Frugal Accomplishments

This past week, I've tried to be really conscious of what we're spending.  This is so that we can build up the baby fund and begin paying down the rest of the home equity line, as mentioned in this post.  To that end, I'm going to try to post a weekly update on our frugal accomplishments.  (I fully realize that the blog rhythm might change when baby #2 arrives.)  So, this past week's frugal accomplishments include:

• regular composting of kitchen scraps, including crumbs and plate scrapings and any brown, unbleached paper to reduce waste and build compost for spring gardening
• catching water from the shower warm up to use to water plants
• pouring leftover water from glasses in the dog bowl
• using the crock pot for one big batch of soup, which provided leftovers for lunch all week
• sharing leftovers with Mom twice this week, eliminating cooking time and energy
• took advantage of Harris Teeter's super doubles sale and spent $50 for $100 worth of groceries, including three packs of diapers for shower gifts and baby #2 when he's too small for cloth
• welcomed the gift of leftover fruit, including apples, bananas, and pomegranates from Mom
• used up some pasta sauce our previous tenant had left behind
• saved two cartons of unopened milk from student lunches from being thrown away
• carpooled every day to school
• combined errands for a single trip and planned the route to be most efficient
• froze cranberries before they went bad in the fridge for later use in cobbler and smoothies
• Benny installed the Ecobee thermostat in the apartment, which should save us substantially from the old model we had.
• hung all clothes to dry using drying racks and hangers and washed only full loads
• purchased little man's birthday gifts online with a promotion
• will finish making Christmas gifts this afternoon to send to family that Mom is visiting, saving on shipping and homemade goodies are always less expensive, and sometimes more thoughtful, than store bought things
• made all thank you notes to send out for Christmas gifts, saving a bundle on stationary
• decided not to purchase another pair of compression tights, since these seem to be holding up with regular washing, saving $30
• found a new recipe to try using ingredients we had on hand, saving the purchase of new ones
• made all meals at home
• plan to post at least five new items to eBay this weekend for sale
• tutored after school two days for $35
• signed up for Ebates, which should earn us some gift cards for online purchases we'd normally make

What did you do to save money or earn money this week?  I'd love to hear from you!

2016 Goals and Habits to Cultivate

We've never been huge on setting New Year's resolutions in our house.  It just seems like these are generally things we've put off or don't do, and then come the new year, we think we should all of the sudden change.  This year, we're taking the approach of cultivating habits that will help us achieve those goals that we're already working toward as a family.

Know Where Every Dollar Goes:  We'd like to begin using You Need a Budget to really narrow our focus on our budget and be sure that we're making the most of every dollar we earn.  This is even more important as we look toward adding baby #2 to our family in March.  Of course, we're already really frugal and try to keep close tabs on things, but the idea of You Need a Budget is to live off of last month's income, so that you've essentially already got a one month emergency fund.  We'd really like to totally pay off our home equity line this year, and have already paid off the new-to-us car, and we think this is a budgeting tool that can help us.

Invest More for Retirement:  As a part of using YNAB, we think it will allow us to see more clearly just how much more we can invest toward retirement.  Since Benny has been a SAHD, we've cut his contributions some, but we're really feeling like we could be contributing more toward his retirement.  This will of course be easier once we've paid off the HEL, but we think by using tools like Acorns or Betterment, these microinvesting tools might make the retirement contributions even easier.

Intentionally Work on our Home Improvement Projects:  This year, we've got several things on the list that we'd like to tackle.  Many of them are small projects, but they're also the type that we tend to put off just for that reason.  We'd like to be very intentional about checking these off each month so that they're done by the end of the year.  A lot of these projects will be tackled in the evenings after little man is in bed, or while he is at preschool, or on weekend afternoons.

• Paint trim in boys room, including closet doors by March.  (This includes new caulk, etc. where needed)
• Touch up trim/paint in rental spaces by end of January.
• Advertise upstairs rental through Samaratin's Purse and have rented by February, if not sooner.  Advertise both spaces for August/when lease runs out and have filled by April for upcoming season.
• Install Ecobee thermostat in apartment by January 15 (this is when our new tenant moves in).
• Organize garage space by March 15.  This includes installing some drywall and pegboard, as well as generally sorting and storing tools, etc.
• Have new mulch spread and gutters cleaned by March 15 (this is a job we will hire out).
• Paint shelving and trim in craft room downstairs by March 15.  Paint chairs to go around table in craft room.
• Move forsythia bushes to front bed and plant creeping Jenny ground cover.  Have this done around the same time as mulch is spread so that mulch and compost can go here.  (March-ish, depending on soil workability.)
• Mulch leaves with mower and add to compost by end of February.
• Have mower serviced for spring by April 30.
• Paint exterior doors in chosen new color by June 30.
• Have new front porch railings installed and bead board on the ceiling of the porch.  Maybe an outdoor ceiling fan installed over the table area?  by June 30
• Can at least two batches of peach salsa and two of berry jam for Christmas gifting and personal use.
• Have both porches re-stained (we're thinking of hiring this out to a contractor who Benny does a lot of work for at the paint store).
• Maintain garden beds with regular weeding and trimming throughout growing season.  Prepare for fall/winter by October 30.
• Make curtains for craft room shelves to hide some supply bins by November 30.
• Make reusable coffee sleeves for Christmas gifts by November 30. (And learn how to use new sewing machine)
• Make at least one batch of citrus marmalade by December 15 for Christmas gifting.

Have at least 26 dates with Benny:  This works out to be at least two a month, which I think it do-able with a newborn being around.  This might be as simple as popcorn and a movie at home one Saturday afternoon, or maybe dinner out somewhere. We're going to set a budget of $5/date, which doesn't sound like much, but I think with giftcards, coupons, and having some free at home, we'll be able to make it work.  We know that we're much better as a couple when we spend some time for just us doing something we love, so we'll make this a priority.

Read at least 26 new books this year:  Again, this works out to about one every two weeks.  It'll be a mix of adult fiction, young adult fiction, nonfiction, and devotionals.  I know that reading is one thing that feeds my soul and gives me the quiet time I crave each day.  I also know that I'll probably read more while on maternity leave than I anticipate, with many nursing sessions, and I tend to read more in the summers than during the school year, so it may not be exactly one every two weeks, but it seems like a good goal.

Try at least two new recipes a month:  We tend to get into ruts with our menus, as I know many people do.  I'm hoping that this goal will grow naturally out of my habit of reading cookbooks for pleasure, and will introduce us to some new recipes that will become family favorites.  Some may be a total flop, but I'm hoping that most will be a success.  (Do the new ones I tried for Christmas gifting count?!)

What are your habits to cultivate in the coming year?  I'd love to hear how you plan to live and save green in 2016!

January Menu Plan

This month is all about keeping expenses low.  Since we're in the crunch month for teachers (where we get paid before the Christmas holiday and have to make a single check stretch over six weeks), this is super important.  So, we're relying on some old standards and what we put away from the CSA this year in our freezer.  We're also really grateful for the little treats that came in our stockings that will provide some snacks and variety.

We'll purchase the staples and items that are at rock bottom.  These include:

• eggs (our chicken sisters friends have quit laying for the winter)
• milk (either whole organic that we water down for baking, or almond/soy w/ coupons)
• spices/nuts from San Francisco Herb Company
• yogurt (only if 20 cents per cup or lower)
• carrots
• onions
• maybe bread flour
• corn meal
• cabbage
• dried lentils

So, without further ado, here's the plan for January:

Breakfasts:  oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts/seeds, butternut squash pancakes/waffles, egg and cheese sandwiches on homemade bread, whole wheat banana nut muffins, zucchini and flax muffins, smoothies, cereal and grapefruit

Lunches:  leftovers, egg and cheese sandwiches, smoothies

Dinners:  potato soup with grated cheese and side salad, homemade pizza x 4 (with pesto, sausage, mushrooms, and whatever else we have on hand), black bean chili with ground beef and corn bread, vegetable or minestrone soup, lentil sloppy joes over homemade bread with cheese and steamed veggies, BBQ turkey wraps/sandwiches with roasted veggies, veggie stir fry, refried bean quesadillas with winter squash, jambalaya, breakfast for dinner with waffles or pancakes and fruit, beans and rice with fixin's, beef and cheddar pie, tuna noodle casserole with steamed/roasted veggies

We find that the crock pot is our saving grace, especially when the weeks get busy.  It's so nice to be able to start something in the morning, have minimal dishes, and know that there's something yummy and easy for dinner.  We can round these meals out with a veggie side or just some bread.  Little man is really getting adventuresome with his tastes in soup lately, so it's been fun to try some lentil soups and he liked the potato soup last night (well, maybe it was just the bacon and cheese!).  I'm on the hunt for more crockpot recipes besides soups that will be a hit with our crowd, especially ones that I can prep and freeze for when baby #2 arrives in March.

The bread machine is also wonderful, helping us easily pull together a healthy homemade pizza for dinner that is a crowd pleaser.  It's also really nice to have a freezer full of prepped veggies that we processed this summer from CSA extras.  These really help meals to come together quickly, especially stir fries and soups.

What are you doing to live and save green in the kitchen this month?  I'd love to hear from you!

December Menu and Shopping Plan

This month is all about celebration for us.  Part of that means that we'll be hosting a few parties, part of that means we'll attend quite a few potlucks and parties.  All of that means some fabulous food, easy meals, and lots of leftovers.

We plan to really trim our grocery spending this month.  (December and January are historically tough months for teachers in NC because we get paid before the holiday break in December and don't get paid again until the end of January, so it's almost six weeks to make a regular four week check last.)  This month we'll only purchase absolute necessities (milk, occasional cheap yogurt), except for placing our spice order with San Francisco Herb Company.  We like to purchase dried onions, cocoa powder, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, and other things that we tend to use a lot of from them.  They have great prices and the quality has been good for us.

This plan will work because we've been able to stock up on Thanksgiving sales on sweet potatoes, turkey, cranberries, and because our citrus fruit order will be in next week.  (We ordered almost 100 lbs of fruit from the school band and orchestra, which will store for months in our unheated section of the basement.)  We also have a fully stocked freezer from CSA days this summer, as well as 25 lbs or storage potatoes from our CSA farm.

It's also been really nice to be the recepients of some great food gifts, including some things the local food pantry needed to clear out to make more space in their freezers (mostly bread and bagels, but also some guacamole and salsa, which will be great for chili and Mexican nights).  My in-laws also stopped at Costco on the way up for Thanksgiving, so we've got Costco sized portions of some things to last us through this week.

We'll also be having our share of soups this month.  I'll try to keep it to only once a week, but we may double up some weeks, just so we can stock the freezer with soup for easy meals later.

Here's our menu for the month, not including the potlucks and parties we'll attend:

Breakfasts:  cranberry oat muffins, oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit, homemade yogurt with fruit, toast with jam, egg and cheese sandwiches, French toast, smoothies, lemon/orange poppy seed muffins, winter squash muffins, monkey bread, breakfast casserole

Lunches:  leftovers, egg and cheese sandwiches, smoothies using frozen fruit and veggies from summer, fill in with citrus fruit, cheese and crackers, or a small side salad

Dinners:  loaded mac and cheese with broccoli and ham, French toast casserole with frozen blueberries and cranberries, chili with corn bread, potato soup, vegetable beef soup, turkey enchiladas, barbecue turkey and chickpea wraps, butternut squash and chickpea salad, turkey and wild rice soup, dinner salads with turkey and hard boiled eggs with homemade cranberry vinaigrette, winter squash and refried bean quesadillas,  shepherd's pie, pesto pizza, potato and vegetable hash with sausage, waffles with fruit and bacon

Baking:  This will include some holiday baking for gifts.  Rosemary olive oil bread x 8, magic cookie bars, candy coated popcorn, chex muddy buddies, sand dabs, gingerbread house (this will be a fun morning with friends and little man!)

How are your holiday grocery and meal plans coming?  I'd love to hear how you're living and saving green!

Saving on Maternity Clothes

This time around, I've tried to be just as frugal as we were with our first little man.  We're trying to save as much as we can for the baby fund, while also building up our regular savings and paying down our car and home equity line debt.  Part of this means saving what we can on maternity clothes.

I've been fortunate to be able to borrow maternity clothes from a few friends and family.  I also had a few things left over that were my own from the first time around.  I haven't been choosy about things, but willingly took whatever was offered to me.  Some of it isn't my normal style, but if it fits and suits the occasion, I'll wear it.

My mom also generously purchased a few new to me things at the local consignment sale.  These have been really nice to fill in the gaps from things that I've borrowed.

The only thing I've had to purchase this time around has been some compression tights and leggings.  (Yea! for varicose veins in pregnancy.)  I found a great website, Preggers by Therafirm to purchase them from that's been wonderful to work with, especially when we had to return a pair because they were obviously going to be too small a few months from now.

So, the basics for saving on maternity clothes:

Beg and Borrow  
Don't hesitate to ask friends to borrow their stuff.  I asked around at work and was able to score a few things too.  Most maternity clothes are worn for such a short time that they're in really good shape.  If pants are too long, you can temporarily tack them up with some simple stitches that you can remove when you return them.  Take care of things, of course, because you'll want to return them in as good a shape as they were loaned to you.

Use Your Own Stuff
There are some of your regular clothes that will work and stretch, at least for the first two trimesters.  I have several shirts, sweaters, and leggings that will be modified to work all the way through.  Scarves and jewelry also allow you to personalize things that you've borrowed.

Purchase Used When Possible
Shop consignment or online (eBay, Twice, Thread Up, etc.) for used maternity clothes.  I found a deal on a maternity coat for $10 at the consignment sale, which probably would be upwards of $40 or more new.

Expect the Unexpected
I never thought (or even really knew) that varicose veins would be an issue this time around.  And compression hose, socks, leggings, tights, etc. are not cheap!  But by finding a well designed product with great customer service, I've been happy and comfortable.  We also found coupon codes to use, and shopped the sale items, to find items that would work for me.  For example, I found that the tights with toes were way too tight and my toes really hurt by the end of the day.  So, I found some footless tights and leggings through Preggers that worked for me.

I've probably spent about $50 in compression hosiery, but that's all we've spent out of pocket in terms of clothing this time around.  By borrowing things and using what I already had, I'll make it through this pregnancy in comfort and well dressed.  Do you have any tips for saving on mommy stuff during pregnancy?  I'd love to hear from you!

November Shopping and Meal Plan

This month is the month for us to stock up!  If you're into baking, it's prime time to build up that baker's pantry again and fill it with your favorite flours, brown sugar, and all the baking things you'll need for a joyous and yummy holiday.  For us, it is also the time for a big Costco trip and maybe a repeat order with San Francisco Herb Company, where we stock up on bulk spices, seeds, and herbal teas.

With travel plans this month, that can mean spending less on food because you're away from home and visiting family, or it can mean spending more because you're traveling.  For us, it's the former, which gives us some more wiggle room in the grocery budget to stock up.  If you're traveling, consider packing your own snacks (homemade roasted pumpkin seeds are an obvious choice) to save the frequent stops for fast food.

For our Costco list this month, we're stocking up on the basics:

• powdered sugar (we've price checked and it's cheaper than coupon prices)
• store brand dish washing liquid (we go through it making our own shower spray)
• chicken sausages (they don't have phosphates or nitrates, which means they're safe for baby #2)
• ketchup 
• frozen fruit for smoothies (we're slowly working through what we put up this spring/summer)
• block cheddar cheese
• dried beans
• frozen ravioli (a treat, but really convenient for nights when I'm tired and we need dinner quickly)
• maybe fresh fruit or carrots, depending on price
• sweet potatoes (we'll go through these in soups, sides, and love them in tacos)
• tortillas (hopefully whole wheat and/or organic)
• dried fruit (raisins, hopefully apricots)

Our grocery plan is to keep things to the bare minimum since we're stocking up at Costco.  We will restock our baking pantry this month, since things will be so much on sale.  I'll also stock up on cranberries to load in the freezer and for Thanksgiving, and probably some herbal teas and cocoa mix (though I'll make my own too) if they're on deep discount.  (They do make nice stocking stuffers.)  We'll get our organic milk and will probably pick up a few frozen veggies too (corn for corn chowder and maybe broccoli for broccoli cheddar soup)

For our menu plan this month, we'll make the most of the root veggies we have around, such as the last few beets from the CSA and potatoes and carrots.  Tis the season for the crockpot, so we'll put Mrs. Cleaver (thank you, Barbara Kingsolver, for that lovely crockpot name!) to work for cooking winter squash, baking potatoes and beets, and lovely soups and stews.  We'll also make leftovers into entirely new dishes; think turkey enchiladas, butternut squash and chickpea salad, sweet potato quesadillas, etc.

Breakfasts: oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts/seeds, egg and cheese sandwiches on homemade bread, breakfast burritos, winter squash muffins, zucchini and flax muffins, winter squash pancakes/waffles, smoothies

Lunches:  leftovers of course, tuna or egg salad sandwiches, quesadillas

Dinners:  

Soups/stews:  lentil and sweet potato soup, potato soup, corn chowder, broccoli cheddar soup, winter squash black bean chili  (all served with homemade bread and/or veggie side such as carrot sticks), turkey and wild rice soup

Crockpot:  loaded baked potatoes, sausage w/ peppers and onions on noodles or bread, roasted root veggies

Stovetop meals:  veggie stir fry, breakfast for dinner (usually eggs, smoothies, and some sort of bread), waffles with fruit, chicken sausages with cabbage, apples, and cranberries, quesadillas, turkey and bean enchiladas, leftover turkey with orange glazed carrots and rice pilaf, veggie pesto pizza, ravioli with homemade pesto and roasted root veggies

Snacks:  roasted pumpkin/squash seeds, dried fruit, sliced apples, carrot sticks and dip, popcorn, homemade muffins/oatmeal & whole grain cookies

How is your November shaping up?  I'd love to hear your plans for living and saving green in this holiday season!

Making Five Meals from One Pot of Beans

So, this week we've been trying to take advantage of our crock pot, our last CSA week (so sad) and our pantry.  This meant that we cooked up a bit crock pot of pinto beans on Monday evening.  Beans and rice can get pretty boring pretty quickly, but here are a few ways you can mix things up.

Bean Tacos with Fixin's 
 We love tacos around our house.  They're always a hit with little man, and there are so many ways to fix them.  This week we prepared whole wheat soft tacos with rice, pintos, chopped lettuce, pepper jack cheese, Greek yogurt (higher protein than sour cream), homemade guacamole, and salsa.  You could also mix it up and saute peppers and onions for a veggie fajita.

Beans and Rice with Cornbread
We did beans and brown rice with homemade cornbread last night.  We topped things off with cheese, salsa, chopped avocado, and lettuce.  You could add sour cream, chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, or whatever else your family is into.

Crock pot Chili
This is your basic slow cooker chili with diced tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, and spices.  You can also add a cup or so of frozen corn, if you have it.  We'll be adding some ground sausage this time around too, since we have it in the fridge.  Chopped mushrooms are also wonderful in a vegetarian chili.  We usually serve this with rice, cornbread, or tortilla chips and top it with cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, and chives (when they're fresh in the garden).

Corn and Bean Gratin
I picked up this recipe from the library a few years and love it.  It's sort of like a quiche, but flavored with cumin and Mexican spices and filled out with beans and corn and cheese.  If you like egg dishes, this one is a fun one to try.  (I'll try to post the recipe in a later post.)

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
If you still have tortillas around, bean and cheese quesadillas are a cinch and always a hit.  We love to serve these with guacamole, Greek yogurt, and salsa.  They make a great easy Sunday lunch after church or a nice side to go with a bowl of soup or chili.  You can make them a meal by serving a side salad or steamed veggies along side.

Can you tell we like Mexican flavors around our place?!  Of course, you can always add beans to pasta dishes, vegetable soups, etc. for added protein.  How do you stretch a buck and your time with a pot of beans?  I'd love to hear from you!