Frugal Accomplishments

This past week has been out of the ordinary, but not necessarily for this time of year.  We've received about 12 inches of snow over the past several days, which meant that school was cancelled every day but Tuesday (and Monday was a holiday).  In light of the weather, we hunkered down and ventured out very little.  This saved us tremendously over the week.  Here's how:

• I carpooled to work on Tuesday.  Every other day, my principal was flexible enough to allow me to work from home, which was a great blessing both financially (by not having to use the gas) and to our family time (I could work while little man slept or was otherwise occupied).
• Tutored on Tuesday, and was paid for that.
• Little man did have preschool on Thursday morning, so Benny took him and picked him up.  He did our small bit of grocery shopping ($15 in milk, almost free yogurt, 28 oz tomato products on sale for $1/can, and a few staples), got the car inspected, and filled it up with gas while little man was at preschool.  This saved on gas and time.
• Otherwise, we have not left the house since Thursday.  This has saved on gas, and thankfully, Benny was able to get his hours in at work on Monday and Tuesday before the weather got bad.
• We were able to meet for little man's IEP this past week via phone, which saved on gas.  This also means that we'll now be receiving his speech services for free through the school system and no longer paying for them out of pocket (our health plan does not cover any speech services).  This will save us a few hundred dollars a month.
• We did "splurge" and have the gas refilled for the gas logs.  This cost about $160.  While this is not our primary heat source, and we rarely lose power, it is nice to have them and to know that we could use them as an emergency heat source if necessary.
• All meals were prepared at home.  This included:  vegetable beef soup and corn bread, baked potatoes with lentil sloppy joes, foccacia (x2), baked oatmeal, salmon and roasted veggies, and pizza.  We also plan to make stock in the crockpot today, using leftover turkey parts from Thanksgiving.
• Met one of my new year's goals by trying out this recipe for pumpkin spiced baked oatmeal.  We did jazz it up with the addition of raisins and pecans, and found that it was better leftover than the first day.  It would be good with pumpkin seeds and other dried fruit too.  We used pureed winter squash from the freezer instead of canned pumpkin.
• Worked to assess the pantry/freezer stash, and have found a few more items to use up (such as some of the barley that went into the vegetable soup).
• Accepted a few gifted items that were going to go bad at the food pantry, including:  two turnips, four carrots, one peach, and a mango (which ended up getting composted because it was too ripe).
• All compostable items were composted, including salmon skins.
• When the oven was done being used, we tried to leave it open to benefit from the residual heat.
• All laundry was hung to dry, and only full loads were washed.  (This also helps with the humidity in the house, since the air is so dry this time of year.)
• Potty training continues to go well, so our loads of laundry continue to decrease.  
• Entertainment took the form of shoveling snow (a great workout), filling bird feeders, and watching a few shows for free via Netflix.  Little man and I also made some paper collages using paper destined for the recycle bin, which he's had great fun practicing his scissor skills with.
• Made thank you notes in preparation for meals, gifts, etc. when baby #2 arrives.
• Graciously accepted hand-me-downs for baby #2, including an infant car seat and base.  We were also able to secure a second seat and base for our other car.
• Organized baby clothes, so that we know what we have and if we have any gaps (it doesn't appear that we do).
• Made a small dent in organizing the garage space.  It is going to get worse before it is better, but Benny is using up some scrap drywall to hang in the unfinished space.  This will insulate it a bit more, and will clear out some more space.  We stored a few more items up on the high shelves, since they are rarely needed (camping water jugs, etc.)
• Cleaned the rental room upstairs thoroughly.  Have now posted it to Craigslist and the university housing site, with the hopes of renting it soon.
• Repaired the stain on a chair upstairs.  Plan to put a coat of paint on an existing shelf today.
• Invited our new downstairs tenant up for dinner, which was fun.  She seems to be settling in, and aside from the big snow, is enjoying being here.  She is quiet and is keeping the space nicely, so we hope she'll stick around for a while.  Her lease is a year long.
• Researched natural alternatives to commercial lotions.  They have bothered my skin in the winter for years, and now, I think I've found a few easy recipes using ingredients we already have around.

What did you do to live and save green this week?  I'd love to hear from you, so leave some notes in the comments!

Frugal Accomplishments

This was a pretty normal week for us.  I tried to keep grocery spending low, and succeeded at about $15 with coupons, e-coupons, and apps, such as Ibotta.  We're looking toward some more wintery weather this weekend and next, so are glad to have kept things within budget in terms of electric use, thanks to the new thermostats and moderate December temps.  It will be interesting to see how switching Benny over to my workplace health insurance affects my paycheck this month, since that money will be pulled out pre-tax.  We're anticipating not a significant increase in our total income, but it will obviously drop my paycheck some.

So, here are this week's accomplishments, including some that work toward my efforts to form some new habits:

• All meals were eaten at home.
• We tried a new recipe for a brown rice salad with olives, feta, and cucumber.  I liked it, but I don't think the boys did much, so it might just be something I make occasionally with leftover rice to fill out my lunches.
• We used the crockpot twice, once to make black beans, and again to make black bean chili.  That provided lots of leftovers for lunches and dinners.  This saved us substantially on energy usage and on cleaning up the kitchen.
• Made waffles, zucchini and flax muffins, oatmeal, and bread for breakfasts/snacks.
• Used applesauce and baked beans from the freezer to fill out some meals.
• Composted and recycled as usual.  We continue to only fill about one kitchen trash bag/week with our family of three.  We hope this continues as we become a family of four.  We continue to look for ways to reduce waste further, such as reusable produce bags and buying things from the farmer's market, which generally come with less packaging.
• Washed all clothes in cold water.  Diapers and towels are always run in hot water.
• All clothes and diapers were hung to dry.
• Working diligently on potty training, and little man is doing great with very few accidents, so that's eliminating some extra laundry cost (at least until #2 comes along in March).  Used a printable potty chart found online and stickers we already had to make it more fun, and less about sweet treats, for little man.
• Carpooled to work daily, using only about 1/2 tank of gas by using the most fuel efficient car, as it was my week to drive.
• Combined errands to make the most efficient route possible.
• Benny stayed home with little man at least two days this week, saving on gas.
• Watched a few shows for free online.
• Tried to close curtains nightly to save on energy loss, and kept them only partially open during the day.
• Washed my hair every other day to save on shampoo, water, etc. and also keep my hair from drying out as much in the winter.
• Benny began sanding, priming, and painting a shelf for the living room that was upstairs.  This will be additional toy storage for the living room, and with the new coat of paint, will blend nicely into the room.
• Tutored twice after school to earn $35.  
• Our new tenant moves in this weekend, which will provide income from that space.
• Posted room ad for upstairs with Samaritan's Purse.  Will post it through the university in February to have it filled for summer/academic year starting in August.
• Used Evite to send out little man's birthday invitation, saving on the cost of paper invitations and postage.
• Plan to move recycling to the basement and put a kid sized table in its place this weekend.  The "new" table is coming from my mom, so it is at no cost to us.  It will just need to be cleaned, as it has been in storage.  We will have to figure out a new system for recycling, though, to make it easier with kitchen/office recycling, so that we're not going downstairs multiple times a day.
• Set up diaper changing station using things from little man.  Also brought out newborn clothes out of storage to wash.  We plan to reuse everything we have for #2, so that we don't have to buy new.  There may be a few seasons that we are off, so some "new " things may need to be purchased.  If this is the case, we will shoe thrift stores and consignment.

I'd love to hear how you lived and saved green this week!  Leave some love in the comments!

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!