To Do, Or Not To Do?

Photo : aheram

I was going to write you a list of all the things I need to do today to restart my brain and focus on one thing at a time, but instead ... this post developed out of thin air. Hurrah for that! Enjoy!

I am a list maker at heart. A serious list maker who cannot accomplish anything really unless she has a list of all the other things she needs to do. I don't like to have to keep thinking about things that need finishing. I would rather write them down and let my brain release the space their throbbing reminder was taking up. Every night before bed, I add to the list. I don't necessarily get everything done (often times not even close ... sometimes, nothing), but at least my brain can stand down from "Do Not Ever Forget One Single Thing" mode. List making also keeps my day simpler. I don't have to multi-task as much, because I don't sporadically "remember" something in the middle of doing something else, then distract my energies to doing both half way. I just write it down.

There are a number of lists floating around, as you can imagine. I have a traditional 'to do' list, which I call my Taaa Daaaa (!) list. I really do say it like a cheap Reno magician every time too. On that list I keep the things that randomly need to be accomplished:

[] Pit cherries for dehydrator
[] Put movie in mailbox
[] Finish packing up basement boxes
[] Etc.

There's also a housecleaning list. It is a standardized format and I use it every time we clean the house (or a portion therein). There are two versions: one for the weekly rotation of what gets cleaned when and one for absolute crisis mode (like Be's propensity for inviting his adorable perfectionist grandmother over for dinner on 2 hours notice after I've worked a 60 hour week and let them trash the house in the interim ... pure crisis). I've modified them over the years from the FlyLady system. I don't know that it shares any resemblance to the original anymore, other than the division into four distinct 'Zones'. It kind of looks like:

[] Start at the top of the room and work down
[] Knock down cobwebs in corners
[] Dust light fixtures
[] Etc.

Of course we also have grocery lists, which I insist on writing by hand. We don't buy the same things repetitively enough to warrant a reusable format. I tried one for awhile, even customized to what I thought we needed, but it just felt like a big ole waste of paper every time. My grocery lists are deal-oriented. They include the sale items we are for sure stocking up on, sales items that I need to check prices and units for with the intention of making a split second in-store decision, and items that aren't on sale but we (read: my ever hungry family) think we need. The items in that last category are often overlooked and "forgotten" (oooooops, how very clumsy of me to forget your $3/package corn syrup laden cookies ... for shame). Be says the grocery lists are indecipherable because of the chicken scratch and hieroglyphs of stockpile shopping. They look a little something like ...

[] Duncan Hines Cake Mix: $1 - 1/2 MQ - 1/5 cake MBQ = 40c/ea - B5/ea = $4 total
[] Hunt's Ketchup: $1 - 20c/1 MG - 1/5 MBQ = 72c/
[] Wheat Thins + ^cheese = $8 - 1/2 cheese - 1/1 wt = 5 + CL cat
[] Etc.

There's one final list I keep, called the Someday List. It's large, long, and slightly unwieldy. It's the singular place where I write all of my ideas for future projects, home improvements, system changes, blog posts, and on and on. Every so often I go through and nix the things I have finished or no longer want to do. The list is kind of big, but it works beautifully as a brain dump for ideas I have without cluttering up my regular to do list with things that I can't get to, afford, plan, think about every day, for a longer period than this week. It changes constantly, this Someday List, but I like it a lot (more than the other lists for sure). It's a bright little reminder of the long term:

[] Marble magnets
[] Try hand at herbal soap making
[] Urban chickens!
[] Etc.

One last note on lists from me, and then I'm off to tackle today's Taa Daa. There are tons of places that will keep track of lists for you online. I've tried ... most of them, well, the free ones at least. I hear there are others, but I refuse to pay for them. Writing the list is a great step, but if you lose it the next day, what good is it then? All those things your brain let go of once they hit the list are gone if the list disappears. To remedy that I find the following solutions:

For the internet saavy ...
[] Springpad
[] Google Calendar

For the not so willing to always find a computer to check their lists ...

You can type your lists if you like, then print them. I'm not the biggest fan of this, though, because the sheets wander off continuously. I do have printed copies of the housecleaning to do lists, which are kept in a binder so that my family can find them (if they were ever to look for them, that is ...). For all the other lists, though, I use a plain jane spiral bound single subject notebook. I buy a veritable ton of them for next to nothing during back-to-school sales, and they live in a stack in my office closet. I start with page one, make a list, use the back, make a new list, and on and on until all the pages are full. This takes quite awhile, usually. I use reuseable post-its to mark the current Taaa Daaa, grocery, and Someday lists so they don't get lost in the pages. Everything is in that one notebook until it runs out, then I pull out a new one and start again. I absolutely looooooove this process. I don't lose lists anymore, nor do I clutter up my dayplanner with giant running lists of things my brain cannot stop thinking about. This is how I keep it simple.

Oh, lists, how I adore thee.


Are you a list maker? Join in the comments and tell me all about it!

Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 11

1.
We have a house guest (again). I am trying to walk the fine line between being hospitable and enabling. This little voice tells me I should give without asking, always. Its friend reality is bogged down by one too many late nights watching Law & Order, skeptical of everyone's intentions, not ready to trust blindly. I'm vacillating (internally, of course, I'm not a total jerk) between being a gracious host and being irritated about schedule and routine interruption now that we finally seem to have made something work. Argh, human emotions! Why can't you be simpler? More graceful? Less selfish? I'm trying, I swear.

2.
I should change my name to Mendel, because somehow I have managed not one, but two different hybrid sweet pepper species. It would seem my little lovelies have been cross-polinating themselves (well, I'm sure the bees have something to do with it ...) like mad. We have yellow banana peppers, sweet green bell peppers, and now tiny yellow bell peppers and giant long green banana peppers. Ei yi yi. It's pure prolific pepper craziness out there.

3.
I am at the end of my first full week (there was also half a week before that, but then I skipped some ... ) of green smoothie drinking. Are you a fan? Have you jumped on the liquefied greens bandwagon? I'm not cool enough to be drinking just blended greens, but the addition of fruit is helping immensely (and the more I read online, the more I realize I am unintentionally ahead of the game as far as the greens outweighing the fruit goes). The first few mornings it was all I could do to talk my brain into letting that glass of slime anywhere near my mouth, but once I got past the, "Oh no! I'm about to drink a glass full of liquidy green stuff and that cannot possibly taste at all better than say ... pool algae or pond scum", I've been doing just fine. I'm starting to love them, honestly. Liquified spinach: A Great Way To Start The Day.

4.
I have an appointment with the dentist in an hour. I am far less than thrilled, knowing the cavity fairy has been here and I'm going to need fillings. Most people don't enjoy the drill or the potential for pain, but really I cannot stand the numb mouth feeling. I hate that big fat lip, cheek biting, drooling all over yourself craziness. Hate it. My anticipation anxiety is not liking it either. I'm also not a fan of that much unproductive time. Do you think I can get away with catching up on podcasts and reading email on my Blackberry while I get my teeth drilled?

5.
I have a birthday coming up (in 20 short, short days), and I am not coping well with it. Although I appreciate whomever suggested we 'age gracefully', I am much more inclined to tantrum my way begrudgingly instead. I do not like this birthday so much right now. The fact that I'm (for real) not eating gluten (again) kills the only anticipatory happiness there was ... about cake. If there weren't people coming over to celebrate, I may just lock myself in my room until the next week.

6.
There used to be something here ... honestly ... and now it's gone *poof*, bye bye. Blogger ate my 6th Quick Take, and my tired brain cannot remember what in the world it was in the first place. Booooo.

7.
I saw some really rockin' things happen at church last week. I want to write about them, but I'm still trying to figure out which venue is the right one. Oh, self, one day you will write freely and with joy regardless of content or location ... one day.



Simply,

Em.

ps, Check out more Quick Takes Fridays at Jen's blog.

Menu Plan Monday: 20-26 July

20-26 July
M: Pork chops, mashed potatoes, veggies

T: Beef chili with veggies, salads

W: Chicken lo mein with veggies, brown rice, salads

R: Beef fajitas with peppers and onions, yellow rice

F: Chili stuffed double baked potatoes (from leftover chili), salads

S: Survivor Night (find something or starve)

U: Whole garlic chicken, potatoes, salads


Breakfasts (in addition to a 'green smoothie' every morning)
Oatmeal with dried fruit x2
Eggs and fruit
Peanut butter raisin celery
Egg whites and hashbrowns
Cereal with Silk and fruit
Cheese and potato omelets

Lunches
Veggie soup, steamed rice
Pizza quesadillas and cut cucumbers
Hot dogs, side rice, veggies
Vegetable cheese tortilla roll ups
Leftover fajitas
Leftover potatoes, veggies and hummus
Dinner size salads

Snacks (3 a day ... mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and late night)
Trail mix
Yogurt
Fruit and peanut butter
Tortilla chips
Hummus and veggies
Popcorn
No bake cookies
Cut fruit cups
Veggie stix


What's on your menu?


Simply,

Em.

ps, For more menus, please check out the Org. Junkie.

What's in Em's Shopping Cart? (9 July @ VG's)

I live in a place where no one doubles coupons. Well, that's not entirely true, I suppose. There is one teeny tiny grocery with outrageous party store-esque prices and not much in the way of sales that does double manufacturer's up to 50 cents. When products are priced $2 or $3 more than they are at Meijer, this does not help me at all so I don't count them. Mostly, no one doubles on this side of Michigan. We are the hometown of Fred Meijer and Fred doesn't have much competition around these parts. Sure, there are other stores, but no one rivals the power of MTA.

That being said, the concept of doubles (and triples!) just makes my nerdy coupon brain go nuts. As I mentioned Friday, I had a chance to finally get in on the fun. I'll spare you the coupon details, because it would get all long as complicated.

(The prices indicated are regular shelf prices, no sales or coupons.)

3 Shedd Spread Country Crock ... $2.19
1 Land 'o Lakes with Olive Oil ... $1.99
3 Smucker's Ice Cream Topping ... $2.19
2lbs Domino brown sugar ... $1.99
2lbs Domino powdered sugar ... $1.99
1 Land 'o Lakes with Butter ... $1.99
3 Lipton 16 count tea bags ... $1.19
1 Lawry's season salt ... $1.59
3 Lawry's garlic salt ... $1.79
2 McCormick black pepper ... $1.99
1 Lava soap bar ... $1.49
3 Mahatma rice pilaf ... $1.19
3 Mahatma chicken rice ... $1.19
2 GM Marinade packets ... $1.39
1 Newman's Own dressing ... $2.79
3 French's mustard ... $1.49
2 French's worcestershire ... $1.35
3 Kikkoman teriyaki ... $1.99
3 Degree deodorants ... $2.99
3 Sure deodorants ... $2.69
2 Suave deodorants ... $1.99
3 Mahatma brown rice ... $1.29
3 French's horseradish mustard ... $2.59
3 Welch's squeeze jelly ... $2.19
2 Heinz white vinegar ... $1.99

Total Before Coupons ... $109.12
Total After Coupons ... $16.24

(plus $1.50 in unexpected OYNO cats)

Total Savings ... $94.38
85%

I could so get used to this.


Simply,

Em.

Ps, for more great shopping trips, check out Grocery Cart Challenge.

Gratituesday: It's Great-iTuesday!

I have a friend (ok, I have more than one ... probably). We've been friends a handful of years, having met in college. We both dig on vegan food, sustainability, hugging trees, and Ani DiFranco. We live in different cities, but he's spending the summer in our hometown so we've had many more interactions over the past few weeks than in the months before them. I'm absolutely loving it.

See? Don't we look like we're having fun?
(Also, first picture of me on the bloggy. Hello! Hahaha.)

In recent weeks I have been reminded just how absolutely grateful I am for this friend of mine. He listens to my craziness at a table in the sunshine over 4 or 5 too many large coffees. He lets me ramble and work things out with words. He brings me vegan chocolate chip cookies for no reason other than they're tasty. He has been a most perfect resource for the journey I'm on these days, and has been perfectly skilled at keeping his mouth shut about it ... even if it's weird and super-agent-like and makes no rational sense at all. My friend just smiles with knowing eyes and let's me call the shots about what is or isn't yet public knowledge. He accepts my chaotic, list making, contradiction loving (living?) self completely. He's a rockin' guy who loves G-d, people, great music, the planet, bicycles, and Oberon. He remains a constant reminder to me of the way people should be treated, and the world that could be if we all were just a little nicer to each other.

Just yesterday, while waiting in the line to exit the parking lot at church, this friend and I were discussing Gratituesday posts. He suggested this week it should be "Great-ituesday" because ... well, the world is simply that cool. And so, for him, for the impact he has on me, for the doors he's opened in front of my highly skeptical eyes, for loving and laughing and the occasional tray of fabulous tacos ... I am grateful (or GREAT-FULL ... for him).


Simply,

Em.

Menu Plan Monday: 13-19 July

The garden is in bloom. The sun is shining. It's summer time in MI, and that means perpetual veggie tray time. Do you have one? We use one of those chip/dip containers that are often used for parties ... you know the ones with the outer ring of compartments and the little cup part in the middle? It has snowflakes on it, so it's not the most aesthetic or seasonally appropriate object we own. We fill all the sections with cut veggies, and every night it makes a dinner time appearance. The work is already done, the produce is grab and go, and everyone gets a little extra taste of summer at every meal. When something runs out, I just fill in the spot with something else. It's amazing to me how much more produce gets eaten when we use this method. No one likes to dig in the fridge for tiny containers of a million things, I suppose, and although it takes up a boat load of fridge space, I'm counting it as totally worth it if it means my family gets the veggies they're supposed to. As such, you'll see it appear almost constantly from now until the seasonal goodness runs out (we don't like to buy off season produce because of the impact it has on the environment) as a reminder to me to pull it out of the fridge.

13-19 July 2009

M: Inside Out Shepard's Pie, rolls, salads, veggie tray

T: Chicken stir-fry, salads, veggie tray

W: Beef hot dogs, oven fries, salads, veggie tray

R: Grilled pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, salads, veggie tray

F: Personal size pizzas with DIY fancy salad bar

S: Battered fish, yellow rice, veggies

U: Sausage egg sandwiches, fruit salad, veggie tray


Breakfasts
Cereal w/Silk x2
Eggs and toast
PBJs with fruit
Oatmeal with dried fruit x2
Sausage pancake puffs

Lunches
Pasta leftovers
PBJs with hummus and veggies x2
Stir fry leftovers
Hot dog mac
Veggie cheese wraps
Vegetable soup and rice


What's on your menu?

For a million more great ideas, check out the Org. Junkie.

Simply,

Em.

7 Quick Takes: Vol 10

1.
You know those perfect (feeling) days? The ones where everything falls into place, and you can't help but smile constantly about it? A week ago Friday was one of those days. We took a day trip to our hometown (which is only 25 miles, fyi) for the annual art and craft fair. We wandered the streets looking at handcrafted beauties while I made notes (in my phone, teehee) about new craft projects for the house. I ran into no less than 10 people I knew. Hugging ensued. It was warm and sunny, but not unbearable. The crowds were there, but not in any ridiculous fashion. We finished up at the art fair in near record time without feeling rushed and took a few minutes to share an elephant ear. Are you familiar? Fried dough, dusted in sugar and cinnamon? Yes, please! Instead of carnival food (except our fried dough friend), we decided on a local hometown hot spot for lunch. The bill was likely less than it would have been, the food was amazing, and no one got food poisoning from some crazy carnie in a tin wagon (which kind of terrifies me, in general). After lunch, we drove out to the beach to stand in the face of amazing beauty with our toes in the sand while a friend's little girl played her heart out on the slides. The way home from the beach included a stop at the best ice cream stand in the whole town (and once we got home, a nap came next, thank G-d). It was just a perfect day, full of snapshot moments, good laughs, and great friends.

2.
The 4th of July was equally fun. We ate an early dinner at home, headed to the lake, saw some old friends, met some new ones (thanks again to the biker's for letting us park in their yard ...), watched some spectacular fireworks, and then had some sparkler fun of our own once we got home. Only at my house will 20something boys get so blasted excited about $1 store sparklers.

3.
I'm working another part time job at a place I worked at previously to cover someone's maternity leave for 8 weeks. I don't know if it'll really only be 8, or if she'll change her mind and want to not come back. I have to leave at the end of 8 anyway, because the teaching year starts then, but regardless I find myself secretly hoping that she decides to stay home with le bebe for awhile. I'm getting old and becoming a softie, I think.

4.
Yesterday, Be and I had a our first "date" in a terribly long time. My mother had to attend a work meeting on the other side of the state (about 2.5 hours), so Be and I tagged along and had amazing fun while she was at her meeting. We strolled through the Swedish homegoods mega store, IKEA, dreaming of kitchen remodels and comparing counter top qualities like we are even remotely close to that kind of project funding (hahaha!). We ate at my favorite Middle Eastern place (which they only have on that side ... boo), a first for Be. The food was awesome, the service amazing, and it was just the two of us ... chatting, sitting quietly, not listening to anyone complain about anything. After picking up my mother once her meeting concluded, we even squeezed in a stop at a local East Side grocery that was tripling coupons (There will be more on this soon ...). We don't even have doubles here ... ever, so I was terribly excited (and super nerdy) about the whole thing.

5.
I am well on my way to a little more organized and a little more scheduled. I'm kind of stoked about it. We had a sweet organizing system and routine before we moved here, and somehow my brain thought you could use the same rules in a giant old farm house as you could in a tiny 700 sq footer. I was mistaken, obviously. There is much more to clean here; more space to wreak havoc on. The plan for keeping 700 sq feet looking pristine does not lend itself well to a multiplication of grandeur. Somehow, though, my brain kept trying to follow the same rules, the same timelines, the same systems ... and losing. I'm not saying the whole thing needed to be scrapped, but some changes needed to be made across the board. I have finally stopped putting them off. Yes!

6.
I' going to try making cherry jam ... probably Sunday. Be afraid, as I am of all things liquid, sticky, and molten.

7.
My nose hurts. Just on the right side. It's sore, apparently, because in some fit of sleepy craziness, I pulled (and quickly, with some force) my teeny tiny nose ring out. I've had the darn thing for 4 years (I think ... maybe more ...), and never have I caught it on something in a way that could possibly pull it out. It sits flush with my skin. It's hard to take out when I want to. It's not awful, just sore. The scarier thought ... what in the world was I dreaming about?



Simply,

Em.

For more Quick Takes Fridays, check out Jen at Conversion Diary.

What's in Em's Shopping Cart? (2 July @ Meijer)

My cart included ...

1/2 gallon Meijer milk: $1.19
2 8oz Philly cream cheese: $2.09 each
4 Ekrich hot dogs: reg. $1.96 each, on sale 78c/ea - $1/2 coupons = 28c/ea.
4 16oz Breakstone sour cream: reg. $1.87, on sale 90c/ea - $1/2 coupons = 40c/ea.
10 Ronzoni whole wheat pasta: reg. $1.48, on sale 90c/ea - $1/2 store coupons = 40c/ea.
4 boxes of Kraft premium mac and cheese: reg. $1.23, on sale 90c/ea - B3G1 coupon = 68c/ea.
3 ChiChi's salsa: reg. $2.65, on sale 90c/ea - 55c/1 coupons = 35c/ea.
8 boxes Totino's pizza rolls: reg. $1.67, on sale 90c/ea.
3 packs Dentek floss picks: reg. $2.79, on sale 90c/ea - $1/1 coupons = FREE!
1 Heluva Good Dip: reg. $1.50, on sale $1.19 - 75c/1 coupon - 25c/1 store coupon = 19c.
1 Bumblebee pouch: reg. $1.98, price dropped to $1.90 - $1/1 coupon = 90c.
2 loaves Brownberry Bread: reg. $3.98, price dropped to $1.94 - $1/1 store coupon = 94c/ea.
2 bags Lays chips: reg. $3.99, on sale $1.99 - $3/2 Pepsi Rebate coupon = 49c/ea.
2 bottles Wishbone Western dressing: reg. $2.84, on sale $1.50 - $1.25/2 coupons = 88c/ea.
2 pkgs Meijer pitas: reg. $3.18, on sale $1.50/ea.
4 ICBINB (3 tubs, 1 sticks): reg. $2.19, on sale $1.34 - $1.25/1 (3) and $1/1 (1) coupons = 15c/ea.
2 100 cal pack Nabisco cookies: reg. $3.19, on sale $2 - $1/1 coupons = $1/ea.
1 pkg Oreo Cakesters: reg. $3.19, on sale $2.50 - $1/1 coupon = $1.50.
4 bottles Old Orchard juice: reg. 2.89, on sale $1.67 - 50c/1 store coupons - $1/2 coupons = 67c/ea.
4 24pks Pepsi products: reg. $6.49, on sale $3.99 - $2/1 Pepsi Rebate coupons = $1.99/ea.
2 boxes Bagelfuls (as promised): reg. $3.09, on sale $2 - $1/1 coupons = $1/ea.
2 rolls Bounty paper towels (I'm hiding these for emergency super gross clean-ups): reg. $2.78, on sale 90c/ea - $1/2 coupons = 40c/ea.
1 can Mighty Dog wet food: reg. 88c - freebie coupon = FREE!

- $17.55 from 10% off grocery purchase catalinas
+ $1 OYNO catalina from buying 2 Western dressings

Total Spent: $46.06 (incl $2.40 aluminum deposit)
Total Savings: $130.42

That's 74.3% savings!

Thank you, Meijer!

We have $153.94 left in the grocery budget for July. The deals for next week (5-11 July) are less stellar so I'm likely sticking to produce only this week and won't be doing any sweet match ups unless something amazing strikes my fancy. I hope you had a great week shopping (and most important, saving!).


Simply,

Em.

Menu Plan Monday: 6-12 July

6-12 July 2009

M: Hot dogs (like anyone in the world really needs more of these after last week ...) , fancy mac & cheese, steamed broccoli

T: Oven baked ham steaks, au gratin potatoes, veggies

W: Whole wheat pasta with sausage and kale, garlic bread

R: Light chili, dinner salads, rolls

F: Stir-fry pork and veggies with rice

S: Survivor Night -- find something, or starve

U: Undecided ... depends on how our weekend plans pan out.

I've also planned breakfasts and lunches this week so we have no excuses not to eat them.

Breakfasts
Cereal with Silk x2
Oatmeal with dried apples
PBJs and fruit x2
Eggs with toast
Sausage scrambles


Lunches
Weekend leftovers
Hummus and pita with veggies
Soup and grilled cheese
Pasta leftovers from Wednesday
PBJs with fruit
Chili leftovers from Thursday


Anything rockin' on your menu this week? For more ideas, check out the Org. Junkie.

Dirt Cheap: Garden Befores and Afters

Oh, how the rain and unbearable heat have done my little green friends well. For your viewing pleasure, gratuitous garden pictures for your enjoyment. I got a little *ahem* picture happy while we were on break from weeding.

The baby cucumber in a pot, 1 June.

That same cucumber, 28 June.

The strawberry plants, with its cute little half-eaten berry (darn birds!), 1 June.

The strawberry plants, 28 June.
There haven't been anymore berries. I don't know what exactly to think about that ... a strawberry plant that looks healthy and full, and yet, makes no fruit. Am I just impatient? Maybe.

The herb garden, 1 June.
(basil, lavender, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, thyme, mint, oregano, and hore hound)

The herb garden, 28 June.
It was the part of the day when that side of the house is shaded, so forgive the less than stellar lighting.

Lonely baby snow peas, radishes, and carrots just pushing through, 1 June.

Those same babies, now giants.
The row closest to you is green beans, the next one is peas, after there are carrots and parsnips, then bushy radishes, and onions in the far corner.

The garden view in the other direction, peppers and tomatoes on 28 June.

Bell peppers, blossoming.

Banana peppers, coming on strong.

A nest of green cherry tomatoes.
If these things actually turn red, we'll be swimming in them. I hear the dehydrator calling my name already.

That was fun. I loooooove garden pictures just about as much as I love gardening. Are you growing anything? Take pictures! Blog them! Comment me with the links! I'd love to check them out (and possibly start using fewer exclamation points ... ).


Simply,

Em.

Top 'O the Month: July 2009

We are closer to a resolution of the employment problem than we previously were. The countdown until Be's next court date is under a month (in fact, just over 2 weeks), and we're hoping to settle this whole thing before then. Keep hoping the other side gets their acts in gear, ok? Then, my lovely can finally go back to work ... assuming he can find a new job in this market, and I can stop biting my lip in anxious anticipation while opening the electric bill.

Here's the debt update ...
EFund: $1000
(I'm busting my rear end to make sure this gets paid back every time we use it. So far, so good. One day soon, I'd really love to not worry about this anymore ...)

Dream Savings: $0
(On hold until the employment crisis is remedied.)

Jeep: $0
PAID OFF! YAY!

GP: $3522.14

C1: $186.34

AV: $0
PAID OFF! YAY!

VSA: $90
(Going back down, yay!)

I'm also going to add a new feature to TOTM, including a glimpse into our budget. It's primarily a reason for me to remain accountable to myself (because, what better for that than posting it on the internet for all to see?). We'll start with the discretionary spending first as an experiment, and if it goes well, we may go to full budgets at some time in the future. The following are the budgeted discretionary amounts for the month of July ...


Track Our Spending!
Grocery/Household: $200
(family of 5 adults, includes all food, supply, toiletry, and cleaning purchases)
-$46.06 2 July
-$16.24 9 July
-$37.30 10 July = $100.40 remaining

Car Fuel: $150
(one car, shared between Be and I)
-$45.00 1 July
-$37.30 9 July = $67.70 remaining


We'll see how this goes. I'm going to endeavor to find a way to link an ongoing update to the discretionary amounts so you can watch them dwindle as the month goes if you'd like. Blogger and I are not best friends always, so it make take me a hot second to figure out stable secondary page creation. Haha.


Simply,

Em.