Prepping: Kicking Out Debt From Your Life

Debt. Most Americans have some form of debt. Our country even runs on debt. Credit cards, car loans, house loans, 401k loans, and student loans are prime examples of debts we carry. 

Getting out of debt is part of prepping for your family's future for a few reasons:

-Debt costs you more over the long term.  That $400 computer could cost you $1000 after you pay it off with interest.

-Debt causes anxiety in many people. Wondering how you are going to pay your debts and bills. If you can't pay the debts, then you worry if you will lose your home or car. What if collectors come to constantly harrass you and your family?

3) Being a slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7, "the rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender..." We are not built to be slaves. We are to be free! Yet we seem to put ourselves into a postion where we give our freedom away with the swipe of a card. 

4) Not being able to provide more for your family in the future. Pay for your children's college, go on vacations, etc. Having no debt would free up a lot of money for future endeavors.

I previously posted about some of my credit card debt experience. I recently decided that I needed to wade deeper. I needed to learn more and not be in the dark about finances. 

Since moving to NC, I have had time (in my new part time employment life) to reflect on my monetary situation. I decided to make some changes in the way I spend my time. I spend a solid month watching netflix! I must say, I got hooked on a few shows, I'm human. Then I got bored with that (it usually takes a month for my love of netflix to fade away). In that time, I did get my school situation settled, my car and license switched to NC, and get established at work as somewhat valuable so I would be in the best position possible to get full time when it opened up. So I was not totally lazy with my time. 

This last month, my journey to financial obsession (that might be a little too dramatic of a phrase, but I'm going to roll with it) started with knitting. I had a lot of yarn from times that I have knit in the past. My favorite gift to give for baby showers are knitted baby blankets. I generally have a couple made up for times when I am invited to a shower. It came in handy the last couple of months in FL because 2 coworkers got pregnant very close together. So I was able to get those to them without too much stress. But that depleted my supply. So I started making another one...but like all of my craft projects, I grew bored. 

So I went YouTubing for other craft ideas. I came up with a great one that I decided to make everyone for Christmas. Because it is not Christmas yet, I can't reveal what it is until afterward (so watch for a post in the future!). 

While getting bored with that, I YouTubed how to crochet and learned that in a night (I originally taught myself to knit and crochet while in Japan before YouTube when we learned from books! But my crocheting was terrible so I only continued knitting from that point). 

Then I somehow ran across how to make a bible study journal (which I must have lived a sheltered life because I never heard of one before). Then that linked me to making a housekeeping plan. And that led to the envelope system! And that linked me to debt obsession!

Anyway...since that line of YouTubing, I have watched vlog after vlog (video blogs) about people on this journey to debt freedom. It got the wheels turning on what life would look like post-debt. Would it be possible to not pay student loans earlier than 30 years from now!? 

As I posted before, I had $10,000 in credit card debt because of a semester of college paid on it. I worked really hard and paid it off 4 years later. I opened to flood gates to my credit cards once again to help with some funeral expenses but was paid back for that. However, I continued to use it and racked up $4,500 in credit card debt by the time I moved to NC. The credit card was interest free until this November. I have used some savings and finally paid off the credit card last week to avoid interest charges. 

So I am back to being credit card debt free and I don't have a car loan on my 10+ year old car. But I have HUGE student loans! My only debt! 

Reading books from the library and watching vlogs has inspired me to try to cashflow my 3 years of school and try to continue to pay off student loans. This is going to be difficult with the size of my loans, but difficult isn't impossible! So I will post my progress, strategies, tips, etc in the future.

For now, I leave you with some resources I have found helpful and motivating:

Book: "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey

Book: "The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke" by Suze Orman

Vlog: debtisdum (YouTube)

Vlog: LiveLikeNoOneElse (YouTube)

 

New Directions

I have been on leave from this blog for a bit because things haved moved in different directions in my life. I guess that would be the perfect time to blog, but in reality, it was riding the crazy train. So in a nutshell:

1) I moved to North Carolina from south Florida. I moved for a lower cost of living and school opportunities. I also missed seasons that include more than wet and dry seasons. I deeply miss my father and 2 pugs, but this is part of a 4 year plan that I am pursuing. I am cohabitating with some family friends from Indiana. They are so kind to open their home to me, I am so grateful to have these friends in my life.

2) I have interviewed for one of the radiology schools here and I am in the admissions process with another. So hoping for good news from them next March or April.

3) I am really focused on gaining financial peace and getting on the road toward paying off my debts. (More on that later).

4) I have transfered with the same company I was employed with in south Florida however, I had to go from full time to part time until a full time opportunity opens up. This also means I am experiencing my first taste of getting health insurance independent of my job! (Posts coming on navigating that as well)

So, I am working on settling in and getting adjusted to life in NC! Posts to come on some things I have learned in this transition.

August Challenge Update

The August challenge is going well. I have been using all cash except for gas stations. I did go on a vacation that required some rentals on credit, but there is not much I can do about that. But I did manage to do the trip with cash only and that took some thinking ahead and on the spot priority making. It also went with my cleaning and organizing because I didn't want to bring back too many souvenirs that I will have to move later.

I have made an executive decision to move to North Carolina in the next month or so (just waiting for the job transfers to go through). So my cleaning and organizing is centered around being prepared to move at any time. So each day, I get a little closer to that goal. Hopefully this will make it so I don't have quite as stressful of a time getting packed and moved in in North Carolina.

I have been making more meals at home and taking my lunch with me to work, so that has helped with the cash and the not shopping at the same place 2 times this month. 

So far the challenge is going well. Just mopped the floor so I am on to baseboards! Until next time...

July Challenge Wrap Up/August Challenge

In July, I made it a challenge to clean for 15 min each day. This was actually kind of difficult to discipline myself. I am more of a 1 hour cleaner and take a few days off. Once I start a project, I like to see it get done.

Fortunately, this challenge came in quite handy because I had unexpected guests at the house this month. Relatives came to town and I gave up my room so they could be comfortable. Fortunately, the late notice was not met with a mad dash to clean because I had already cleaned up the vast majority of areas. So it was much more relaxing.

Reorganizing has helped me prepare for a possible move coming up. So I have been going through my belongings and weeding out the unwanted items. Moving is a good way to go through things and prioritize. There is always that moment in every move that you wonder why you decided to keep something. After lifting all of the boxes and rearranging items, the poundage starts to wear on everyone. No matter how much it seems I get rid of in trash, donation, or selling, it seems my packing heart doesn't match up with my will to move one more box or my head trying to reorganize it in the new space.

August Challenge

August's challenge is to put it all together from the last 3 months. So I will not shop at the same place twice (and if I do, I won't get the same thing), I will use cash only (but I will allow the atm this time and the credit card for gas because it is on bonus rewards this month), and I will continue to organize and clean for an average of 15 min per day (being that I am taking a vacation this weekend, everyday is not going to happen). So there you have it. This challenge started Aug 3. 

Pest Control: Ant killer

In Florida, we seem to have a higher than normal ant issue. Little bitty sugar ants invade the houses. No matter how clean you keep the place, they still use the house as a little ant highway. 

I came up with this method by accident one day. I was cleaning the bathroom a few months ago and saw an ant highway traveling up and down the side of my mirror. I decided I couldn't let that continue so I grabbed the first thing I could find to kill the exposed ants until I could get to the store the next day to get proper ant traps. I grabbed glass cleaner and sprayed the wall with it where the ants were. The ants died on contact. Then I just wiped them off. The few staggering remnants where left alone. The next few days I checked and they were still gone. They never came back.

Today I found a mass of them marching under a hole in my outside door molding...glass cleaner again, same result! Dead on contact! 

Just thought I would pass along the information. Maybe it will help someone else with an ant problem. 

Cooking: Pasta with Mushrooms in Garlic Butter Sauce

Wanted to share a not so healthy (depends on who you ask) recipe I have been making. 

Ingredients:

1/2 package of sliced mushrooms (about 1 C)

2-3 cloves of Garlic (minced)

2-3 Tbsp Butter

1/3 package of pasta (I like whole wheat thin spagetti)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1) Cook pasta per package directions (remember to salt your water). Drain and set aside.

2) In a small fry pan, melt butter on medium heat

3) As soon as the butter melts add the minced garlic. Stir a few moments to infuse the butter.

4) Add the mushrooms and cook on low until mushrooms are tender.

5) Add pasta to the fry pan with garlic butter and mushrooms. Stir around to incorporate the butter and pasta.

6) Serve. Add parmesan on top if desired. 

July Challenge Update

My cleaning is going well so far. I really don't like posting about cleaning because it makes me feel/sound like I am normally a slob...it could be true, but I live by the rule that if you keep things somewhat tidy then there is less need to deep clean a lot. Now that I have made cleaning my mission, I might be retinking that philosophy. So I am going to try to be honest in this blog and tell the truth...no matter how slob-like it sounds. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to make the necessary changes in your life, no matter how big or small. So lets get into it already...

Almost done with the surface cleaning, next will be the deeper cleaning.

Surface cleaning: 

I mopped all of the floors and being more consistent with the sweeping. We have 2 pugs, so after a couple of days the hair really accumulates. 

I wiped down all of the appliances with stainless steal cleaner (honestly, might have done that once in 4 years...but we wipe them with other cleaners every once in awhile). 

Wash the pugs...they can be a handful after a wash, haha! Cute, but a handful.

Washed all of the surfaces in my bathroom. It smells nice and lemony fresh.

Next week's tasks:

Wash the shower curtain...I read a pintrest post about a cleaning schedule and one of the monthly tasks was to wash the shower curtain...we always just get a new one when it gets dirty...so I shall try washing it.

Go through the hurricane supplies to see what needs to be refreshed and reorganized.

Clean my car! For one thing, it is Florida in the summer...it is so hot to be climbing all over the car...but it needs to be done. Thorough cleaning is in order. 

Those are the main tasks for this coming week. I will be posting some cleaning tips soon!

I am finding that I break the 15 minute rule a lot right now. Once I start a task it is difficult for me to stop after 15 minutes. Once everything is done, I think the maintenance will be easier to keep at 15 minutes each day. It is just difficult to stop when you see 20 other things that should be cleaned. 

 

June Challenge Wrap-up/July Challenge

June Challenge Wrap-up

So we are at the close of the June Challenge, which was "all cash all the time." I slipped up a couple of times and had an auto emergency that required some credit card usage. Overall, this was actually more difficult then I anticipated. Especially with the added challenge of no ATMs. Some lessons learned:

1) Going all cash takes planning. Not just planning that there is a whole day the bank isn't open to get cash. Budgeting, planning what the next few days may have in store for you, how much gas, groceries, and entertainment is coming up.

Part of that is to plan for the unexpected. Have a back up bit of cash in the house, car, and/or work to have something there for the unplanned for event is a great idea. Maybe the restaurant's internet goes down and need cash only. Maybe your kid needs field trip money that they didn't remind you until you pull up to the school ( I did that to my parents all the time). Don't have time to go out for lunch at work, so you grab something from the vending machine. Your wallet or purse is stolen and you are on E, having cash for gas will get you home. Having that back up money will help.

2) Cash can save you money. Some up front money, such as saving 8 cents per gallon at the pump. It can save you money by making you think harder about the purchases you are making. Knowing you have $10 in your pocket for groceries makes you prioritize your choices a bit. It also saves you on interest. I just learned (and I asked others and they didn't really put it together either) that no interest financing on a department store card for a certain number of months is not billed with the total divided so that you have a zero balance on the last payment. Minimum payments will not generally get you to zero. So the consumer needs to plan what that payment should be. You have to take control. I know for myself, fake credit card money is difficult for me to control. Out of sight, out of mind.

3) Money is real. I know that sounds weird in a few ways. Money is actually not really real. It is a piece of paper that has an ever changing imaginary value. Money is a note, and now it is not even backed up with gold. It is just paper. A dollar in 1900 was a lot different then a dollar today, but it is still a dollar, 10 dimes, 20 nickels, 100 pennies. But the meaning of it has changed over the decades. Talking to the elder generations illustrates this every time. "I remember when bread was 5 cents." Now it is $3.50! We have stopped seeing money. I see it in the cashier's eyes when I hand it over...that "what is this?" moment. A few weeks ago I had someone buy a refrigerator with cash...$2000 worth! Seeing it in the "real" thing was weird. I sell that refrigerator several times a week, just swipe the card and it is your refrigerator. But to see a stack of $20's makes the magnatude of the purchase feel more real for some reason.

4) Credit cards are not all bad. 

We live in a society that is almost ruled on credit. Credit decides whether you can get a house loan, student loan, employers sometimes check credit to make sure you are trustworthy. To get in an apartment, you need credit history. Banks even do it to decide if they can give you a debit card that can be backed by Visa or Mastercard...otherwise you get the ATM card. If you had no credit history because you always use cash, you have a credit score of 0. 

Credit cards are not the Enemy...it is just that we tend to abuse it. We live above our means. We think we have a $9000 credit limit and that $9000 can buy a few vacations, furniture, etc. then I just have to pay $30 for the rest of my life to pay it off!

We could still use credit cards to our advantage. Many credit cards offer points that you can get cash back, gift cards, airplane tickets, etc. You earn those points without ever having to pay interest! Free money! All you have to do is be disciplined enough to pay the bill IN FULL each time you get it! Then you can enjoy 1-5% back typically...which is a better rate than you even get in a bank savings account!

So let's say you have credit card debt right now. What do you do to get out of it without declaring bankrupcy? Some things I have learned from personal experience that might help others fight debt:

I had $10,000 in credit card debt because I paid for a year of college on it because I had no credit history to get a loan. I paid the minumum for years. That allowed me to have a pretty good credit rating, which allowed me to get a better interest rate on a new credit card or negotiate with the existing credit card company (I did both).

Then I took the amount I had and moved it to a card that was offering 0% for 6 months. Then I threw every extra penny to it for 6 months. Have a garage sale, sell plasma, go minimalist for a bit, go back to the dog days of ramen noodle dinners of college, get a part time job, income tax refund, birthday money, whatever you can do. It is just 6 months. We can all do something for 6 months. A short term sacrifice for such a sense of accomplishment, freedom, and peace afterwards. 

I didn't have a zero balance after 6 months, but I had a lower interest rate on the new card and a much smaller balance for that interest to go off of. I just kept focused for a bit longer and made payments each paycheck. Within a year, it was gone. Zero balance. Each month I auto pay something with that credit card and then pay it as soon as the bill posts. No interest, but it is still active which counts a lot toward credit history and rating. Having a credit card that is never used is actually a hindrance to building a credit rating. Use it a little and pay it immediately. 

This is just what I did. It may help, and it may not...just some thoughts.

Things happen...

Things happen that will possibly demand that need for credit. Your car dies prematurly and a new car is needed, a great deal comes up for a house, medical issues come up, etc. Having planned some ahead by keeping your credit history active and saving toward those large purchases (even if you didn't have time to save to buy it all on cash, you will be taking a loan on a smaller amount and pay interest on a smaller amount which saves money in the long run) you will be in a much better position then if you hadn't planned ahead. 

Keeping in mind that money is real, maybe that will slow your roll and let you think if this is really something to go into debt for. Maybe a good used car will do ok instead of a brand new car. Maybe buying a fixer upper house in a better location than a dream house in an ok location will save money and can eventually become the dream house with some sweat equity and in a great location...which will save money, maybe even make you money when you sell. You can fix the house, but you can't fix the location.

Bottom line: Remember, you rule your money, don't let money rule over you.

July Challenge: Clean it up!

I tend to leave cleaning for the last thing on my list. It has to get pretty disorganized or messy for me to break down and clean. This month, I am going to dedicate 15 min a day to all out clean and organize. 465 minutes this month devoted to cleaning. 7.75 hours. 

Buying Club: Update

Last week, I picked up my box of organic fruits and veggies. It was a very easy process. I switched my box to a more fruit based box before the payment deadline because that is what my family likes most. It had blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, pink lady apples, black plums (which are mind blowingly good), nectarines, avocados, tomatoes, corn, grapes, bananas, peppers, rainbow carrots, and a melon. Pretty good haul. All certified organic.

All I had to do was go to the pick up location and sign that I recieved everything. It was all sorted when I got there. Everything looks fantastic!

Yes, there is an economic benefit to me buying with a buying club verse going to the grocery. Statistically, it saves about 25% to buy from a buying club verse the grocery store. However, that is not the only reason. Part of buying with this club is choosing to support a cause that I believe in. In every purchase we make, we vote in support of that product. Economics 101: Supply and demand. If we demand a certain item, the supply will eventually catch up with demand. Generally, prices drop at that time too. 

So what was I voting for? I voted for an increase supply of organic foods. I voted to have a supply of food that is closer to the grower. I voted for smaller business. I voted for local businesses and farms. I voted for a wider variety of produce options. I voted. 

We put our money out there on an almost unconsious basis. We buy what is easily available to us, generally. One stop shoping, even if the quality is not as good as what it could be. A coworker of mine passed along some advise this week, "a lazy person works twice as hard." I try to save money by shopping for the cheapest "healthy" food I can find, but end up throwing it out because it spoiled faster than it should have. 

I think American culture has turned too far toward getting more bang for our buck and giving up quality and standards we should expect. A friend of mine once told me that she would rather eat less and spend more on high quality food then to eat more on low quality food. I wasn't in a mindset to agree or really understand her point at that time, but now I am getting closer and closer to truly understand where she was coming from. 

What will we stand for right now? What decisions will we make right now to stand up for our tomorrow?

What did you vote for today?

Gardening: Lemon Plant's Possible Issue

Looked up the issue of my lemon plant's pock marks...looks like it might be sun burn. Going to try using the small hole netting idea and see if it helps. Will update later.

Gardening: Spring/Summer Crop Update

In February, I planted a bunch of plants from seed. I have never planted for spring in Florida, so I was not sure what to expect.

I planted beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green beans (bush), and zucchini. 

Beefsteak tomatoes: didn't sprout at all. I think I had a couple but never grew past a couple inches tall.

Cherry tomatoes: one grew very well, but took a long time to actually produce anything. By May 15, I had some green ones finally, just ripened a week and a half ago.

Green beans: they grew pretty quickly and then died pretty quickly. They only produced a handful of green beans each time. Not really seeing it as worth the real estate to grow the bush variety in the future. Plus, they are fuzzy on the outside. I have tried soaking then and washing them and they still have a fuzzy texture to them. After the green beans died, I had a couple of sprigs that I kept watering to see what they are. It appears that one is a small cherry tomato plant and the other might be a small beefsteak. I am still watering them and seeing what happens.

Zucchini: I had one grow and flower, but didn't produce anything. Then it flowered again but the roots started to grow out of the soil. I think maybe the pot was too shallow to grow it. So now it is dead.

Lemon tree: I still have a bunch of green lemons but in the last week they have started to get yellowy pock marks on them. Maybe something small is eating the fruits? I will try going to the home improvement store and get some fertilizer specific for citrus plants and see if it helps develope them to finally change color and ripen. 

Some things I might try for next summer:

1) Change the soil completely between the fall and spring crops. This year I used the old fall soil and mixed in some fresh to fill them.

2) Try placing some sort of black netting over then to prevent the sun from burning them so much...there might be such thing as too much sun. We passed a farm today that had a large part of the field covered by something that looked like a greenhouse that was made of a small hole netting. It might be for pests, but it might prevent them from getting too hot in the tropical sun. Something to experiment with.

3) Definitely planting my cherry tomatoes again...its a staple. 

4) Going to try zucchini again but want to research if they are more cold-ish weather or a hot weather plant. If cold-ish, then might go with the fall crop instead. Also would plant a few together. I hear they have female and male plants that are needed to produce anything. 

5) Want to try jalapeños again.

6) Want to try bell peppers as well next year.

I will give more updates as I find out what mystery plants are wanting to grow in my green bean pot. Also, how the lemon tree fairs. As well as how long my cherry tomato crop lasts in the summer.

June Challenge: Mid-Month Update

15 days into the June challenge of "all cash, all the time." I stumbled yesterday due to poor planning and laziness. Yesterday, I used my debit card (not my credit card, at least) to purchase a gift. Then, because the banks are closed Sunday, I went to the ATM to get cash for parking to go to the baseball game Sunday. I thought about going to the bank before work, but thought I would go in on my way, but was running late so I didn't have time.

Other than yesterday, I had been successful. So what have I learned so far.

 

1) Going all cash, takes planning (a budget, an idea of what you are going to do each day, etc)

2) Having a back up bit of cash on hand, helps in those times something gets more expensive than thought, or when banks are closed for the weekend fun. Have some tucked away at home and in the car in case something comes up.

3) You feel the money going more when you actually fork it over from your wallet verse swiping a card. Swiping a card feels like it is imaginary money.

4) Sometimes you want more than you really want to spend. Having cash, puts a leash on those wants.

I will get back on the horse and finish this challenge out strong. Updates to come.

Buying Club

Yesterday, I signed up for my first buying club. A buying club is basically a group of people that pay a certain amount every, or every other week and the club then uses that money to negotiate a better price for fresh fruits and vegetables. While buying in bulk directly from a supplier, the members of the club enjoy better buying power to negotiate with. Often times they are seeking fruits and veggies that appeal to the group, such as buying all local or all organic. Then, every or every other week, everyone meets on the delivery date and timeframe to get a random box of fruits and vegetables. 

The buying club I joined has different "share" options available to fit different tastes. Ones that cater to smoothie makers, Paleo followers, little families, or big ones. So you first choose which option will suit you and your family the best. 

You then choose to pick up each week or every other week. This group I joined also gives an idea of what will be in the shares the week before. This allows people to skip shares if they want or allows you to have time to find recipes for something you might not normally eat. 

The goal is to get fresh, organic fruits and veggies at a better price then you would get at the grocery store. I know that when I get produce at the grocery store in Florida, somehow it is spoiled as soon as it enters my home. No idea how long it has been off the plant or on the display by the time I get it. Negotiating directly with a supplier will stop the middle man and get one step closer to the grower.

Not having total control of what I get each time will also expand my horizons on different types of fruits and veggies I might not normally get. They also try to get produce that is in season. This increases the nutrition and freshness of the food. 

I have read about different buying clubs online and read about it in a magazine recently and decided to stop waiting and just try it. I will blog later once I pick it up and let you know how it goes.   

Relay for Life 2014

Today is the Relay for Life in our town. This is the first time I have ever participated in this event, so I am really excited to see what it is all about. Fortunately I have great friends and family who have donated toward the cause to stop cancer in the future and some who are participating with me. My mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer 2 years ago almost to the day. She unfortunately passed away 7 months ago. We all miss her greatly. 

June Monthly Challenge: Planning Ahead

Today was the first challenge of the "All Cash, All the Time" month; gas and groceries. This took some planning ahead to prioritize purchases with what I had on me. Let's start from the beginning...

Yesterday, I went to the bank...inside. I added to the challenge that ATMs are a no go as well. I am the type of person who only sees the bank inside when I get my tax refund check (I know I could let the government direct deposit it, but I am superstitious that if I sign off that they can access my account, they will somehow have my ok to withdrawl as well as deposit. It is silly, but that is the truth of it) or a relative goes old school and sends me a check for a holiday. So I am there trying to figure out how much I 1) want on me, 2) need to not come back here too often 3) plan on having fun in between bank visits. So I get $60 out...I felt this was a lot...I now realize I am out of touch with my money...

Today, I decide that I need gas (I am also the type that waits for the light to come on between fill ups...except in hurricane season. I got the don't-fill-up-until-the-light-comes-on habit from my mom) and a few items at the grocery store. So I make a grocery list. I love lists, so this is nothing new. I figure a certain amount needed for groceries and subtract that from the total to figure what I can spend on gas. 

So I go to the gas station. Punch the button on the bottom that says "pay inside." I dumbly watch the "one moment" screen come up thinking, bet that confused you! Then realize I must pay first before it moves on from that screen. I go inside and I am amazed that there are a few people paying for gas with cash inside. So I wait. Normally, when I have my card, I fill up. It usually is about $50-$60 worth. With cash, you have to know up front. Because of groceries, I decide on $30. Pay the nice man, and head back out. The machine stops at $30! Genius! 

This did save me money because they give a discount to cash customers... 7 cents/gallon! So I saved 58 cents! I also didn't spend as much as I would have if I had my magic play card called a credit/debit card. I generally need 30 gallons of gas a month, more when I have to go to the north campus of my school...like now. So let's say 45 gallons. Paying with cash would save me $3.15 per month. That is $37.80 per year in savings! Just saying...it adds up.

On to the grocery store!

Got to the grocery and start the math. Normally, with my magic card I get surprised at the register with the total. Today, I was hoping to avoid the void out of shame...yes, when you have to play the priorities game at the register. The void out of shame="The I put everything on the belt that I wanted and it all got bagged but my wallet is indicating that today is not the day I get everything I want and have to fish through bags to see what I need and what I just want while the line grows and groans." I was a cashier for a grocery store...believe me, that happens and it happens to the best of us.

To avoid this, I have to pay close attention to the prices...sorely miscalculated what I wanted verse what my $30 was going to cover. So I prioritized the best I could. Rounded up the prices to figure in tax (some things are taxed and some aren't...so I say estimate tax on everything to make a cushion for yourself). Had to leave out the turkey bacon for some frozen sausage the family likes. Downscaled the amount of greek yogurts I wanted (over $1 each! What!?). Got to the register and came up with $23.30. Donated $2 to a charity they were supporting this month. Had 50 cents rolling around in my wallet so I got to keep a whole $5 bill! 

So far, I think this challenge is going to be very good in getting me back in touch with my REAL money. 

Monthly Challenge: May Wrap-up/June Challenge

May Challenge: 

"Do not shop the same place 2 times in May. If I do repeat, I must get something different than I usually do."

That doesn't sound difficult, but when you add in not shopping at the same grocery store, department store, restaurants, etc, it gets to be challenging.  It took some planning ahead and being conscious of my decisions. 

I am a creature of habit. I go on autopilot and don't even notice that I am going somewhere too much and getting the same thing every time until the employee goes ahead and tells me my order before I even get to the counter. Some call this good customer service to remember your regular customers. I call it a sign I have a problem.

So for the month of May, I decided to remove repetition from my life. I succeeded in only shopping 2 restaurants 2-3 times and got different items each time, but ate at quite a few new places that I will eat at again. I didn't shop at a grocery or department store more than 1 time each. 

I also didn't watch CNN. Haha! In the month of April, news channels decided to air 24/7 coverage of the airplane crash and the ferry sinking. These were disasters that needed to be talked about, but the endless speculation when we had no more info then when we had last week got old fast. I love CNN, and read their app every day before starting my day, but it became repetitive and we needed to separate..."it's not me, it's you" kind of separation. 

June's Challenge:

"All cash, all the time"

Except for bills, I will be using all cash in the month of June. Challenge! Supposedly, when you use cash, you spend less. Something about it being "real" money then just swiping your play card and getting stuff. This will be challenging to balance what I have in my wallet with what I want to buy. I also can't remember the last time I paid cash for gas. Not even sure of the proper procedure for that! 

We shall see. Have a great month!

Essentials: Laundry (Part 3)

I posted earlier about how to make homemade laundry detergent and a homemade washer. The next step is to actually use these in a non-emergency run to get some of the issues found and resolved before I HAVE to do this during an emergency.

My grandma once told me that there is no excuse for someone to not have good hygene, soap doesn't cost that much! Laundry can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Going through the different videos and posts on the subject, I can see a large range of suggestions on what the "basics" are. 

To wash clothes you need water, something to hold the water, some kind of detergent, and something to agitate the water (a stick, plunger, your hands, washboard, etc). With the previously posted handmade washer ("Essentials: Laundry Part 2") we have these elements ready. 

I have had some experience with manual clothes washing, or at least the drying part. While I lived in Japan for a year, it was common for a family to have a modern washer but no dryer. So they had drying racks they would place just inside a screened door to allow some breeze and sun to dry the clothes. I always found it a bit odd that the clothes came off the rack really stiff but I hear that is because there wasn't enough breeze getting to the clothes to stop the stiffness. 

(Before I did a load in my washer, I did a dry run to make sure the plunger wouldn't release a bunch of black rubber in the water, and make sure the holes allowed for good water flow).

I filled the bucket about 1/3 full of warm water. Placed 2 gym shirts, 2 gym shorts, and a pair of socks in the water with 1 Tbsp of my homemade detergent. Since they were sweaty gym clothes, I let the clothes soak for an hour. Then I plunged the clothes vigorously for a few minutes (the lid helped keep the water in the bucket, but if I didn't have the lid I could just do this in the bath tub). 

Then I drained the water. Rung out the clothes a bit. Then filled the bucket 1/3 with warm water again but no detergent. Plunged the clothes for a few more minutes. Then drianed it again. I repeated that step again so I rinsed the clothes 2 times total.

After the second rinse, I rung out the clothes as best I could to get as much of the moisture out as possible. 

Now for the drying. I do not have a drying rack, it takes up space and is not very multifunctional other than to dry things. If I were going to always handwash and line dry my clothes, I would invest in one. My HOA would frown upon my stringing some trees with nylon and hanging my clothes in the Florida sun unless disaster struck and we all HAD to do it that way. They also would frown at having my garage door up and stringing it in my garage. So indoors was the way to go this time. But where? The shower rod wasn't big enough. There is a real lack of locations to string rope in a house. So I got an ingenious idea! I flipped my ironing board upside down and strung the rope around the legs! Perfect temporary solution!

I laid some dirty towels and a trash bag on the bottom because no matter how much you ring out the clothes, within 5 minutes, they are dripping. Then I draped the clothes over the strings. The ironing board barely fit the 6 objects I washed.

 But it got the job done. 

So thoughts? I was looking in the garage for potential hanging locations and those are rare even in the garage. I was thinking for bigger laundry needs, having a couple garage strings would be nice and might catch a breeze better. I might try those stick on hooks to see if the nylon will stay on those hooks (because the hooks seem pretty shallow and the nylon might just slip off). I would also need to see how much weight it could support and for how long. If that didn't work, maybe premarking where studs are and then having some eye hooks in the hurricane kit might be a good idea. Don't really want to put holes in the walls unless absolutely necessary.

Also heard that adding vinegar to the first rinse will soften the clothes and not leave them smelling of vinegar. So I might try that to see how it goes. Indoor line drying does not allow a breeze to soften the clothes, so they are slightly stiff once dry.   

Essentials: Laundry (Part 2)

Last week, I posted about homemade laundry detergent (powder). I promised to post about a handmade washing machine, so here it is.

Now, I personally feel that a handmade washing machine is a bit of a radical step. However, I do think it is important to have this in my back pocket for emergancies, such as long times without power (hurricanes or ice storms). This would also be good for camping or off the grid living. Having the materials and knowledge to execute a plan B gives peace of mind during extreme situations.

So here is the premise of a handmade washing machine. 

Materials:

CLEAN plunger

5 gallon bucket (with a lid, preferred)

Sharp knife to cut holes

BE CAREFUL with the knife. Rubber and plastic are not the easiest things to cut into.

Take the plunger and carefully cut out the rubber inner ring. Then along the side walls, cut quarter size holes (about 4-6 holes). The plunger will be your agitator. 

If you have a bucket with a lid, cut a hole in the center of the lid just larger than the plunger handle. This will allow you to be more vigorous with the agitation without getting so much water everywhere. 

That is all there is to it. I am planning on using my 5 gallon bucket as a dual purpose washing machine and laundry soap making bucket. The instructions for the liquid detergent isn't supposed to have a hole in the lid, so I was planning on buying a sink hole cover to place on top of it whenever I plan on making detergent. It is usually used to keep sink water in the sink if you don't have a stopper. I think it would serve the purpose I need it to (we shall see since I am still trying to collect the 10 laundry detergent bottles before I try making liquid detergent. That may take awhile.) However, I saved the hole I cut out of the lid and taped it to the side and want to see if it will work ok just taped over the hole. This will save me money and resources. I will let you know how that goes once I make the soap.

If I find myself in a situation that calls for saving money, this method has potential. Being that I expect at a laundromat to spend about $39 per month. That is $468 per year in savings. Combine this with the savings of making my own laundry detergent (about $125). That is $593 of savings per year! That is amazing savings! 

If I pay $50-$100 extra to have the washer and dryer in my apartment, that is $600-$1200 extra per year. Plus about $146 in electricity charges for running them for a year (I looked up cost estimators online to come to that total. Estimated 3 loads per week). So choosing an apartment without a laundry room would save $746-$1346 per year, plus homemade laundry detergent is a total savings of $871-$1471. It all adds to some significant savings in the long run.

I will have a future post on actually using this method since just making the washer does not automatically lead to knowing how to use it and what it takes to get a load from start to finish.

Essentials: Laundry

So I have been pondering needs and wants lately. I work in retail and it amazes me how much people confuse those two items, a need and a want. 

We say we need a dishwasher because their's just broke. Need a washing machine and dryer. Need a 70 inch TV. Need a new car because their's is 3 years old. 

In reality, we WANT these things because they make our life easier to manage. If we are honest with ourselves, we need to clean our dishes for sanitary reasons. A sponge, hot water, soap, and our hands has got the job done for hundreds of years. 

We want to put our clothes in a couple of machines and presto! Clothes are done and ready for our wardrobe. We don't want to put them in a 5 gallon bucket with some soap and a plunger and agitate water. Dump it. Rinse it. Ring it out. Then clip it on a string outside and wait a few hours to dry in the sun. 

We deminish our intent when we mix up need and want. We say things like, "I need to pick up a grill for my husband for father's day." Instead of, "I want to pick up a grill for my husband for father's day." The first statement sounds like a chore. Something on a list. Something that is beyond our control. If I don't do it, something bad will happen. The second statement sounds like a choice you have conciously made. Something that thought went into.

We seem to fill our life with chores, and not choices, or at least that is what we put out in the world when we mix up needs and wants.

So I got to thinking about what I mix up as a need and want. So this week I started thinking about laundry (I know you are thinking, the title says Laundry, when are we getting to laundry?) Washers and dryers, in today's society, seem to be a need. If you don't have it in your home, then you probably go to the laundromat and pay money to wash your clothes there. In contemplating moving out on my own, I contemplated whether I needed a washer and dryer in my residence or if I could live with shlepping it to the laundromat. I didn't even consider there being an alternative. I considered the upgrade charge of getting an apartment with a washer and dryer which averaged about $50-$100 more. I also considered that that would cost extra electricity. I considered the price of going to a laundromat, gas, time, expense, planning ahead, and the inconvenience of not doing laundry while I slept. Monetary cost was about $1.25 per wash load, and $2 per dry load. I average about 3 loads a week. This would be $39 per month. 

So I began to think what my ancesters would have done. They didn't have washing machine and dryers. They had clothes lines and wash boards. While in Japan, my host family had a washer and then dried the clothes on drying frames that they placed in front of a screen door. Could I do something like that at my apartment? 

I researched manual washing machines and came up with the design for a washing machine made out of a 5 gallon bucket and a plunger (I will write more on that at a later date.) 

The manual washer seemed a severe first step at getting back to basics. So I aimed at reducing another big cost to laundry; laundry detergent.

I found a recipe for homemade powder laundry detergent. The items I needed:

One time charges:

Coffee scoop: $1.67

Cheese grater: $7.97

5 gallon bucket: $2.97

Lid for bucket: $1.17

Total One Time Charges: $13.78

Ingredient charges:

Borax (1 box): $3.97

Oxyclean versitile stain removed (1 container): $7.52

Baking Soda (1 box): $2.24

Super washing soda (1 box): $3.24

Zote soap (2 bars): $1.94

Total Ingredient Charges: $18.91

Estimated monthly for homemade laundry detergent (powder): $1.58

Sale price of brand name liquid detergent: $11.99 (that's the "yeah, it's on sale!" price). That lasts my family of two about 1 month.

One year worth of liquid detergent: $143.88

That is a savings of $10.41 per month and $124.97 per year!

How to do it:

1) Leave the Zote soap unwrapped overnight. It will be easier to grate.

2) Grate the Zote with the fine side of the grater.

3) Most instructions suggest layering the ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket and then stirring until well mixed. I thought putting the mix in a trash bag would be less work and reduce the possiblity of breate in the powders. This method worked out great! I would use a lawn and leaf bag instead of a regular bag because it will probably hold up better. So place the Zote soap, Borax, Super Washing Soda, Baking Soda, and Oxyclean in the trash bag.

4) Twist the top of the garbage bag. Then start squishing the bag in order to mix the ingredients. Continue mixing until well combined.

5) Place combination in whatever container you would like.

Each load=2 tablespoon (how much a coffee scoop holds)

They say that if you have sensitive skin, leave out the oxyclean. If you like scented soap, they now have scented crystals that can be mixed in.

Additional Note:

The oxyclean powder was the largest expense in this recipe. Since I have sensitive skin, I would personally leave out the oxyclean. That puts my cost at $11.59. If it lasts a whole year, that would be $0.95 per month. A savings of $11.04 per month over liquid detergent. $132.48 per year.  

Gardening: We have germination!

Yesterday there was nothing in my pots of soil...today I have baby plants. Looks like the zucchini and tomatoes have sprouted! No green beans yet.

Gardening: New season

Yesterday, I took down my old crop of plants (except the lemon bush). I started my first spring planting in Florida. It is also the first time I planted all of my plants from seed. 

I didn't have enough to buy new soil for my containers, so I just mixed up the current soil and am hoping there are enough nutrients in it still to let them thrive.

I planted:

1-beefsteak tomato (first time)

1-super sweet cherry tomato

2-green beans

3-zucchinis (first time)

I hope they grow well. It is always amazing to me to see the miracle of plants growing. Thinking that nothing is happening and then one day a green plant rises from the soil! Amazing!

Cooking: Crescent Roll Uses

I love raw prepackaged crescent rolls as a quick add on to a meal. I tend to buy them when they are on a really good sale. I have heard that they freeze well while still in the package, but I have not tried that yet. 

I have not made crescent roll dough myself, but it is on the list to start experimenting with.

Since I buy three at a time most of the time, I tend to have these cans rolling around my refrigerator most of the time. So I have begun experimenting with these for other uses other than the usual basket of crescent rolls. 

One of my first experiments was cinnamon rolls. Just melt some butter and brush on the flat rolls. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on them and then roll up as you would a normal crescent roll. I have found that I don't see too much of a taste difference if I leave out the butter, so I usually skip it.

Another experiment has been to make turnovers. All you need is a can of pie filling of your choice (I love cherry, but raspberry or apple would work fine. Whatever the family likes). I find that rolling the rolls out a bit is a good idea. When I roll them out, I find spraying a bit of cooking oil on the surface and the rolling pin helps keeping it from sticking. Put some pie filling in the middle and fold over and lightly pinch the sides so the insides stay inside. I have not tried to make my own filling on these because I had pie filling in the cupboard gathering dust and decided this would put it to good use. But some real fruit mixed with a bit of sugar or sweetener would probably work. Just avoid too much liquid. For a topping, I have tried the simple powdered sugar and milk (even some vanilla) to make a frosting. To me, it tastes like some chemical was mixed in. Tried two different packages of powdered sugar, same taste. I love glazed doughnuts, so not sure what is wrong. If you use icing/frosting/glaze, put it on top of the turnovers after they are golden brown out of the oven. What I have found is if I sprinkle some granulated sugar on the top before putting them in the oven, they come out amazing! Just the right sweetness.

As a main course or party snack, wrapping hot dogs with crescent rolls are awesome. I first learned this with a childhood friend. Her dad used to make these and they were amazing. Blew my child mind! They actually cut a wedge out of the hot dog and then stuck half of a stick of string cheese in the wedge. Then rolled them in crescent rolls and baked them. Boom! On a recent trip to Indiana, my grandma had been introduced to this by my little cousin. They call them "Bones". Whatever you call them, they are amazing, fast snacks or meals for the family.

Having foods in the refrigerator or cupboard that has multiple functions is a great economic idea. Saves time and money.

Cooking: Sausage Roll Up

So far, I have not tried making pizza dough myself. I will adventure into that very soon. For now, I want to share a use for the raw prepackaged pizza dough.

My mom used to make a sausage roll up and I have continued to make it as one of my family's go-to dinners. Not sure where the recipe came from, it just arrived in our life one day. This recipe can be used as a breakfast or dinner. We generally use it as a dinner. Quick, easy, three ingredients! 

Ingredients:

1 package raw pizza dough

1 pound breakfast sausage

1 pound motzorella cheese

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Brown one package of breakfast sausage. Then grind it through the food processor to get it to a fine crumble. 

3) Then on a baking sheet, roll out the pizza dough until it fills most of the baking sheet. 

4) Sprinkle on the sausage and spread out so it is an even layer on the pizza dough. 

5) Sprinkle one pound of motzorella cheese as an even layer on top of the sausage layer. 

6) Start to roll the dough carefully along the long side of the dough. Keep rolling until it is completely rolled up (so the inside will resemble a cinnamon roll when cut). Make sure the final seam is positioned under the roll. 

7) Take the ends and tuck the top flap of the roll up under the bottom so the layers are fully enveloped in the dough. Repeat on the other side.  

8) Bake until golden brown, about 15-17 minutes.

Cut and serve. Not exactly the prettiest meal, but filling and good.

Medical: Eczema

Recently, I have had a massive eczema flare up. I thought it would be good to go through some basics of preventing and treating eczema (things I should have paid attention to before the problem became so bad). 

There are many factors that can cause an eczema flare up. Allergies, stress, dry skin, and recent illnesses or surgeries are just a few things that came cause flare ups. 

My first flare up 8 years ago was due to a surgery. The surgery was unavoidable, however I did not manage the flare up until it was unbearable; bleeding from the pores kind of unbearable. In my defense, I didn't know about eczema at the time. Ended up going to a dermatologist and got a steriod shot.

My second flare up was due to a severe allergy response 3 years ago. I had just moved to Florida and the allergies from Indiana that I took allergy shots for were completely different from the allergies in Florida. I have heard from several doctors that when you move to a drastically different environment, it can take your body up to a year to adjust. That first year was a constant running nose and headache. Eventually, my body rebelled with an eczema flare up. So I was given steriods in pill form and a daily allergy medicine.

This latest flare up was due to a short bout of dry, cold-ish weather here in Florida. My lips got really dry even after nightly lip balm treatments. Right after that, the normal Florida warmth returned. I didn't think much about it until the patches of eczema showed back up. Within a week, the rash covered half of my body. I knew what was happening this time and tried to treat the flare up before it got worse with hydrocortisone cream. It continued to spread. I even tried a bleach bath (putting a half cup of bleach in a full bath and soaking in it for 10 minutes. Then rinse off). It still spread. I ended up at the dermatologist's office again and was given a heavy steriod cream. 

In all of these instances, there were indications of a problem that I ignored. That tends to be something I have done a lot in my past. Other things always seem more important to deal with than a little  itch, a liitle pain, a little anything. The body tries to give us warning signs before there is a more serious problem on our hands. Our job is to take care of our body. This is something I am continually learning and something that becomes very clear in times of feeling miserable and knowing it might have been prevented. 

Simple solutions, such as taking allergy medicine, putting on some moisturizer, paying attention, could have prevented some issues later.

This is not just about eczema, it is about our need to start slowing down and pay attention to our health before some bigger issues creep up on us. Sometimes we need a wake up call to make changes in our lives. Sometimes it is the new year, with the yearly resolutions that never seem to stick. Maybe it is an illness that could have been prevented or at least treated before it got worse. Maybe it is watching a loved one ignore issues for a long time and then they come home with a life altering diagnoses. Whatever it is, why do we need these things to enact a change? Why can't we listen to the whispers of our body before it must scream at us to pay attention. 

Getting back to basics needs to start with us. Our inner voice. We need to stop letting the outside world, and all of its stuff, speak louder than our inner voice.  

Cooking: Chili

Chili! Chili is a great food that is a soup but also hardy enough to stand alone. It warms your soul. I am not a huge fan of soup. I find it a waste of time because it is a side item to me (same as salad). Most soups leave me wanting to chew something afterward. A sandwich, grilled cheese, something! But chili is the exception to that rule. 

Chili is stick to your bones. Chili reminds me of days when you are out for hours shoveling snow, bone cold, exhausted, not sure you can go on, not sure if you even have strength enough to lift your arms to eat. You come in to a pot of chili that was made hours ago (when you had energy), letting the flavors soak into one another, each ingredient effecting the others. Time makes chili better. You grab a bowl and a scoop of the spicy stuff and plop in a chair. With that first spoonful, the magic happens. You start to come alive again. The spices wake you up. The heat starts to thaw your core. The heat starts to radiate out. As you reach the bottom of the bowl, your body has thawed out, you might even break a sweat. But even more than that, your very soul is renewed. 

Chili, however, is not an exclusive winter soup (but it feels like one). Spicy foods actually help people in hot weather. Something about the spices open the body's circulation and helps cool the body. 

Another benefit of chili is that it is a group food. For a little effort, a lot of love and simmer time, you can feed a big crew. One of our family's great friends actually made chili for us on a hot summer day while a big group of us were helping fix my grandma's house. She made it ahead of time and let it cook in a cockpot for hours while we worked. After reaching the point of hot, sweaty exhaustion, the last thing I really wanted was hot chili, but it was there, free, no effort needed. So I had some...magic! It was amazing! Cheese melted on top, tortilla scoops...no spoon needed! It was one of those meals I remember and was everything I needed at that moment.

Chili is such a personal preference. Each family has their must haves in the chili. 

My dad's family tends to put a bunch of ingredients together that are around the kitchen and the recipe changes each time. This is a great method to create a meal out of leftover odds and ends. We all have those leftover canned veggies; maybe some hamburger in the freezer. 

My mom was never a fan of beans, so chili was not a favorite since most recipes involve beans. So her side of the family has not passed on any chili recipes as of yet.

My best friend has a magic chili recipe that I have been sworn to secrecy never to tell. She has her recipe all in her head (most of her recipes are filed there). I swear she just goes into autopilot while making it. 

I have taken her recipe and tweeked it a bit to fit my family's tastes. But I am not going to publish a recipe for this being that chili recipes can be found everywhere or just wing it. 

Some universal tips for chili making that I have found to get you started:

1) Chili is a tomato based soup (except white chicken chili), so key ingredients would be tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes. Maybe just one or all three.

2) I like using the premade chili spice packets. Chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin are three main spices used in chili.

3) Time. Low and slow. The longer it simmers on low, the better the taste.

4) Chili is pretty forgiving. This means you can hide a lot of things in the chili without hurting the flavor too much. Corn, squash, mushrooms, etc. I have even heard of chocolate being added.

5) An onion or two is also found in most recipes.

With most of the country going through a cold streak (even in South Florida), go out and make some chili!

Cooking: Pasta

I am a pasta addict. Pasta has been a part of my life for a long time and will probably continue to be for the forseeable future.

With my garden in dire need of harvesting, I decided to make up a new pasta recipe that popped in my head. 

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 C cherry tomatoes (halved) (from my pot garden)

4-5 fresh leaves of basil (from my pot garden)

2 servings of pasta (any kind will do)

Shaved Parmesan to taste

Instructions:

1) Put oil in skillet and let warm up. 

2) Add minced garlic and let cook a bit to infuse the oil.

3) Add the cherry tomatoes and let them warm through. 

4) Reduce heat to low and stir occassionally

5) Cook the pasta as directed on the box (my secret is to add salt to the water to flavor the pasta. It should be enough salt to almost make a broth).

6) After the pasta is drained, set aside. Add the sweet basil that has been finely chopped to the skillet with the tomato mixture.

7) After the basil has cooked in for a bit, add the pasta and stir. 

8) Plate it and add parmesan. 

Alternatives:

1) Add chicken pieces to the tomato mixture

Cooking: Baked Fried Chicken Update

So I tried the chicken again with a couple of revisions. 

I used 1.5 Cups panko mixed with 2Tbsp of a seasoning mix that we like and 2Tbsp of flour. Still used 1 egg (beaten) to coat the chicken pieces first. Then I placed in the breading mix. 

I sprayed the rack with oil this time and it worked out much better. No pieces stuck this time. Much easier clean up!

The seasoning mix was pretty good but will probably add 1-2 more Tbsp next time for even more pop! 

It turned out crispy again...all over! So I was able to replicate the crunchy deliciousness.