Last week I definitely began meal planning for me and Husband. I found a downloadable template to write in what we are having for dinner that day and attached it via magnet to the fridge. This way, no more confusion on what's for dinner and if I need to remember where the recipe is, I include it on the paper.
Has this helped? Yes it has. We have been trying a few new recipes from a magazine I bought which so far, has been great. The magazine was a five ingredent recipe magazine and included sections for appetizers, desserts, chicken and turkey, seafood and maybe one on meat (not chicken or turkey). It was definitely worth the money and I have been amazed at how quick, easy and yummy the recipes are. I have been getting Husband involved on some of the recipes to help me make them and he has absolutely no problem with them either.
Since I get paid twice a month and Husband is now getting paid every two weeks, meal planning is for two weeks. So, we went to the grocery store together and I had made a list of the items we needed and it was a pretty good shop. The downside was the cost. But we did save by buying some things on sale and I felt it was good as I knew what I was getting and what it was being used for later. Definitely have to start doing a little stockpile and doing some recipes using what I already have in the home rather than buying all new things. I think that will help on the grocery sticker shock at check out.
So, I think that meal planning is letting us try new foods to find ones we like while still using some good stand-bys. By planning, I feel a bit more in control and knowing what is going on and have an answer for "What's for dinner tonight?" I like this. I also like having Husband involved with it. (Strange huh?) I think that getting a little stock pile and using coupons with the meal planning will help to keep our costs low but I think the first few times, it might not be so well. That is okay though. As long as I am learning and progressing, I know a bumpy start will lead to something good for grocery costs!!
I found my downloadable template for meal planning at: http://faithfulprovisions.com/
She has a great website and will post some deals at different stores. I really like her site so far but I have not explored all of her site yet. A big thank you for the templates and such a great site!!
Jennifer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Books on Tape
So, sometimes I find that I really do not like to channel surf the radio on my commute to and from work. I think I spend too much time trying to find which station is playing a song I might enjoy and scanning past the ones that are on commercial breaks, reporting the traffic and some chit chat. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to work which includes going through the school zone when school is in and if I stop to grab a drink in the morning.
I find sometimes that I do not have a lot of time to really read like I want to. I am not too sure how others find the time to sneak in reading with jobs, family and other obligations. Right now my consistant reading has been the book for the Ladies Bible Study that I am attending. So, I thought that I had enjoyed books on tape several years ago and wanted to give it a try again. I really like the unabridged versions as that way I get the whole book. I have not tried abridged versions and if you have, please let me know how you liked them.
I checked out some books on tape from the local library near my work. They are actually on compact disc (cd) now but books on tape sound fine with me. I might have been a bit over eager when I checked out three of them but in the week that I have been listening to the first one, I am on the last cd now (there are nine in this book). It seems to have gone pretty quickly. I am enjoying the book and the narrator has really made the book seem to come alive. I like that. I definitely cannot wait to listen to other books and even see if I can find some financial books on tape to listen too.
This has been pretty good for my budget as well. I get to listen to a book I might be interested in and see if I like it or not without having bought it and decide I just cannot get interested in the book. There are books that I would like to purchase so that I may read again but I may wait on that for now. So far, books on tape are great. Have you tried them yet?
Jennifer
I find sometimes that I do not have a lot of time to really read like I want to. I am not too sure how others find the time to sneak in reading with jobs, family and other obligations. Right now my consistant reading has been the book for the Ladies Bible Study that I am attending. So, I thought that I had enjoyed books on tape several years ago and wanted to give it a try again. I really like the unabridged versions as that way I get the whole book. I have not tried abridged versions and if you have, please let me know how you liked them.
I checked out some books on tape from the local library near my work. They are actually on compact disc (cd) now but books on tape sound fine with me. I might have been a bit over eager when I checked out three of them but in the week that I have been listening to the first one, I am on the last cd now (there are nine in this book). It seems to have gone pretty quickly. I am enjoying the book and the narrator has really made the book seem to come alive. I like that. I definitely cannot wait to listen to other books and even see if I can find some financial books on tape to listen too.
This has been pretty good for my budget as well. I get to listen to a book I might be interested in and see if I like it or not without having bought it and decide I just cannot get interested in the book. There are books that I would like to purchase so that I may read again but I may wait on that for now. So far, books on tape are great. Have you tried them yet?
Jennifer
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Library v. Bookstore
This is a big debate for me. I really do enjoy reading some different books and while I enjoy going to the bookstore, the local library is a better cost-effective way for me to save money and read some books. I have one problem though - I seem to always forget my return dates and end up owing money to the library because I did not renew the book or return it on time. While the fine is ususally small, I still dislike that I did it to myself. That is probably why I have not checked out any books from the library in a long time.
In my quest to save money though, the library will have to work for me. I do own some books that I have not read and may not read any time soon. One good reason to hit up the library - if I do not like it, I can return it. I have just got to make more of an effort with the library though. It has to be done. Maybe if I like the book, I can tuck away some money to buy it later. Or, maybe I can check it out again.
I just have to figure out a way to remember my return dates for books. I did get a calendar for Christmas so putting the due dates on there is a good thing to start doing. I just have to get the calendar put up.
What helps you remember to return books or other items to the local library?
Jennifer
In my quest to save money though, the library will have to work for me. I do own some books that I have not read and may not read any time soon. One good reason to hit up the library - if I do not like it, I can return it. I have just got to make more of an effort with the library though. It has to be done. Maybe if I like the book, I can tuck away some money to buy it later. Or, maybe I can check it out again.
I just have to figure out a way to remember my return dates for books. I did get a calendar for Christmas so putting the due dates on there is a good thing to start doing. I just have to get the calendar put up.
What helps you remember to return books or other items to the local library?
Jennifer
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Hello 2012
Hello 2012!!
Well, now that I have gotten back into the swing of work and home and more of a schedule after the holidays, it is time to do my first post of 2012. So, what do I write about? Do I tell you that I made New Year's Resolutions when I really only thought of what I wanted to accomplish in the new year? Do I ramble on and on how I want 2012 to be a big year of saving and getting my budget fine tuned? I could do that. Or not. Or maybe somewhere in the middle.
The good news is that Husband has a job. This job has some insurance as well. I am excited that he is working and feeling productive at something. It is only part-time but that is okay. I am happy for him and glad that he does like the job. I really hope that he continues to like it. The extra money he makes is nice as well.
Did I make any New Year's Resolutions? Well, not in so many words. There are goals that Husband and I would like to reach with our money. I think we need to write these goals down to see how we are doing over the next year - how close did we come to meeting our savings goal, checking our credit score goal, paying off some bills goal, etc. Maybe with realistic goals for us we can accomplish something very great this year. It may not be anything big according to the rest of the world but I think it will be big for us.
I also wonder why so many make New Year's Resolutions only to break them by the end of January. Did they just sound good at the time? Were these resolutions something that would cause us to grow and be a little painful (saving money, loosing weight) change that we would have to make? Many may ask why is change hard? Maybe it is because it causes us to do something that is out of character or to grow-up in our actions. If we are really wanting to loose weight we have to stick with a better eating plan and some exercise. Many of us fail at the loosing weight and say it is too hard. Change is hard but to get the result you want, you must change.
So, here is to change and meeting goals. Here is to becoming someone I like. Here is to the hard stuff that will make me a better person. Here is to doing what is right!!
Jennifer
Well, now that I have gotten back into the swing of work and home and more of a schedule after the holidays, it is time to do my first post of 2012. So, what do I write about? Do I tell you that I made New Year's Resolutions when I really only thought of what I wanted to accomplish in the new year? Do I ramble on and on how I want 2012 to be a big year of saving and getting my budget fine tuned? I could do that. Or not. Or maybe somewhere in the middle.
The good news is that Husband has a job. This job has some insurance as well. I am excited that he is working and feeling productive at something. It is only part-time but that is okay. I am happy for him and glad that he does like the job. I really hope that he continues to like it. The extra money he makes is nice as well.
Did I make any New Year's Resolutions? Well, not in so many words. There are goals that Husband and I would like to reach with our money. I think we need to write these goals down to see how we are doing over the next year - how close did we come to meeting our savings goal, checking our credit score goal, paying off some bills goal, etc. Maybe with realistic goals for us we can accomplish something very great this year. It may not be anything big according to the rest of the world but I think it will be big for us.
I also wonder why so many make New Year's Resolutions only to break them by the end of January. Did they just sound good at the time? Were these resolutions something that would cause us to grow and be a little painful (saving money, loosing weight) change that we would have to make? Many may ask why is change hard? Maybe it is because it causes us to do something that is out of character or to grow-up in our actions. If we are really wanting to loose weight we have to stick with a better eating plan and some exercise. Many of us fail at the loosing weight and say it is too hard. Change is hard but to get the result you want, you must change.
So, here is to change and meeting goals. Here is to becoming someone I like. Here is to the hard stuff that will make me a better person. Here is to doing what is right!!
Jennifer
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