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Category Archives: Everyday Living
Frugal thinking: Preparing for busy days and preventing bad decisions
I’m hugely in favor of having a work-life balance … emphasis on the LIFE part of things. But this past week (and weekend), work ended up trumping fun things like sitting around in my jammies and doing nothing, as well as, necessary things like – oh, grocery shopping for the week, laundry and on Monday/Tuesday – showering. Luckily, I have a wee bit of breathing room before things get crazy again. Which, that will actually be this afternoon, but armed … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living
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Why you cannot take “stuff” too seriously …
I had to make a confession to my husband today … pre-shared checking account days and pre-new job with great salary days, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on what I now use as my laptop bag. I actually got two purses from one of those stupid home parties and paid over $100 for both of them. But the laptop bag usually retailed at about $130 and … well. That’s a lot of money. It’s a lot of money … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living, Random!
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How to freeze cilantro … and why you would want to
My husband and I were driving down to our class reunion this past weekend and right as we crossed the state line from Minnesota to Iowa, I asked him a very serious question. “Honey, do you think I’m odd?” To my husband’s credit, he only paused for a moment before replying: “Well, yes, but in every good way.” What sprung this line of thinking was my thought process regarding a dinner party we were going to be hosting on Sunday. … Continue reading
Dear Me …
The Guardian recently posted an article called “Dear Me: Celebrity Letters to Their Younger Selves.” It was an adorable read with letters ranging from one of my childhood heroes (Stephen King) to amazing actors such as Gene Hackman. Given the professional accomplishments of these celebrities, it was a hoot to read what they had to say to their younger selves … what pitfalls to avoid and mostly, to remain kind to themselves. This past weekend, my husband and I went … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living, Good Reading
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So long, farewell Netflix
Well, I did it … I finally cancelled my Netflix membership. No – it really has nothing to do with the price increase. I detailed some of my thoughts about Netflix’s price hike here. My decision has a lot to do with something I reference in that article I wrote in late July … that DVD that I referenced having since June? Up until I hit the “cancel” button on my account, it was still unopened and sitting on top … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living
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What’s your vision?
“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” – Yogi Berra After I transitioned from working in an office environment to working at home, I decided to join Rotary International. I had previous exposure to Rotary when I lived up in Northfield and I like their motto: “Service Above Self.” I was also looking for a networking opportunity and – barring anything else – my Tuesday AM meeting guarantees … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living, Random!
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The power of DIY
My husband and I are having some unexpected company this evening. And I’m out of toilet bowl cleaner. Under normal circumstances, the two situations wouldn’t be mutually exclusive, but it’s been awhile since I’ve scrubbed said bowl and decided that this is a perfect excuse to do a Google search on “How to make your own toilet bowl cleaner.” Because that’s something that I’ve wanted to do … phase out commercial/conventional cleaners in favor of greener alternatives (that don’t cost … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living, Minimalism, Money Saving Strategies
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REALLY????
Every once in awhile, the dearth of common sense makes me want to bash my head against immobile objects. Like walls, my desk, doors … you get the picture. Today’s “duh” moment came courtesy of a blog that I read on a regular basis – it belongs to Chef Marcus Samuelsson – one of the best things to come out of Sweden, after Alexander Skarsgard, his father and Ikea. One of today’s topics is how the USDA is taking on … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living, Inane articles
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Mourning the perceived death of the debit card
My husband emailed me this article today from Minnesota Public Radio. On the heels of Bank of America announcing they will be charging debit card users $5 per month, analysts are asking the question: Are debit cards on the downhill slope of their popularity? As someone who has used their debit card as a primary mode of currency for the past five years, this news makes me want to shriek. I mean – I rarely use anything else other than … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living
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Eating on $30 a week …
If there is one thing that has struck me through my financial journey, it is that I need to be more mindful about what is spent for our household’s groceries. With that in mind, it is no wonder that this article on CNN struck my eye – especially its question: “Could you eat on $30 a week?” The premise, of course, is that families on food stamps have about $30 a week to feed their families. It is quite the … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living, Good Reading
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