Grocery Budget

I have decided that our grocery budget for this month will be $200.
I noticed on our mint.com account that we've come in UNDER budget with our groceries for most months, so lets see if we can keep up with the trend.

Today, I stocked up on alot of items.
Instead of going to the store every week to week and a half, I bought 2 gallons of milk and froze one.  I am hoping not to have to go to the store until after the 15th.  I also bought some fish for us to eat in the next two weeks, a small turkey ham for our breakfasts, and a roasting chicken (which makes 2 meals for us.)

I also stopped by Nickles Bakery Outlet on my way to Aldi's.  Oh, how I love that store. 
Carbaholics unite!

At any rate, the budget is $200 for the month of October.
As of today, I spent exactly $69 from 3 stores.  It is odd that it ended up being a whole number, but it is what it is.

What is your grocery budget?

Recipe: Gift In A Jar: Corn Bread in a Bag

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!

Corn Bread in a Bag

1 C yellow corn meal
1 C flour
1/4 C white sugar (optional)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Stir together all ingredients and transfer to a plastic bag. 

Attach this to jar:

Preheat oven to 425.  Empty contents of bag in a bowl.  Add 1 egg, 1 cup milk and 4 tablespoons shortening.  Beat until smooth (about 1 minute with whisk.)  Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted at the center comes out clean.

Water Challenge

This week, I am going to monitor how many ounches of water I drink.

My goal per day is 64.  I will post my results in the evenings or every other day, depending on my schedule.

Would anyone like to join me in my quest to get hydrated, stay full longer, and get healthy?

Recipe: Gift In A Jar: Cajun Spices

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!
Cajun Spices

3/4 C salt
1/4 C ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground white pepper
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp garlic powder

Put each ingredient into a seperate cup or small bowl.  WHile holding a pint canning jar at an angle, add ingredients to create a "sand art" look.  The salt and cayenne may be divided into smaller portions and used to separate other spices, creating more "stripes."  The salt and cayenne may be divided into smaller portions and used to separate other spices, creating more "stripes."

Attach this message to jar:

Can be used on potatoes, eggs and meat.  Enjoy!

October Goals

Financial Goals: I would like to see if we can live off of Todd’s income this month so that we can pay off Todd’s vehicle by mid-November.  Todd gets paid 5 times in October, but we are going out of state for the first weekend of October for a 3-day weekend.  Can we save $2150?  I just spoke to Todd about this, and he's on board! YAY! That makes it a bit easier!!

Personal Goals: I would like to finally get the fireproof safe organized with all of our paperwork.  I keep adding to the stack of paperwork that needs filed, but none of it is going into the safe for some reason!  Right now, the pile is daunting.

Weight Goals:  I would like to lose 10 lbs this month.  Instead of my drastic measures I usually do (drinking raw shakes every meal for a week,) I would like to try to do it with eating smaller portions, healthier food, drinking more water and exercising regularly.

I plan on posting a mid-month status so that you can hold me accountable!

What are your goals for October?

Regression

In the past month, we’ve been trying to lower our recurring payments as much as we can.  That would include the trash, DSL, satellite dish, propane prices, etc.  I was able to save us over $800/year by (insert link) downgrading or negotiating prices.

I gave in!  Hubby was utterly unhappy when we downgraded our satellite dish.  The few stations he enjoyed were taken away, leaving just 2 that he liked, but they kept replaying the same show over and over again.  When I say he was miserable, I mean he was M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E!  It was not something he internalized, I felt how tense he was and it was affecting our relationship. 

Last Monday, Todd started to do some research and decided he wanted not only to go back to the plan we originally had, but one step higher for $10 more a month.  I really couldn’t rationalize increasing our recurring payment, so we agreed that he would pay for the additional $10/month on top of what our old payment was out of his allowance money.  So, yes, I gave in.

I will admit, one of our leaches is something I wanted: unlimited text messaging.  Todd and I communicate throughout the day through texting because I cannot use my cell phone at work. Instead, I have to go into the bathroom and text from there.  I know, pitiful, but if I wanted to talk to my husband, that is how we have to do it.  That leach is $30/month.

So, we moved backwards on the satellite dish.  Having a happy hubby is so much more worth it than saving that extra $15-20/month!  

Date Night!

Todd and I have been chipping away at our debts for the past several months.  For the first time in over 4 weeks, we are going on a date!!!  I cant tell you how excited I am to go out with him.  Dates are normally every other weekend for us, but he has been out of town and working for the past several weeks that we haven’t gone out together at all.

We love sushi & hibatchi-type restaurants.  We are going to one about a half hour away with our Entertainment Book.  This will get us a BOGO dinner.  We both love food and are all about the experiences.  I would say that about ½ of our “entertainment” fund for the month of September will be going on this date, but I think it will be well worth it!!

Why cant we date at home?  We have a miniature farm.  It is not possible to shut out all of the animals from not bothering us or needing attention, so this will be the first peace and quiet time that we will have with no distractions in a while. 

Do you still date your husband?

Recipe: Gift In A Jar: Raising Crunch Cookie Mix

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!
Raisin Crunch Cookie Mix

1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C raisins
1 1/4 C packed flaked coconut
1 C crushed cornflakes
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C quick oats
1 1/4 C all purpose flour mixed with 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder

Layer ingredients in jar in order given.  Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.

Attach this message to the jar:

Empty cookie mix in large mixing bowl; stir to combine.  Add 1 cup softened butter, 1 egg slightly beaten, and 1 tsp vanilla; mix until completely blended.  Roll dough into walnut-sized balls.  Place 2 inches apart on a lightly gerased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.  Yield: 3 to 4 dozen.

Life Happens

I have been trying so hard to stick to a budget lately. We do really well on some things, and then others we fail miserably…EVERY MONTH!  There are those unexpected leaches that come by every few weeks that absolutely kill our budget.

Theoretically, we SHOULD have been able to pay off Todd’s vehicle by the end of October.  Now, I think we’ll be lucky to pay it off by the end of November. 

Life happens!  We got a puppy (our own fault) to which we have invested a good $500 into right now between 3 vet bills and flea & tick medication for the next 6 months.  The cold weather is coming, and Todd bought snow tires for his vehicle off of Craigslist a few weeks ago for $200.  This is about $300 less than if we were to get these tires from TireRack.com or WalMart/Sam’s Club.  Todd is building Squiggy his own home outside for the Winter, so that has been about $125 (and he recycled a lot of items we had lying around.) Our water softener was on the fritz – there goes $190 (mostly in labor costs!) Normally Todd can fix anything – this was not fixable without a professional.  Oh, not to mention going out of town for a wedding we found out about in August.  There is 2 nights in a hotel, wedding gift, gas money and money for food!  That will be a $300 weekend!  As you can see, these sporadic expenses add up quick!   Those “little” expenses alone added up to $1315!  That is 20% of the payoff balance for the car! 

Oh, did I mention my husband wants a chlorination system for our home?  It will be $1,000.  I want to put it off until next year, but he is pretty adamant about getting it before winter.  Oy!

Can you say beans and rice, and rice and beans for a little while?  I think we’ve only spent $75 this month on groceries thus far, so I’m not sure how much lower we can go on that budget!

How do you stay within your budget?

Free RedBox Movies!

If you have a RedBox nearby, you can sign up to receive a text on your cell phone for a code that will give you a free movie the first Monday of every month.  If you sign up for this now, you will receive your first code on Monday, October 4^th. 

http://www.redbox.com/content.mvc/moviemonday

Because hubby and I like movies so much, we both signed up for this and we both receive a free code on our cell phones.  Sometimes we use them both, sometimes we do not.  The movie does not have to be back until 9:00PM the next day!  Like I always say, you cant beat free!

Hand-Shake

I am the sole Purchasing Agent for a $12 million dollar computer supplies company in Cleveland, Ohio.  This means I get to meet a lot of people from around the United States and Canada: not only by phone but in person.

I don’t think I’ve ever been as offended as I was today with a Sales Representative for a manufacturer we are going to start buying from.  The gentleman would not shake my hand.  At first, I thought maybe he was a germ-a-phone, but when we went into the conference room, he shook my Manager’s hand (the President of the company.)  I couldn’t believe it!

Immediately, the No Doubt song, “Just A Girl” popped into my head.  I am all for women’s rights and equality of women (naturally.)

I am a professional, and from what I’m told, I am good at what I do.

After the meeting, my Manager came up and asked if the gentleman shook my hand.  I informed my Manager that I was offended, but the gentleman would not shake my hand.  My Manager said, “It’s a good thing!  I think he may have broken a few of the bones in mine!” 

This got me to thinking, maybe this was a blessing in disguise.

What are your thoughts on this?  Am I overreacting?

Would you be offended if you attempted to shake a man’s hand and they refused?

Recipe: Gift In A Jar: Cinnamon Pancakes

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!
Cinnamon Pancakes

3 C all-purpose flour
4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 1/4 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt

In a jar combine all ingredients in layers, placing flour on the bottom, then cinnamon in the middle and other ingredients on top.  Attach lid tightly. 

Attach this message to jar:

Empty jar into a large bowl.  Mix thoroughly.  Measure out 1 1/3 C of the mix and set aside.  Return the balance of the mix to the jar for future use.  In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup milk, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.  Add mix.  Whisk until moistened but still lumpy.  Prepare pancakes as usual.

Wordless Wednesday

I saw this at a party and I had to buy it.  It was exactly how I felt about Todd that particular day.

(oh my goodness...I just noticed the dust!  Looks like I'll be dusting this weekend!!)

Recipe: Gift In A Jar: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

3/4 C white sugar
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 3/4 C all purpose flour mixed with 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda
8 large Reese's peanut butter cup candies cut into 1/2 inch pieces (wrap in plastic wrap)

Layer ingredients in jar in order given.  Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.  The cut candy pieces should be wrapped in plastic wrap and then added to the final layer.  This will keep them fresh and the other ingredients dry until use.

Attach this message to the jar:

Remove candies from jar and set aside.  Empty cookie mix in large mixing bowl; stir to combine.  Add 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, slightly beaten, and 1 tsp vanilla; mix until completely blended.  Stir in candies.  Roll dough into walnut sized balls.  Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove to wire racks to cool copletely.  Yield: 2 1/2 dozen.

Retirement:

I have always enjoyed working with numbers as well as dreamed of an early retirement (like now!)  I also really enjoy watching numbers increase when it comes to my savings and investments (who doesn’t?).

Every so often, I check to see how my 401K at work is doing.  As of last week, I had a little over $24,000.  I have been in this position as a Purchasing Agent for 8 years, and all I’ve accumulated is $24,000?  I am a bit embarrassed about that.  I have been investing in my 401K since 2003!

I then found this article online:

http://www.moneyunder30.com/how-much-in-401k-at-30

I am 29 years old, and I make a little more than the number listed for 29 year olds, yet have $6,000 less in my 401K than what is listed as a suggestion!

This is even more motivation to get Todd’s vehicle paid off (soon!) as well as his credit card so that we can start investing with an ELP (Endorsed Local Provider) of Dave Ramsey’s in our area. I realize time is of the essence, but I wish I would have been more responsible before I was married and socked a lot more into the retirement account.  I suppose it doesn’t help that I lost over 18% when the market crashed a few years ago.

How are you doing with your retirement fund?  Are you on track?

Book Review: Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long

I had the opportunity to read Sarah’s Garden by Kelly Long recently.

My husband and I married in Amish Country (Holmes County, Ohio) nearly 4 years ago.  The Amish way of life, simplicity and work ethic has always been of interest to me.  We live near another Amish area and I still get excited when I see horse and buggy driving down the road on my way to and from work.

Sarah’s Garden is a book of an Amish girl (Sarah) slowly finding herself falling for an English man (Grant.)  Both have strong relationships with God; however, it is forbidden for an Amish to marry an outsider without being shunned from the Amish way of life.  Sarah has a natural “green arm,” as the book says and an innocence that Grant cannot let slip through his fingers.  Sarah has a choice between the English man and an Amish man she has known growing up.  The question I continually asked myself through the book is, “Who will she decide to marry?”

That being said, I enjoyed this book immensely.  My heart fluttered every time Sarah’s did for Grant, and my heart sank just the same each time she recognized that she was not to be with an Englishman.  The details of each character in this book were incredible.  I felt as if I knew each and every one of them personally.  There were several twists and turns in the story line that I didn’t expect and a mystery or two to try to figure out, but it was a great read.  I will definitely be following Kelly Long’s books from here on out.


I received this book free from BookSneeze.com to review.   All opinions are unbias and my own

Recipe: Gift In A Jar : Easiest Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!
Easiest Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 2/3 C all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 C white sugar
2 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C packed brown sugar

Combine the flour, baking soda, white sugar, and the chocolate chips.  Place 1/2 the mixture in a jar and pack firmly.  Place the brown sugar on top, again packing firmly.  Finish with the remaining mixture on top.

Attach this message to the jar:

Empty contents of jar into a large bowl.  In seperate bowl combine 3/4 cup softened butter, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.  Beat until creamy.  Add to dry mixture.  Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 oven for 8-10 minutes.  Yield: 2 dozen

Doctor's Appointment

I went to the doctor on Monday of last week to see if I can be taken off of the blood thinners due to the blood clot in my lung I got while in the hospital last year.  We have also been monitoring my cholesterol, which has been high.  Originally, my cholesterol was 298 (should be lower than 200).  The doctor wanted to put me on medication, but I begged him to give me a chance to lower it myself.  3 months later, it was down 50 pts to 249.  Still not the best, but I asked that he give me some more time.  At the appointment this past week, it was up to 264. 

SO…I really need to get to it.  I am going back in November 15^th to hopefully get off of the blood thinners, and avoid the cholesterol medication.  What am I going to do?  I need to watch what I eat, and exercise more! 

In the past, when I lost the 50 pts, I watched what I ate strictly.  I stopped eating shellfish, real eggs, red meat.  Well, this time around, I haven’t been watching what I eat, but have been walking outside with Lana every day (1.25 miles/day).  When I asked the doctor what I needed to do, he said, “It’s simple.  Two things: Diet & Exercise.”

Ugh.  I hate those two words.  BUT, I NEED to stay healthy this year. 

I have a goal.  A goal to lose 20 lbs by my appointment on November 15^th.  How am I going to do it?  I will have to watch what I eat.  Consume only small quantities of the “bad” stuff that I love so much (sweets!,) and exercise more.  Drink more water, eat more fiber and raw foods.  Even though I take Lana for a walk every morning, I’m thinking I’m going to have to kick it up a notch and try to do Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred a few times a week.  I hate that DVD…with a passion.  Big girls do not do jumping jacks…and push ups? Forget about it!  But I will have to attempt to do the DVD at least 3 days a week.

I will post a ticker on the blog to show my progress.

Would anyone like to join me in my quest to lose some of those unwanted pounds before Thanksgiving?

Recipe: Gift In A Jar : Trail Mix Cookies

For the next week, I will provide a recipe every day that I like from the Mary Hunt's book, Debt-Proof the Holidays. I am hoping that these give you some ideas for homemade gift-giving this Holiday season!

Trail Mix Cookies

1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
3/4 C wheat germ
1/3 C quick cooking oats
1 C raisins
1/3 C packed flaked coconut
1/2 C all purpose flour mixed with 1 tsp baking powder

Layer ingredients in order given pressing each layer firmly in place before adding the next ingredeint.  It will be a very tight fit.

Attach this message:
 Empy jar into large mixing bowl and thoroughly blend mix.  Add 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 egg slightly beaten, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Mix until completely blended.

Shape into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookies sheet.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until edges are lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.  Yield: 2 1/2 dozen 

Mary Hunt
Debt Proof the Holidays

Red Raspberries

Even though it took a few years to get a good crop, I love what our red raspberry canes produce.  This is the first year we have been able to enjoy their abundance.  We get this many berries (fills a rice bowl) every other day.  I have put them in muffins, eaten them plain, and Todd loves them in vanilla yogurt.

Todd has mentioned that the raspberries have been his favorite from the garden of all the other vegetables.  I have strawberries in planters, but they did not produce this year for some reason.  I will be planting them in the garden when I get some horse manure in there in another month or so.

How is your garden doing?

I Survived H1N1 2009

Around this time last year, I got very sick.

I was sick for over a month, and it took a few months to recover.  The diagnosis: viral pneumonia in both lungs (one lung completely full, the other ½ full) and H1N1.  I was sick for approximately 5 weeks total (2 ½ weeks before I went to the hospital.)  A total of 10 days in ICU : 5 days in a coma, 5 in a step-down ICU unit.  Feeding tubes, breathing tubes, a double dose of an experimental drug due to the severity of my case, a pick line in my arm for blood, a catheter.  I suffered from low blood pressure (not normal for me), plummeting oxygen levels, ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome : meaning my lungs were failing,) a blood clot in my left lung, and ICU Psychosis (I was hallucinating and could not differentiate what was a dream and what was real.)

Total hospital stay: 17 days.  I was lucid only 7 of those 17 days.

My poor family went through so much.

My husband and I were having marital problems.  Then all of a sudden, his wife nearly dies. That changes a person in a big way. He was a wreck the entire time…especially the first 5 days I was in a coma.  He had to be treated for H1N1 because I gave it to him.  He came to visit me every day even though I don’t remember the first 7 days.  He would go to work for 12 hours (45 minute drive time each way) and then come to the hospital to see me in the evenings when he was cleared to come see me again.

My mother is married to a doctor.  They drove 4 ½ hours immediately when Todd called to give them the heads up on what was going on.  They had to go back home because Doc had to go back to work.  Then they got the call that my lungs were failing.  Doc took off work and drove up with my mom again to see me.  My mom said that she didn’t care if the nurses said I couldn’t hear her, she talked to me the whole time I was in the coma. (Oh great, now I’m getting teary eyed.)  She didn’t give up.  She was so strong.

 It was such a blessing that Doc was around to help out.  You know how Dr’s are – they talk so fast that they don’t quite explain what is going on for normal people to understand. Well, my doctors would talk to Doc, and Doc would then explain to my mother, father and Todd what was happening to me.  Doc had a conference to go to, but he cancelled it to be with his “daughter.” 

My father and his wife came around every couple of days to check up on me.  They are always fun to be around. Always joking and laughing.  I remember seeing my father cry, and that killed me inside.

It’s almost been a year since it’s happened.  My body has been through so much.  I am not glad it happened, but I can tell you that one gains a whole new perspective on life after an ordeal like this.  I remember watching a Nationwide Commercial and bawling my eyes out while in the hospital.  You realize how much everyone means to you and how much they love you. 

There has not been a single day that has gone by since I was released last November that I don’t think about that hospital.  Fond memories of the amazing people who made me well again, the laughs I had with some of the nurses, the walks around the hospital with the physical therapist, my first  hair-wash after 10 days in ICU (a nurse went above and beyond to do this for me.  She offered to do it without anyone even asking,) some of the quirky things that happened, and even the things I want to act like never happened (embarrassing moments!) I only have one scar from this ordeal, and it is on the inside of my arm from the pick line.  But this visit will forever be etched into my heart.

God is good!