tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8021198798854216552024-03-05T09:06:38.054-05:00Married Living on a Single's BudgetUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-19715329920208743352012-05-21T20:42:00.002-04:002012-05-21T20:42:57.206-04:00Coming back, and changing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a busy, busy semester of seminary, I've decided to come back to the blog. The inquiries of friends, family, and requests for pictures of our garden this year have encouraged me to get back to blogging as way to capture our journey of everyday life. <br />
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Blogging at Married Living on a Single's Budget has helped me to identify what I like about blogging, and what I don't like so much. I love writing about things that can help other people, and sharing new ideas with others. But I also love being able to use blogging as an outlet - a personal form of thinking and seeing my thoughts on paper (actually, screen...). It is a personal endeavor for me rather than an enterprise. So I've decided to merge the things I love about blogging and move back to my <a href="http://rewardsofsimplelife.blogspot.com/">Rewards of the Simple Life blog</a>. I've realized that sharing how we try to live frugally on one budget is also living simply, and enjoying the rewards of a pared-down life. This topic feels more true to me and the original reason that I started blogging. <br />
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So I hope you'll join me over at <a href="http://rewardsofsimplelife.blogspot.com/"><i>Rewards of the Simple Life</i></a> and let me know what you think!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-22012964278216342662012-04-12T08:30:00.000-04:002012-04-12T08:30:03.124-04:00How to Get Rid of Stains on the CheapStains...the bain of my existence.<br />
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Ok, that might be a little dramatic. But seriously, who couldn't use a few easy and cheap ways to prevent/get rid of pesky stains?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 - <span style="font-size: small;">To prevent underarm stains on white shirts, sprinkle a little baby powder on the underarms of shirt and iron. That should set in the powder to prevent yellowing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 - <span style="font-size: small;">To get deodorant marks off a shirt, use a baby wipe to more easily remove marks and be ready to wear.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 - <span style="font-size: small;">To get out a darker stain like wine, stretch the shirt over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Then pour boiling water over it to lift the stain. Then wash as regular.</span></span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 - <span style="font-size: small;">This is one of my favorite tips. To remove stains from couch cushions, use a toothbrush to lightly scrub regular laundry detergent into fabric. Then wash in cold water and air dry. This trick prevent bleach marks or rough wear to the fabric.</span></span> </span></span> </span></span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-4920734062767751342012-04-11T08:30:00.000-04:002012-04-11T08:30:02.013-04:00Wednesday Wisdom: Money Management for the Time-Pressed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhi1DoW8ryX3eR4X-x0oqCl-gjG1fYrLuMuwPyGoakPd67aeFoaA6lQrvv6M_gthK989eYqCyNqgkKcm6_AUkmt6hfThTyjj78-3n_PzMKpA5_6xpr5PsYi3EamcwasheK86fO8-yutc/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhi1DoW8ryX3eR4X-x0oqCl-gjG1fYrLuMuwPyGoakPd67aeFoaA6lQrvv6M_gthK989eYqCyNqgkKcm6_AUkmt6hfThTyjj78-3n_PzMKpA5_6xpr5PsYi3EamcwasheK86fO8-yutc/s400/Picture+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/planning/money-management-00100000071665/index.html">This article by Real Simple magazine</a> is perfect for anyone time-pressed and "just too busy to deal with it right now". It is especially great for 20-somethings like myself who need to be reminded and taught about basic money-saving and financial tips. No matter how time pressed you are, take the time to read this article - it even breaks down their 12 easy ideas by how much time you have to work with: 15 minutes, an hour, or 2-3 hours.<br />
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My favorite tips?<br />
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<i>If you have 15 minutes: </i>Find a great shopping app like My Sherpa or Coupon Cabin to find coupons and lowest prices before and while you shop.<br />
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<i>If you have an hour: </i>Have a date with your spouse. Look at and discuss your cash flow, savings, and expenditures, and take time to talk about financial goals and dreams. Work on prioritizing three of those goals and start making a concrete saving plan to make it happen.<br />
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<i>If you have 2-3 hours</i>: Work on your will. If you have children, you really should sit down with a lawyer to do this more extensively. For young couples, begin with downloading Quicken’s WillMaker Plus for $35 from <a href="http://www.nolo.com/products/quicken-willmaker-plus-WQP.html" target="_blank">nolo.com.</a><br />
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To read this article and pick up tips of your own, go to <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/planning/money-management-00100000071665/index.html">Real Simple's Money Management for the Time-Pressed.</a><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-32844943535401950152012-04-10T08:30:00.000-04:002012-04-10T08:30:02.822-04:00DIY Natural Spring BeautySpring is the hardest season for me to ease gracefully in to... allergies, dry skin, and a lenient routine can be difficult to bounce back from. I'm committed to choosing one thing to do better with in taking care of myself mentally, physically, and spiritually, and this year for my physical routine, it's to moisturize. I found a few natural, easy and inexpensive skin and hair routines to help ease into this wonderful spring weather.<br />
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<b>For your hair: </b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPhrScL_xcOXo-I_wU4cEcE9gVEr_duoaOAyH2EqXcTTpGv0l23OTOh8LSaNtwmuNaF6t1_MhyFYEzzoAn9DbjToqXkAdmLqiQU0qoabevg-zld3WDUbuWTt0jDMquhPzpgReqUkitHg/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPhrScL_xcOXo-I_wU4cEcE9gVEr_duoaOAyH2EqXcTTpGv0l23OTOh8LSaNtwmuNaF6t1_MhyFYEzzoAn9DbjToqXkAdmLqiQU0qoabevg-zld3WDUbuWTt0jDMquhPzpgReqUkitHg/s1600/images.jpg" /></a><b> </b><br />
1 - Use coconut oil to moisture dry hair: it seeps into the hair's follicles and absorbs better than other types of oils.<br />
<i>For between $6-10, you can find coconut oil online at <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a>, or <a href="http://swansonvitamins.com/">swansonvitamins.com</a>.</i><br />
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2 - Heat a small amount of olive oil in a dish and use a brush to slowly comb oil into strands. Wash out in shower as normal.<br />
<i>Olive oil can be found at any grocery store, but particularly cheaply (for about $6.99) at <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart </a>or at <a href="http://groceriesexpress.com/">groceriesexpress.com.</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMySrdQ6SP19eXNo4RK8LDXxrwcEx8uEL3Y98AM0agOpp0felh3FtPwX64DFRcrQC7CQcWNGCAue39_2Fc6MSMfAnuerS-AUL2FsM22v0nviB2zyU5EPnhQ7sb_Dj28nDFZTAP0DxOJU/s1600/images2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMySrdQ6SP19eXNo4RK8LDXxrwcEx8uEL3Y98AM0agOpp0felh3FtPwX64DFRcrQC7CQcWNGCAue39_2Fc6MSMfAnuerS-AUL2FsM22v0nviB2zyU5EPnhQ7sb_Dj28nDFZTAP0DxOJU/s1600/images2.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>For your hands: </b><br />
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1 - If you're like me, dry hands = hang nails = ripped skin. To prevent infection and redness after tearing a hangnail, soak finger in a mix of 1 tsp white vinegar and 4 oz warm water for 3-5 minutes twice a day. Then apply ointment and a bandage to keep skin protected. Repeat for 3-7 days.<br />
<i>White vinegar can be found in any grocery store and at the Dollar Tree for $1!</i> <br />
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2 - After showering, applying olive oil to your hands, feet, and knees for a moisturizing sheen.<br />
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3 - Use olive oil at night to moisturize cuticles.<br />
<i>Olive oil can be found at any grocery store, but particularly cheaply for about $6.99 at <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart </a>or at <a href="http://groceriesexpress.com/">groceriesexpress.com.</a></i><br />
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<b>For your face:</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwjMX-YWXTqKXNQbX0E9Cl0sl7tYKuX6Cdb-az9qzlEgvrlkwDYqNm9bYTNtL-ZF0XifV3U_OWUB5I2e1XStKAwd1MGJ94Q1z9I-5UdlE1ieW7pqtUZGcTXXIREmQ0NA3rnhHVpWX3mo/s1600/images3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwjMX-YWXTqKXNQbX0E9Cl0sl7tYKuX6Cdb-az9qzlEgvrlkwDYqNm9bYTNtL-ZF0XifV3U_OWUB5I2e1XStKAwd1MGJ94Q1z9I-5UdlE1ieW7pqtUZGcTXXIREmQ0NA3rnhHVpWX3mo/s1600/images3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="rg_ctlv"><span id="rg_hr">m-decine.blogspot.com</span></span></span></td></tr>
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1 - To exfoliate dry skin, mix 3 parts baking soda with one part water and rub in a gentle circular motion into skin, avoiding eyes. Rub off with a warm washcloth.<br />
<i>Baking soda can be found everywhere - even Lowe's! Its average price is about $1.</i> <br />
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2 - To remove makeup, dab a little olive oil under eyes and wash off with a warm washcloth. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-69604917275129742182012-04-03T10:48:00.000-04:002012-04-03T10:48:14.620-04:00Views from Unpacking<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6uett7WLqfDlq1qJxUUl2tOYCZpDd9bUB2sb8doij6OnHunzFlyo5G4RNANmzg1cRh0Qkgk_mmBYHN63YeYp8pPZPzlM4Gvvf_hVGHA-nY-OtYpMOX7QB09mpGPKkBEbmpHDXcRRxQw/s1600/IMG_3078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6uett7WLqfDlq1qJxUUl2tOYCZpDd9bUB2sb8doij6OnHunzFlyo5G4RNANmzg1cRh0Qkgk_mmBYHN63YeYp8pPZPzlM4Gvvf_hVGHA-nY-OtYpMOX7QB09mpGPKkBEbmpHDXcRRxQw/s320/IMG_3078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our living room - settled, but in the works</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSEbvBLaJldigGG6_lv9o7n0TywM37sKEsrkScMAoNvjWIJdeBIjKwnEClvRNtp2ghQiI70vEzuAyrtWNeNAlBrr6KH8QGeKlSkCzHOjarTcjf-_rF5AO3EcZgqW3XoG2YlVswHpRckQ/s1600/IMG_3080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSEbvBLaJldigGG6_lv9o7n0TywM37sKEsrkScMAoNvjWIJdeBIjKwnEClvRNtp2ghQiI70vEzuAyrtWNeNAlBrr6KH8QGeKlSkCzHOjarTcjf-_rF5AO3EcZgqW3XoG2YlVswHpRckQ/s320/IMG_3080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our catch-all spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIkGOD-a8IMQqlCHNsyvBoSZ86BTrQKpNBb0C-qcLGwUegt8RnIGquoJHw1WxnYNurjm8cE80JGVPVLs5NOUBylVtRB8YHCS_nkUdYJocDvq7ClxIdboflcMlLe4H_JsQhiy7RX224ow/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIkGOD-a8IMQqlCHNsyvBoSZ86BTrQKpNBb0C-qcLGwUegt8RnIGquoJHw1WxnYNurjm8cE80JGVPVLs5NOUBylVtRB8YHCS_nkUdYJocDvq7ClxIdboflcMlLe4H_JsQhiy7RX224ow/s320/IMG_3081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My desk</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFBPeYPRHaDwGFdiQK4mAzF6KlkRvQWe-AZaUBaHMljIdvVb9u_1fPLLCSwzaBJcfQDL2Oi8ChSDvglEJ54pYz4JpeteAUlRxSEjLOVOBFgw7dV2P-clw3A1tVSgBuvAzOzPUw2umaBo/s1600/IMG_3091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFBPeYPRHaDwGFdiQK4mAzF6KlkRvQWe-AZaUBaHMljIdvVb9u_1fPLLCSwzaBJcfQDL2Oi8ChSDvglEJ54pYz4JpeteAUlRxSEjLOVOBFgw7dV2P-clw3A1tVSgBuvAzOzPUw2umaBo/s320/IMG_3091.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upstairs Bedroom - Ben's "command central"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DTRqQ4WfUHWXkK6HvAShFdY4CZbfSktLRGMKTJlkFRHt2Khlky7hbcJLyqCcgO43WGS1S7uNy5SQJf7iXiIj069hs14_089gO0Us7myeAXZuKigJpKuGyaeVaa5ATiNjzXnjxnLw9ek/s1600/IMG_3100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DTRqQ4WfUHWXkK6HvAShFdY4CZbfSktLRGMKTJlkFRHt2Khlky7hbcJLyqCcgO43WGS1S7uNy5SQJf7iXiIj069hs14_089gO0Us7myeAXZuKigJpKuGyaeVaa5ATiNjzXnjxnLw9ek/s320/IMG_3100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My side of the bed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AEvxmSIvjULUVn8XkgrUQvJI60rcygELBhzo5jyI5BIdz9xzOY3_Y7SR6fFYOgksRuKSKJ2dlwNREu0Kk03lV9swY1VzqH46BFjwTd0rbAbtUxtC-bQZDYLu5ShWL-Jewy1Z-m5w_es/s1600/IMG_3106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AEvxmSIvjULUVn8XkgrUQvJI60rcygELBhzo5jyI5BIdz9xzOY3_Y7SR6fFYOgksRuKSKJ2dlwNREu0Kk03lV9swY1VzqH46BFjwTd0rbAbtUxtC-bQZDYLu5ShWL-Jewy1Z-m5w_es/s320/IMG_3106.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new kitchen with so much more floor space! We are still waiting for the landlords to install the new sink unit that matches the upper cabinet - should come in next week!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZEDdXLy9Vfh3jW9_x-Lk0sReFBQgy1I3KcOVjzUe_C3f6ZMuihG6728CgfBee6FENqDokf9eY4OOUxK21mbIvCfO5zREKKAsuHmWCfdk0se30muZ5HFHlHvbYXFfoexcWDygqwmFNSQ/s1600/IMG_3112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZEDdXLy9Vfh3jW9_x-Lk0sReFBQgy1I3KcOVjzUe_C3f6ZMuihG6728CgfBee6FENqDokf9eY4OOUxK21mbIvCfO5zREKKAsuHmWCfdk0se30muZ5HFHlHvbYXFfoexcWDygqwmFNSQ/s320/IMG_3112.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gift from our new neighbor, Sarah - so sweet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKSlhOkS43SUr6E7cRp6Zm5srDDjHoa0378_wwqERHfrWnz_-aOBmbb9-YmC5FurfNHSsWDhKdwRqthWn4Sxs49PQ_Ssw-7yA_w4RCBb2mH2wZMEAHqNT8PgTRHjTDtJuF1Mo_Cholag/s1600/IMG_3115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKSlhOkS43SUr6E7cRp6Zm5srDDjHoa0378_wwqERHfrWnz_-aOBmbb9-YmC5FurfNHSsWDhKdwRqthWn4Sxs49PQ_Ssw-7yA_w4RCBb2mH2wZMEAHqNT8PgTRHjTDtJuF1Mo_Cholag/s320/IMG_3115.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen - Vintage sign from eBay</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2MwtadRgIOWPNpw6hi3MHjb0C9P1OlPnqNFNCjup1DW29xb8-xdbZvqeb5XUtI94Y3P_KRm9YkwsFeKvDkKhH_fuqeK-BjjBqFJSHiA325FC8Kzj8hZCnCLYzoMp2ggEOYq7VAGXWEg/s1600/IMG_3117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2MwtadRgIOWPNpw6hi3MHjb0C9P1OlPnqNFNCjup1DW29xb8-xdbZvqeb5XUtI94Y3P_KRm9YkwsFeKvDkKhH_fuqeK-BjjBqFJSHiA325FC8Kzj8hZCnCLYzoMp2ggEOYq7VAGXWEg/s320/IMG_3117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little table for 2 - the new sink unit to be installed is sitting behind it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajfuW4ft9PaG9f_WnDKjgFQnK9c3qp8rl5KHRqFWjdUG6loPQW4Ebwn70_OO0xEVuRnrTRfp4nRjiv866WeSmKMi2_xIXal6_9RLMCtZBBMMOjefTcVr8J3kqicYLKw4eFiqKHsbXM_M/s1600/IMG_3119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajfuW4ft9PaG9f_WnDKjgFQnK9c3qp8rl5KHRqFWjdUG6loPQW4Ebwn70_OO0xEVuRnrTRfp4nRjiv866WeSmKMi2_xIXal6_9RLMCtZBBMMOjefTcVr8J3kqicYLKw4eFiqKHsbXM_M/s320/IMG_3119.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Study looking into our living room</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-4200513953745480272012-04-02T20:38:00.002-04:002012-04-02T20:42:44.186-04:00Moving In, Starting New<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOtXSguQr92IragkdYimjH4N1CxIxW5ODhTQi4U8jsY9LDjUZGunSoH-HFm0T94YFCm0rUtH6LDvk1LkrjmWLWoHq9tXTdjR4oeuMfLgyqAJZrINiH4fhfW9cEx4-NRU5IvB4HXaW-OE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOtXSguQr92IragkdYimjH4N1CxIxW5ODhTQi4U8jsY9LDjUZGunSoH-HFm0T94YFCm0rUtH6LDvk1LkrjmWLWoHq9tXTdjR4oeuMfLgyqAJZrINiH4fhfW9cEx4-NRU5IvB4HXaW-OE/s320/photo.JPG" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This weekend we moved into a new house in our same little city. It is amazing how much work goes into packing all your belongings up, and then how quickly it is time to unpack them all over again and find their new place. It can be quite overwhelming!<br />
<br />
Thankfully, we had so much help on our moving day. Friends, family, and a big box truck showed up to help us move all our things in only 2 trips. They stayed the day and helped unpack, rebuild, and settle us in, at least a little bit.<br />
<br />
So much change is good, and even welcome, but it is overwhelming. The sheer time it takes to feel settled again can be daunting, especially for someone like me who likes to know what to expect, how to plan for it, how long it's going to take, etc., etc., etc.... Change requires a degree of grace with yourself, the kind of grace you hope others will extend to you when you need it, the grace that you usually do receive. Grace can be much harder to give to yourself, but it is an important lesson to learn, to embrace the messiness and change that is inevitably a part of real life.<br />
<br />
I'm thankful for having to learn, change, and rethink our space. We already love the home-y-ness of our new place, its much more open layout, and the chance to get rid of a lot of clutter we had accumulated in our closets, shelves, and in the nooks and crannies. I would almost move just for the satisfaction of getting rid of the unnecessary and starting again with the revised list of what you want to live on.<br />
<br />
I ask you, readers, to have grace with me as I try to balance moving in, resettling, schoolwork, and intermittent blogging. I'm going to try to have that same grace with myself. <br />
<br />
Pictures to come soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-10635653008155561482012-03-28T10:30:00.000-04:002012-03-28T10:30:02.494-04:00Wednesday Wisdom: 12 Things You Should Never Buy Full Price<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week's Wednesday Wisdom: 12 things you should never settle for paying full price for from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/12-things-you-should-never-buy-full-price-2012-2?utm_source=sugarinc&utm_medium=sugarinc"><i>Business Insider</i></a>.</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
12 Things You Should Never Buy Full-Price
</h2>
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<div class="meta sugar-sso-refresh" data-src="/ajax/turbo/node_header_meta?nid=21755868" id="node-header-meta-21755868">
<span class="updated"></span>· Posted <time datetime="2012-02-14T00:15:25-08:00">02/14/12 12:15 AM</time>
by <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/author/Business%20Insider" rel="author" title="View Profile.">Business Insider</a>
·<a class="comment-count-21755868" href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Things-You-Can-Buy-Discount-21755868#comments"> </a></div>
<br />
<i>We're thrilled to present this smart <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/12-things-you-should-never-buy-full-price-2012-2?utm_source=sugarinc&utm_medium=sugarinc" target="_blank">Business Insider</a> story here on Savvy!</i><br />
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<img class="inline" src="http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2012/02/07/1/192/1922441/d4b266048ae838f7_119099935.preview.jpg" /></div>
With the Internet, helpful mobile phone apps, and retailers
scrambling to keep consumers in their shops, there's no need to pay
full-price for much of anything these days. <br />
To give you a boost, we tapped a few savvy shoppers for their tips on all the ways you can save. <br />
<b>Theater tickets</b><br />
"One of the greatest savings areas recently has been the theater
ticket business," says Anna Aronovich, CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org.<br />
Even if you're not going to be around NYC to score discount Broadway
tickets this month, there are opportunities in nearly all cities to see
shows on the cheap. <br />
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/things-you-should-never-waste-your-money-on-2011-11?utm_source=sugarinc&utm_medium=sugarinc" target="_blank">Related: 15 Things You Should Never Waste Your Money On</a><br />
Some rewards programs like <a href="http://www.optimumrewards.com/whatare.do" target="_blank">Optimum Rewards</a> cost nothing to join and offer discounts on shows.<br />
<b>Beer</b><br />
If you're looking to stock the fridge for your next poker night, don't hit the liquor store until you've checked out <a href="http://www.saveonbrew.com/" target="_blank">www.saveonbrew.com</a>. <br />
The company's been featured on a host of deals sites lately as one of
the best ways to find discounts on brewski, says Jennifer Davidson,
director of operations. (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/19-incredible-household-uses-for-baking-soda-dryer-sheets-andbeer-2012-2" target="_blank">See some incredible uses for beer</a>.)<br />
Read on for more.<br />
"At any given time we have over 250,000 deals online, polling over
50,000 stores," she says. Just type in your zip code, and the site will
pump out the best discounts in your area.<br />
<b>Cars</b><br />
"Everyone knows you should 'never pay retail' (for a car)," says Edmunds.com senior editor, Phil Reed.<br />
Check Edmunds.com's free <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/edmundscoms-tmv-the-magic-number.html" target="_blank">True Market Value price check</a>,
which tells you the average price of a car in your region. That way
you'll know if your dealer's sales pitch is generous or not. (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/couple-buy-lease-car-2011-12#will-our-car-needs-change-in-the-next-three-years-1" target="_blank">See eight questions every couple should ask before buying a car</a>.)<br />
"TMV figures are based on the actual sales of other cars of its kind
in your area," Reed says. "The figure is then adjusted further for
accuracy using sophisticated calculations designed by mathematicians at
Edmunds.com."<br />
<b>Legal advice</b><br />
There are a slew of new sites on the web that are offering <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-make-a-will-2011-12" target="_blank">legal advice from actual professionals</a> at a deeply discounted rate. <br />
Check out a few of our favorites: <br />
<a href="http://www.shpoonkle.com/" target="_blank">Shpoonkle.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.legalzoom.com/" target="_blank">Legalzoom.com </a><br />
<a href="http://www.rocketlawyer.com/" target="_blank">RocketLawyer.com</a><br />
All three sites offer access to attorneys from across the country.
Just search their site for a lawyer in your price range and start saving
as much as 30 percent off traditional rates. <br />
<b>Anything that comes with a plug</b><br />
"From HD to 3D and built-in WiFi, television manufacturers are
constantly creating new features and releasing upgraded models that
create a rapid depreciation," says Julie Vlahon of Techbargains.com.<br />
If you're not dead set on having the latest version on the market,
look to older models to save or scope out deals at warehouse stores for
affordable package bundles that come with extended warranties, she says.<br />
Laptops are also a steal during the busy back-to-school sales season, and you'll score a ton of deals throughout the holidays. <br />
Dealnews does a great job <a href="http://dealnews.com/features/The-Best-and-Worst-Things-to-Buy-in-February/544336.html" target="_blank">listing the best products</a> to buy on a month-to-month basis. Looks like February is prime time for TV lovers.<br />
Just remember to skip the extended warranty.<br />
<b>Gift certificates and gift cards</b><br />
If you haven't cottoned on to the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/you-can-still-make-money-off-those-unused-gift-cards-2011-11" target="_blank">secondhand gift card marketplace</a>, you're missing out.<br />
<a href="http://www.giftcardgranny.com/" target="_blank">GiftCardGranny.com</a> and <a href="http://www.couponsherpa.com/" target="_blank">CouponSherpa</a>
are great sources to nab discounted gift cards for hundreds of
retailers. They're a also a favorite way to save, according to personal
finance expert Andrea Woroch.<br />
"You can score huge discounts for yourself or for a gift," she says. <br />
<b>Shipping</b><br />
These days, nearly all retailers offer some sort option to deliver your purchases to your doorstep without additional fees. <br />
Rock stars like Zappos and L.L. Bean are among the rarest breed of
businesses offering free shipping on every single purchase, says
NerdWallet CEO Tim Chen. But most companies will demand a minimum
purchase before letting you off the hook. <br />
To help track down deals on shipping, <a href="http://www.freeshipping.org/" target="_blank">Freeshipping.org</a> is an excellent source.<br />
<b>Patio furniture</b><br />
"Spring is when retailers heavily promote their summer merchandise,
and among them are expensive patio sets and outdoor furniture," Woroch
says.<br />
"Hold off until after Summer to enjoy huge sales of up to 80 percent
off. Otherwise, head over to a local home consignment shop for discounts
or check Craigslist for gently used alternatives." <br />
Don't turn up your nose a garage or yard sales, either. Chances are
your neighbors might want to get rid of their old furniture to make way
for something new. <br />
<b>E-Books</b><br />
Yes, e-books are basically a discount in and of themselves, since they're far cheaper than the real thing.<br />
But there are still more ways to save.<br />
Many libraries have started to offer free e-book rentals from their websites. You can also check out books library-style from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QVESA" target="_blank">Amazon's Kindle store</a>. <br />
<b>Video games</b><br />
Check out <a href="http://www.lynxsquare.com/" target="_blank">LynxSquare.com</a>, a group-buy marketplace that lets users sell off older versions of their video games online. <br />
You can even pool your resources with friends if you can't afford
some of the pricier games on the market, and eBay's another great source
for finding discounted games. You can trade unwanted games on Swap.com
as well. <br />
<b>Your college education</b><br />
College tuition prices don't appear to be trending down anytime soon, so do all you can to find the best deals out there.<br />
Don't stop hounding your student aid office until you've exhausted
all your federal loan aid. Trust us: you don't want to have to turn to
private student loans, which carry variable interest rates that can leap
into the double-digits after you graduate.<br />
If you're thinking about getting your degree online, check <a href="http://www.geteducated.com/" target="_blank">GetEducated.com</a>, which publishes comparisons of online degrees nationwide. <br />
<b>Printer ink</b><br />
Per technology consultant James Beswick: <br />
"Manufacturers' markup on brand-name ink cartridges is very high.
There are local and online services that will refill your cartridges and
toners for up to 80 to 90 percent off, and I'm not sure anyone can tell
the difference in the final printed product."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-64738678952251470112012-03-26T09:18:00.002-04:002012-03-26T09:19:13.930-04:00Clothing Sale!We're moving THIS weekend, so in preparation I am cleaning out my closet! Most of the things I'm getting rid of are hard to part with because there's nothing wrong with them - I just have to down size a little...<br />
<br />
So I'm listing a handful of them on eBay. You can check them out <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/lesherrm/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3686">here</a></span>!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-30621234616674193892012-03-21T10:30:00.000-04:002012-03-21T10:30:00.751-04:00Wednesday Wisdom: Savoring as a secret for making your $ last<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week's Wednesday Wisdom: Savoring as the secret to making your money last (from my favorite financial literacy source, <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/"><i>LearnVest</i></a>).</span></span> </h2>
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The Secret to Making Your Dollar Last
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<span class="updated"></span> Posted <time datetime="2012-02-24T00:15:57-08:00">02/24/12 12:15 AM</time>
by <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/author/LearnVest" title="View Profile.">LearnVest</a></div>
<i><br /></i><br />
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<br />
Research psychologists have all the best tricks up their sleeves.
Maybe it’s because they study humans like guinea pigs to figure out what
really makes our complicated selves tick.<br />
Feeling stressed? <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/2011/06/an-easy-way-to-beat-stress/" target="_blank">Reason yourself out of it</a> (studies show this actually works). Rushed all the time? <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/2011/11/the-best-time-investments-you-can-make/" target="_blank">Slow down, and you’ll be a nicer person</a> (a famous study we cite shows that this is true, no matter who you are).<br />
Feeling broke? Or wish you could stretch your dollar more? We’d normally tell you to head straight to <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/how-lv-works/my-money/" target="_blank">My Money Center and Budgeting Tool</a>
(you can’t have enough free tools at your fingertips) — but today,
we’re going to give you a break. We’re going to let you in on an easy
way to stretch your dollar and enhance your happiness, and it’s also
totally free. It’s called savoring.<br />
<br />
<b>What Is Savoring?</b><br />
Savoring is the ability to prolong and stretch enjoyment or positive
emotional experiences. It’s the difference between wolfing down a meal
vs. lingering over every bite. It relates to how much time you spend
sitting in front of a sunset (if you even stop at all).<br />
<br />
Scientists have consistently found that the ability to savor promotes happiness (see <a href="http://www.unc.edu/peplab/publications/Tugade%20&%20Fredrickson%202007.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://www.carolinemiller.com/info/Four_Factor_Model_Of_Control_Savoring_Coping_Avoiding_Attaining_Bryant.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>).
Which makes sense. The more you can prolong positive emotional
experiences, the more positive emotions are filling up your day. In
fact, the tendency to savor benefits individuals across the lifespan:
studies show it predicts the subjective well-being for grade-school
children, adolescents, college students, and the elderly.<br />
Read on for more.<br />
Savoring is also one of the best tricks for maximizing your finances,
because you are getting more happiness for the buck — for the same
experience, product, or expense. Which leads us to the ironic point . . .<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b>Money Gets in the Way of Savoring</b><br />
A <a href="http://harvard.academia.edu/JordiQuoidbach/Papers/430601/Money_giveth_money_taketh_away_The_dual_effect_of_money_on_happiness" target="_blank">study published in 2009</a>
from a group of international psychologists hailing from Canada,
England, and Belgium found that money actually impairs people’s ability
to savor everyday positive experiences.<br />
The researchers set out to understand why study after study shows
that wealth doesn’t correspond with happiness. They conducted two
studies, and both confirmed that wealth corresponds with lower savoring
ability.<br />
Participants with a higher income scored lower on a test of savoring.
Oddly enough, even a prompting to think about money corresponded with
lower savoring ability. The researchers found that participants who were
shown pictures of foreign currency before they ate pieces of chocolate
“spent significantly less time eating the chocolate and displayed
significantly less enjoyment” than those who had seen another neutral
image.<br />
So wealth, money, and even reminders of money impair our ability to
savor. We at LearnVest obviously believe in thinking about our money to
the extent that we learn to manage it well, but it appears that
obsessing about it 24/7 will impair our ability to just enjoy life.<br />
Why does wealth impair our ability to savor? The researchers aren’t
quite sure. They surmise that focusing on the grand experiences of life
(visiting the pyramids of Egypt, taking a spa vacation) impacts our
ability to appreciate all the smaller things in life, like the taste of
our coffee or a fresh breeze. And let’s face it, our lives are filled
with a lot more of the smaller things than anything else.<br />
There’s another theory I have, which is that time and money are often
related and triggering thoughts of money causes people to think about
productivity, which causes them to move more quickly. The time spent on
something is directly related to how much we savor it.<br />
<br />
<b>How to Savor</b><br />
Luckily, savoring is a pretty easy concept to cultivate. After
reading this study, I intentionally tried some of these techniques
myself during a recent trip to Iceland, and I can honestly say they
helped me maximize the happiness I derived from the trip.<br />
These are the four common strategies for savoring, identified by researchers. They can be used alone or in combination:<br />
1. <b>Anticipate the thing/event</b>: Typically I don’t dwell too
much on a trip before I depart. I tend to focus on getting things taken
care of before I leave, and exhale once I’m at the airport past
security. But this time, I decided to build anticipation for the trip — I
talked to friends about it, downloaded some Icelandic music, and had
lunch with my group of travel-mates (actually, my LearnVest co-workers!)
to plan activities. All of this went really far toward feeling
excitement for the trip for weeks in advance, up until the day of
departure. I have to admit, I usually don’t have as much fun before a
trip!<br />
2. <b>Stay present and appreciate the current thing/event</b>: When
you’re traveling, it’s easy to get caught up in memorializing
everything, from taking pictures to writing in a journal to posting
updates to Twitter or Facebook. But you can spend more time trying to
capture the moment than enjoying it. In Iceland, I tried to fully soak
in whatever I was experiencing — feeling the misty spray from the
Gullfoss waterfall on my face, savoring the taste of the famous
Icelandic hot dogs, slathering on the mud from the Blue Lagoon — before I
took out the camera. As a result, every moment seemed so much more
vivid.<br />
3. <b>Reminisce about the past thing/event and relish the memory</b>:
When I got home, I kept the memories of Iceland alive and strong. It
was fun to reminisce about all of our experiences, which we did for
weeks. I also bought a cute Icelandic knotted pillow, which is now
center stage on my couch and is a fond reminder of Iceland. I pinned up a
postcard above my desk, changed the screen saver on my phone to a
beautiful shot of Hallgrimskirkja Church, and even decided to dive into a
book by Nobel Prize-winning Icelandic author Halldor Laxness. <br />
4. <b>Talk about it/share with others (at every stage)</b>: Sharing
at every stage (anticipation, experience, reminiscence) helps enhance
our enjoyment — this can mean talking to others, writing about it, or
sharing on social media. My travel-mates and I enthused about the trip
at every meal, sharing our favorite experiences. I tweeted about Iceland
for weeks afterwards, and through social media found some Iceland-goers
to share travel experiences with. Other friends posted their photos to
Flickr. In fact, I raved about Iceland until I’m certain my friends were
tired of hearing about it . . . but hey, I never felt happier savoring.<br />
Keep in mind: I was only in Iceland for three full days. The flight
was $499 and lodging (via an Airbnb apartment) was only $40 a night, but
the amount of pleasure I derived from that trip was exponential — worth
a trip many times that cost.<br />
There’s plenty we can savor, big and small — from taking a trip to
buying that supersoft cashmere sweater to eating that molten chocolate
cake. Each small pleasure in life can be lingered over to produce more
happiness for our buck. And let’s not forget all the free savoring, like
smelling a flower or feeling that first Spring sunlight on our face.<br />
And I’m going to add one more to this list: <i>slow down.</i> Slowing
down will help us all savor the moments of life better. The study
showed a direct correlation between the time someone spent eating a
piece of chocolate and the satisfaction they derived from it.<br />
So let’s make a commitment to linger, savor, and relish. Not only is
this the most economical move we can make for our dollars, we’ll be
enhancing all the small moments of our lives — which, really, is no
small thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-34356182502253515022012-03-15T10:30:00.000-04:002012-03-15T10:30:00.894-04:00Pinterest Inspiration for a New KitchenI just love this idea I found on Pinterest from <a href="http://apartmenttherapy.com/">Apartment Therapy</a> for how to creatively use paint, hooks, wheels, and a paper towel rack (plus a few other things) to make your own kitchen island. <br />
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We're moving in a few weekends (and still have so much to do!), just across the city, but we have a much bigger kitchen to look forward to there, and I love the idea of putting an island in that could roll to the center or out of the way. I'll be hunting Salvation Army now to find a dresser to fit the bill!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-67294973362407913472012-03-14T10:30:00.000-04:002012-03-14T10:30:01.423-04:00Wednesday Wisdom: 10 Things You Do to Save $ that May Actually Cost You More<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week for Wednesday Wisdom: 10 things that you are doing to save money that may actually be backfiring (from <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/">SavvySugar</a>). Very interesting (although I'm not sure I agree with all of them, or their assumption that you won't use your bulk food - I do!). </span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check it out and let me know what you think!</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
10 Things You Do to Save Money </h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
That End Up Costing You More
</h2>
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<div class="meta sugar-sso-refresh" data-src="/ajax/turbo/node_header_meta?nid=21399492" id="node-header-meta-21399492">
<span class="updated"></span> Posted <time datetime="2012-01-19T15:15:37-08:00">01/19/12 3:15 PM</time>
by <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/author/Wise%20Bread" rel="author" title="View Profile.">Wise Bread</a> </div>
<img class="inline right" src="http://media3.onsugar.com/files/2012/01/03/3/192/1922441/45ce86754e9478f3_2x3.xlarge.jpg" /><br />
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<i>We're thrilled to present this smart <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/25-easy-organizing-changes-you-can-make-today" target="_blank">Wise Bread</a> story here on Savvy!</i><br />
Have you heard of the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”? It’s
something I heard a lot growing up, from my parents, and it can have
multiple meanings:<br />
<ol>
<li>You are very careful with small amounts of money, but throw caution
to the wind with large amounts. This is akin to someone who eats from
the dollar menu every day but then blows a hundred dollars every month
on a gym membership that’s never used. </li>
<li>You do things to save money now, only to have those savings cost you more farther down the road.</li>
</ol>
The second definition is what I’m focusing on today, because it’s a
lot easier to fall into the trap of saving money only to have it bite
you later on. Here then are 10 things that you may be doing to save
money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or
years to come.<br />
<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/the-case-for-expensive-shoes" target="_blank">RELATED: The Case For Expensive Shoes</a><br />
<b>1. Avoiding Regular Checkups With the Doctor, Dentist, or Optician</b><br />
It’s something I did in college when money was tight. “Aah, who needs
to pay money to a dentist to have him tell me I should floss more?”
Well, after leaving the dentist alone for a few years, I paid the price.
Avoiding the regular cleanings and checkups left me facing a hefty bill
later on when I needed a bunch of costly fillings. I was lucky that I
didn’t need root canals or replacement teeth. Now I have a dental plan
that covers free checkups twice a year, but even if you don’t, get to
the dentist and doctor for health checks. It’s a lot better to pay a
co-pay now than pay for major surgery later on. And worse still, it
could even cost you your life, especially as so many conditions can be
treated if they’re caught early enough.<br />
Read on for more.<br />
<b>2. Taking Store Credit Card Offers For Discounts, but Paying the Minimum</b><br />
You are probably asked this all the time — “Would you like to sign up
for our credit card today and save 30 percent instantly on your
purchase?” It’s a good deal, <i>if</i> you actually pay off the credit
card in full when you get the first statement. Sadly, when that first
statement arrives, many people find it way to easy to avoid the payoff
amount and instead pay the much smaller minimum payment. Before long,
you’re paying the minimum every month, adding more to the store card,
and you’re suddenly a credit card revolver who is paying hefty interest
charges. That initial 30 percent you saved can cost you so much more if
you’re not careful. Pay it late, just once, and you can add late fees
and interest rate hikes to your burden.<br />
<b>3. Doing Your Own Taxes</b><br />
Many people use software like TurboTax and TaxCut, and they do save a
bunch on an accountant. These software programs are OK for very basic
tax preparation. But if you have anything slightly more complex, it’s
well worth your time to hire a tax professional to file your return.
These people are trained in the minutiae of the lengthy tax codes, and
they can find deductions and tax exemptions that you have no idea about.
And while the software may be able to take these into consideration,
you need to know what you can actually legally deduct before entering
it. I have a tax accountant, she charges around $250 to prepare my
taxes, and she has saved me thousands over the years. She asks questions
that the software doesn’t, and she knows how to get me the biggest
possible refund. I would never trust tax software over her for my
situation, despite the massive initial saving. And remember, tax
preparation fees are also tax-deductible the following year!<br />
<b>4. Building an Emergency Fund, but Not Contributing to a Retirement Plan</b><br />
It’s essential these days to have an <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/figuring-the-size-of-your-emergency-fund" target="_blank">emergency fund</a>.
The finance experts say you need six months to one year of expenses
(although how anyone does that in this dire economy, with pay raises not
meeting inflation and massive unemployment, is something of a miracle).
But experts also agree that you need to look after your financial
future, as you cannot rely on any kind of state pension. If you’re
squirreling away money now in an emergency fund or savings account, but
you’re not putting money into a 401(k), IRA, or other long-term savings
plan, you’re not prepared for something you know is coming — old age.
And with compound interest being what it is, every day you put it off is
thousands of dollars wasted. If your employer has a 401(k) match,
that’s also additional money you are throwing away. Be smart and think
long-term. Once you have that in place, by all means, build your
emergency fund.<br />
<b>5. Buying the Cheapest Products to Save Money</b><br />
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — buy cheap and buy twice.
Now, being a Wise Bread blogger does not mean I don’t like quality
items. I just don’t like to pay retail for them. Almost everything I buy
is well below the <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/cheat-sheet-retail-markup-on-common-items" target="_blank">RRP or MSRP</a>,
but it’s usually a well-made product with a good rating. That goes for
clothes, shoes, electronics, tools — you name it. However, if you buy a
screwdriver set for $1 at a dollar store, or get your shoes for a few
bucks at a flea market stall, the chances are you’ll be buying them
again real soon. Cheaply made, poor-quality items may save you a few
bucks in the short-term, but you’ll only have to pay more later to
replace them. And if you replace them with more cheap junk, you’ll be
repeating the cycle. You get what you pay for. The only time I would say
that this is not true is buying generic brands in grocery stores. In
that case, you’re usually buying the same product that’s in the
name-brand tin or packet but for half the price. <br />
<b>6. Putting No Money in the Parking Meter Because “I’ll Be Back Quickly!” </b><br />
You may be a world-class speedy shopper or errand runner, but you
just aren’t that lucky. Sooner or later, and probably sooner, if you try
and dodge the parking meters, you will get a ticket. These days, a
parking ticket can run you anywhere from $10 to $50, depending on which
city you live in. Is it worth gambling that 25 cents for a ticket?<br />
<b>Getting Suckered Into BOGO Deals and Other Sales</b><br />
<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/why-buy-one-get-one-free-is-usually-a-bad-deal" target="_blank">BOGO</a>,
when it’s genuine, is hard to resist. But even then, whether it’s BOGO
free or BOGO half price, you have to stop and ask yourself, “Would I
really have bought this much of this item at this price anyway?” For
instance, if you go to a store looking for jam, and you see BOGO free on
jam, that’s probably a great time to stock up. But if you’re looking
for a new pair of sneakers and see BOGO half off, stop and think. You
went out looking to spend $60 on sneakers. Now you’re spending about
$100 after taxes. Did you even want two pairs? Will you wear them both?
Do you even like the second pair you’re buying? Sure, it can be a great
deal, but if you really only want, and need, one pair, you should only
buy one pair.<br />
Also be careful when exploring the sales. It’s easy to see those 75
percent off stickers and go crazy, thinking you’re saving money. If you
are planning to resell the item for a profit, go for it. But don’t think
that you’ll get anything near full price for it somewhere else. There’s
a reason it’s on sale. And if you are just tempted to buy it because
it’s cheap, ask yourself, "Would I have bought this if it were more
expensive?" I see so many people <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/advertising-jargon-that-aims-to-mislead" target="_blank">buying bargains that just gather dust in the basement</a>. And they would happily sell them for the price they paid just to have that money back.<br />
<b>8. Driving Miles and Miles For Cheaper Gas or Other Bargains</b><br />
At the time of writing this article, the average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.28. And the average vehicle <a class="ss_inline_link auto_link_filter no_shopsense_url_rewrite" href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/MPG?pid=22161&pdata=onsugar1922441,21399492" target="_blank" title="Shop for MPG">MPG</a> is around 23. That gives you around seven miles for every dollar you spend on gas. <a href="http://www.unfocusedbrain.com/projects/miles_per_dollar/" target="_blank">Do the math</a>.
For example, if you want to put 10 gallons of gas in your car, and
drive four miles out of your way to buy gas that is five cents cheaper
per gallon, you have spent 57 cents to save 50 cents. And you’ve wasted
your time, put more wear on your tires, and used up oil as well. True,
it’s not a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s just not worth
it. I’ve also talked to people who traveled 30 to 40 miles, one way, to
buy something used from Craigslist. So right there, you’re adding up to
$10 to the cost of the item you’re buying.<br />
<b>9. Avoiding Routine Car Maintenance</b><br />
Most of us use a car to get to work. It's something that we need to
make money. It’s also something that needs regular maintenance, just
like your own body. But many of us like to save that money and do only
the basics. We’ll take it in for an oil change, run it through the car
wash, and that’s about it. Of course, then the time comes to get your
next oil change, and the mechanic has to inform you that your tires are
worn on one side because you didn’t rotate them. Or you discover that
little knocking sound you ignored is the sign of a major repair. When it
comes to cars, the old adage “a stitch in time saves nine” couldn’t be
more true. Take care of your car, and it will take care of you.<br />
<b>10. Buying Food in Bulk and Then Throwing Half of It Away</b><br />
I’m guilty of this one from time to time because bargains are so hard
to pass up. When you see a whole bunch of bananas on sale for less than
half the price, you grab them. But then you watch them turn black
because you bought too many. I have lost count of the food items I have
bought over my lifetime that I never got a chance to use. Ironically,
when I was a poor student, it didn’t happen. I would shop from day to
day, buying fresh produce and cooking it that night. It would last two
or three meals and then I’d start again. The fridge was bare. These
days, I have so much stuff in the fridge I don’t know what’s in there,
and I think that’s a big problem. We load up on cheap bulk items and
then have no way of using it all. So while buying in bulk is good for
lots of things, be careful when buying perishables. It’s not a bargain
if you throw it away.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-35731343622151313752012-03-14T09:29:00.000-04:002012-03-14T09:29:04.934-04:00Healthy Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick's DayLast year was the first year we actually did something Irish (think corned beef hash, Guinness, and soda bread), at the invitation of friends, for St. Patrick's Day. And it was surprisingly fun! This year, I've been searching out healthier recipes for alternative St. Patty's Day recipes - some of the classics, and some a little different. Since I'm not a hard-core St. Patrick's Day observer, I figure it's okay to switch it up a little! I think these would be fun to have for a green St. Patty's Day get-together with friends. You could even split up each part of the meal potluck-style for less work. Enjoy!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/09/27/hot-spinach-artichoke-dip-recipe/">Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip - 2 WW Points!</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZi1O-dF4tHMLEWzgsQeHr9_aXNAL23karZcN-i9J9qIZjgWNxGrI1MxxVkMDDT4N1mYKCEiVnEu5BJGQhvA1LdKA-0p8YLSrpMMzmuL7bEmzH5dtnd58FU-qF60s2VmwgGNj8PwqAos/s1600/IMG_8089-682x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZi1O-dF4tHMLEWzgsQeHr9_aXNAL23karZcN-i9J9qIZjgWNxGrI1MxxVkMDDT4N1mYKCEiVnEu5BJGQhvA1LdKA-0p8YLSrpMMzmuL7bEmzH5dtnd58FU-qF60s2VmwgGNj8PwqAos/s400/IMG_8089-682x1024.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/02/04/savory-spinach-bites/">Savory Spinach Bites</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhzCZ78qQQseqSXVeCbD-0aeQtvid7ig0nNFOGZSfGL4BnT9eBah14Tl0hH8_PQUDYzvpGUWwIri0qcIRuqyY0NJ9U8gKY46Py-NQUm3hdUmyJUhZE9JQ6TDqV77OfC-g3sjCi4kebwc/s1600/IMG_6377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhzCZ78qQQseqSXVeCbD-0aeQtvid7ig0nNFOGZSfGL4BnT9eBah14Tl0hH8_PQUDYzvpGUWwIri0qcIRuqyY0NJ9U8gKY46Py-NQUm3hdUmyJUhZE9JQ6TDqV77OfC-g3sjCi4kebwc/s400/IMG_6377.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/27/cilantro-lime-chickpea-salad-sweat-wicking-workout-wear/">Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8UKxBazedU1GuagrH6ZvFwlcFjQKyTmY5hB-xhslnpDmag0k_flQIGVu8Lih6h9GqGK_LXsqDz2uBxFwJkYWLciEKPhOs8lBpVbAWdZVJMDOmkTatxyFDZ-QqmylYTWvgMnZ7IEEiA0/s1600/Mac+&+Cheese+Muffins+whole+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8UKxBazedU1GuagrH6ZvFwlcFjQKyTmY5hB-xhslnpDmag0k_flQIGVu8Lih6h9GqGK_LXsqDz2uBxFwJkYWLciEKPhOs8lBpVbAWdZVJMDOmkTatxyFDZ-QqmylYTWvgMnZ7IEEiA0/s400/Mac+&+Cheese+Muffins+whole+pan.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.emilybites.com/2011/04/mac-cheese-muffins.html">Spinach Mac and Cheese "Muffins"</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5ZhO55LPQh3wMe7NVCUHA_fbP03AtkG_qR4W9pvhgFQ_3eFUh5fgJ-gSb84ZstXHd31cWOMDa2UQFb9uXdeTjrOD4u7YpDN-GndSH1zrpikp10MOLSZj2sUQDBWIXJCeXcQ4DoEGFA0/s1600/beef-guinness-stew-ck-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5ZhO55LPQh3wMe7NVCUHA_fbP03AtkG_qR4W9pvhgFQ_3eFUh5fgJ-gSb84ZstXHd31cWOMDa2UQFb9uXdeTjrOD4u7YpDN-GndSH1zrpikp10MOLSZj2sUQDBWIXJCeXcQ4DoEGFA0/s1600/beef-guinness-stew-ck-l.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/beef-guinness-stew-10000001963989/">Beef and Guinness Stew - Cooking Light</a></div>
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<a href="http://mixthatdrink.com/how-to-make-green-beer-leprechaun-style/">Green Beer</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKBIl4eKLlPSyCQ8RkGqrWNVFSwD0_RXofJndbrzKW1HCq6IrwOaeORX6eBhuo5G_YMCSGZCS3Wsv6H8CR_tg37Wdx1PdwqqGcmu43OL8JknZuCFOyRHVdi_rPYz_gu_AD16rrdg1qMk/s1600/wheat-bread-ck-577154-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKBIl4eKLlPSyCQ8RkGqrWNVFSwD0_RXofJndbrzKW1HCq6IrwOaeORX6eBhuo5G_YMCSGZCS3Wsv6H8CR_tg37Wdx1PdwqqGcmu43OL8JknZuCFOyRHVdi_rPYz_gu_AD16rrdg1qMk/s1600/wheat-bread-ck-577154-l.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1657737621">Hearty Stout Wheat Bread</a><a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hearty-wheat-bread-10000000577154/"> - Cooking Light</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/irish-coffee-10000001963991/">Irish Coffee - Cooking Light </a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6QYQrCbSVdKceox1vFMZT2Ju_F-xULFb1nIKR1kg68TC1bp6MzjfaKl9h4Bm9mGiP0yxsLocSK3WQdP5lvYN7DtYMyL-jRHgUnADELD2f2p_LlMemoTbwJuw6fggSs00Yl0TTvCb9pc/s1600/key-lime-pie-st-patricks-day-recipe-photo-260-FF0300ALM3A01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6QYQrCbSVdKceox1vFMZT2Ju_F-xULFb1nIKR1kg68TC1bp6MzjfaKl9h4Bm9mGiP0yxsLocSK3WQdP5lvYN7DtYMyL-jRHgUnADELD2f2p_LlMemoTbwJuw6fggSs00Yl0TTvCb9pc/s1600/key-lime-pie-st-patricks-day-recipe-photo-260-FF0300ALM3A01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kiwi-lime-pie-714992/">Kiwi Lime Pie - Kid Friendly!</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyMeNpFlr1I85HpaW0972EN7CvXAHsdmX4r1yCm9W2lLMec6Fy5IVOYD9f-8gcIKRS0x4iV5HluciHtUQRNSAwwUGcfTeMlVTpeOX6G1ZWlw0nQ0oWkpggZuWsjwNXtzMXiHeWxu_G2A/s1600/irish+cream+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyMeNpFlr1I85HpaW0972EN7CvXAHsdmX4r1yCm9W2lLMec6Fy5IVOYD9f-8gcIKRS0x4iV5HluciHtUQRNSAwwUGcfTeMlVTpeOX6G1ZWlw0nQ0oWkpggZuWsjwNXtzMXiHeWxu_G2A/s320/irish+cream+pie.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/irish-cream-pie/66bd36ce-9b61-4b1f-a4cb-7f31dda77e20?source=searchresultpage&terms=st%2520patricks%2520day">Irish Cream Pie</a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-12673705648759025972012-03-13T14:30:00.000-04:002012-03-13T14:30:00.678-04:005 Ideas for Repurposing PillowcasesIf you're like me, my pillowcases seem to be mismatched and a variety of hand-me-downs, with the exception of our nice pillowcases that match our best sheets, of course a gift from our wedding registry. We love these sheets and usually wash them over and over again so that they're the sheets we (almost) always have on the bed. So I already own several pillowcases that I just don't really use. I love these ideas for how to re-purpose a pillowcase.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR3vskI-ZFpUWJQ5BN_HH171NW6WjDmZqwWc2EGIRACZJmLoJQt998diDaRc3R5h-cdHDKeVN3G5rqARhZnolIiOEgYd8YVbQdVfdkUub0SSmsd2lyXe34HbgmB1mF8vxhRUSQpLsK2E/s1600/RSPillowcaseLingerie_0019_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR3vskI-ZFpUWJQ5BN_HH171NW6WjDmZqwWc2EGIRACZJmLoJQt998diDaRc3R5h-cdHDKeVN3G5rqARhZnolIiOEgYd8YVbQdVfdkUub0SSmsd2lyXe34HbgmB1mF8vxhRUSQpLsK2E/s200/RSPillowcaseLingerie_0019_300.jpg" width="167" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1</span><span style="font-size: small;">- Keep your underwear under wraps. </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">When traveling, no one likes to have their bag opened and have underwear laying out (or especially flying out!) in a crowded suitcase. Tuck your intimates in a pillowcase so they are more discreetly packed for your next trip.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicpL3DnuSH7DC9JHXt-llFVaB3-vbwYyYDV269SQHU1YyiyDIEHeupKOdKRtO06MsxuGHh7ig-mu5Ha7C5oyZu6CUw8QUgL_xCBhVx3qaehbKDkLTcGa9eE_2q9vwSCGExuI4aWL-7Mo/s1600/tumblr_lfcairwitD1qgrd2xo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicpL3DnuSH7DC9JHXt-llFVaB3-vbwYyYDV269SQHU1YyiyDIEHeupKOdKRtO06MsxuGHh7ig-mu5Ha7C5oyZu6CUw8QUgL_xCBhVx3qaehbKDkLTcGa9eE_2q9vwSCGExuI4aWL-7Mo/s200/tumblr_lfcairwitD1qgrd2xo1_400.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">2<span style="font-size: small;"> - Protect your dresses.</span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cut a hole in the top of a pillowcase and slide it over a hanger for a DIY slipcover to protect your nicer dresses.</span></span></span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR5D-bc7nMNHt6k7FCdUdZ9w0PectMrL6JW2jdgX1pEI0p7fPfzeADLwMm3vxMZCPktbk6yB29cxMUHf5Ht3paegEjNTL4c6WDueel8c-omxE2HjEeb-jiZAmsDPU43x7-2fz8p5f7xU/s1600/101811_appliancepillow3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR5D-bc7nMNHt6k7FCdUdZ9w0PectMrL6JW2jdgX1pEI0p7fPfzeADLwMm3vxMZCPktbk6yB29cxMUHf5Ht3paegEjNTL4c6WDueel8c-omxE2HjEeb-jiZAmsDPU43x7-2fz8p5f7xU/s200/101811_appliancepillow3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">3<span style="font-size: small;"> - Protect your small appliances from dust.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Slip a pillowcase over a sewing machine or other infrequently used small appliances that could collect dust in its crevices.</span></span></span></span></span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTQWxNkL9KbmDE2rWrihFYe_em7PEqWKFI4Am2sGpDnTbmXWz889OUSZ-bpucTU69Vw-6g0KraDD20YWFl2MSMoEJpMB618tDep3Ikv01ObB7rpWUfJ7e6Fw8QnJMQ8n-JoENDvp8UzU/s1600/DSCN0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTQWxNkL9KbmDE2rWrihFYe_em7PEqWKFI4Am2sGpDnTbmXWz889OUSZ-bpucTU69Vw-6g0KraDD20YWFl2MSMoEJpMB618tDep3Ikv01ObB7rpWUfJ7e6Fw8QnJMQ8n-JoENDvp8UzU/s200/DSCN0223.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">4<span style="font-size: small;"> - Make lettuce last longer. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">For more on this, check out <a href="http://marriedlivingonasinglesbudget.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-preserve-your-lettuce-little.html">my earlier post</a> on this topic! </span></span> </span></span> </span></span> </span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DaC6hskXsIg-fxC6nETCgNbFa0Z5gZbopA2qWw_QeA6JXP6s5Okqz-RWXs2cQrzOVmJHYUcJ0UXmal-qqNYmIBR0XepoO22l6RLysfbBp_evBLNR-tqFFYmE3xF2rjQOh5tOzn0pUyg/s1600/paper-roll_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DaC6hskXsIg-fxC6nETCgNbFa0Z5gZbopA2qWw_QeA6JXP6s5Okqz-RWXs2cQrzOVmJHYUcJ0UXmal-qqNYmIBR0XepoO22l6RLysfbBp_evBLNR-tqFFYmE3xF2rjQOh5tOzn0pUyg/s200/paper-roll_300.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">5<span style="font-size: small;"> - Make a child's smock.</span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cut a large neck hole in the top of a pillowcase and two smaller holes in the sides for arms. Gather the fabric between the neck and each armhole and tie with a ribbon to fit smaller shoulders.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-45914525945854530962012-03-13T10:30:00.000-04:002012-03-13T10:30:01.277-04:00A (Not-So-Early) Morning Prayer of Un-Domesticity<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
A (Not-So-Early) Morning Prayer of Un-Domesticity</h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">{<i>This is a re-post from my previous blog, Rewards of the Simple Life. It's one of the outcomes of my journaling over the summer about learning to find <a href="http://marriedlivingonasinglesbudget.blogspot.com/search/label/contentment">contentment</a> in the everyday moments of life.</i>}</span> </h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="rg_ctlv"><span id="rg_hr">thestir.cafemom.com</span></span></span></td></tr>
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As I look at the pile of dishes ever-growing on the counters,</div>
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the assorted mugs, teacups, and glasses abandoned on once empty surfaces,</div>
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and the general feeling of dishevelment,</div>
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I am reminded</div>
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that I am no domestic goddess;</div>
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no Martha Stewart,</div>
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Rachel Ray, </div>
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or Pioneer Woman.</div>
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I am just <i>me</i>.</div>
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And although being me means that there will not be perfect order,</div>
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perfectly cooked meals</div>
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or promptly cleaned up spills,</div>
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it does mean that I am being true to who I am made to be,</div>
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which somehow at the same time, allows me to grow into</div>
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what I'm not quite</div>
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...yet.</div>
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I have been made by One whose vision for me is wider</div>
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than the state </div>
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of my countertops</div>
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or the clarity of my thoughts (or window panes!);</div>
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whose call to me is found </div>
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<i>outside</i> </div>
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of my own imperfections,</div>
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a call to grasp this day as an opportunity</div>
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an opportunity to love</div>
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to embrace change</div>
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to reach out to a neighbor</div>
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and to do what I <i>can</i> do,</div>
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while asking for help at every turn</div>
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along the way.</div>
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Thank You</div>
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that You do not call me to be perfect, successful, or domestic;</div>
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as Mother Teresa said,</div>
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You just call me to be</div>
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faithful.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-20151664854919489212012-03-12T12:24:00.001-04:002012-03-12T12:24:22.227-04:00Weekly Meal Plan {3/12-3/18}Happy Monday everyone! Here is our meal plan for the week ahead:<br />
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<i>Monday: </i><br />
Pork Chops - We get these from Costco for a great price and freeze most of them right away. <br />
<ul>
<li>Rub each side of chop with generous salt and pepper. </li>
<li>Saute in heated pan at medium-high heat in olive oil for a few minutes on each side until brown.</li>
<li>Transfer to an oven preheated to 375. Bake for 10-12 more minutes or until done. </li>
</ul>
Sauerkraut - I am going to make my own with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kitchenaid-RVSA-Rotor-Slicer-Shredder/dp/B001KOXWFA/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1331567913&sr=8-15">a great attachment piece</a> for my Kitchen Aid mixer that my in-laws gave me for Christmas, but you can buy already made sauerkraut for a pretty cheap price to save time.<br />
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Potatoes - Mashed or baked, your choice. (we haven't decided yet!)<br />
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<i>Tuesday:</i><br />
<a href="http://kittencalskitchen.com/2010/01/26/crockpot-baked-beans-and-pork-chops/">Pork and Baked Beans</a> in Crockpot (note: I will significantly cut back the number of pork chops from what this recipe calls for - probably to 2-3 chops, halved or quartered)<br />
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Spinach Salad with walnuts, craisins, and shredded mozzarella<br />
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<i>Wednesday:</i><br />
Leftovers from yesterday's meal<br />
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<i>Thursday: </i><br />
<a href="http://jenncuisine.com/2011/03/rosti-aka-the-swiss-hash-brown-pancake/">Rosti</a> - A simple Swiss potato dish. I use a recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Expanded-Edition-Community-Cookbook/dp/0836194942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331569197&sr=8-1"><i>Simply in Season</i></a>, but <a href="http://jenncuisine.com/2011/03/rosti-aka-the-swiss-hash-brown-pancake/">this recipe</a> is very similar and offers some helpful tips for perfecting the art of making Rosti. (note: I will use cheddar cheese rather than gruyere as this recipe recommends, simply because it is cheaper.)<br />
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Spinach Salad with bacon crumbles, vinaigrette, and hard-boiled egg slices<br />
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<i>Friday:</i><br />
OUT to eat!<br />
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<i>Saturday:</i><br />
<a href="http://thelazyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2006/04/i-love-my-crockpot-chili-recipe.html">Chili in the crockpot</a><br />
<a href="http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1380599-Cornbread">Cornbread</a> from <i>Simply in Season</i> (note: sometimes I like to add in creamed corn for a more creamy, sweeter alternative)<br />
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<i>Sunday: </i><br />Leftover chili<br />
Spinach salad<br />
Freezer raiding for dinner (to each his/her own!)<br />
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If you haven't already, I would encourage you to check out (and consider purchasing) the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Expanded-Edition-Community-Cookbook/dp/0836194942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331569197&sr=8-1">Simply in Season cookbook</a>. It is full of many useful recipes, organized by season and featuring produce that is fresh in that season. The recipes are simple and can be creatively adapted to your liking (often they add ideas for changing them up a bit). It is my go-to cookbook on days that I don't know what to do with the produce I have around!<br />
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Enjoy your week!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-86360973256166078832012-03-08T10:30:00.000-05:002012-03-12T13:03:44.970-04:00Freezer Day<br />
{<i>This is a re-post of a November 2011 post on my prior blog, Rewards of the Simple Life. It is still useful and relevant to reread today!</i>}<br />
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I have been realizing how necessary it is for me to plan ahead
with meals or at least have quick go-to meals on hand for weekday
evenings. Since my classes are often in the afternoons and evenings, I
often have to pack dinner for a few days, as well as leave Ben to "fend
for himself" for a few evenings while I'm gone. All that to say, some
freezer restocking was much needed! I was inspired by <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/02/how-to-plan-bulk-cooking.html">this post from Money-Saving Mom</a>
to plan my own freezer/cooking day to stock up for the next few
weeks. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnyVYySyZsJO8esB8LB9xqlqYc2GkBJKyWTyjg_yv_iYVmPuQpVkJguG7LHztkVTqCSSPNSBhdi6SteHRJ0Wxw8luDXNaK0RhseK-jR_TuwhgU3X6wkRgud0woO87wHLOx8unqQyr538/s1600/IMG_2473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnyVYySyZsJO8esB8LB9xqlqYc2GkBJKyWTyjg_yv_iYVmPuQpVkJguG7LHztkVTqCSSPNSBhdi6SteHRJ0Wxw8luDXNaK0RhseK-jR_TuwhgU3X6wkRgud0woO87wHLOx8unqQyr538/s320/IMG_2473.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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After using MSM's model to plan out what meals I wanted to make, what
ingredients I needed to buy (which involved inventorying my pantry) and
then making a to-do list for my afternoon. I decided on 5 different
meal options to make, and 2 baking recipes to try.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/broccoli-cheddar-pockets-recipe2/index.html">Broccoli Cheddar Pockets</a> (from Food Network magazine)<br />
- <a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/cheesy-chicken-and-rice-bake/">Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake</a><br />
- <a href="http://lovelylittlesnippets.blogspot.com/2011/02/bread-machine-pizza-dough.html">Pizza Dough and Sauce</a><br />
- Broccoli-Cheese Potato Soup (from Simply in Season cookbook - one of my favorites!)<br />
- Sloppy Joe meat<br />
<br />
-<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-banana-bread-10000000549764/"> Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=no-bake%20energy%20bites&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsmashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fno-bake-energy-bites-recipe.html&ei=A666TpT1DabC2wXhjpWvBw&usg=AFQjCNH-VxGY5QtbDxH6UTlmMlXXa3YwwQ&sig2=KDES8mVnaF8IMgrHQDsOfg&cad=rja">No-Bake Energy Bites</a><br />
<br />
I was ambitiously hoping to also make shredded barbecue chicken and my
favorite black bean burgers, but I lost steam by evening and opted for a
break instead.<br />
<br />
I set out to work, and was amazed at how smoothly everything went with
my plan in hand. I rarely take the time beforehand to think about the
order that I should cook in to make sure things get done in a good
order, which leaves me frustrated later that something is cold while
another thing still has hours left to bake. My take-away from my
freezer day was to continue planning out my cooking/freezer days with
this method. For me, planning = a much higher degree of success!<br />
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<br />
After adding 5 new meal options, it seemed like I needed to have some
way to keep track of what I have in my freezer so that it actually gets
used! Until I can think of a more creative method, I have started a list
on the side of our freezer that lists the number of each thing that we
have in our freezer for quick reference. That way, when I use
something, I can cross it off and know how much I have left for the next
time.<br />
<br />
It feels so good to be organized!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-44006469190586183652012-03-07T10:30:00.000-05:002012-03-07T10:39:15.891-05:00Wednesday Wisdom: 6 Tips to Stay Organized while Grocery Shopping<h2 style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">This week for Wednesday Wisdom: 6 Great Tips for staying organized (and taking advantage of online resources and phone apps) to help you save money at the grocery store from <a href="http://savvysugar.com/">SavvySugar</a>.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h2>
<h2 style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">
6 Ways to Stay Organized When Grocery Shopping
</h2>
<hr />
<div class="meta sugar-sso-refresh" data-src="/ajax/turbo/node_header_meta?nid=21843868" id="node-header-meta-21843868">
<span class="updated"></span> Posted <time datetime="2012-02-20T14:31:05-08:00">02/20/12 2:31 PM</time>
by <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/author/Emily%20Co" rel="author" title="View Profile.">Emily Co</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img class="inline" src="http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2012/02/08/1/192/1922441/31c24695e73f3476_86505212.preview.jpg" /></div>
Browsing the supermarket aisle is always fun, but doing it week after
week can get old, especially if you have other errands to take care of.
It's important to be more efficient when shopping for groceries to
avoid wasting time and potentially forgetting some grocery essentials.
Here are a couple of tips that will help you be more organized:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Keep a list</b>. Lists are always crucial to organization, and
just to make sure you don't forget anything or buy unnecessary items,
document your weekly grocery needs. There are plenty of ways to do so —
you can keep your own Google Doc, a text document, or a simple notepad.
There are even free printable grocery lists online that let you check
off which groceries you need. A good one to check out is the very
detailed <a href="http://www.grocerylists.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/grocerylistsDOTorg_Deluxe_v3_0.pdf" target="_blank">Ultimatest grocery list</a> (they even have a <a href="http://www.grocerylists.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/grocerylistsDOTorg_Vegetarian_v1_0.pdf" target="_blank">vegetarian version</a>). </li>
<li><b>Use apps</b>. Experiment with <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Grocery-Apps-20133901">grocery shopping apps</a> and consider keeping a running list of groceries on an app like <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Grocery-Apps-20133901?slide=1">Ziplist</a>, which lets you sync up with lists of other people on your phone for convenience. You can even use discount-seeking apps like <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Grocery-Apps-20133901?slide=3">Grocery Pal</a>, which shows you what items are on sale, and coupon locator apps like <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Best-Grocery-Apps-20133901?slide=5">Coupon Sherpa or Yowza!!</a>. The coupon apps will display bar codes, which the cashier can scan to give you the discount.</li>
<li><b>Time it well</b>. Pick the right time to go grocery shopping. You
want to avoid going when there are crowds, because shopping and waiting
in line for the cashier may take longer than usual. It's also good to
go before the supermarket rush because most items will be in stock; this
will prevent you from having to go back if a certain item was not
available. The best dates to shop may differ depending on the grocery
store, so be sure to observe your supermarket and pick up the crowd
patterns. Lifehacker suggests <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5809759/save-on-groceries-by-shopping-late-in-the-evening-especially-wednesdays" target="_blank">Wednesday night as an ideal time</a>
because "many grocery stores release their new sale advertisements that
day but also honor the sales items from the previous week." Personally,
I like going on Saturday nights to avoid the crowds.</li>
</ul>
Read after the jump for more grocery organization tips.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Find a nearby grocery emergency spot</b>. If you forget a few
grocery essentials, make sure you have a backup plan if there isn't a
supermarket near you. This is so you don't have to waste gas and make
another trip. Consider alternatives such as a drugstore, dollar store,
or retailers like Target. You have to be smart about which items you're
buying because the quality of some groceries may not be up to par or
they can be priced higher. </li>
<li><b>Have a revolving list of meals</b>. It's good to have a couple of
go-to meals, which makes it easier to grocery shop because you'll be
familiar with what you need. It's also helpful to create a monthly or
weekly meal plan so you can better anticipate your grocery needs. There
are a couple of free menu planning templates available online — here's a
simple <a href="http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/four-week-menu-planner-horizontal.pdf" target="_blank">four-week menu planner</a> I found on Simple Organized Living. </li>
<li><b>Organize your coupons</b>. Keep your coupons neatly organized by purchasing a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Meadowsweet-Kitchens-CO-WD-Organizer/dp/B003IUH1X8" target="_blank">coupon organizer</a>
($10). There are plenty of methods to organizing coupons, and you need
to find one that works for you. Figure out if you want to sort the
coupons alphabetically, by category, or by expiration date. Coupon Geek
has a nice <a href="http://www.coupongeek.net/2011/08/how-to-organize-coupons-coupon-organizers.html" target="_blank">list of organizing methods</a> you might want to try out. </li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-37214016925907859392012-03-06T10:30:00.000-05:002012-03-07T08:08:31.443-05:00Looking Beyond Ourselves: Supporting Struggling Schools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBg0cMf7pfxi0Cnqcn8q4H2Fthjv-neE6gBsyqecAEu74MNG0LLVV6btLQh3kiL7PyMfXS_BqPqEIoy0FXoL1_Wl9BdNN6Qm-iQzk1d1Z4Jbj5uXWBXODsxVtcwOPbEXNPZA6gV51YfU/s1600/04TEACHER-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBg0cMf7pfxi0Cnqcn8q4H2Fthjv-neE6gBsyqecAEu74MNG0LLVV6btLQh3kiL7PyMfXS_BqPqEIoy0FXoL1_Wl9BdNN6Qm-iQzk1d1Z4Jbj5uXWBXODsxVtcwOPbEXNPZA6gV51YfU/s400/04TEACHER-articleLarge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/confessions-of-a-bad-teacher.html?pagewanted=1&emc=eta1">This article in the NY Times</a> highlights the challenge that teachers have to offer the best support to their students in challenging, high-pressure environments that struggling schools often become. As a former teacher myself, I can attest to the challenges that are present in struggling schools for any teacher, and particularly for young, inexperienced teachers, even those with the best of intentions. And I'd be remiss if I said that it is only inner-city schools that are struggling (although struggling schools are often concentrated in inner-city school districts with less financial resources and a greater number of students to work with). Rural schools, city "fringe" schools (sometimes known as the "second city" suburbs), and schools with highly transient, changing populations also struggle to meet students' needs and achieve state standards. <br />
<br />
I often am tempted to be discouraged when it comes to all the needs and reform required to make education better for all students, especially those who need it the most. The inequality is almost too great to know how to handle. Yet if we are overwhelmed and do nothing, I know we are ignoring the needs of our sisters and brothers who attend schools that need support and resources so badly. So I propose a few small ways that we (including myself!) can support struggling schools in our communities:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ways you can give/help:</b><br />
- Volunteer at a local inner-city or rural school, or contact your local Boys and Girls Club to find after-school programs that would welcome volunteers.<br />
- Find a classroom near you to "adopt" with <a href="http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/?gclid=CJPMpqmE0K4CFYio4AodRHNSCg">Adopt-A-Classroom</a><br />
- If you're really creative, design a project and funding for a needy classroom with <a href="http://www.thegenerationproject.org/default.aspx">The Generation Project</a><br />
- If you live in or near the D.C. area, consider donating gently used books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics to <a href="http://www.booksforamerica.org/">Books for America</a>, an organization that donates these books to children in homeless shelters, schools, and community clinics in the D.C. area.<br />
- Find ways to advocate for more equal funding and support for all students in your area. Get in contact with a local education advocacy or policy group in your area, or write or talk to your local representatives to find out initiatives and policies taking place in local school districts and cities.<br />
<br />
I am challenging myself, along with you, to consider how your support and advocacy can help to support children you often have big dreams but less resources to realize those dreams because of financial circumstances, struggling schools, or little administrative support.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="sqq">“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="sqq">Mother Teresa </span> </i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-44121254919032229272012-03-05T10:30:00.000-05:002012-03-05T10:30:01.066-05:00Meal Plan for a Busy WeekGood morning! This week promises to be another busy one, although a little less busy than we've been lately... needless to say, the weeks are flying by!<br />
<br />
This week, I'm posting our make-ahead meal plan for 2 featuring some wholesome comfort food for the chilly beginning to March. Whenever I know I'm going to be particularly busy in the days ahead, I like to have a few make-ahead or low-prep meals planned so that food is one less thing to worry about each evening. In warm weather, I usually turn to low-prep meals like salads, veggie burgers, and BLTs. In cold weather, I like to use my crockpot or make casseroles ahead of time to have on hand when needed. This week, I'm turning to warm, filling soup and a delicious corn and chicken casserole from a dear friend of mine from church. Even if you're not a corn lover (like my husband...), you will love how delicious this recipe is (this one<i> has</i> been approved by my non-corn-loving husband!).<br />
<br />
<br />
Monday:<br />
<br />
<b>Potato Soup (from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Season-Expanded-Community-Cookbook/dp/0836194942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330956388&sr=8-1"><i>Simply in Season</i></a>)</b><br />
- 2 TBsp butter<br />
- 1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion. Saute until translucent.<br />
<br />
- 3 c. potatoes, diced<br />
- 2 cups water or broth<br />
- 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)<br />
- 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)<br />
- 1/4 c. celery, chopped (optional - I don't include b/c I don't usually have on hand)<br />
- 1/2 c. carrots, diced (optional)<br />
- 1/4 tsp. paprika or celery salt<br />
Add, cover, and cook at med-high heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. For a creamier soup, remove some of the cooked potatoes and puree them, then return to the saucepan. (I have never done this - I like to have the whole potato chunks in the soup.)<br />
<br />
- 2 c. milk (I usually add 1 c. skim condensed milk and 1 c. low fat milk)<br />
- 3 TBsp. flour<br />
Mix together until smooth. Add to soup and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.<br />
<br />
*For a variation, you can add in 1/2 lb. of browned ground turkey or beef and 1 cup shredded cheese, and then stir in 1/4 c. plain yogurt before serving to make a cheeseburger soup. My favorite variation is to add a little cooked and crumbled bacon into the soup to add a great flavor and a little extra crunch.<br />
<br />
<br />
Tuesday:<br />
Leftover soup and a baguette from the grocery store or homemade from your breadmaker (my favorite!)<br />
<br />
<br />
Wednesday:<br />
<b>Chicken Corn Casserole</b><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">1/3 c. butter</span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">
<div>
1/3 c. flour</div>
<div>
3/4 tsp. salt</div>
<div>
1/4 tsp. pepper</div>
<div>
1/2 tsp. celery salt </div>
<div>
2 c. milk</div>
<div>
2 c. corn or if you are using fresh corn, can be a bit more</div>
<div>
2 c. cut-up cooked chicken</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, celery
salt. Cook until smooth and bubbly. Add milk. Bring to boil
for one minute. If it happens to get too thick, add a bit more milk.
Should not be too thick. Remove from heat. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Combine sauce, chicken and corn. Pour into 1 1/2 quart
casserole (or 8x8 baking dish for a thicker casserole). </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div>
Topping</div>
<div>
1 c. crushed saltine crackers<br />
</div>
<div>
2-3 Tablespoon melted butter</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Combine together and top casserole </div>
</span>with crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
* This recipe makes
six servings.</div>
<div>
</div>
</span><br />
<br />
Thursday:<br />
Leftover Corn and Chicken Casserole and a Green Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing<br />
<br />
<br />
Friday:<br />
Go out to eat OR make BLTs with leftover salad lettuce and homemade or store-bought bread. Great with a quick homemade corn, black bean, and frozen green pepper and onion salad tossed with olive oil and apple cider vinegar!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-19648108488803686172012-03-03T10:30:00.000-05:002012-03-03T10:30:00.898-05:00There IS Good in the World: Hopeful Updates, News, and Inspiration from Around the World<i>{Saturdays are dedicated to finding the good that is happening in the world in small ways by linking to news stories, updates, and inspiring individuals around the world as seen on the web and in the news this week. There IS good in the world!}</i><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/press-releases/article/Simply-Organic-Funds-New-Water-Wells-in-Madagascar-3366168.php">Simply Organic funds new wells in Madagascar</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.makers.com/">Women Leaders, Innovators Recognized for Contributions </a></div>
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<a href="http://marionrecord.com/direct/simple_living_service_fills_couple_with_purpose+4321simple+53696d706c65206c6976696e672c20736572766963652066696c6c7320636f75706c65207769746820707572706f7365">Simple Living and Service Fill Couple's Life with Purpose</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/08/10355871-women-dining-in-at-potlucks-donate-dining-out-money-to-aid-women-globally">Women Donate Dining Out Money to Aid Women Globally</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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Be inspired, and do your part to use your resources, talent, and passion </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
to better the world around you!</div>
<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-11621144732416854972012-03-02T08:30:00.000-05:002012-03-02T08:30:01.428-05:00Cheap Date Friday (Don't Be One....Plan One!)Maybe the biggest challenge of all when having to live frugally on a tight budget - <i><b>date nights</b></i>. It's not always easy to plan out a budget-friendly date or give up eating out. <i>We've been there.</i> Actually, we still are there.<br />
<br />
Which is why every Friday we'll be posting a Cheap Date idea for your weekend ahead. Hopefully this will help you (and us!) to approach dates in a budget-friendly, adventurous way!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> {<span style="font-size: small;">March 2 Edition</span>}</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dinner In + Ice Cream Out + Movie Night</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><u>Dinner In</u>: Pick this out ahead of time, if you can! Even if it's something already made that you will heat up, plan ahead. It will save you from quick, tired decisions later that will likely not be great for your wallet. Our favorite is Ben's <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Honey-Mustard-and-Rosemary-Pork-Roast-2130">honey mustard rosemary pork</a> with roasted sweet potatoes and onions. Another one of our easy and quick favorites is quesadillas. It's especially fun if you work together to cook! Catch up on the day, listen to music, or catch up on your favorite shows on Hulu while you're cooking together. </li>
</ul>
<br /><ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrrG3RkHu-XPLd0bQG3LF3ernpB2tHTvOF5aQpjR-M9nFF9C5SfW0fMeL6TFhGc575G0OhVChPRlhpwW1eGoGpcz8musSUdigiTDpP3w8ck9LJ0WY1cRgJ9dbDK2PrsMkEj2U5jdYnAA/s1600/132_510252213864_55302962_30927420_5051_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrrG3RkHu-XPLd0bQG3LF3ernpB2tHTvOF5aQpjR-M9nFF9C5SfW0fMeL6TFhGc575G0OhVChPRlhpwW1eGoGpcz8musSUdigiTDpP3w8ck9LJ0WY1cRgJ9dbDK2PrsMkEj2U5jdYnAA/s320/132_510252213864_55302962_30927420_5051_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We LOVE our ice cream...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><u>Ice Cream Out</u>: We save money (and calories!) by picking only one part of the meal to eat out (we especially like saving this for dessert). Going out for ice cream will gets us out of the house and ends the meal on a sweet note. Local Peeps: If you live in the Lancaster area, check out <a href="http://www.carmenanddavidscreamery.com/">Carmen and David's Creamery</a> (for delicious homemade ice cream) or <a href="http://www.splitsandgigglesicecream.com/">Splits and Giggles</a> (really cheap ice cream and a great selection of flavors!) in the city. If you're a fan of frozen yogurt, there are lots of great places that serve low-fat frozen yogurt with as many toppings as you like. </li>
</ul>
(Lancaster area: Check out Berries, a new fro-yo spot!) <br />
<ul>
<li> <u>Movie Night</u>: Usually by the time Friday night rolls around, we're beat! The combination of a week of work, school, errands, meetings, etc., etc. adds up. Friday night, we're ready to crash, relax, and curl up with a good movie. We have Netflix, so we often surf that, but if nothing catches our eye, then <a href="http://redbox.com/">Redbox</a> is a great second option. $1 for a movie, so if it's not great, we don't feel too bad. Sometimes we even get two to keep our options open. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Enjoy your night to relax together!</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Familiarity does not breed contempt. On the contrary the more familiar
it is the more rare and beautiful it is. Take the quarter in which one
lives, it is lovely, it is a place rare and beautiful and to leave it is
awful.”<br />
-- Gertrude Stein</div>
</blockquote>
<ul>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-81626165098330875912012-03-01T10:30:00.001-05:002012-03-01T10:30:01.475-05:00Feeling the Winter Blahs? Update your life without breaking your budget.<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're like me (and this author), the long winter months can lead to restlessness and a desire to change, update, and reorganize. These great
tips from <a href="http://savvysugar.com/">SavvySugar</a> can help a frugal person beat the winter blahs by updating little
parts of your life by reusing or repurposing what you already have.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Update Your Life Without Emptying Your Wallet</span>
</div>
<h2>
</h2>
<hr />
<div class="meta sugar-sso-refresh" data-src="/ajax/turbo/node_header_meta?nid=7449017" id="node-header-meta-7449017">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Every so often, I find
myself feeling a little restless with some aspect of my life or another:
my wardrobe, my apartment’s décor, my Friday night routine. The problem
is, if I bought an entirely new wardrobe or redecorated my crib every
few months, I’d be broke. So, I’ve come up with a few savvy ways to
change things just enough without ending up penniless. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Cheap-Ways-Update-Your-Life-7449017">Read on for 7 tips for how to update your life without breaking your budget. </a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-40856396022843875522012-02-29T10:30:00.000-05:002012-02-29T11:02:15.533-05:00Wednesday Wisdom: Spending and Living Simply "South of the Haimish Line"<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">{Wednesday Wisdom is a series designed to connect you with financial wisdom from around the web to help you save and live more wisely with less.}</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></i></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wednesday Wisdom: Great tips and insight from <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/">LearnVest</a> on how to live more simply and consider living more with less.</span></span></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
How to Spend </h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
"South of the Haimish Line"</h1>
<div class="entry-meta">
<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted </span> <span class="entry-date"> on November 25, 2011</span> <span class="meta-sep">by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://www.learnvest.com/author/maria/" title="View all posts by Maria Lin">Maria Lin</a></span></div>
<div class="entry-content">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Haimish" class="alignright size-Medium Fixed wp-image-94688" height="222" src="http://www.learnvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/71019416-325x222.jpg" title="haimish" width="325" /></div>
<br />
Recently, New York Times columnist David Brooks <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/opinion/brooks-the-haimish-line.html" target="_blank">wrote an op-ed piece</a>
about the “Haimish Line.” The Haimish Line is an invisible line
sometimes crossed when you go from spending less to spending more—in
doing so, Brooks contends, you often sacrifice warmth and connection to
attain luxury and space. According to Brooks, “haimish” is a Yiddish
word that suggests “warmth, domesticity and unpretentious conviviality.”<br />
An
exclusive, white-tablecloth, four-star restaurant where servers
disappear and diners are on their Blackberries would be north of the
Haimish Line. A small, casual diner on the corner bustling with loud
conversations from neighborhood folks talking over each other would be
south of the Haimish Line. A new dorm building with a shiny, new, unused
lounge would be north of the Haimish Line; the well-worn lounge of
ratty furniture that students veer toward would be staunchly planted
south of the Haimish Line. The Haimish Line even slices across
neighborhoods: densely packed urban neighborhoods where kids run home
from school and and people have stoop conversations versus spread-out
suburbs of isolated living in separate homes and cars.<br />
Brooks advises that we learn to spend our money well and stay south of the Haimish Line.<br />
I
found this essay so compelling because money often buys privacy, space,
exclusivity and “luxury”—all of which are the very opposite of
“unpretentious conviviality.” In America, the picture of success is a
bigger house (where the family is more spread out), moving to the
suburbs (with more distance between neighbors), a nicer car (to be more
vigilant about spills in), and flying first class (ok, so some things
are not worth getting all concerned about “the Haimish Line” over).<br />
Seriously,
though, there is something to be said for not unwittingly losing the
warmth of “haimish” in our lives as we grow in our financial prosperity.
As LearnVest helps you tackle your finances (check out our <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/mylv/pages/bootcamp/subscribe">Take Control Bootcamp</a>) and increase your earnings (check out our <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/mylv/pages/bootcamp/subscribe">Career Bootcamp</a>), we also hope to help you to spend your money well, to stay south of the Haimish Line. Here are a few ways:<br />
<h2>
1. Buy a Smaller House</h2>
I
grew up in a modest house in the middle-class suburbs of North Jersey.
We had neighbors all around us, just a few steps away over a row of
bushes in one direction or another. We ran around the adjoining woods
with the neighborhood kids, played kickball in the cul de sac, and had
barbecue get-togethers in the summertime. When I left for college, my
parents moved “on up” to a larger, more luxurious house in a wealthier
neighborhood. The entryway had dramatic two-story high ceilings. The
rooms (there were eight of them) were huge and echoing; some would stay
unused for weeks at a time. The plot of land was bigger, the large,
stately homes more spread out. Instead of dinners over each others’
houses, neighbors exchanged waves from driveways before getting into
their quiet European luxury cars and driving away.<br />
I never grew to
like my parents’ second house: While it was bigger and “nicer,” it
lacked the haimish that makes a house a home, and a block a
neighborhood. The next time you’re financially ready to change your
living situation, don’t automatically assume bigger is better, or that a
tonier neighborhood is the direction to move in. It may be what people
expect, but consider investing in the things that truly make you happy
about your home—there’s a good chance those things are south of the
Haimish Line.<br />
<h2>
2. Eat Out at a Communal Table</h2>
Dinner out is
often a treat, but for some reason we usually equate a nice dinner with
a north-of-the-Haimish-Line fine restaurant, replete with white
tablecloths, spaced-out tables and hushed service. Next time you go out,
look for a great restaurant with a communal table, a trend that a lot
of restaurants are embracing. A communal table is a long table, often in
the center of the restaurant, where random diners are seated to share.
It is usually a much livelier place to sit, just from the effects of the
cozy proximity of neighboring diners, and overlapping and sometimes
shared conversations. If you can’t find a restaurant with a communal
table, try a place where seats are very close to each other, or eating
at the bar, where you can easily strike up a conversation with the
bartender or a neighbor.<br />
<blockquote class="get-more">
<h2>
Where Do You Draw Your Haimish Line?</h2>
Does the pursuit of luxury mean that you have to sacrifice warmth? Weigh in on LV Discussions.<br />
<a href="http://www.learnvest.com/discussions/vanilla/categories/all" target="_blank">SHARE AWAY</a></blockquote>
<h2>
3. Take Public Transportation</h2>
Cars
provide us privacy and efficiency, but they’re not nearly as
interesting as riding public transportation. One writer said that even
if he made enough to have a private car service in New York, he would
still take the subway for the fascinating people-watching. Take a bus or
the subway, and share company with your city-mates. Or consider taking a
train instead of driving on your next out-of-state trip. This retro
method of transportation hearkens back to a time when a cross-country
trip entailed communing with others; after all, there’s nothing more
haimish than a group of strangers headed to the same destination,
sharing a conversation or two.<br />
<h2>
4. Bunk Up With Friends</h2>
It
certainly is a luxury when traveling to be able to afford a nice hotel
with separate rooms for everyone. And if you’re a finicky traveler, this
might still be the way to go. But there’s something to be said for
sharing rooms, staying at friends’ or family’s homes (just make sure to
be the <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/living-frugally/current-events/how-to-be-the-perfect-houseguest-127/">perfect houseguest</a>), or even shacking up at a stranger’s via <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">Airbnb</a>.
The accommodations may not be as perfect, but in exchange, you’ll have
more late night conversations with friends you’re staying with, local
tips on navigating the town, and all those interesting moments that come
with sharing your traveling quarters with someone.<br />
<h2>
5. Buy Some Cheap and Cheerful Items</h2>
When
it comes to your wardrobe, we always recommend investing in quality
pieces that will last a long time, as opposed to buying cheaper, more
ephemeral items (check out our <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/mylv/pages/bootcamp/subscribe">Priceless Style Bootcamp</a>
to get your wardrobe budget in line). However, quality pieces are often
accompanied by more stress about not damaging or losing them. We still
think the tradeoff makes quality items a better investment in general,
but here are a few examples of some cheapies you can buy in the name of
haimish living:<br />
<ul>
<li class="first-child">a cheap pair of fun, dangly earrings to loan to your friend in a pinch if you’re both going out</li>
<li>inexpensive slippers, towels and tennis rackets or bikes for house guests</li>
<li>an inexpensive coat, scarf or cold weather item you might give to a homeless person in passing</li>
<li class="last-child">cheap
art prints or decorative items you can use to decorate around the
house, and give away to guests who love them (in some parts of the
world, if a guest compliments a host on an item, it’s customary for the
host to give it to her guest)</li>
</ul>
Haimish living isn’t about
glorifying modest means or not enjoying the fruits of your labor. It’s
simply the idea that money should be well spent, to bring more
satisfaction, fulfillment and warmth into our lives. Spending south of
the Haimish Line is one way to do so.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-48100370534068617452012-02-29T10:18:00.001-05:002012-02-29T10:19:44.779-05:00Can You Live on One Income?<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">These tips are from one of my favorite financial news and information resources,<a href="http://learnvest.com/"> LearnVest</a>, a site that makes financial literacy easy to understand and plan for.</span></span></span> </span></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Can You Live on One Income? </span></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Find Out With These Steps</span></i></h1>
<div class="entry-meta" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted </span> <span class="entry-date"> on February 9, 2012</span> <span class="meta-sep">by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://www.learnvest.com/author/savvy-sugar/" title="View all posts by Savvy Sugar">Savvy Sugar</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><img alt="One income" class="alignright size-Medium Fixed wp-image-108697" height="222" src="http://www.learnvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/dv1693022-325x222.jpg" title="one-income-couple" width="325" /> </i></div>
<i>Here’s another helpful post from our friends at <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/Can-We-Live-One-Income-5759308?slide=0">Savvy Sugar</a>. Check it out:</i><br />
<br />
There
are too many families who were taken by surprise when one breadwinner
suddenly lost his or her job, but some couples might choose to give up
an income for one reason or another. Maybe one person was offered a job
in another city, leaving the other one without employment, the couple
wants one parent to stay home with the kids, one half of the duo is
miserable at work and wants out ASAP, etc.<br />
Before you make the choice to live on one income, you need to find out if it’s a viable option by following these steps.<br />
<h3>
1. Re-Calculate Your Housing Costs</h3>
<div id="slide-content">
It’s
likely that your rent or mortgage accounts for the largest chunk of
your expenses. Calculate what percentage of the household income would
go toward these costs. If it’s a <a href="http://www.savvysugar.com/3109351/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">number that doesn’t make financial sense</a>, ask yourselves if you’re willing to move somewhere less expensive.</div>
<h3 id="slide-title">
2. Get Your Financial House in Order</h3>
Before
making the decision to live on a reduced income, it’s crucial that you
have a solid emergency fund and very little (if any) credit card debt.
You’ll have less wiggle room after making the drastic change, and the
situation won’t be so smooth if you go into it with shaky finances.<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
3. Experiment</h3>
While
both of you are still earning your regular salaries, put your wishes to
the test and live on one income for a month. Pretend the other salary
doesn’t exist by directing those funds into a savings account.<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
4. Track Expenses</h3>
While
you’re experimenting with living on one income, track your spending so
it’s clear where cuts could be made if needed. Both of you can track
your own expenses in a shared spreadsheet, or you can hook your accounts
up to a money management program like LearnVest’s My Money Center that
will categorize your expenses for you.<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
5. Repeat the Experiment</h3>
Live
for another month on one income while earning two, but this time try
changing your habits based on what you learned from tracking spending
during the previous month. Spending smarter is good for your finances no
matter what, and will help you both feel more in control of your money
at a time when you’re making big changes.<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
6. Look Harder at Your Expenses</h3>
If
living on one income still seems out of the realm of possibility after
changing your spending habits, take a deeper look at your expenses to
see where else you might be able to cut back. Could you live with one
car instead of two, or find a cheaper one? Would you be willing to
reduce your cable package? Scale back your cell phone plan?<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
7. Communicate With Your Partner</h3>
Because
one person is going to rely on the other for financial support, it’s
necessary for the lines of communication to be as open as ever. If
you’re the one turning away from your income, ask if your partner feels
like there’s too much pressure on him or her. Just because you might be
able to get by on one income doesn’t mean the other person won’t feel
additional stress. The two of you need to discuss whether any sacrifices
are worth it.<br />
<h3 id="slide-title">
8. Come Up With a Plan</h3>
Your
previous ways of managing money might have to be scrapped when you’re
living on one income. Perhaps you used to have one shared account and a
personal account for each of you. That system might continue to make
sense, but it might not. The most important thing is that you’re both on
the same page, so agree on how to manage your money and stick to the
plan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802119879885421655.post-77683051513503439382012-02-22T21:54:00.000-05:002012-02-22T21:54:07.332-05:00A Winner! And a Break.You have probably noticed, I've been somewhat absent the last few days. Although this blog is still getting off the ground, I am feeling the need to take a break this week from blogging to focus on getting in a routine for the new semester. I have just jumped back into a full-time seminary semester, and my mind is forgetting how much work it is to read, process, write, and repeat over and over again. I think it will only take me a few days to really get back in the swing of things - please excuse my absence while I take the next few days off to get myself adjusted! Check back next week - I'll be offering some <a href="http://marriedlivingonasinglesbudget.blogspot.com/search/label/cheap%20date%20friday">Cheap Date Friday</a> ideas, have some reflections on simple living, and offer new tips on keeping your sanity while on a budget!<br />
<br />
<br /><b><i>In other news, we have a winner for last week's cookbook bundle giveaway! </i></b> Using randomizer.org, a winner was selected at random from our entries:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVcIyh5E1p0vgaUnHgkhx-hyb8ioLbD9306n1KV4w6S_sJ-RJZoRmH8aEibmdZ0OvyzyObN3MlOdWMIsDXH9nWtlxJCuYIkqGIup8uLZcw0FNOIi2XRKvVzdEfO00D8AmBv6NM8Z2_Ag/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVcIyh5E1p0vgaUnHgkhx-hyb8ioLbD9306n1KV4w6S_sJ-RJZoRmH8aEibmdZ0OvyzyObN3MlOdWMIsDXH9nWtlxJCuYIkqGIup8uLZcw0FNOIi2XRKvVzdEfO00D8AmBv6NM8Z2_Ag/s1600/Picture+1.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Kaylene J</strong></span>, you are the winner!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Please email me at marriedlivingonasinglesbudget@gmail.com to claim your prize!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Everyone else, see you next week! </i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0