Have you ever listened to Dave Ramsey explain his formula? If you haven't, you need to google him ASAP. I'll wait. For those of you who have heard of him, hubby and I decided we would get the student loans taken care of once and for all!
His student loans are supposedly going to drop off/away after so many years because he works for the government, but really...will that actually happen? No idea. So we decided to tackle the student loan cloud hanging over our heads.
What is I doing to help pay off this loan? Well, first of all, I applied for 3 different part and full time jobs at my kids' school district. If I happen to land a job and day care, (yay) but if not, then that's quite alright. I actually love staying at home. Or maybe I could work just until we get the mortgage paid off :) and finally work on my novel full time. I believe in having goals.
As for this student loan...we need a second car. Hubby is working away at as much overtime that they will actually let him (since it's a rare thing in his work universe). We are hoping to buy a second car with that overtime. We could put it towards debt, but we're starting to need that second car for emergency trips and kids' activities. We've gone three years with just one car and believe me, I'm not applying for another loan. I've been eyeing a $3,000 Buick. Yes, a grandma car. Why does Grandma own a Buick? Because they were actually built before Ford, so you know they're more reliable than Ford and I owned one in my college years. The only reason I sold my Buick was because we moved to Smoggy California (different transmission or engine or something).
Anyway, paying off this student loan isn't going to be easy. By our calculations, now that the only family car is paid off, if we put that extra money towards the student loans, it will be paid off in 16 months.
I posted a few things my fellow MOPS moms swap page telling them my family is trying to pay off student loans and you know what? I was able to sell my son's old Duplo legos for $15. Not a huge amount of money, but hey- every penny is worth it.
Check out that debt thermometer on here! Just to show how our progress is going.
Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label Bakersfield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bakersfield. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Birthday Girl Turns 6...on a budget
This month our daughter is celebrating her 6th birthday. Granted, birthdays are a huge deal for kids and some parents. For us, we really cannot afford to celebrate it at Chuck E Cheese, Pump it Up, or any party planning place. So what does our family do? We went to the park.
Not only did the kids get a workout on the playground equipment, I brought along Capri Suns (back of the pantry), bottled water, goldfish, snap peas, carrots, and craisins.
Does anyone look like they are having a horrible time? Not after homemade cupcakes ;)
Not only does this help your local park, but it helps your local economy too. What a way to celebrate a kid's birthday! Even the parents were excited about the beautiful weather and getting their kids outdoors to run around. The girls ran around playing freeze tag while the boys played on the equipment.
The only downside is parents want to drop off their kids...with only two adults there. Watching them is okay, it's the getting hurt part I worried about. Most parents were okay with this. Or maybe they can trust me since I volunteer in my daughter's classroom.
Financially, how did we do? The only thing I bought extra were the things I did not have which was... surprisingly nothing. I could have sent party favors home, but you know what? We didn't have the extra money. So I used what I had and there were no sad kids there. They got veggies and crackers, a small drink, and a cupcake. See- no big, lavish, expensive party for 2 hours. $10 to rent the shelter (I think) and basic snack foods with cupcakes. Win-win for everyone!
 |
| Have to have cupcakes to celebrate! |
Does anyone look like they are having a horrible time? Not after homemade cupcakes ;)
Not only does this help your local park, but it helps your local economy too. What a way to celebrate a kid's birthday! Even the parents were excited about the beautiful weather and getting their kids outdoors to run around. The girls ran around playing freeze tag while the boys played on the equipment.
The only downside is parents want to drop off their kids...with only two adults there. Watching them is okay, it's the getting hurt part I worried about. Most parents were okay with this. Or maybe they can trust me since I volunteer in my daughter's classroom.
Financially, how did we do? The only thing I bought extra were the things I did not have which was... surprisingly nothing. I could have sent party favors home, but you know what? We didn't have the extra money. So I used what I had and there were no sad kids there. They got veggies and crackers, a small drink, and a cupcake. See- no big, lavish, expensive party for 2 hours. $10 to rent the shelter (I think) and basic snack foods with cupcakes. Win-win for everyone!
 |
| I put "Gifts Optional" on her birthday invites- she got so many gifts! |
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Today's Grocery Trip
As I went to the grocery store today, I was beaten down mentally. It had nothing to do with the grocery store. It was my kids. Payday is today and I went to the bank drive-thru, pulled out grocery money, and promptly headed to the store.
Lo and behold, its spring break and these kids of mine are nightmares! I'm not trying to be mean, but they are those kids who throw a fit at almost anything. If one kid wants a chicken nuggets, the other wants pizza. It's night and day.
My oldest, who just turned 6, sat in the cart as my 4 year old pushed the cart into one of those glass refrigerated doors. Seriously? Usually he is good, sweet, and helpful. Quite the opposite today. Then there's my oldest. She tries to be a people pleaser, but the "do you remember" and "can we get that?" questions are endless. Or how about the 4 year old's mindless questions and "why"? "Why do I need to wash my hands?" "Why do I have to pick up my room?" "Why do I have to match my clothes?" The latter part bugs me. I went into the store looking for 6 items. I came out with over double that.
Ugh! Hubby is gone out of town and with little to no breaks for myself, how can a SAHM stay sane when just going to the grocery store? Granted I could let them watch Netflix on my phone, but going to one store shouldn't require entertaining them.
Luckily we did get everything we needed, plus I found some natural meat on sale at Fresh and Easy today :) After all, I was NOT taking my kids to another store. Part of today's expensive trip included meat: ground beef and pork.
Ground Beef: $6.99 for 1 lb. Yay! Plus its grass-fed so I don't need to drive all the way to Trader's Joe for 1 pound of decent meat. I usually make this last for two meals and double up on the veggies or rice for filler.
Pork Tenderloin: Regular price: $6.04 on sale for $4.53 for 1.21 lbs This will make 1-2 meals for Taco meat in the crockpot. Goes great with quesadillas, Spanish rice, and refried beans to extend the meat.
Hope this helps and I WILL definitely be grocery shopping solo next time.
Monday, April 14, 2014
SAHM Income?
As a SAHM I'm not 100% a mom. I spend my very valuable time researching aka web surfing for DIY projects and experiments, writing a novel, submitting manuscripts to various agents, cooking, baking, sewing, teaching (my kids), volunteering at my kids school, photographer, and keeping my kids the ways of the world. Yes, I punish them with hard work.
So what the heck can I do to make an income from home? Let me know if you find that answer. I honestly have no clue. I know that if I had any sort of income from home, I would do it and excel at it as long as it doesn't involve other people. Ironic, isn't it? We have all these medical bills to pay off each month and to be honest, it's downright scary.
I've tried cake decorating, creating craft kits, and jewelry making for a little extra cash, but now I'm an official photographer. Is it for every stay at home mom? No. I'm not trying to dissuade you from becoming a photographer as a stay at home mom, but you need to have more than just a camera. You need personality.
Moving from the Midwest four years ago, I wanted to open a retail shop, but the costs to start one up are astronomical- on top of baby daycare. So after learning to decorate cakes, I found out I could not legally bake from home and now that California has the cottage food law, I can't have my dog or kids anywhere near the kitchen. Is that even a possibility?
Jewelry making was a joke. We have half shag beige carpet and with those seed beads getting sucked up in the vacuum, it's not a pretty sound.
On top of this all are kids. All the way from diapers to "Mommy, I want to help!" Then comes the crying and/or disasters from both me and the kids. Then hubby's infamous, "What's for dinner?" *bangs head on kitchen counter* Because I don't do anything all day, right?
This led me to photography. Hubby got me a really nice camera and said, "I know you can do something with this." Yes! A nice, great photograph-taking machine! I snapped pictures of the kids non-stop, learning the functions, researching various poses, props, locations, the whole nine yards.
You can take amazing pictures with your expensive camera. You can take amazing pictures with your inexpensive camera. It doesn't matter what equipment, props, or backgrounds you have. What matters is your marketing. I seem to know a little about everything, but yet I can't find a stable way to produce an income because I hardly leave the house. Being that one car family limits when I can leave the house in the suburbs during the day, but on the weekends and evenings, photography allows me to leave everything behind and focus on my job.
As for editing, I like to write and edit in silence, so that limits my time to nap time and bedtime. I can give 100 people flyers, postcards, and business cards with only 1 or 2 who will maybe respond. Unless you know people wanting pictures, don't waste your time saving for an expensive camera.
You need to be outgoing (and good with kids if you want to photograph kids) and get to know your community-build a network. This will block out the other photographers and keep you above the already saturated SAHM photography market.
I love taking photographs, don't get me wrong, but don't make my mistake by being introverted and almost anti-social. You have to jump right in and keep going no matter what it takes to get ahead of the game. I love taking nature photography-one of the hardest photography genres. I've never sold one nature photograph due to not meeting new people in my community who could possibly help me out.
So think about if a home business is the right choice for you. I know its not for me. I'd rather be making/creating something, not marketing and forcing sales. I would love to be able to make an income from home, but I probably won't make any if I continue to not meet new people in my community.
So what the heck can I do to make an income from home? Let me know if you find that answer. I honestly have no clue. I know that if I had any sort of income from home, I would do it and excel at it as long as it doesn't involve other people. Ironic, isn't it? We have all these medical bills to pay off each month and to be honest, it's downright scary.
I've tried cake decorating, creating craft kits, and jewelry making for a little extra cash, but now I'm an official photographer. Is it for every stay at home mom? No. I'm not trying to dissuade you from becoming a photographer as a stay at home mom, but you need to have more than just a camera. You need personality.
Moving from the Midwest four years ago, I wanted to open a retail shop, but the costs to start one up are astronomical- on top of baby daycare. So after learning to decorate cakes, I found out I could not legally bake from home and now that California has the cottage food law, I can't have my dog or kids anywhere near the kitchen. Is that even a possibility?
Jewelry making was a joke. We have half shag beige carpet and with those seed beads getting sucked up in the vacuum, it's not a pretty sound.
On top of this all are kids. All the way from diapers to "Mommy, I want to help!" Then comes the crying and/or disasters from both me and the kids. Then hubby's infamous, "What's for dinner?" *bangs head on kitchen counter* Because I don't do anything all day, right?
This led me to photography. Hubby got me a really nice camera and said, "I know you can do something with this." Yes! A nice, great photograph-taking machine! I snapped pictures of the kids non-stop, learning the functions, researching various poses, props, locations, the whole nine yards.
You can take amazing pictures with your expensive camera. You can take amazing pictures with your inexpensive camera. It doesn't matter what equipment, props, or backgrounds you have. What matters is your marketing. I seem to know a little about everything, but yet I can't find a stable way to produce an income because I hardly leave the house. Being that one car family limits when I can leave the house in the suburbs during the day, but on the weekends and evenings, photography allows me to leave everything behind and focus on my job.
As for editing, I like to write and edit in silence, so that limits my time to nap time and bedtime. I can give 100 people flyers, postcards, and business cards with only 1 or 2 who will maybe respond. Unless you know people wanting pictures, don't waste your time saving for an expensive camera.
You need to be outgoing (and good with kids if you want to photograph kids) and get to know your community-build a network. This will block out the other photographers and keep you above the already saturated SAHM photography market.
I love taking photographs, don't get me wrong, but don't make my mistake by being introverted and almost anti-social. You have to jump right in and keep going no matter what it takes to get ahead of the game. I love taking nature photography-one of the hardest photography genres. I've never sold one nature photograph due to not meeting new people in my community who could possibly help me out.
So think about if a home business is the right choice for you. I know its not for me. I'd rather be making/creating something, not marketing and forcing sales. I would love to be able to make an income from home, but I probably won't make any if I continue to not meet new people in my community.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
April's First Half Grocery Bill
The month of April I had to buy household cleaners, snack foods for my daughter's class, and get ready for a birthday party this Saturday. How am I going to do that with $400 this month? Well, in reality, I only have $200 until the 15th (second paycheck).
Did I make it to the second paycheck before running out of money? Nope. But I have learned a few things along the way.
We did have to skip on getting party favors (bag of marshmallows, carrot, raisins, and pretzel sticks) to make an Olaf. We can't afford to get small waters for kids ("melted snow"), but we do have two pitchers that we can make Kool-Aid in one and another for water, so we can do the "melted snow" thing!
What did we buy? I can hear everyone asking.
Winco: Gluten Free Chocolate Cereal (for the kids) $3.57 Kid's breakfast
Organic 1/2 gallon mik $3.48
Fresh & Easy: Green Enchilada Sauce $2.39 (should really learn how to make it)
Organic Apples 4pack $3.99 snack
Sour Cream $2.79
Red Onions (4 or 5 pack) $2.49
Tortillas (not sprouted or wheat) $2.69
Avocados <3 <3 <3 Too many $7.78
Annie's Snack Mix (Clearance) $2.00
Vine Tomatoes $1.99
Dried Fruit Cherries $6.59
Dried Fruit Apricots $5.49
Snickerdoodle Cookies $ 2.69
Trader Joe's
Ground Beef, Grass Fed 1 lb. $6.99
Pork Sausage, Sweet Italian $3.99
And Sam's Club
Jimmy Dean Egg Sandwiches $10.78
Mexican Cheese Shredded 5lbs $15.12
Canned Anaheims 2 Cans $4.86
Parsley Flakes $3.88
Nutty Bars (Daughter's School Snack) $3.48
Brown Eggs, Cage Free 18pack $3.98 (probably only thing organic in my cart)
Snap Peas $4.78 (snack and birthday party)
Colby Jack Cheese Block $8.98 (snack, cooking, and birthday party)
Bananas $1.36
Grand Total: $116.14
Wow. What a difference compared to last week! Daddy and Daughter were complaining there are no snacks for school and work. *rolls eyes* Hubby was also complaining how empty the fridge looked when he opened it. It was the day before I went shopping and creating a meal plan before going really, really helped. I was able to get what I needed- minus junk food for the party.
Sam's Club was the biggest money sucker of them all. It may look like I spent a lot there, but I was able to find items for Saturday night's dinner, plus some food for other Mexican food dinner nights (that can be frozen). I know I should have gone there in the first place- shame on me! I'm suppose to be buying healthy and organic. What the heck happened? A
Next week we will be heading somewhere...can I buy organic on my weekly allotment? Can Jenn get back on track?
It should be easier now that the birthday party is done, out of town guests are gone, and household supplies are made. Whew. Yay vacation time!
Did I make it to the second paycheck before running out of money? Nope. But I have learned a few things along the way.
We did have to skip on getting party favors (bag of marshmallows, carrot, raisins, and pretzel sticks) to make an Olaf. We can't afford to get small waters for kids ("melted snow"), but we do have two pitchers that we can make Kool-Aid in one and another for water, so we can do the "melted snow" thing!
What did we buy? I can hear everyone asking.
Winco: Gluten Free Chocolate Cereal (for the kids) $3.57 Kid's breakfast
Organic 1/2 gallon mik $3.48
Fresh & Easy: Green Enchilada Sauce $2.39 (should really learn how to make it)
Organic Apples 4pack $3.99 snack
Sour Cream $2.79
Red Onions (4 or 5 pack) $2.49
Tortillas (not sprouted or wheat) $2.69
Avocados <3 <3 <3 Too many $7.78
Annie's Snack Mix (Clearance) $2.00
Vine Tomatoes $1.99
Dried Fruit Cherries $6.59
Dried Fruit Apricots $5.49
Snickerdoodle Cookies $ 2.69
Trader Joe's
Ground Beef, Grass Fed 1 lb. $6.99
Pork Sausage, Sweet Italian $3.99
And Sam's Club
Jimmy Dean Egg Sandwiches $10.78
Mexican Cheese Shredded 5lbs $15.12
Canned Anaheims 2 Cans $4.86
Parsley Flakes $3.88
Nutty Bars (Daughter's School Snack) $3.48
Brown Eggs, Cage Free 18pack $3.98 (probably only thing organic in my cart)
Snap Peas $4.78 (snack and birthday party)
Colby Jack Cheese Block $8.98 (snack, cooking, and birthday party)
Bananas $1.36
Grand Total: $116.14
Wow. What a difference compared to last week! Daddy and Daughter were complaining there are no snacks for school and work. *rolls eyes* Hubby was also complaining how empty the fridge looked when he opened it. It was the day before I went shopping and creating a meal plan before going really, really helped. I was able to get what I needed- minus junk food for the party.
Sam's Club was the biggest money sucker of them all. It may look like I spent a lot there, but I was able to find items for Saturday night's dinner, plus some food for other Mexican food dinner nights (that can be frozen). I know I should have gone there in the first place- shame on me! I'm suppose to be buying healthy and organic. What the heck happened? A
Next week we will be heading somewhere...can I buy organic on my weekly allotment? Can Jenn get back on track?
It should be easier now that the birthday party is done, out of town guests are gone, and household supplies are made. Whew. Yay vacation time!
Friday, April 11, 2014
Birthday Party Tomorrow!
Tomorrow is the big birthday party for the 6 year old. What all am I doing to celebrate this and stay on budget? Well, I found I have the ingredients for 24 cupcakes (no idea how many are going to show up). I have a bag of carrots, enough sugar for a pitcher of Kool-Aid (need to get rid of it), and
The carrots will be disguised as "Olaf's Nose" for the "Frozen" movie themed celebration. I don't have enough bottles of water for everyone, so I'll make Kool-Aid in a big pitcher and have a smaller pitcher of filtered ice water (melted snow). I'll also throw a bowl of goldfish and voila- the kids can go play and run around.
It's 80+ degrees here in the Bako, so I'm praying the spraypark area will be turned on. What a way to celebrate a "Frozen" themed movie! Ha!
I have no party favors and very little decoration. I was able to cut out some snowflakes out of construction paper and I will randomly tape them around the park for the kids to find. I have no games planned since its a park. Kids can play with each other on the equipment.
The funny part is one of the moms called and actually asked if she could just drop off her kid and if any other boys were there. I told her I wouldn't feel very comfortable since it's only my husband and I at a large park at this party. I'm not going to stress myself out over the decor, games, food/drinks, and entertaining a bunch of 4-6 year olds. Parents should be there to watch their own kids and kiss their boo-boos. Not me. It will only be there for 1-2 hours. Granted this mom had to work and Dad could bring him for a bit, but this is a gifts optional and play at the park.
This mom has more to life than spending hundreds of dollars and time on one 1-2 hour birthday party for a 6 year old. The rest of those moms can spend extravagantly on their kids all they want to make their kid happy, but that makes kids and moms think they have to outshine the others and make each year "bigger, better, and more expensive."
I'm not that mom. I can't afford to be. If you're one of those moms, that's fine. We, as a family, have decided to stick to a strict budget and have realized we don't need things to make us happy to enjoy life.
My morbid opinion: its the moms that should be celebrating they made it through all that labor and that their child has survived however many years old/long.
The carrots will be disguised as "Olaf's Nose" for the "Frozen" movie themed celebration. I don't have enough bottles of water for everyone, so I'll make Kool-Aid in a big pitcher and have a smaller pitcher of filtered ice water (melted snow). I'll also throw a bowl of goldfish and voila- the kids can go play and run around.
It's 80+ degrees here in the Bako, so I'm praying the spraypark area will be turned on. What a way to celebrate a "Frozen" themed movie! Ha!
I have no party favors and very little decoration. I was able to cut out some snowflakes out of construction paper and I will randomly tape them around the park for the kids to find. I have no games planned since its a park. Kids can play with each other on the equipment.
The funny part is one of the moms called and actually asked if she could just drop off her kid and if any other boys were there. I told her I wouldn't feel very comfortable since it's only my husband and I at a large park at this party. I'm not going to stress myself out over the decor, games, food/drinks, and entertaining a bunch of 4-6 year olds. Parents should be there to watch their own kids and kiss their boo-boos. Not me. It will only be there for 1-2 hours. Granted this mom had to work and Dad could bring him for a bit, but this is a gifts optional and play at the park.
This mom has more to life than spending hundreds of dollars and time on one 1-2 hour birthday party for a 6 year old. The rest of those moms can spend extravagantly on their kids all they want to make their kid happy, but that makes kids and moms think they have to outshine the others and make each year "bigger, better, and more expensive."
I'm not that mom. I can't afford to be. If you're one of those moms, that's fine. We, as a family, have decided to stick to a strict budget and have realized we don't need things to make us happy to enjoy life.
My morbid opinion: its the moms that should be celebrating they made it through all that labor and that their child has survived however many years old/long.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Dreams
No one really knows where you're going to land up in one, five, or even ten years. Ten years ago, I wanted to be an architect. Five years ago I wanted to be done with my college degree, and last year, I wanted a business where I could stay at home with my kids while they were at school. Sounds like everyone's dream doesn't it?
I've got my bachelor's degree and change diapers for a living. I wanted to be an architect and I build towers of legos. As for a business...I have an official photography business. Does it allow me to work part time and be at home with the kids when I need to? Yes. Do I have a lot of customers? Not one. But that's okay. It's not about the money. It's about being able to spend time with the kids, have a somewhat clean home, and able to cook for my family.
Hubby pays the bills, so any luxuries will have to wait until either my "business" takes off or I get a "real job". I'm okay with that. Yes, I've struggled with wants, but in reality, my family is a phone call, Facebook message, or Skype away. I've learned to adapt and get rid of the excessive junk out of my life through the past years.
I'm not close or even Facebook friends with every person I meet. I have my acquaintances, close friends, and family somewhat nearby. I didn't become an architect by profession, but have built a worthwhile home and life around me. What more could a girl ask for?
We are currently putting over $400 extra towards our car debt and then once that is paid off, that extra $750 will goes towards paying off the student loans. This will take around 2 years. 2016. Then my daughter will graduate high school in thirteen years. We have so little time with them in the grand scheme of things. So let's sit back and enjoy the ride as we get rid of those debts and enjoy life as its suppose to be. :) God and life is good.
I've got my bachelor's degree and change diapers for a living. I wanted to be an architect and I build towers of legos. As for a business...I have an official photography business. Does it allow me to work part time and be at home with the kids when I need to? Yes. Do I have a lot of customers? Not one. But that's okay. It's not about the money. It's about being able to spend time with the kids, have a somewhat clean home, and able to cook for my family.
Hubby pays the bills, so any luxuries will have to wait until either my "business" takes off or I get a "real job". I'm okay with that. Yes, I've struggled with wants, but in reality, my family is a phone call, Facebook message, or Skype away. I've learned to adapt and get rid of the excessive junk out of my life through the past years.
I'm not close or even Facebook friends with every person I meet. I have my acquaintances, close friends, and family somewhat nearby. I didn't become an architect by profession, but have built a worthwhile home and life around me. What more could a girl ask for?
We are currently putting over $400 extra towards our car debt and then once that is paid off, that extra $750 will goes towards paying off the student loans. This will take around 2 years. 2016. Then my daughter will graduate high school in thirteen years. We have so little time with them in the grand scheme of things. So let's sit back and enjoy the ride as we get rid of those debts and enjoy life as its suppose to be. :) God and life is good.
Monday, April 7, 2014
First Week of April with $200 out of $400
$400 per month on groceries. Yes ma'am. Or sir. Whichever you prefer. $400 to shop for all natural/organic products.
Right now, we really cannot afford to buy a whole cow or poultry straight from the farm. It's literally hundreds of dollars. Well, maybe not for 1-2 whole chickens.
Vons, Albertsons, Save Mart, Wal-Mart, and other big chains are starting to carry all natural meats, eggs, and dairy along with their organic produce. Granted organic produce is absolutely not the best quality (its still in the grocery store nevertheless), but you still have to look around. Yes, you can drop $100 per week at a health food store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. But really, where do we shop to find the best deal?
It depends on what your plan is. Yes, that nasty P word. You must meal plan before you buy anything. Otherwise you will drop that $100 and try to figure out what you're going to make each day. Who wants that stress?
Meal planning usually takes place on Sundays. It doesn't matter what time, but this gives me time to figure out how much and what I need to get me through the week.
It's quite easy and if you have a hard time meal planning, check out plantoeat.com (I am not an affiliate). I did use their free trial, and you know what? It's simply amazing. If we weren't on such a tight budget, I would definitely use them. If you are trying out a new diet, you can search Pinterest, other blogs and websites and actually bookmark the recipe. The best part about plantoeat.com? It even makes a shopping list for you!
After you get your meal plan written out, find a store you like best and watch their sales. I know there aren't a ton of organic produce, meat, or dairy on sale every week, but when there is, pick up a couple extra items if you can freeze them for later. If not, then don't worry about wasting your money.
I personally hate shopping at Wal-Mart, Albertsons, and all those big national chains. I dread giving them such big portions of my husband's hard earned paycheck. So what store <i>do </i>I shop at?
I love Fresh and Easy for their organic, reasonably priced, smaller sized stores. I can get in and get out rather quickly. They always have a large selection of almost everything organic in their store. Some items are priced higher than others, but hey, I'm not buying everything that says organic. If I'm in a quick pinch, they do have organic-not raw- milk. They have organic honey, organic syrup, along with non-organic foods (for when hubby goes with me-bad idea).
As for flour, I purchase sprouted flour at a local health store. We have a Lassen's that carries their whole wheat sprouted flour in the bulk section. I love bulk bins! Especially when this particular flour costs $4.19 per pound (don't tell hubby). My body cannot tolerate white flour (no gluten allergy), so I buy this when I know I will be baking something (tortillas, bread, etc.). I still am working on learning how to bake with this flour, so bear with me!
We also did try drinking the grass-fed milk. My son loved the cow on the front and how can I tell him no to milk? The only weird thing about it was the lumps in your glass (cream tidbits). Other than that, we loved the flavor! Cost: $5.69 for half gallon.
Another awesome find at Lassen's was their selection of One Degree sprouted grains cereals. They had four or five to choose from! :) My tummy was so happy! Add this to the grass-fed milk and my body loved me. Now since this cereal is a little expensive, only I eat maybe 1/2 a cup of cereal. Not kids. I'm not big into sugary cereal and cannot stand the taste of cornflakes, so this was perfect for me. Cost: $5.69 for a 12 oz box.
Early this month, I ran out of laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent! Agh! Not a good thing when your brother is coming from Washington! So for these items, I get my washing soda, borax, and lemi-shine from Winco. They do have organic dairy, but I have yet to see any organic produce besides lettuce. I will write another post on household cleaners on here soon!
What has Jenn bought so far?
Lassen's: Ancient Sprouted Maize Flakes Cereal $5.69
Grassmilk, Whole, Half Gallon $5.69
Fresh N Easy: Eggs, Brown, Cage Free Dozen $3.99
Bananas (Not Organic) 6 bananas $1.14
Organic Mini Cucumbers $2.99
Organic Carrots $1.69
Organic Kale (won't buy again) $2.99
Organic Apples $1.99
Winco: Washing Soda 3 boxes @ $3.15 $9.45 (seems really high compared to the last time I bought it)
Borax $3.97
Fels Naptha 6 @ $.97 $5.82
Spicy Tuna Roll tsk tsk tsk $4.98 (how did that sneak in there?)
Lemi-Shine 2 @ $3.97 $7.94 (ouch)
Cream Cheese (school snack)2 @ $1.78 $3.56
Non-Organic Baby Carrots (school snack) $ .98
Whole Olives (school snack) 3 @ $.98 $2.94
Sliced Olives 2 @ $.58 $1.16
Bring your own bag -$ .06
Grand Total: $71.94
$200.00 (first half of month)
- $71.94
127.00 left for groceries until next week. I always put all my change into the piggy bank to go towards debt at the end of the year (hubby doesn't know this).
That's not too terrible is it? Other than the household cleaning supplies and school snack- I'll have to show you what I made with these three items. Big hit with 5 year olds!
Although my brother is coming into town this week, we also have a 5 year old turning 6 that I have to buy groceries for... all for $127.00 Can we manage feeding three adults and two young kids until the 15th?
Even if you don't have these stores or enjoy swiping your rewards card at other stores, you can always shop for the conventional clean 15 at regular grocery stores. <a href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php">Here </a>is the full list of the EWG's clean list. The numbers with the lower number have the most pesticides. Yuck! Eating organic should not be considered a trend.
Clean 15:
andpoint of pesticide contamination:
Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Cabbage
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplant
Kiwi
Cantaloupe (domestic)
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Papayas
Mushrooms
Not a lot of these are on our weekly shopping list :( Sad.
Right now, we really cannot afford to buy a whole cow or poultry straight from the farm. It's literally hundreds of dollars. Well, maybe not for 1-2 whole chickens.
Vons, Albertsons, Save Mart, Wal-Mart, and other big chains are starting to carry all natural meats, eggs, and dairy along with their organic produce. Granted organic produce is absolutely not the best quality (its still in the grocery store nevertheless), but you still have to look around. Yes, you can drop $100 per week at a health food store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. But really, where do we shop to find the best deal?
It depends on what your plan is. Yes, that nasty P word. You must meal plan before you buy anything. Otherwise you will drop that $100 and try to figure out what you're going to make each day. Who wants that stress?
Meal planning usually takes place on Sundays. It doesn't matter what time, but this gives me time to figure out how much and what I need to get me through the week.
It's quite easy and if you have a hard time meal planning, check out plantoeat.com (I am not an affiliate). I did use their free trial, and you know what? It's simply amazing. If we weren't on such a tight budget, I would definitely use them. If you are trying out a new diet, you can search Pinterest, other blogs and websites and actually bookmark the recipe. The best part about plantoeat.com? It even makes a shopping list for you!
After you get your meal plan written out, find a store you like best and watch their sales. I know there aren't a ton of organic produce, meat, or dairy on sale every week, but when there is, pick up a couple extra items if you can freeze them for later. If not, then don't worry about wasting your money.
I personally hate shopping at Wal-Mart, Albertsons, and all those big national chains. I dread giving them such big portions of my husband's hard earned paycheck. So what store <i>do </i>I shop at?
I love Fresh and Easy for their organic, reasonably priced, smaller sized stores. I can get in and get out rather quickly. They always have a large selection of almost everything organic in their store. Some items are priced higher than others, but hey, I'm not buying everything that says organic. If I'm in a quick pinch, they do have organic-not raw- milk. They have organic honey, organic syrup, along with non-organic foods (for when hubby goes with me-bad idea).
As for flour, I purchase sprouted flour at a local health store. We have a Lassen's that carries their whole wheat sprouted flour in the bulk section. I love bulk bins! Especially when this particular flour costs $4.19 per pound (don't tell hubby). My body cannot tolerate white flour (no gluten allergy), so I buy this when I know I will be baking something (tortillas, bread, etc.). I still am working on learning how to bake with this flour, so bear with me!
We also did try drinking the grass-fed milk. My son loved the cow on the front and how can I tell him no to milk? The only weird thing about it was the lumps in your glass (cream tidbits). Other than that, we loved the flavor! Cost: $5.69 for half gallon.
Another awesome find at Lassen's was their selection of One Degree sprouted grains cereals. They had four or five to choose from! :) My tummy was so happy! Add this to the grass-fed milk and my body loved me. Now since this cereal is a little expensive, only I eat maybe 1/2 a cup of cereal. Not kids. I'm not big into sugary cereal and cannot stand the taste of cornflakes, so this was perfect for me. Cost: $5.69 for a 12 oz box.
Early this month, I ran out of laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent! Agh! Not a good thing when your brother is coming from Washington! So for these items, I get my washing soda, borax, and lemi-shine from Winco. They do have organic dairy, but I have yet to see any organic produce besides lettuce. I will write another post on household cleaners on here soon!
What has Jenn bought so far?
Lassen's: Ancient Sprouted Maize Flakes Cereal $5.69
Grassmilk, Whole, Half Gallon $5.69
Fresh N Easy: Eggs, Brown, Cage Free Dozen $3.99
Bananas (Not Organic) 6 bananas $1.14
Organic Mini Cucumbers $2.99
Organic Carrots $1.69
Organic Kale (won't buy again) $2.99
Organic Apples $1.99
Winco: Washing Soda 3 boxes @ $3.15 $9.45 (seems really high compared to the last time I bought it)
Borax $3.97
Fels Naptha 6 @ $.97 $5.82
Spicy Tuna Roll tsk tsk tsk $4.98 (how did that sneak in there?)
Lemi-Shine 2 @ $3.97 $7.94 (ouch)
Cream Cheese (school snack)2 @ $1.78 $3.56
Non-Organic Baby Carrots (school snack) $ .98
Whole Olives (school snack) 3 @ $.98 $2.94
Sliced Olives 2 @ $.58 $1.16
Bring your own bag -$ .06
Grand Total: $71.94
$200.00 (first half of month)
- $71.94
127.00 left for groceries until next week. I always put all my change into the piggy bank to go towards debt at the end of the year (hubby doesn't know this).
That's not too terrible is it? Other than the household cleaning supplies and school snack- I'll have to show you what I made with these three items. Big hit with 5 year olds!
Although my brother is coming into town this week, we also have a 5 year old turning 6 that I have to buy groceries for... all for $127.00 Can we manage feeding three adults and two young kids until the 15th?
Even if you don't have these stores or enjoy swiping your rewards card at other stores, you can always shop for the conventional clean 15 at regular grocery stores. <a href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php">Here </a>is the full list of the EWG's clean list. The numbers with the lower number have the most pesticides. Yuck! Eating organic should not be considered a trend.
Clean 15:
andpoint of pesticide contamination:
Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Cabbage
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplant
Kiwi
Cantaloupe (domestic)
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Papayas
Mushrooms
Not a lot of these are on our weekly shopping list :( Sad.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Monthly Budget
Budgeting
As you know, we are a one income family. Hubby makes around $63,000 per year. So how do we make it in this golden state? Prayers and patience. Our kids do not get everything they want. Heck, we don’t even have cable, but we are thinking about getting internet in our house. :)
So what does our budget look like? Well, if you’ve been reading my earlier posts, you already know we spend $400 on good quality natural food.
Bako Depot’s Budget:
Salary $63,000
Housing $1,015.00
Car payment $750.00
Car Insurance $74.00
AAA $0.00
Cell phone $156.00
Netflix $9.00
ATT/ Internet $0.00
PG&E $49.00
Water $51.00
Gas $69.60
Student Loans $156.00
Ret/Life Insur $280.87
CASH
Grocery $400.00
Gasoline (Auto)
Co-Pay/Medical
DMV/Smog Check
Car Maintenance
Cow
Entertainment
Kids Activities
Household
Home Improve/Tools
Clothing
Hobbies/Toys
Garden
Dining Out
Pets
Gifts
Medical Bills
ATM Withdrawal
TOTAL EXPENSES $3,010.47
Summary
Salary $3,430.06
Expenses $3,010.47
Savings
Leftover Funds $419.59
That $419.59 is the rest of the paycheck to pay for dining out, clothes, tools, medical bills, and absolutely everything else. It’s really not much, is it? Lately, that $400 leftover has been going to $6,000.00 medical bills from hubby and they are still coming. This is why I’m afraid to get the mail! Everytime he goes in, which is often, it usually costs us $300. Granted we have really good insurance, but it takes a plan to get anywhere including out of debt.
As you know, we are a one income family. Hubby makes around $63,000 per year. So how do we make it in this golden state? Prayers and patience. Our kids do not get everything they want. Heck, we don’t even have cable, but we are thinking about getting internet in our house. :)
So what does our budget look like? Well, if you’ve been reading my earlier posts, you already know we spend $400 on good quality natural food.
Bako Depot’s Budget:
Salary $63,000
Housing $1,015.00
Car payment $750.00
Car Insurance $74.00
AAA $0.00
Cell phone $156.00
Netflix $9.00
ATT/ Internet $0.00
PG&E $49.00
Water $51.00
Gas $69.60
Student Loans $156.00
Ret/Life Insur $280.87
CASH
Grocery $400.00
Gasoline (Auto)
Co-Pay/Medical
DMV/Smog Check
Car Maintenance
Cow
Entertainment
Kids Activities
Household
Home Improve/Tools
Clothing
Hobbies/Toys
Garden
Dining Out
Pets
Gifts
Medical Bills
ATM Withdrawal
TOTAL EXPENSES $3,010.47
Summary
Salary $3,430.06
Expenses $3,010.47
Savings
Leftover Funds $419.59
That $419.59 is the rest of the paycheck to pay for dining out, clothes, tools, medical bills, and absolutely everything else. It’s really not much, is it? Lately, that $400 leftover has been going to $6,000.00 medical bills from hubby and they are still coming. This is why I’m afraid to get the mail! Everytime he goes in, which is often, it usually costs us $300. Granted we have really good insurance, but it takes a plan to get anywhere including out of debt.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
$400 a month for groceries?!
$400 per month for groceries. Yes, you read that right. Is it possible to spend this much on a family of four? Yes! As long as you are careful and don't overspend, it really is possible.
Why only $400? Well, that's our budget. We have other bills to pay as well. Granted not every extra dollar is going towards debt (because of our erratic medical bills), but we have two kids 4 & 5. There's a lot of times we have to say "no" to toys, candy, movies, trips, etc.
How are we surviving on $400 per month for groceries?
First things first, I do not use coupons. That's right. Absolutely no driving to pay for a newspaper, scanning the inserts for desired items, and cutting until your hand falls off. I tried that. I found I actually spent more money at the stores using coupons. 99.9% of coupons are for processed junk. Granted, I occasionally saved 50%-75% by matching coupons to store sale ads for a certain shampoo and soap for hubby, but I've only been able to do that maybe two times. Therefore, store coupons are not allowed in our house.
How to maintain a grocery budget (of any amount):
1. Look at the family budget and decide what is allotted for groceries. I've heard of people spending $400-$1200 on food per month and wonder where their money is going? Well, duh.
2. Cut out the junk. No soda, no candy, no treats. Period. None of it is good for you! It's called junk for a reason. Plus, you know what you're putting into your body when you cut out the junk.
3. Meal Plan. Now I'm not the best at planning a week's worth of meals, but we try our best to sit down together and plan out what we want to eat. This way no one complains about why we aren't having T-Bones for dinner every night. There's several meal planning websites out there. You'll have to decided which ones you like best. (I'll write more about these later).
4. Check out your local CSA (another post later). These are well worth the price- and the best part. Very affordable! You also get to try new foods. Ours includes fruits and veggies in every week's box. I've never had so many oranges this past winter!
We ordered a the large "food box" and it cost $38.30 per week. They had a smaller box for around $25 I believe. I could be wrong, but still- very affordable for any family. All I had to do was pick it up (or someone else if we were out of town). Fresh organic food per month for a large box: $153.20 per month.
So, $400 for groceries
- $153.20
$246.80 leftover for dairy, grains, household cleaners, etc. Definitely more than enough to last the month!
5. Try your best to resist the lure of expensive meats. Meat is the most expensive item in the cart and when you're eating all natural, it's sometimes twice or triple the cost of conventional meat. How to curb the extra cost?
a. Check out your CSA. We found our farmer's market prices to be astronomical in prices, so we checked out a CSA and were so happy with it.
b. See if you can split the cost of a cow at a local farm with friends or family
c. Most importantly, buy only what you need. I noticed the other day that my Sam's Club started carrying all-natural chicken. Now, that's not my top choice for chicken, but it's all we have in our area for fresh/natural chicken. It comes in a twin pack and I plan to use one for a rotisserie chicken and the other, cut it for parts for other meals.
d. Eat less meat. I know this is really hard for most of us, especially my family, so incorporating more veggies and some grains will do great to fill up the family.
6. Don't stress. It took me a few months to realize how to cut costs and stay on track. Nothing is achieved overnight.
7. Try a garden- even if you only plant just one plant, it will cut costs. A packet of seeds will cost maybe $2, but if your plant is taken care of, you'll save a ton of money if you get 10+ tomatoes or strawberries off that plant! Plus, it teaches science if you have little ones. Two for one deal!
To recap, look at your budget, cut out junk food, meal plan, check out your local CSA, watch the cost of meat, and don't stress! At first I stressed about eating healthy and staying on budget, but once I figured out what my family likes best, we decided what not to buy (kale, swiss chard), and can focus on more positive things: spending time with the kids and not stressing about a healthy dinner (as my 5 year old daughter calls it). Or supper-as my mother calls it.
Why only $400? Well, that's our budget. We have other bills to pay as well. Granted not every extra dollar is going towards debt (because of our erratic medical bills), but we have two kids 4 & 5. There's a lot of times we have to say "no" to toys, candy, movies, trips, etc.
How are we surviving on $400 per month for groceries?
First things first, I do not use coupons. That's right. Absolutely no driving to pay for a newspaper, scanning the inserts for desired items, and cutting until your hand falls off. I tried that. I found I actually spent more money at the stores using coupons. 99.9% of coupons are for processed junk. Granted, I occasionally saved 50%-75% by matching coupons to store sale ads for a certain shampoo and soap for hubby, but I've only been able to do that maybe two times. Therefore, store coupons are not allowed in our house.
How to maintain a grocery budget (of any amount):
1. Look at the family budget and decide what is allotted for groceries. I've heard of people spending $400-$1200 on food per month and wonder where their money is going? Well, duh.
2. Cut out the junk. No soda, no candy, no treats. Period. None of it is good for you! It's called junk for a reason. Plus, you know what you're putting into your body when you cut out the junk.
3. Meal Plan. Now I'm not the best at planning a week's worth of meals, but we try our best to sit down together and plan out what we want to eat. This way no one complains about why we aren't having T-Bones for dinner every night. There's several meal planning websites out there. You'll have to decided which ones you like best. (I'll write more about these later).
4. Check out your local CSA (another post later). These are well worth the price- and the best part. Very affordable! You also get to try new foods. Ours includes fruits and veggies in every week's box. I've never had so many oranges this past winter!
We ordered a the large "food box" and it cost $38.30 per week. They had a smaller box for around $25 I believe. I could be wrong, but still- very affordable for any family. All I had to do was pick it up (or someone else if we were out of town). Fresh organic food per month for a large box: $153.20 per month.
So, $400 for groceries
- $153.20
$246.80 leftover for dairy, grains, household cleaners, etc. Definitely more than enough to last the month!
5. Try your best to resist the lure of expensive meats. Meat is the most expensive item in the cart and when you're eating all natural, it's sometimes twice or triple the cost of conventional meat. How to curb the extra cost?
a. Check out your CSA. We found our farmer's market prices to be astronomical in prices, so we checked out a CSA and were so happy with it.
b. See if you can split the cost of a cow at a local farm with friends or family
c. Most importantly, buy only what you need. I noticed the other day that my Sam's Club started carrying all-natural chicken. Now, that's not my top choice for chicken, but it's all we have in our area for fresh/natural chicken. It comes in a twin pack and I plan to use one for a rotisserie chicken and the other, cut it for parts for other meals.
d. Eat less meat. I know this is really hard for most of us, especially my family, so incorporating more veggies and some grains will do great to fill up the family.
6. Don't stress. It took me a few months to realize how to cut costs and stay on track. Nothing is achieved overnight.
7. Try a garden- even if you only plant just one plant, it will cut costs. A packet of seeds will cost maybe $2, but if your plant is taken care of, you'll save a ton of money if you get 10+ tomatoes or strawberries off that plant! Plus, it teaches science if you have little ones. Two for one deal!
To recap, look at your budget, cut out junk food, meal plan, check out your local CSA, watch the cost of meat, and don't stress! At first I stressed about eating healthy and staying on budget, but once I figured out what my family likes best, we decided what not to buy (kale, swiss chard), and can focus on more positive things: spending time with the kids and not stressing about a healthy dinner (as my 5 year old daughter calls it). Or supper-as my mother calls it.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
March 30-April 5 Menu Plan
Hubby is gone until Friday night, so I created a menu plan that will feed the three of us. I'm not going to worry about a sparkling house today, although I have family coming to visit! Maybe tomorrow...
Sunday: Egg Burritos
Wings, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots
Steak, Zuchinni with onions and garlic, mac-n-cheese
Monday-Friday: Oatmeal or Toast
Leftovers or PB &J
Leftovers or Freezer Meal made in crockpot (pretty big meals)
Saturday: Soft Boiled Eggs and Toast
Quesadillas (usually with leftover meat and veggies)
Baked Chicken, Green Beans, cooked Carrots
A no hassle week with lots of veggies shoved in there! ;) Shouldn't cost a lot
Sunday: Egg Burritos
Wings, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots
Steak, Zuchinni with onions and garlic, mac-n-cheese
Monday-Friday: Oatmeal or Toast
Leftovers or PB &J
Leftovers or Freezer Meal made in crockpot (pretty big meals)
Saturday: Soft Boiled Eggs and Toast
Quesadillas (usually with leftover meat and veggies)
Baked Chicken, Green Beans, cooked Carrots
A no hassle week with lots of veggies shoved in there! ;) Shouldn't cost a lot
Monday, March 31, 2014
Tomorrow is April!
Tomorrow is a new month! Yes, I love new months. It's kind of like a new year, a fresh start. Plus a clean air filter in our house.
Last week, we planted the garden. Quite the variety of crops and I promise to take pictures soon of it. I am trying to keep the chickens out of the garden since they keep trying to eat our strawberries! A couple strawberries are near ready, so this year might be a fight to the death between the chickens and I.
Tomorrow, we have the possibility of rain :) Very exciting since we are in one of the worst droughts in history.
Speaking of rain, last Saturday, the wind blew fiercly and rain poured almost all Saturday night. On the positive side, the house was quiet. Very quiet. The kids were in a tent in the middle of a rainstorm. Yes, we are trying to toughen up our kids. Haha not true, but there's some days are just like today, frustrating.
I keep toying with the idea of getting a job and every time I make a pros and cons list of going back to work, I find myself making excuses. Excuses such as: we need a second car, hubby travels a lot, hubby's continued medical appointments, gas being around $4/gallon, etc. Another part of me says that I should wait the 2 years. Agh! If I only had an income, we could pay off the debts much faster and start saving for a second car or actually fix the fence that is laying on the neighbor's trees. You know, typical home improvement stuff.
Hubby doesn't mind knowing needs fixed. He just wants to do the fun stuff and he doesn't have to look at all the bugs- I mean problems- everyday. I'm committed to getting out of debt, but at what cost?
So there's my two cents for today. Today is payday and I get money for food. Because that's all I shop for anymore.
Thanks for reading!
Last week, we planted the garden. Quite the variety of crops and I promise to take pictures soon of it. I am trying to keep the chickens out of the garden since they keep trying to eat our strawberries! A couple strawberries are near ready, so this year might be a fight to the death between the chickens and I.
Tomorrow, we have the possibility of rain :) Very exciting since we are in one of the worst droughts in history.
Speaking of rain, last Saturday, the wind blew fiercly and rain poured almost all Saturday night. On the positive side, the house was quiet. Very quiet. The kids were in a tent in the middle of a rainstorm. Yes, we are trying to toughen up our kids. Haha not true, but there's some days are just like today, frustrating.
I keep toying with the idea of getting a job and every time I make a pros and cons list of going back to work, I find myself making excuses. Excuses such as: we need a second car, hubby travels a lot, hubby's continued medical appointments, gas being around $4/gallon, etc. Another part of me says that I should wait the 2 years. Agh! If I only had an income, we could pay off the debts much faster and start saving for a second car or actually fix the fence that is laying on the neighbor's trees. You know, typical home improvement stuff.
Hubby doesn't mind knowing needs fixed. He just wants to do the fun stuff and he doesn't have to look at all the bugs- I mean problems- everyday. I'm committed to getting out of debt, but at what cost?
So there's my two cents for today. Today is payday and I get money for food. Because that's all I shop for anymore.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
7 days...
7 days until the actual ripping tournament begins. What is going on at the Bako Depot? Chaos. The kids grabbed the empty wrapping paper rolls and are beating each other to death as I write this. They put stickers on foam shapes and I punched a hole in them and tied string on them for the neighbor's Christmas presents. I don't know why I'm the "giving" kind of person who never receives anything. As for the kids ornaments, I've never been very artistic and what kid doesn't like stickers?
We leave Friday to go to the in-laws and still, I feel like the Grinch. I do have to admit, I've listened to much more Christmas music this year compared to ever. There's a wrapped Christmas present sitting on the counter that has no label. I can't figure out who it goes to (because I thought I had wrapped it) and when looking around on the package, I saw that it was my present from my husband written in sharpie.
7 rooms to clean before we leave,
6 days to keep the kids entertained (luckily I'll have partial help from hubby's grandma)
5 crappy looking kids ornaments to give to the neighbors
4 books to return to the library
3 days until we leave
2 highly energetic and not listening kids
1 frustrated and depressed mom stressing until the end of the world or year
I'm already grinding my teeth worrying about next year. My daughter will be starting school and I'm hoping to have a Charlie Brown themed Christmas next year. Small tree, limited decorations, and few presents. That's if we all survive this Christmas.
We leave Friday to go to the in-laws and still, I feel like the Grinch. I do have to admit, I've listened to much more Christmas music this year compared to ever. There's a wrapped Christmas present sitting on the counter that has no label. I can't figure out who it goes to (because I thought I had wrapped it) and when looking around on the package, I saw that it was my present from my husband written in sharpie.
7 rooms to clean before we leave,
6 days to keep the kids entertained (luckily I'll have partial help from hubby's grandma)
5 crappy looking kids ornaments to give to the neighbors
4 books to return to the library
3 days until we leave
2 highly energetic and not listening kids
1 frustrated and depressed mom stressing until the end of the world or year
I'm already grinding my teeth worrying about next year. My daughter will be starting school and I'm hoping to have a Charlie Brown themed Christmas next year. Small tree, limited decorations, and few presents. That's if we all survive this Christmas.
Monday, December 17, 2012
What now?
Christmas is in 8 days. 8 days of listening to Christmas music, watching those rerun Christmas movies, and hearing those deafening bells at every store entrance. What am I doing? Absolutely nothing. All the presents are wrapped, my house is filthy, no one is packed, and here recently, I'm booking photography sessions because I'm offering a free session to build my portfolio.
This year we didn't decorate the house. Why? Because why pull everything out to decorate the house for that one materialistic day that we won't even be here? There's no snowflakes anywhere to be seen, no children listening, and mostly, I just plainly don't care this year.
I'm worried. Like so many other parents, my daughter is going to be five next year and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do. Yes, I have hobbies, although none of them are real money makers. Yesterday and today I sunk into a really bad state of depression. If only I had gotten a better college degree I wouldn't be in this foul and negative state of mind right now.
Business, as I have found out numerous times, does absolutely nothing without marketing. So any idea I have, I can't just show it to one or two people, it has to be hundreds. So I thought, why not start a blog? Eventually I'll have readers and maybe some company will want to advertise. I'll set my goal at $2,000 per month. My only problem is there's not many garden, cooking, or biography-type companies wanting to advertise on a small unknown blog. Heck, I probably aren't even writing any sense.
Everyone has been telling me "to follow God's chosen path". Seriously? I'm not an atheist, but I think God would have said, don't get married or have kids. I seriously want to do something with my life. I never wanted kids or marriage in the first place, so now I'm stuck with it and am trying to find a way to promote myself. I hate depending on hubby for absolutely everything. My new goal is to find a job or something that will put my husband to shame.
This year we didn't decorate the house. Why? Because why pull everything out to decorate the house for that one materialistic day that we won't even be here? There's no snowflakes anywhere to be seen, no children listening, and mostly, I just plainly don't care this year.
I'm worried. Like so many other parents, my daughter is going to be five next year and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do. Yes, I have hobbies, although none of them are real money makers. Yesterday and today I sunk into a really bad state of depression. If only I had gotten a better college degree I wouldn't be in this foul and negative state of mind right now.
Business, as I have found out numerous times, does absolutely nothing without marketing. So any idea I have, I can't just show it to one or two people, it has to be hundreds. So I thought, why not start a blog? Eventually I'll have readers and maybe some company will want to advertise. I'll set my goal at $2,000 per month. My only problem is there's not many garden, cooking, or biography-type companies wanting to advertise on a small unknown blog. Heck, I probably aren't even writing any sense.
Everyone has been telling me "to follow God's chosen path". Seriously? I'm not an atheist, but I think God would have said, don't get married or have kids. I seriously want to do something with my life. I never wanted kids or marriage in the first place, so now I'm stuck with it and am trying to find a way to promote myself. I hate depending on hubby for absolutely everything. My new goal is to find a job or something that will put my husband to shame.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Top 10 Reasons to Love Bakersfield
When you move to a new city, you more than likely dread it. That's how I felt when I first moved here. I was new to California, had no friends or family around, and had the hardest time finding a house. After living here almost four years and finding out we may move yet
again, I've come to love my crazy Bako family and the small city itself. These aren't in any order, but they are my top ten reasons for loving it here in Bakersfield, California and Kern County.
10. Free admission on certain days for the city and county museums. Some museums don't even charge admission. Crazy, huh?
9. Melting pot. Although Bako is considered one of the "armpits of Cali", the citizens are demographically diverse. You can find white, wealthy, Hispanic, African descent, middle class, Indian, rednecks, Asian, and several other cultures. It's great to expose the kids to different people and backgrounds. Makes a great geography lesson at home. So when people talk about the small dot on the map called Bakersfield, it's NOT 95% Hispanic population. Should I include all the ufo sightings we have? Seriously.
8. Speed limits. Where else can you drive 55mph down a major road in a city? Last time I drove through Omaha, Sacramento, Vegas, and LA, most of them have to drive 35-45 in town. The only thing about the 55 mph is people here don't know how to drive when the roads are *gasp* wet.
7. With our great melting pot in the greater Bako area, comes food. Almost in every corner of the city, you'll find awesome breweries, restaurants, and bakeries. We don't eat at many franchises, so when I see a Sequoia Sandwich or Lengthwise Brewery, I know it's going to be yummy.
6. Speaking of food, farmer's markets are abundant in the city. For a city of 300,000 (last time I saw the population sign), there's 5 farmer's markets available. Ours, on Brimhall, is the closest on Saturdays. There's also one on Sundays at Ming and Haggin Oaks. We live in a farming community, why wouldn't you take advantage of that
5. Like I said, Bakersfield has around 300,000 last time I looked at the sign. There's probably more than that now, but whatever. There's also a mixture of cultural backgrounds and with that, it usually creates a diverse community. Not here. People are friendly and will usually help you with anything they can. The city's motto is "Life as it should be." So Bako has tons of people with a small city atmosphere.
4. Trying to find a place to live is a breeze here. Since it's one of the armpits, house prices are much lower than other cities (Sac, Fran, LA). Right now there's actually a housing shortage and they are having to develop more housing communities. Even the older houses are scarce to come by.
3. Bakersfield: NorCal or SoCal? We're actually CenCal. According to NorCal residents, we live in SoCal and vice versa for SoCal residents. Do they even know where Bako is? "Yeah, I drove through" doesn't count. It's great living in Bako. You're five hours from anything. 1 hour from the mountains, 3 hours from the coast, 4 hours to Sac, 5 to Fran, 5 to Tahoe, 2-3 from LA (depends on Grapevine and traffic), and 5 (with no traffic) to San Diego. Oh and don't forget Vegas... a mere 5 hours away. Talk about the perfect location!
2. The summers are 100+ degrees outside. I don't know how pregnant women make it through the summers here. Luckily, the city and NOR have installed sprayparks- an alternative to large swimming pools. Kids of all ages can run through large sprinkler heads to beat the heat. I'm not sure about the hours, but they are typically open before Memorial Day and are open until September or October (depending on the weather). It's great for toddlers and those of us who don't swim.
1. Another family favorite is the San Joaquin Valley library system. I use Beale Memorial for my book needs. They have a great selection and if you need a book from another library in the system, they can get it for you! I can't tell you how many different books I've checked out. The Beale Memorial is the largest library in Kern County. They have 4 levels of books, a section for audio-visual, a computer lab, reference, and much, much more. There's no reason to educate yourself through the library. Anything you want to learn is at the library. The best part of the library is storytime. I take the kids to the preschool storytime where the librarian reads 4-5 stories with rhymes and songs in between. Then afterwards is craft time. It's a simple creation made out of basic items. Best of all-it's free! A big thank you to the library for providing mommy one hour of almost freedom.
I'm going to put in another great thing about Bakersfield: year round gardening. It's the perfect climate to grow lettuces, broccoli, carrots, and many other veggies right in your own backyard. You can grow tomatoes and summer type produce if you throw a plastic sheet over your garden. It makes me wonder why Bakersfield doesn't have more vegetable gardeners when the city is in a zone 8b and 9! Not only does it help the environment, but also the grocery bill. Too bad there aren't any tax credits/incentives for gardening...
10. Free admission on certain days for the city and county museums. Some museums don't even charge admission. Crazy, huh?
9. Melting pot. Although Bako is considered one of the "armpits of Cali", the citizens are demographically diverse. You can find white, wealthy, Hispanic, African descent, middle class, Indian, rednecks, Asian, and several other cultures. It's great to expose the kids to different people and backgrounds. Makes a great geography lesson at home. So when people talk about the small dot on the map called Bakersfield, it's NOT 95% Hispanic population. Should I include all the ufo sightings we have? Seriously.
8. Speed limits. Where else can you drive 55mph down a major road in a city? Last time I drove through Omaha, Sacramento, Vegas, and LA, most of them have to drive 35-45 in town. The only thing about the 55 mph is people here don't know how to drive when the roads are *gasp* wet.
7. With our great melting pot in the greater Bako area, comes food. Almost in every corner of the city, you'll find awesome breweries, restaurants, and bakeries. We don't eat at many franchises, so when I see a Sequoia Sandwich or Lengthwise Brewery, I know it's going to be yummy.
6. Speaking of food, farmer's markets are abundant in the city. For a city of 300,000 (last time I saw the population sign), there's 5 farmer's markets available. Ours, on Brimhall, is the closest on Saturdays. There's also one on Sundays at Ming and Haggin Oaks. We live in a farming community, why wouldn't you take advantage of that
5. Like I said, Bakersfield has around 300,000 last time I looked at the sign. There's probably more than that now, but whatever. There's also a mixture of cultural backgrounds and with that, it usually creates a diverse community. Not here. People are friendly and will usually help you with anything they can. The city's motto is "Life as it should be." So Bako has tons of people with a small city atmosphere.
4. Trying to find a place to live is a breeze here. Since it's one of the armpits, house prices are much lower than other cities (Sac, Fran, LA). Right now there's actually a housing shortage and they are having to develop more housing communities. Even the older houses are scarce to come by.
3. Bakersfield: NorCal or SoCal? We're actually CenCal. According to NorCal residents, we live in SoCal and vice versa for SoCal residents. Do they even know where Bako is? "Yeah, I drove through" doesn't count. It's great living in Bako. You're five hours from anything. 1 hour from the mountains, 3 hours from the coast, 4 hours to Sac, 5 to Fran, 5 to Tahoe, 2-3 from LA (depends on Grapevine and traffic), and 5 (with no traffic) to San Diego. Oh and don't forget Vegas... a mere 5 hours away. Talk about the perfect location!
2. The summers are 100+ degrees outside. I don't know how pregnant women make it through the summers here. Luckily, the city and NOR have installed sprayparks- an alternative to large swimming pools. Kids of all ages can run through large sprinkler heads to beat the heat. I'm not sure about the hours, but they are typically open before Memorial Day and are open until September or October (depending on the weather). It's great for toddlers and those of us who don't swim.
1. Another family favorite is the San Joaquin Valley library system. I use Beale Memorial for my book needs. They have a great selection and if you need a book from another library in the system, they can get it for you! I can't tell you how many different books I've checked out. The Beale Memorial is the largest library in Kern County. They have 4 levels of books, a section for audio-visual, a computer lab, reference, and much, much more. There's no reason to educate yourself through the library. Anything you want to learn is at the library. The best part of the library is storytime. I take the kids to the preschool storytime where the librarian reads 4-5 stories with rhymes and songs in between. Then afterwards is craft time. It's a simple creation made out of basic items. Best of all-it's free! A big thank you to the library for providing mommy one hour of almost freedom.
I'm going to put in another great thing about Bakersfield: year round gardening. It's the perfect climate to grow lettuces, broccoli, carrots, and many other veggies right in your own backyard. You can grow tomatoes and summer type produce if you throw a plastic sheet over your garden. It makes me wonder why Bakersfield doesn't have more vegetable gardeners when the city is in a zone 8b and 9! Not only does it help the environment, but also the grocery bill. Too bad there aren't any tax credits/incentives for gardening...
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Homemade Grenadine
A lady at the Farmer's Market was selling bags of pomegranates for $5. So I grabbed a bag! I couldn't pass it up. There were 6-7 in each bag, so I figured I would make pomegranate juice, marinade (since we were eating chicken at the time), and put the fruit on our salads.
The first night, I peeled the pomegranate to put the seeds on our salad. The salad was very tasty, but I really hated chewing and swallowing the actual seed part. That idea was out.
I knew Christmas was coming up and I didn't know what to get the friends and family. We don't have a huge budget for Christmas since we have to spend at least $100 on our Secret Santa (thanks MIL- I don't have a job)! For hubby's co-workers, family friends, and neighbors, I decided to Googled what I could do with all those leftover pomegranates. Homemade Grenadine! Sorry the pictures aren't that great. They were taken with my sad little Android (never buy an Android).
I can't find the actual blog I used to make this, but here is a similar blog: http://www.reclaimingprovincial.com/2011/12/10/homemade-grenadine/
Let me know your results. Another website for this is allrecipes (no pictures though)
The first night, I peeled the pomegranate to put the seeds on our salad. The salad was very tasty, but I really hated chewing and swallowing the actual seed part. That idea was out.
I knew Christmas was coming up and I didn't know what to get the friends and family. We don't have a huge budget for Christmas since we have to spend at least $100 on our Secret Santa (thanks MIL- I don't have a job)! For hubby's co-workers, family friends, and neighbors, I decided to Googled what I could do with all those leftover pomegranates. Homemade Grenadine! Sorry the pictures aren't that great. They were taken with my sad little Android (never buy an Android).
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| Bag of pomegranates |
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| Slice open the top. Then quarter it. This will prevent the seeds from bursting open. Cut along the inside skin. |
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| Place in a bowl of water and discard the skins. |
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| Some seeds will float. They are still good. Just watch out for and discard old brown seeds. |
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| Place in blender. |
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| Blend just enough to get the seeds out of the membranes. If you blend too much, you will blend the hard seeds into the juice. |
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| I don't have a cheesecloth, so I used a rubber band to hold a rag onto the top of a glass measuring cup. Make sure you're rag is thin to let most of the juice go through. |
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| Squeeze the juice through the rag with a spoon like above. Discard the seeds. |
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| Heat 2 cups pomegranate juice with 1 3/4 cups sugar. You can add more sugar to make sweeter. |
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| Let cool, store or jar, and viola! Homemade Grenadine |
Let me know your results. Another website for this is allrecipes (no pictures though)
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
New Plant-Based Cookbooks
"Forks Over Knives" by Del Sroufe: I had to wait after 40+ people to get it, but once I did, I cooked a few of the recipes and I have to say: yes! This book is a must buy. It doesn't have every plant based recipe known to man, but it's much better than it's competitors I found. This is my number one buy.
"Skinny Bitch" by Kim Barnouin had very few good recipes. At first she describes why people should eat healthier, but instead of using vegetable oil or canola oil, she uses other various oils such as olive and grapeseed. Doesn't help if you are trying to stay away from all forms of oil. I am steering clear of this book.
"Happy Herbivore" by Lindsay Nixon. Seriously? She had a lot of specialty items such as agave nectar. What the heck is that? I know its a sweetener, but I don't think its something I can grow in my backyard. She also uses kelp powder and (whole wheat) bread in her recipes. This is my number 2 cookbook choice. I just wouldn't use those recipes with the specialty items. I should have got a picture of this book to show you, but you can look it up on Amazon.com.
I'm trying to grow our own produce so cookbooks using oil and kelp powder make no sense to me. There are a few recipes I can use out of the "Happy Herbivore", but "Forks Over Knives" has been the best cookbook so far.
Since trying these recipes, we (as a family) feel better, have less trash, and are able to figure out what's for dinner quicker. There's no waiting to defrost meat or leaking bags in the fridge of meat juice. Happy, healthy Bako Depot residents! Great way to treat yourself and lose that weight!
I am not advertising this books for any money. I'm just excited these cookbooks follow my new eating/cooking guidelines.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
December Garden
Bakersfield December Garden
All the gardening websites and books say that Bakersfield is in a zone 8b and 9, a prime area for winter gardens. No wonder it's known for carrots and other winter vegetation. Living in the midwest for 15+ years, there was no such thing as winter gardening. It was a blanket of snow. However, Bakersfield is quite the opposite. Thank God!
What's up with my garden though? I've been waiting anxiously for the past few months to pull the tomato plants and peppers out of the ground. Yet, they keep blooming and producing! The tomatillos have more blooms now than they did in July and the tomato plants? Holy Moses! There's at least 5 good sized green tomatoes on it! Granted, the birds and a yucky tomato worm ate most of our precious tomatoes this year. Plus an ant invasion in the garden this summer. I'm still looking for a homemade ant repellent. Maybe I will have to plant some companion plants to deter those pesky pests.
We are well into December. Everything should be withered, brown, and dead. The only thing I have covered are my spices and purple broccoli. The strawberries under my DIY greenhouse are doing really well too. I just can't believe it's December and the garden is still growing. It makes me wonder why the people of Bako don't have a winter garden? It's so easy! All you have to do is throw a plastic sheet over your garden (when there's a chance of frost). No hoop house required. Just make sure the plastic doesn't flatten your plant so prop the plastic sheeting propped up.
In the future I want to build a greenhouse and that brings me to another point: why aren't there any tax credits/incentives to build a vegetable greenhouse? It reduces the carbon footprint and here in the valley and we need anything and everything to reduce the filthy smog.
Here's to stocking our fridge and pantry throughout the year- no matter how cold it gets.
Thanks for reading!
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| Strawberries doing great! |
What's up with my garden though? I've been waiting anxiously for the past few months to pull the tomato plants and peppers out of the ground. Yet, they keep blooming and producing! The tomatillos have more blooms now than they did in July and the tomato plants? Holy Moses! There's at least 5 good sized green tomatoes on it! Granted, the birds and a yucky tomato worm ate most of our precious tomatoes this year. Plus an ant invasion in the garden this summer. I'm still looking for a homemade ant repellent. Maybe I will have to plant some companion plants to deter those pesky pests.
 |
| Purple Broccoli under plastic sheeting |
We are well into December. Everything should be withered, brown, and dead. The only thing I have covered are my spices and purple broccoli. The strawberries under my DIY greenhouse are doing really well too. I just can't believe it's December and the garden is still growing. It makes me wonder why the people of Bako don't have a winter garden? It's so easy! All you have to do is throw a plastic sheet over your garden (when there's a chance of frost). No hoop house required. Just make sure the plastic doesn't flatten your plant so prop the plastic sheeting propped up.
In the future I want to build a greenhouse and that brings me to another point: why aren't there any tax credits/incentives to build a vegetable greenhouse? It reduces the carbon footprint and here in the valley and we need anything and everything to reduce the filthy smog.Here's to stocking our fridge and pantry throughout the year- no matter how cold it gets.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Bako Depot Up and Running Again
I haven't been posting as I should have since Thanksgiving and I apologize. I've been busy experiencing life! I've tried new recipes, went metal detecting in the desert, tried a few new recipes, and cannot wait to share them with you! I also put a lot of thought into what I want to do when the kids start school (next year). I will still have my son the majority of the time, but my 4 year old should be in half day kindergarten. I dearly want to homeschool them, but my patience is extremely low when it comes to kids.
What do I want to do with my life? Not go back to work. I've worked in a restaurant, office, retail, and a winery. I didn't mind the winery so much, but it was too few hours plus everyone overcrowded the small wine bar practically throwing wine glasses at you.
The ultimate goal is to grow all our own food. Basically homesteading without the livestock. I hope in the future we can save enough money to build a greenhouse. Of course, that would be a dream! I'm not a huge fan of hoop houses, but I'll just have to improvise until then. Since the hubby and I are on board with eating better, we've decided a little meat is okay. We decided we would eat a little meat when traveling since they're not many plant based options out there. I brainstormed a plant-based fast food joint, but as hubby pointed out, there's not many plant based consumers in Bakersfield here.
I also want to write a book. Whether its an e or regular book, it doesn't matter. Why didn't I start this at age 16? I have no idea. I've penned a few story ideas, so whether I can make it to the end, it largely depends on the family.
Ideally I would love to make $2,000 per month from home, but realistically, that ain't gonna happen. I'd be lucky to earn $100 in a year.
I listed baby clothes and my clothes that just don't fit anymore on eBay. I had a few viewers, but no bites. Last time I listed clothes on eBay, they sold like hotcakes. Maybe it's just because it's the holiday season? Who knows.
Things have been busy around here. However, with Christmas in less than a month, things will move even faster. I had my preschoolers watch a Netflix documentary about African children hoping it would make my children grateful for what they have/own. The result: still yelling, fighting, and screaming over the stupidest things.
Hoping to get back on the blog bandwagon before the last holiday of the year.
What do I want to do with my life? Not go back to work. I've worked in a restaurant, office, retail, and a winery. I didn't mind the winery so much, but it was too few hours plus everyone overcrowded the small wine bar practically throwing wine glasses at you.
The ultimate goal is to grow all our own food. Basically homesteading without the livestock. I hope in the future we can save enough money to build a greenhouse. Of course, that would be a dream! I'm not a huge fan of hoop houses, but I'll just have to improvise until then. Since the hubby and I are on board with eating better, we've decided a little meat is okay. We decided we would eat a little meat when traveling since they're not many plant based options out there. I brainstormed a plant-based fast food joint, but as hubby pointed out, there's not many plant based consumers in Bakersfield here.
I also want to write a book. Whether its an e or regular book, it doesn't matter. Why didn't I start this at age 16? I have no idea. I've penned a few story ideas, so whether I can make it to the end, it largely depends on the family.
Ideally I would love to make $2,000 per month from home, but realistically, that ain't gonna happen. I'd be lucky to earn $100 in a year.
I listed baby clothes and my clothes that just don't fit anymore on eBay. I had a few viewers, but no bites. Last time I listed clothes on eBay, they sold like hotcakes. Maybe it's just because it's the holiday season? Who knows.
Things have been busy around here. However, with Christmas in less than a month, things will move even faster. I had my preschoolers watch a Netflix documentary about African children hoping it would make my children grateful for what they have/own. The result: still yelling, fighting, and screaming over the stupidest things.
Hoping to get back on the blog bandwagon before the last holiday of the year.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Not quite Black Friday, but our Ikea Trip
Since today is Black Friday, I thought I would write about one of the stores. I'm not out shopping today since I really like having money in our bank account. Plus, I'm trying to get rid of the clutter here at Bako Depot.
When coming back from LA, we stopped at Ikea in Burbank. There's a small drawer cabinet that I'm in love with, but after looking at Ikea's model, I think I can build a more sturdy version of it.
The first area we stopped at was the restroom and if you have small kids, definitely use the family restroom. Almost everything in there was designed for small children. There wasn't a small potty like we've seen at the mall, but there was a little step to get onto the big potty.
There was another step for the little sink as well. Plus, a rocking chair for breastfeeding moms. So kudos for Ikea for their wonderful family restroom! This definitely gave us the room to stretch all our legs before running around in the store.
When coming back from LA, we stopped at Ikea in Burbank. There's a small drawer cabinet that I'm in love with, but after looking at Ikea's model, I think I can build a more sturdy version of it.
The first area we stopped at was the restroom and if you have small kids, definitely use the family restroom. Almost everything in there was designed for small children. There wasn't a small potty like we've seen at the mall, but there was a little step to get onto the big potty.
There was another step for the little sink as well. Plus, a rocking chair for breastfeeding moms. So kudos for Ikea for their wonderful family restroom! This definitely gave us the room to stretch all our legs before running around in the store.
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| Mommy! I can reach! |
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| Free diapers and a little extra room if you need it. How wonderful |
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