Well, it has been a long time since I have posted and I must say, I have gone done hill. As the title says, I fell asleep at the wheel of the budget. That is not good, not at all!!
I think things seemed to be moving along quite smoothly and I thought all was okay. This past month, our money took a hit and it was quite a wake up call. I think that I am beginning to see that budgets are not something that can be on cruise control. Budgets do not manage themselves. If they do, they go all haywire and you might be left like me, wondering what the heck happened!!
The only good news is that our savings has not really suffered. There were times that I wanted to tap into the little bit of savings we have with another bank but I resisted. I do not like that it has not increased as I would have liked it but it has not decreased in value. Yahoo!! Or should I really celebrate that? Little victory? Okay, I will admit that I am that one person that would celebrate that!!
So, the question is how do I keep on track with the budget without micro-managing every little detail? How do I make sure it is on the right track without becoming terribly hard to live with because all I say is "No, we don't have the money for that"? I am still trying to find that fine line of managing the budget, not becoming a little money dictator and not letting it go all together. Do you have any tips on how you do this?
Until next time.......(I hope I am still not sleeping when I post again!!)
Jenn
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Basic Food to Have on Hand
There are a few foods that I keep on hand to help out. This may mean that I have the food on hand for when I am down to a few dollars and must decide on gas or food (gas wins out as I have to go to work to earn more money). If there is more than just you in your household, you have to consider what you can work with to make lean time food good.
Rice - I keep brown rice on hand. I can put different things on or with rice. Veggies and rice are great for lunch or light eating. I even can do some type of baked chicken or fish to go with the rice. Usually, I try to make enough rice for that night's dinner and tomorrow's lunch. Or, I may just use the rice for lunch the next day. Rice can go with pretty much anything.
Canned or Frozen Vegetables - I keep some basics that I know we will eat on hand. I try to replenish them when I find them on sale. I try to use the ones with no salt added if I am buying canned vegetables. These work great in stews, with rice or by themselves. Pick what you like and keep some on hand. You can also freeze some of what you find at local farmer's markets or your own garden. Just do a little research on the best way to freeze them and it will work out great.
Meats - If I have a few extra dollars in my grocery money, I might just stock up on some meat and keep in the freezer. I try to balance meals with meat and some meatless meals where I can. You just have to agree on what meats you like and know how often you might eat them. Also, know if you will use them for meals and then leftovers for lunch the next day. This is definitely something that if you have some extra money, it can be worth it.
Pasta - If you catch this on sale and you know your family will eat it, past is a great thing to have on hand. You can do different things with it, depending on which pasta you buy. Try adding veggies to pasta for a pasta salad in the summer. Just find some different recipes with pasta and try them with your family. You never know what you might like. Plus, pasta can definitely be a good thing if you catch it on sale.
Pasta Sauce - Depending on the sale you find on the pasta sauce, this is handy to keep in your pantry for use. Lasagna, spaghetti, rotini and different kinds of pasta dishes can be done with pasta sauce. Also, keep an eye out for different recipes and you will find different ways to use the sauce.
You can add different staple foods to your pantry depending on what your family likes. It is just up to you. Definitely try to find them on sale (and with coupons makes a better deal).
What kind of things do you keep on hand?
Jenn
Rice - I keep brown rice on hand. I can put different things on or with rice. Veggies and rice are great for lunch or light eating. I even can do some type of baked chicken or fish to go with the rice. Usually, I try to make enough rice for that night's dinner and tomorrow's lunch. Or, I may just use the rice for lunch the next day. Rice can go with pretty much anything.
Canned or Frozen Vegetables - I keep some basics that I know we will eat on hand. I try to replenish them when I find them on sale. I try to use the ones with no salt added if I am buying canned vegetables. These work great in stews, with rice or by themselves. Pick what you like and keep some on hand. You can also freeze some of what you find at local farmer's markets or your own garden. Just do a little research on the best way to freeze them and it will work out great.
Meats - If I have a few extra dollars in my grocery money, I might just stock up on some meat and keep in the freezer. I try to balance meals with meat and some meatless meals where I can. You just have to agree on what meats you like and know how often you might eat them. Also, know if you will use them for meals and then leftovers for lunch the next day. This is definitely something that if you have some extra money, it can be worth it.
Pasta - If you catch this on sale and you know your family will eat it, past is a great thing to have on hand. You can do different things with it, depending on which pasta you buy. Try adding veggies to pasta for a pasta salad in the summer. Just find some different recipes with pasta and try them with your family. You never know what you might like. Plus, pasta can definitely be a good thing if you catch it on sale.
Pasta Sauce - Depending on the sale you find on the pasta sauce, this is handy to keep in your pantry for use. Lasagna, spaghetti, rotini and different kinds of pasta dishes can be done with pasta sauce. Also, keep an eye out for different recipes and you will find different ways to use the sauce.
You can add different staple foods to your pantry depending on what your family likes. It is just up to you. Definitely try to find them on sale (and with coupons makes a better deal).
What kind of things do you keep on hand?
Jenn
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thoughts on Carpooling So Far
READ ME FIRST, PLEASE: This is my opinions and thoughts on carpooling with Husband so far. This is just MY experience and your experience might be different. Other articles you may read on carpooling may give different opinions but in this post, this is my opinion.
So far, carpooling has not been terribly bad. Not terribly good but, it is an adjustment. It is something that you definitely have to get used to. I had been used to getting out of the office during lunch. I had been used to running an errand during lunch, if I needed to do so. If I had a doctor's appointment, no problem!! Now, it will take/has taken some adjusting to sharing the vehicle. I am at work earlier than I should be due to Husband has to be to work at 8:00 a.m. and now since my office moved, it takes him longer to get to his job (even though we still work in the same city). And eating lunch in the office can sometimes be a little crazy as I would like the time to step out of the office and come back after lunch with a clear head and ready attitude to complete the rest of the day. I miss running to CVS or Rite Aid for a deal that we might need. I miss wandering around the library, choosing a book on tape and listening to it to and from work (cd actually but I just cannot seem to stop saying books on tape).
Okay, is there anything I have enjoyed about carpooling? Yes, I get to spend some more time with Husband. We have time to talk about things on the ride to and from work. This past week we even stopped at a local little store and got some ice cream after work. That was nice to do it together and just enjoy a little treat at the end of the week. I had not had blackberry ice cream in a really long time. Plus, spending more time together is always good.
While I may not like the lack of some freedom of having my own vehicle at work, enjoying the extra time spent with Husband is a plus. We do get to spend the time talking and sometimes just being silly with each other. I have no idea what we are going to do if either one of us needs to be somewhere like a dentist or doctor's appointment. Most doctor or dentist offices do not have Saturday appointments. I guess we would have to schedule appointments together.
Also, not having to spend gas for two vehicles has been nice. Gas has gotten a little high lately and somehow, trucks seem to eat up gas!!
Have you had to carpool with a family member or spouse? How did you like it? What were some of your gripes? Any tips to enjoy it more? How did you handle appointments? Let me know some of your tips and tricks!! I would like to hear from you!!
Jenn
So far, carpooling has not been terribly bad. Not terribly good but, it is an adjustment. It is something that you definitely have to get used to. I had been used to getting out of the office during lunch. I had been used to running an errand during lunch, if I needed to do so. If I had a doctor's appointment, no problem!! Now, it will take/has taken some adjusting to sharing the vehicle. I am at work earlier than I should be due to Husband has to be to work at 8:00 a.m. and now since my office moved, it takes him longer to get to his job (even though we still work in the same city). And eating lunch in the office can sometimes be a little crazy as I would like the time to step out of the office and come back after lunch with a clear head and ready attitude to complete the rest of the day. I miss running to CVS or Rite Aid for a deal that we might need. I miss wandering around the library, choosing a book on tape and listening to it to and from work (cd actually but I just cannot seem to stop saying books on tape).
Okay, is there anything I have enjoyed about carpooling? Yes, I get to spend some more time with Husband. We have time to talk about things on the ride to and from work. This past week we even stopped at a local little store and got some ice cream after work. That was nice to do it together and just enjoy a little treat at the end of the week. I had not had blackberry ice cream in a really long time. Plus, spending more time together is always good.
While I may not like the lack of some freedom of having my own vehicle at work, enjoying the extra time spent with Husband is a plus. We do get to spend the time talking and sometimes just being silly with each other. I have no idea what we are going to do if either one of us needs to be somewhere like a dentist or doctor's appointment. Most doctor or dentist offices do not have Saturday appointments. I guess we would have to schedule appointments together.
Also, not having to spend gas for two vehicles has been nice. Gas has gotten a little high lately and somehow, trucks seem to eat up gas!!
Have you had to carpool with a family member or spouse? How did you like it? What were some of your gripes? Any tips to enjoy it more? How did you handle appointments? Let me know some of your tips and tricks!! I would like to hear from you!!
Jenn
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