leave it on her porch for me.
Freecycle is a great way to keep useful things out of the landfill, save some money, and help out others in the community that might be in need of something you are ready to get rid of. I have another pile of things in the garage just waiting for me to post to my local Freecycle list. I hope that they will be useful to someone else and continue to be utilized.
Freecycle is a network of people who give things to others (for free) that they might otherwise toss into the landfill when no longer needed, though those things might still have some usefulness left in it. Items that you have outgrown or no longer love, but have not worn out or worn through, are all acceptable offers on Freecycle. No, those holey shoes your son wore through wouldn’t be a good thing to give through Freecycle. But that cool mist vaporizer you have sitting in the garage would.
The mission of Freecycle is “to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.”
To get involved with the Freecycle network, check out their website. It is a great feeling to know that the Freecycle network is available throughout the country and across the world.
We recently Freecycled a VCR, two fake-leather folding chairs, and a vacuum that needed a new plug. I was in need of a carpet shampooer and asked if anyone had one they were looking to get rid of. A few hours later a woman posted that she did and would leave it on her porch for me.
Freecycle is a great way to keep useful things out of the landfill, save some money, and help out others in the community that might be in need of something you are ready to get rid of. I have another pile of things in the garage just waiting for me to post to my local Freecycle list. I hope that they will be useful to someone else and continue to be utilized.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Updated Allowance Chart
The kids and I have been doing a great job at choosing our chores daily from our envelope chore system. Jensen is even getting in on the fun. I guess it is time to make his envelopes so he can officially join in.
I really like the idea behind Chore Wars. I think that it is nice that a family can tailor the program to suit their needs rather that being a one-size-fits-all site. It was, however, getting to be somewhat of a chore (ironically enough) for me to put everyone’s chores into the site at the end of the day. There were times when I’d forget and have to go back several days to input chore information to ensure that everyone was getting his or her points. The other problem I was having with Chore Wars was that the site would keep a running weekly total for all chores completed during the previous seven days. The kids were having trouble figuring out exactly how many points they had earned from Monday morning to date because there were additional days from the previous week also being added into the total.
In an effort to streamline the process, I decided to do a slight adaptation of the method set forth in America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money, by Steve and Annette Economides. (I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others as a refresher in getting one's family back on financial track, or as a way to glean a few more tips on how to pinch pennies here and there.) Their program focuses on a point system and the children are awarded an allowance based on the points they have accumulated during the week.
Rather than keeping points for each chore completed, the kids are now scored in four different categories; morning chores, school work, daily chores, and bedtime. If a child completes his or her morning chores (get up, get dressed, make bed, brush teeth and hair, and wash face) on time, they will get one point. Another point is earned if they complete their individual educational goals each day before we start our evening routine. If they complete all of their chosen daily chores, they get another point. Finally, if they are ready for bed and reading quietly at 8pm, they receive their final point.
I really like the idea behind Chore Wars. I think that it is nice that a family can tailor the program to suit their needs rather that being a one-size-fits-all site. It was, however, getting to be somewhat of a chore (ironically enough) for me to put everyone’s chores into the site at the end of the day. There were times when I’d forget and have to go back several days to input chore information to ensure that everyone was getting his or her points. The other problem I was having with Chore Wars was that the site would keep a running weekly total for all chores completed during the previous seven days. The kids were having trouble figuring out exactly how many points they had earned from Monday morning to date because there were additional days from the previous week also being added into the total.
In an effort to streamline the process, I decided to do a slight adaptation of the method set forth in America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money, by Steve and Annette Economides. (I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others as a refresher in getting one's family back on financial track, or as a way to glean a few more tips on how to pinch pennies here and there.) Their program focuses on a point system and the children are awarded an allowance based on the points they have accumulated during the week.
Rather than keeping points for each chore completed, the kids are now scored in four different categories; morning chores, school work, daily chores, and bedtime. If a child completes his or her morning chores (get up, get dressed, make bed, brush teeth and hair, and wash face) on time, they will get one point. Another point is earned if they complete their individual educational goals each day before we start our evening routine. If they complete all of their chosen daily chores, they get another point. Finally, if they are ready for bed and reading quietly at 8pm, they receive their final point.
I finalized the chart last weekend so we could use it this past week, as we got back into our regular routine. I think it was a success. Jake earned $3 (out of $5), Jolie earned $1.10 (out of $2.50) and Jensen earned $.30. The chart is posted on the side of the fridge next to our daily routine so that they can keep track of their responsibilities without me needing to harp on them to get their stuff done. I have put the chart into a plastic paper protector and us a wipe-off marker to keep track of accumulated points.
As usual, if the method isn’t working, I’ll modify it to meet the needs of our family or scrap it completely for a different method. I'm semi-flexible like that.
Next weekend we are planning to sit down on “Pay Day” (Sunday evening) and delegate the kids’ earnings into Savings, Charitable Giving, and Personal funds. We want the kids to learn how to save, how to give, and how to have a little fun with what they work hard to earn. Hopefully learning those skills early will set them up well for life in the real world when they are grown.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
A Green Dilemma
I am an Earth-hugger through and through.
I was the nine year old that boycotted McDonalds and Burger King when they were serving their burgers in Styrofoam packaging. I was the ‘tween who informed everyone I knew about the danger of CFCs and the hole in the Ozone layer. I was the teenager who searched out the school recycling bins and inquired if each of my classrooms didn’t have one next to the trashcan. I am now the sister who packed up all of the “un”recyclable items during our Thanksgiving vacation and drove them home from North Carolina to ensure that they were in fact recycled. It is no surprise, then, that my kids are the ones who check their unopened toy packaging for evidence of post-consumer recycled content and whether or not the package itself can be recycled.
We try our hardest to make as small a footprint on this world as possible. We recycle, turn the heater down, leave the windows open, combine errands, grow our own vegetables…you get the point. As a family, we are doing what we can to try to make a difference.
In an effort to improve the aesthetics of our home, and hopefully increase our home’s appeal when we try to sell it several years down the road, we decided to give the walls a fresh coat of paint. This facelift was planned in conjunction with the installation of new flooring in our great room (after experiencing hardwood flooring in Washington, carpet just isn’t the same).
Our mini-remodel came upon one big roadblock…cost. Being as eco-friendly as we are, we knew that our best flooring options were bamboo or cork and that our best paint options were no or low VOC paint. After much research, we were humbled by the cost of these eco-friendly options. Bamboo hardwood flooring was priced three times higher than laminate flooring and no VOC paint was twice the cost of traditional paint.
As with many other good VS bad products on the market, I was disheartened by the extreme price difference between the more eco-friendly home improvement products and the more harmful/less helpful products. Whether it is food, cleaning supplies, or now home improvement products, I am upset at the cost difference between the helpful/healthful products and the polluting/contaminating products.
Being the naive person that I am from time to time, it is hard for me to understand why a company would 1) create a product that is harmful to people; and 2) continue to sell it when there are more environmentally friendly and/or healthy options available. I personally would be the first company to want to scrap the old product line in order to provide a more positive product to my customers/consumers. I guess that’s just me.
In the end, because of cost restraints, we decided to go with laminate flooring and traditional paint for our mini-renovation. We are pleased with the flooring, although it isn’t the same as hardwood, but much better than carpet. I enjoy the wall color (Behr’s Brown Teepee); it’s warm and inviting. Had we just needed one gallon of paint, I could have afforded the no VOC variety, but when purchasing 8 gallons at once, the cost was more than we could afford at this time. I’m considering painting Jolie’s room some time this spring, and hope to be able to “spring” for the no VOC paint (I looked at the brand offered by Home Depot…FreshAire…and the colors look wonderful).
I hope that companies will consider cost when marketing new, more environmentally friendly products. Making those products affordable will allow more consumers to purchase eco-friendly alternatives and compel other companies to either transition to “greener” product lines or force them out of business. I guess I can continue to hope that someday, environmentally friendly products will be affordable for all.
I was the nine year old that boycotted McDonalds and Burger King when they were serving their burgers in Styrofoam packaging. I was the ‘tween who informed everyone I knew about the danger of CFCs and the hole in the Ozone layer. I was the teenager who searched out the school recycling bins and inquired if each of my classrooms didn’t have one next to the trashcan. I am now the sister who packed up all of the “un”recyclable items during our Thanksgiving vacation and drove them home from North Carolina to ensure that they were in fact recycled. It is no surprise, then, that my kids are the ones who check their unopened toy packaging for evidence of post-consumer recycled content and whether or not the package itself can be recycled.
We try our hardest to make as small a footprint on this world as possible. We recycle, turn the heater down, leave the windows open, combine errands, grow our own vegetables…you get the point. As a family, we are doing what we can to try to make a difference.
In an effort to improve the aesthetics of our home, and hopefully increase our home’s appeal when we try to sell it several years down the road, we decided to give the walls a fresh coat of paint. This facelift was planned in conjunction with the installation of new flooring in our great room (after experiencing hardwood flooring in Washington, carpet just isn’t the same).
Our mini-remodel came upon one big roadblock…cost. Being as eco-friendly as we are, we knew that our best flooring options were bamboo or cork and that our best paint options were no or low VOC paint. After much research, we were humbled by the cost of these eco-friendly options. Bamboo hardwood flooring was priced three times higher than laminate flooring and no VOC paint was twice the cost of traditional paint.
As with many other good VS bad products on the market, I was disheartened by the extreme price difference between the more eco-friendly home improvement products and the more harmful/less helpful products. Whether it is food, cleaning supplies, or now home improvement products, I am upset at the cost difference between the helpful/healthful products and the polluting/contaminating products.
Being the naive person that I am from time to time, it is hard for me to understand why a company would 1) create a product that is harmful to people; and 2) continue to sell it when there are more environmentally friendly and/or healthy options available. I personally would be the first company to want to scrap the old product line in order to provide a more positive product to my customers/consumers. I guess that’s just me.
In the end, because of cost restraints, we decided to go with laminate flooring and traditional paint for our mini-renovation. We are pleased with the flooring, although it isn’t the same as hardwood, but much better than carpet. I enjoy the wall color (Behr’s Brown Teepee); it’s warm and inviting. Had we just needed one gallon of paint, I could have afforded the no VOC variety, but when purchasing 8 gallons at once, the cost was more than we could afford at this time. I’m considering painting Jolie’s room some time this spring, and hope to be able to “spring” for the no VOC paint (I looked at the brand offered by Home Depot…FreshAire…and the colors look wonderful).
I hope that companies will consider cost when marketing new, more environmentally friendly products. Making those products affordable will allow more consumers to purchase eco-friendly alternatives and compel other companies to either transition to “greener” product lines or force them out of business. I guess I can continue to hope that someday, environmentally friendly products will be affordable for all.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Saving on Gift Giving during the Holidays
According to today’s standards, I come from a big family. I have three younger sisters scattered throughout the country, each of them has a significant other, one sister has two children, and who can forget Mom and Dad. When you add it all up there are 15 of us in all. After celebrating Christmas at my parents’ house one year after Jolie was born, we decided that once everyone had children (probably 2-3 per couple), we were going to be forking out a ton of money on gifts throughout the year.
My sisters and I came up with a solution. We have decided to set financial limits and to divide up the gift giving. (Okay, so actually I’m the one who needed to create some parameters and everyone just agreed with my plan.)
For the holidays, we choose names to divide up the gift giving. Each sister chooses another sister and has a $50 gift limit; each guy chooses another guy and has a $25 gift limit, and we each choose a child (I get my sister’s kids because I have the most children…and I’m the oldest, I guess) and have a $25 gift limit. For Mom and Dad, some years we sisters all go together to purchase a larger gift and some years we each purchase an individual gift, it just depends.
Now, I understand that gift giving isn’t all about the cost, it’s about the thought. With each of us sisters in a different profession, making different salaries, it is just easier to set a limit and divide up the gifts so that no one sibling is overwhelmed with the cost that can be associated with the holidays. The kids will each have two gifts (one from an aunt and one from Grandma and Grandpa), which is more than enough in my opinion. We know that each holiday season we will average about $150 on the 3-5 gifts we’ll give to our extended family.
For the past few years we have been celebrating the Holidays during Thanksgiving, when we all gather at a cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. We have been heading to the mountains for Thanksgiving since I was eight years old. There was a chunk of time in which my immediate family missed our annual trip to the mountains because we lived across the country. Now that we are back on the east coast, we are able to participate again. Because we are all in the same place at the same time, we have been decorating a small tree and opening gifts on Thanksgiving. It works out especially well for the kids and Grandma and Grandpa. Mom and Dad get the chance to see the smiles on the kids’ faces as they open their gifts…a win-win for everyone.
So how do you handle gift giving for your extended family during the holidays? I’d love to hear how other families make it through the holidays financially intact.
My sisters and I came up with a solution. We have decided to set financial limits and to divide up the gift giving. (Okay, so actually I’m the one who needed to create some parameters and everyone just agreed with my plan.)
For the holidays, we choose names to divide up the gift giving. Each sister chooses another sister and has a $50 gift limit; each guy chooses another guy and has a $25 gift limit, and we each choose a child (I get my sister’s kids because I have the most children…and I’m the oldest, I guess) and have a $25 gift limit. For Mom and Dad, some years we sisters all go together to purchase a larger gift and some years we each purchase an individual gift, it just depends.
Now, I understand that gift giving isn’t all about the cost, it’s about the thought. With each of us sisters in a different profession, making different salaries, it is just easier to set a limit and divide up the gifts so that no one sibling is overwhelmed with the cost that can be associated with the holidays. The kids will each have two gifts (one from an aunt and one from Grandma and Grandpa), which is more than enough in my opinion. We know that each holiday season we will average about $150 on the 3-5 gifts we’ll give to our extended family.
For the past few years we have been celebrating the Holidays during Thanksgiving, when we all gather at a cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. We have been heading to the mountains for Thanksgiving since I was eight years old. There was a chunk of time in which my immediate family missed our annual trip to the mountains because we lived across the country. Now that we are back on the east coast, we are able to participate again. Because we are all in the same place at the same time, we have been decorating a small tree and opening gifts on Thanksgiving. It works out especially well for the kids and Grandma and Grandpa. Mom and Dad get the chance to see the smiles on the kids’ faces as they open their gifts…a win-win for everyone.
So how do you handle gift giving for your extended family during the holidays? I’d love to hear how other families make it through the holidays financially intact.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Two Loads a Day Keeps the Laundry Pile Away
I start my day each morning with a load of laundry. The earlier I get it in the washer, the earlier I can get it hung, hopefully allowing enough time for me to wash and hang the second load before the (usually) daily afternoon summer shower.
That’s right, I hang our laundry out to dry. I am trying to decrease our electricity usage and save the Earth one load at a time. I’m not sure exactly how much money I’m saving by hanging a load of laundry rather than drying it in my electric dryer…I should look that up. But to me it’s more than just saving a few cents. I want to do my best to help decrease my family's carbon footprint, and if hanging my laundry is one small way in which I can do that, then I'm all about it.
I also like getting back to the way things used to be…the “good ‘ole days” if you’d like…and feeling that connection with those who have come before me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to grab a washboard and run down to the river with a bar of soap to wash the laundry. I do, however, think about my great-grandmothers every time I’m hanging a load, and wonder what their lives were like when they were down by the river, or next to the washtub scrubbing the dirt out of their kids’ clothes, rather than reading a book while the washing machine was going. Makes me thankful for the small conveniences in life.
We currently have an “umbrella” type laundry line. I’m not a big fan of this one, but it was here when we bought the house, so I’ll use it until hopefully Santa can bring me a newer one. Our current umbrella line has rusted so that it has trouble staying open and is concreted into a poor location in our yard (touching some young trees), so I’m thinking of getting a newer model, probably still an umbrella line, but one that can be removed from the ground should we need to move it, or take it with us when we move. We also have a wooden clothes rack that I can use indoors or outdoors. I usually use it outside for our unmentionables. or clothes that are too small or delicate to hang on the line, or if the umbrella line is full.
Two-a-day seems to be the magic number for our family to keep the laundry pile from becoming too overwhelming. We have a three-bag sorter in the laundry room that holds our “waiting” laundry. One of the kids’ chores on M/W/F is to bring and sort their laundry into the three bags (whites, colors, and jeans/towels/sheets) from the hamper in their bathroom…I bring mine on those days too. Then, whichever bag is the fullest, that type of laundry gets to be the first load of the day. That is unless someone is in need of a particular article, or it is Tuesday…Tuesday is change the sheets day, and unfortunately the boys only have one set of “summer” sheets (I know, how can I be such a negligent parent and only have one set of sheets for my children), so their sheets are obviously one of the two loads done on Tuesday.
Now, I say two loads a day, but that is two loads a day, Monday thru Friday. I used to do all the laundry in one day, which was very tedious. Since I’m using my clothesline, I don’t have the ability to do all the laundry on the same day, nor do I want to. It used to take a full day to do all the laundry, and it would always happen that someone would have something they needed washed in the middle of the week, thus throwing off the whole “one-day of laundry” thing.
I think we are all benefiting from our laundry routine. I get a little time in the sun each day hanging laundry, our clothes last a little longer, we save a bit of money and the Earth one load at a time.
That’s right, I hang our laundry out to dry. I am trying to decrease our electricity usage and save the Earth one load at a time. I’m not sure exactly how much money I’m saving by hanging a load of laundry rather than drying it in my electric dryer…I should look that up. But to me it’s more than just saving a few cents. I want to do my best to help decrease my family's carbon footprint, and if hanging my laundry is one small way in which I can do that, then I'm all about it.
I also like getting back to the way things used to be…the “good ‘ole days” if you’d like…and feeling that connection with those who have come before me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to grab a washboard and run down to the river with a bar of soap to wash the laundry. I do, however, think about my great-grandmothers every time I’m hanging a load, and wonder what their lives were like when they were down by the river, or next to the washtub scrubbing the dirt out of their kids’ clothes, rather than reading a book while the washing machine was going. Makes me thankful for the small conveniences in life.
We currently have an “umbrella” type laundry line. I’m not a big fan of this one, but it was here when we bought the house, so I’ll use it until hopefully Santa can bring me a newer one. Our current umbrella line has rusted so that it has trouble staying open and is concreted into a poor location in our yard (touching some young trees), so I’m thinking of getting a newer model, probably still an umbrella line, but one that can be removed from the ground should we need to move it, or take it with us when we move. We also have a wooden clothes rack that I can use indoors or outdoors. I usually use it outside for our unmentionables. or clothes that are too small or delicate to hang on the line, or if the umbrella line is full.
Two-a-day seems to be the magic number for our family to keep the laundry pile from becoming too overwhelming. We have a three-bag sorter in the laundry room that holds our “waiting” laundry. One of the kids’ chores on M/W/F is to bring and sort their laundry into the three bags (whites, colors, and jeans/towels/sheets) from the hamper in their bathroom…I bring mine on those days too. Then, whichever bag is the fullest, that type of laundry gets to be the first load of the day. That is unless someone is in need of a particular article, or it is Tuesday…Tuesday is change the sheets day, and unfortunately the boys only have one set of “summer” sheets (I know, how can I be such a negligent parent and only have one set of sheets for my children), so their sheets are obviously one of the two loads done on Tuesday.
Now, I say two loads a day, but that is two loads a day, Monday thru Friday. I used to do all the laundry in one day, which was very tedious. Since I’m using my clothesline, I don’t have the ability to do all the laundry on the same day, nor do I want to. It used to take a full day to do all the laundry, and it would always happen that someone would have something they needed washed in the middle of the week, thus throwing off the whole “one-day of laundry” thing.
I think we are all benefiting from our laundry routine. I get a little time in the sun each day hanging laundry, our clothes last a little longer, we save a bit of money and the Earth one load at a time.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Our New Toy
It isn’t often that we buy ourselves an adult toy. The kids have their fair share of toys, but Justin and I usually are content with what we have and rarely satisfy those “I want” urges. I’m sure it’s the frugalness in us that says, “No, I don’t really NEED that, but I am going to add it to my wish list.” Our family has a running wish list on the fridge. We add to it anytime we see something that catches our eye, that way when birthdays, holidays, or any other special time comes around, we (and when I say we, I really mean me, because I can never remember what Justin wants/needs, yet he on the other hand can remember every thing I have ever oogled at for more than a moment) have some idea what the other one could really use.
Well, with our move right around the corner, and the high likelihood that we will be purchasing a home, we found that we were in the market for a lawn mower. We sold our old gas mower when we moved from Washington and have just been using an electric weed whacker to clear the small yard we have in our current rental town home.
In trying to be more eco-friendly, we were looking into an electric mower. There are corded and cordless electric mowers currently on the market. They both looked wonderful, but a bit pricey for our taste.
I then just happened upon some reel mowers. You know the ones. Well, actually, I bet you wouldn’t recognize the “new” reel mowers. I remember the one my parents had when I was small. It was metal, it was bulky, and I vividly remember it throwing a rock at me. We were impressed by the price of the reel mowers and their ultra-greenness…there is no gas, no oil, and no electricity to these babies. Just good old-fashioned sweat to make it run.
After some research, we chose the Scotts Classic 20” reel lawn mower. The Scotts had great reviews and was reasonably priced. I liked the fact that it has a 20-inch cutting path, one of the largest in reel mowers on the market. We ordered the mower, along with a grass-catcher bag, which didn’t come with the mower (its only real draw back).
Well, with our move right around the corner, and the high likelihood that we will be purchasing a home, we found that we were in the market for a lawn mower. We sold our old gas mower when we moved from Washington and have just been using an electric weed whacker to clear the small yard we have in our current rental town home.
In trying to be more eco-friendly, we were looking into an electric mower. There are corded and cordless electric mowers currently on the market. They both looked wonderful, but a bit pricey for our taste.
I then just happened upon some reel mowers. You know the ones. Well, actually, I bet you wouldn’t recognize the “new” reel mowers. I remember the one my parents had when I was small. It was metal, it was bulky, and I vividly remember it throwing a rock at me. We were impressed by the price of the reel mowers and their ultra-greenness…there is no gas, no oil, and no electricity to these babies. Just good old-fashioned sweat to make it run.
After some research, we chose the Scotts Classic 20” reel lawn mower. The Scotts had great reviews and was reasonably priced. I liked the fact that it has a 20-inch cutting path, one of the largest in reel mowers on the market. We ordered the mower, along with a grass-catcher bag, which didn’t come with the mower (its only real draw back).
The mower got here today, so what did we do but put it together and play with it. It worked great! No loud engine, no fumes. We are very pleased. Justin mowed not only our yard, but part of the common area at the end of the building. Jake is excited about getting to mow the lawn (I wonder how long that will last). I think the reel mower will be a great addition to our new home.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Garage Sale Blues
Saturday was a big day for me. It was the day in which I was prepared to finally part with most of my baby paraphernalia.
You must know that I have saved EVERYTHING since the kids were born. Every receiving blanket, onesie (except the ones with those “special” stains), outfit, swing, and stroller was saved. Each of the kids’ closets was filled with old diaper boxes (the only boxes that will fit on their shelves) full of out-grown clothes. The outdoor storage area was full of baby equipment. I saved everything from Jake for Jolie, and then from Jake and Jolie for Jensen.
I always figured that it would be more cost effective to save rather than buy new for each additional child. I know that we saved oodles of money saving and reusing all of our baby items. I can’t imagine buying a new stroller/car seat set for each child. I know we spent $150 on the “travel system” we bought for Jake. So I guess we saved about $300 by continuing to use the stroller and infant carrier for Jolie and Jensen. We did add a few new baby items over the years. Jolie got a new swing (Jake didn’t have one) and Jensen got a new crib and mattress (the old one was damaged during our last move). We welcomed hand-me-downs (both clothing and equipment) from friends and relatives. We took great care of our baby items to ensure that they would last until we were done having children, whenever that might have been.
In January, we made the big decision that our family was complete and took the steps necessary to ensure that we would no longer need all of those saved baby items. Because they were no longer needed, we decided to find our beloved baby items new homes. I have, and will continue to, give(n) my youngest sister all of my “boy” clothes. I know that they will have a full life making their way through four boys (Jake, her oldest, Jensen, her youngest). Not having any nieces as of yet, Jolie’s clothes are posing a bit more difficult. I have saved some of her nicer outfits for my not-yet-married sisters. I tried to sell her clothes at the garage sale, with little luck. We will probably take the remainder of her clothes to a consignment shop; and those items that are not accepted, we will share with friends; and those items that are not accepted will be donated.
As for the larger items, I was surprised that they didn’t sell at the garage sale. It must not be new-baby season yet, or people are not used to seeing “antique” baby items in such great shape. Our stroller set is turning nine this month. We are planning to invite over a friend’s daughter, and share our much-loved and gently used items with her. If she doesn’t want them, then I will probably try to take them to a consignment shop, and then donate them if all else fails.
So why the “Garage Sale Blues,” you ask? Well, I prepared myself to get rid of items that had grown near and dear to my heart, and they are still sitting in my living room. I worked through my emotional attachments Monday afternoon while Justin and I got the items out of the storage area and again on Friday night while I was cleaning everything up. The other day I was unsure as to whether or not I would be able to part with the stroller because I had used it with all three kids. Now that I have made the detachment, I am ready for them to find their next home and make someone else as happy as we were.
I’m sure we will find them all homes soon, and I do mean soon. I want to be able to spend some time in my clean living room before the movers have it all in boxes by the end of next month.
You must know that I have saved EVERYTHING since the kids were born. Every receiving blanket, onesie (except the ones with those “special” stains), outfit, swing, and stroller was saved. Each of the kids’ closets was filled with old diaper boxes (the only boxes that will fit on their shelves) full of out-grown clothes. The outdoor storage area was full of baby equipment. I saved everything from Jake for Jolie, and then from Jake and Jolie for Jensen.
I always figured that it would be more cost effective to save rather than buy new for each additional child. I know that we saved oodles of money saving and reusing all of our baby items. I can’t imagine buying a new stroller/car seat set for each child. I know we spent $150 on the “travel system” we bought for Jake. So I guess we saved about $300 by continuing to use the stroller and infant carrier for Jolie and Jensen. We did add a few new baby items over the years. Jolie got a new swing (Jake didn’t have one) and Jensen got a new crib and mattress (the old one was damaged during our last move). We welcomed hand-me-downs (both clothing and equipment) from friends and relatives. We took great care of our baby items to ensure that they would last until we were done having children, whenever that might have been.
In January, we made the big decision that our family was complete and took the steps necessary to ensure that we would no longer need all of those saved baby items. Because they were no longer needed, we decided to find our beloved baby items new homes. I have, and will continue to, give(n) my youngest sister all of my “boy” clothes. I know that they will have a full life making their way through four boys (Jake, her oldest, Jensen, her youngest). Not having any nieces as of yet, Jolie’s clothes are posing a bit more difficult. I have saved some of her nicer outfits for my not-yet-married sisters. I tried to sell her clothes at the garage sale, with little luck. We will probably take the remainder of her clothes to a consignment shop; and those items that are not accepted, we will share with friends; and those items that are not accepted will be donated.
As for the larger items, I was surprised that they didn’t sell at the garage sale. It must not be new-baby season yet, or people are not used to seeing “antique” baby items in such great shape. Our stroller set is turning nine this month. We are planning to invite over a friend’s daughter, and share our much-loved and gently used items with her. If she doesn’t want them, then I will probably try to take them to a consignment shop, and then donate them if all else fails.
So why the “Garage Sale Blues,” you ask? Well, I prepared myself to get rid of items that had grown near and dear to my heart, and they are still sitting in my living room. I worked through my emotional attachments Monday afternoon while Justin and I got the items out of the storage area and again on Friday night while I was cleaning everything up. The other day I was unsure as to whether or not I would be able to part with the stroller because I had used it with all three kids. Now that I have made the detachment, I am ready for them to find their next home and make someone else as happy as we were.
I’m sure we will find them all homes soon, and I do mean soon. I want to be able to spend some time in my clean living room before the movers have it all in boxes by the end of next month.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Miller Cut
I have become a Jack of all trades. I am a chef, an accountant, a maid, a chauffeur, a nurse, and a beautician. Initially I started cutting Justin’s hair as a means of saving money. He needs a haircut every four to six weeks to maintain his military “look.” The first few months, I had questionable results…just ask some of the guys he worked with at the time. They have a name for the “look” my poor husband had to endure, which I shall not speak of here. Now, eight years later, I have perfected my skills and do a pretty mean haircut if I do say so myself.
Yesterday was Miller Cut day at our house. It was that time, once again, when I turn the half bath into a salon and line my boys up for their shearing.
Jensen was first. He is on Miller Cut #5, I believe. He is usually pretty excited about the idea of getting a haircut, but once he sees the buzzers, he changes his mind pretty quickly. Have you ever seen someone try to wrestle a pig? Well, that was similar to Jensen’s most recent Miller Cut experience, except I was trying to cut his hair during the wrestling. His cut turned out great, except for two little spots that will need some additional “love” at a later, more relaxed time. He was in dire need of a haircut and now looks much more like a big boy than he did before.
Justin was next. He is my best customer when it comes to sitting still. Pickiness is another story. I have been cutting his hair the same way for the last eight, well, probably seven and a half years…after we worked out the kinks. I know in advance each of the spots he will ultimately tell me need to be gone over again. I have learned to just smile and nod and make it look like I’ve cut some additional hair, even though nothing really needs to be fixed. He is trying to “update” his style now that we are going to be changing duty stations and he will get to be “the Chief.” I think I’m going to have to up my skill in order to maintain his new look.
Jakob denied a Miller Cut at this time. His last haircut was in June before his annual photos were taken. He wants to grow his hair out to his shoulders. I am hoping to convince him otherwise, but I’m trying to let him be his own person. I will probably splurge sometime before his birthday and have his hair shaped out on town so that we can get photos taken.
Jolie has only had about five Miller Cuts. She is growing her hair out in order to donate at least ten inches for the Locks of Love program. Her hair is long enough now, but we are going to wait another month so that it will be a little longer and possibly give her a slightly longer than chin-length cut.
By instituting Miller Cuts, we are able to save a significant amount of money each year.
We figure that for a basic haircut (at the Exchange) we would pay about $8-$11 plus tip. Justin needs a haircut about every six weeks. That equates to about $80-$104 a year. Our boys wouldn’t need haircuts as often, we’ll say every two months. That would be about $60-$88 a year each. Jolie would probably need a haircut every three months or so, which comes to $40-$52. Imagine how much more it would cost if we went to a popular salon. I have asked Justin to cut my hair, but he isn’t confident enough (I am pretty particular and don’t really blame him for declining). We have chosen that I will get my hair cut out on town, which dips in to some of our savings, but is necessary.
Our total savings per year for haircuts is about $200-$280, after taking into account the cost of my haircuts. All I can say is…Go Miller Cuts!
Yesterday was Miller Cut day at our house. It was that time, once again, when I turn the half bath into a salon and line my boys up for their shearing.
Jensen was first. He is on Miller Cut #5, I believe. He is usually pretty excited about the idea of getting a haircut, but once he sees the buzzers, he changes his mind pretty quickly. Have you ever seen someone try to wrestle a pig? Well, that was similar to Jensen’s most recent Miller Cut experience, except I was trying to cut his hair during the wrestling. His cut turned out great, except for two little spots that will need some additional “love” at a later, more relaxed time. He was in dire need of a haircut and now looks much more like a big boy than he did before.
Justin was next. He is my best customer when it comes to sitting still. Pickiness is another story. I have been cutting his hair the same way for the last eight, well, probably seven and a half years…after we worked out the kinks. I know in advance each of the spots he will ultimately tell me need to be gone over again. I have learned to just smile and nod and make it look like I’ve cut some additional hair, even though nothing really needs to be fixed. He is trying to “update” his style now that we are going to be changing duty stations and he will get to be “the Chief.” I think I’m going to have to up my skill in order to maintain his new look.
Jakob denied a Miller Cut at this time. His last haircut was in June before his annual photos were taken. He wants to grow his hair out to his shoulders. I am hoping to convince him otherwise, but I’m trying to let him be his own person. I will probably splurge sometime before his birthday and have his hair shaped out on town so that we can get photos taken.
Jolie has only had about five Miller Cuts. She is growing her hair out in order to donate at least ten inches for the Locks of Love program. Her hair is long enough now, but we are going to wait another month so that it will be a little longer and possibly give her a slightly longer than chin-length cut.
By instituting Miller Cuts, we are able to save a significant amount of money each year.
We figure that for a basic haircut (at the Exchange) we would pay about $8-$11 plus tip. Justin needs a haircut about every six weeks. That equates to about $80-$104 a year. Our boys wouldn’t need haircuts as often, we’ll say every two months. That would be about $60-$88 a year each. Jolie would probably need a haircut every three months or so, which comes to $40-$52. Imagine how much more it would cost if we went to a popular salon. I have asked Justin to cut my hair, but he isn’t confident enough (I am pretty particular and don’t really blame him for declining). We have chosen that I will get my hair cut out on town, which dips in to some of our savings, but is necessary.
Our total savings per year for haircuts is about $200-$280, after taking into account the cost of my haircuts. All I can say is…Go Miller Cuts!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Favorite Holiday Gift of 2007
Our family's frugality and eco-friendliness have come together in one fabulous product.
My sisters think I'm crazy, but my favorite gift this past holiday season was a Bag Dryer from ReusableBags.com. I was so excited that my parents had gotten it for me that I nearly jumped for joy.
Why so excited, you ask? We are zipper bag savers. I admit it. We wash and reuse any plastic zipper bag that hasn't held meat. It saves us money and keeps plastic out of the landfill.
I use this thing every day. I used to try to dry my plastic zipper bags on the handles of my pans, which never really worked. I keep the dryer out on the counter and have bags drying nearly every night. It works great. My sisters just may find one in their stocking next year...don't be surprised :)
My sisters think I'm crazy, but my favorite gift this past holiday season was a Bag Dryer from ReusableBags.com. I was so excited that my parents had gotten it for me that I nearly jumped for joy.Why so excited, you ask? We are zipper bag savers. I admit it. We wash and reuse any plastic zipper bag that hasn't held meat. It saves us money and keeps plastic out of the landfill.
I use this thing every day. I used to try to dry my plastic zipper bags on the handles of my pans, which never really worked. I keep the dryer out on the counter and have bags drying nearly every night. It works great. My sisters just may find one in their stocking next year...don't be surprised :)
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