So, back a couple of years ago, we started budgeting to zero every month, and also creating "funds" that we contributed to every month. We basically had a "fund" for everything from taxes to our cat to toiletries to household expenses to kid clothes. For us, it just worked well to toss $5 or $20 into the fund, and some months we used it all, and other months we rolled it over so that it was there in case we saw a really good deal on chicken breasts or Costco had Ziplock bags on sale or Becca suddenly grew out of all of her clothes. The money was just there, and it was less stressful for us. We were excited about it, and it was like a game to roll over as much as we could each month.
But somewhere along the line, we grew a little complacent. We'd stick $100 in the household fund, and I'd find myself thinking, "Great, I have $100 to spend!", and wouldn't you know it, I'd always find something to spend it on. This was happening with both of us to some degree nearly every other category--we'd spend because the money was there, not because we were buying something that we needed or even really wanted.
So, as we've been talking about our financial goals for the year (we also just recently attended a financial literacy workshop at church that was AWESOME), we decided that we wanted to do a no-spend month. Emily @ Imperfect also did one last month and was also a big influence in our decision! Now, I will mention that the financial guy at church works with consumer credit counseling and he talked a lot about the dangers of complete self-deprivation in a budget, and as a whole, Justin and I agree that complete deprivation isn't sustainable long-term, but for us, one month is a short enough time that we feel it gives us an opportunity to change our focus without just getting so frustrated that we throw our hands up and just say I DON'T CARE, I WANT A BURGER AND A NEW PAIR OF SHOES!
For us, a no-spend month means:
-We pay all of our regular bills/expenses, house, utilities, internet, gas, student loans, etc.
-We continue to give, both in terms of tithing and to the fund that we use for family birthdays and other special occasions.
-We have a grocery budget for the month, and it's set for the same amount that we'd like to spend every month--$300. We find that by sticking to a grocery budget that allows us to eat well, we miss eating out less. I feel like $300 a month for a family of four is still a pretty reasonable grocery budget, and that restricting it too much wouldn't be wise for us.
- We have allocated a small amount ($25) for eating out. The reality is that sometimes we get stuck at church or out and about longer than anticipated, and it's not fair to make our kiddos wait to eat until we finally get home. For us, if we're not realistic, it won't work. This gives us a little bit of flexibility while also encouraging us to plan ahead (i.e. if we think there's a chance we might get stuck at church, maybe pack a sandwich).
-We also have a few major expenses that will be paid this month--new tires on the car, and also replacing all the light fixtures in our house. Those are both safety issues that cannot wait, and will be paid for. Doing the no-spending month will also help us pay for those things without having to put them on credit--hooray! (And hopefully once we get back on track with the "fund" system, it won't be an issue if things like that come up in the future).
For us, a no-spend month does not mean:
-That we expect friends or family to take us out to dinner or buy us groceries. If friends ask us out to lunch/dinner, it's my goal to be able to say, "We're trying to cut down on eating out this month--I've got XYZ going in the crock pot, want to come over to our house instead?"
-That we severely restrict our gas and grocery budgets.
-That necessary, unanticipated purchases will not occur (i.e. if Justin happened to rip every pair of his work pants, he'd still buy new pants even though it's a no-spend month).
-That we're going to be making lists of everything that we're going to buy come March 1st.
-That we won't give to others--if I have a friend having a bad day, I may pick her up coffee. We'll just adjust accordingly from groceries or some other category.
-It also won't necessarily mean that we'll put a ton in savings this month, due to the major expenses that I listed above.
Since there's a good likelihood we'll get our tax return back this month, I'll also mention that we have made the decision to depart from our usual tax-return plan--usually, we pay Lizzy's school tuition with our tax return and have a little extra to buy things that we've been putting off (usually underwear, clothes, and shoes for all plus a fun dinner or two out). It's nice to have tuition paid in full, not to worry about it, and still have some fun, and usually it is a really good balance for us. This year, we're applying all of our tax return to the balance of our car loan. This will mean paying off our car by June. And then even when monthly payments for tuition for Lizzy begin in August, they'll be about $80 less per month than our car payment was...and we felt like no car payments and more money in our pockets each month was a pretty good thing.
So, that's our plan so far! I'm actually pretty excited...but it IS only February 3rd ;)
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Monday, February 3, 2014
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Isn't it ironic....dontcha think?
Well, that settles it.
OHSU was not bluffing--apparently, in Oregon, a hospital can send you to collections even if you've been making a payment every month, just because they've decided that it will take you too long to pay off your hospital balance.
We got a letter yesterday from the Oregon Department of Revenue that they now hold one of my three accounts from my skin cancer surgery at OHSU. I called to set up a payment plan yesterday. It's kind of funny, because their automated system basically says, "If your account is with traffic fines, press 1. If your account is with court fees, press 2. If your account is for jail fees, press 3. If your account is from OHSU, press 4." (You'll notice that there are no other hospitals on this list...)
Anyway, once I finally reached a person, I explained that we'd always paid on time every month, but that OHSU had turned it over because they decided it would take too long to pay off. I said "Here's what I can afford to pay each month. Our income varies, so on months when we can afford to pay more, I'll happily send it." The nice (sarcasm font) lady at the department of revenue told me that they don't really care what we can afford to pay, that my minimum payment each month is X. I asked her what would happen if we couldn't afford to pay X, and she said she can't tell me that until November 5th, when our first payment is due. She said that they don't have any sort of financial paperwork to fill out, and that they really don't care what your income and bills look like. You pay their minimum payment or you don't, and if you don't....well, I don't know because she wouldn't tell me.
She then proceeded to tell me that my account will probably be paid off much more quickly than I expect anyway, as they'll just withhold all of our tax returns until it is paid off.
I kind of wanted to scream at her. I know she's just doing her job. I know that technically, that's fair and that the doctors and hospitals deserve to be paid for their time. I know that's probably what we would have done with a tax return anyway. But can I just say that it sucks? Because it does. It sucks. It sucks that no one seems to care that there's a person or a family on the other end of the line...who is just trying to balance paying for this unexpected surgery with all their other obligations...not to mention just life. It sucks that the house refinance that we were so excited about probably closing on in November? Probably won't happen now because of this. The really ironic and funny thing about all this? If we were/are able to refinance in November as we were (and still are) hoping, the entire OHSU bill would have been paid off at that point anyway.
I feel a little like I'm living in an Alanis Morisette song.
It sucks that this is something that's heavy on my heart and mind lately, but I'm not even sure that I should blog about it because I'll probably get snarky anonymous comments about us and our money, and how maybe we shouldn't be having another baby if we're so poor, or maybe I shouldn't be buying leggings or mums (which, just for the record, I haven't) if we still have hospital debt. Or how maybe I should just get a job and shut up.
I don't know if I should blog about it because it will make family and friends worry about us...and really, I'm sure it'll be okay. It's just irritating. It just sucks. I'm just venting because we're trying to do the best that we can and to live on a budget and be fiscally responsible...all while watching people we know totally play the system and get rewarded for it. All while feeling like the people on the other end of the phone line do not care about us in the slightest. It's frustrating. And irritating. And I just want to stomp my feet and scream.
And then? There are times where all you can do is laugh. Like last night, when we were working on choosing songs for a Sunday service later in October, and we pulled up the Gospel reading for that particular Sunday. Anyone want to guess what the reading was? I'll tell you. Mark 10:23-31. The first sentence?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
And I know what that passage is all about, and I know what it really means and how it's often misinterpreted and misapplied, but seriously, after a day like I had yesterday...being so irritated and so stressed about all things money, how can you not just laugh when that comes across the table?
OHSU was not bluffing--apparently, in Oregon, a hospital can send you to collections even if you've been making a payment every month, just because they've decided that it will take you too long to pay off your hospital balance.
We got a letter yesterday from the Oregon Department of Revenue that they now hold one of my three accounts from my skin cancer surgery at OHSU. I called to set up a payment plan yesterday. It's kind of funny, because their automated system basically says, "If your account is with traffic fines, press 1. If your account is with court fees, press 2. If your account is for jail fees, press 3. If your account is from OHSU, press 4." (You'll notice that there are no other hospitals on this list...)
Anyway, once I finally reached a person, I explained that we'd always paid on time every month, but that OHSU had turned it over because they decided it would take too long to pay off. I said "Here's what I can afford to pay each month. Our income varies, so on months when we can afford to pay more, I'll happily send it." The nice (sarcasm font) lady at the department of revenue told me that they don't really care what we can afford to pay, that my minimum payment each month is X. I asked her what would happen if we couldn't afford to pay X, and she said she can't tell me that until November 5th, when our first payment is due. She said that they don't have any sort of financial paperwork to fill out, and that they really don't care what your income and bills look like. You pay their minimum payment or you don't, and if you don't....well, I don't know because she wouldn't tell me.
She then proceeded to tell me that my account will probably be paid off much more quickly than I expect anyway, as they'll just withhold all of our tax returns until it is paid off.
I kind of wanted to scream at her. I know she's just doing her job. I know that technically, that's fair and that the doctors and hospitals deserve to be paid for their time. I know that's probably what we would have done with a tax return anyway. But can I just say that it sucks? Because it does. It sucks. It sucks that no one seems to care that there's a person or a family on the other end of the line...who is just trying to balance paying for this unexpected surgery with all their other obligations...not to mention just life. It sucks that the house refinance that we were so excited about probably closing on in November? Probably won't happen now because of this. The really ironic and funny thing about all this? If we were/are able to refinance in November as we were (and still are) hoping, the entire OHSU bill would have been paid off at that point anyway.
I feel a little like I'm living in an Alanis Morisette song.
............................................................................................................................
It sucks that this is something that's heavy on my heart and mind lately, but I'm not even sure that I should blog about it because I'll probably get snarky anonymous comments about us and our money, and how maybe we shouldn't be having another baby if we're so poor, or maybe I shouldn't be buying leggings or mums (which, just for the record, I haven't) if we still have hospital debt. Or how maybe I should just get a job and shut up.
I don't know if I should blog about it because it will make family and friends worry about us...and really, I'm sure it'll be okay. It's just irritating. It just sucks. I'm just venting because we're trying to do the best that we can and to live on a budget and be fiscally responsible...all while watching people we know totally play the system and get rewarded for it. All while feeling like the people on the other end of the phone line do not care about us in the slightest. It's frustrating. And irritating. And I just want to stomp my feet and scream.
And then? There are times where all you can do is laugh. Like last night, when we were working on choosing songs for a Sunday service later in October, and we pulled up the Gospel reading for that particular Sunday. Anyone want to guess what the reading was? I'll tell you. Mark 10:23-31. The first sentence?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
And I know what that passage is all about, and I know what it really means and how it's often misinterpreted and misapplied, but seriously, after a day like I had yesterday...being so irritated and so stressed about all things money, how can you not just laugh when that comes across the table?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
BQOTD: Kids & Money
So in the comments of yesterday's post, Katie brought up a great point about kids and money--that teaching younger kids about money and budgeting can be tricky, and I think that sometimes, if not done the right way, it can really stress kids out more than make them understand the basics of budgeting and living within our means, which is hopefully the goal. And I thought her comment was right on--it's a fine line to walk!
And then, there was that anonymous comment, which was just really so absurd I don't even have words to address it or the energy to be upset about it. But once again, it got me thinking about kids and money...and I think there are probably a lot of different approaches that families take when it comes to talking and teaching their kids about money, and I'd like to talk some more about it.
I had one friend who, even in high school, was required to save a certain percentage of her paycheck, to give a certain percentage of her paycheck to charity, and then could only spend what was left. I had some friends who received allowances, and some friends who didn't. Some who were expected to pay for their car insurance and some who weren't. Some who basically paid for everything once they started working, and some whose jobs were really just for "fun money."
Anyway, my point is that there are LOTS of different approaches to teaching kids about money and budgeting...and I'm sure those approaches also vary based on the ages of the kiddos. I'm curious if you all have thought about what approach you'll take with your kids (real kids or hypothetical!). So, today's burning question of the day is:
How do you plan to teach your kids about money and budgeting from birth to 5th grade?
And then, there was that anonymous comment, which was just really so absurd I don't even have words to address it or the energy to be upset about it. But once again, it got me thinking about kids and money...and I think there are probably a lot of different approaches that families take when it comes to talking and teaching their kids about money, and I'd like to talk some more about it.
I had one friend who, even in high school, was required to save a certain percentage of her paycheck, to give a certain percentage of her paycheck to charity, and then could only spend what was left. I had some friends who received allowances, and some friends who didn't. Some who were expected to pay for their car insurance and some who weren't. Some who basically paid for everything once they started working, and some whose jobs were really just for "fun money."
Anyway, my point is that there are LOTS of different approaches to teaching kids about money and budgeting...and I'm sure those approaches also vary based on the ages of the kiddos. I'm curious if you all have thought about what approach you'll take with your kids (real kids or hypothetical!). So, today's burning question of the day is:
How do you plan to teach your kids about money and budgeting from birth to 5th grade?
Monday, September 10, 2012
Yes.
Over the last month, we've had a lot of conversations with Lizzy that have gone like this:
Lizzy: Look! There's Dairy Queen! I want a small strawberry sundae please!
Me: Thanks for using nice manners, but we aren't getting ice cream today.
Lizzy: But why?
Me: Because it's just not in the budget right now.
Lizzy: Oh.
or
Lizzy: I want Goldfishie crackers for lunch!
Me: You can have peanut butter and jelly for lunch, but we're all out of Goldfish crackers.
Lizzy: We need to go to the store and buy some.
Me: You're right--in two days, on payday we'll go to the grocery store and get some other Goldfish crackers, but right now we have lots of other things we can eat instead.
Lizzy: But I want fish crackers.
Me: I know, but we have other food to eat instead. Sometimes we don't always get to eat the exact things we want right when we want them.
Lizzy: I have a holler dollar (hundred dollars) in my piggy bank. I will give it to you and you can put it in the budget so I can buy goldfish crackers TODAY.
Me: Lizzy, that's so thoughtful of you, but your Dad and I will always buy enough food for us to eat. I know you really want goldfish crackers, but we have lots of other things to eat instead for now, and in two days, we can get some more at the grocery store.
Anyway, the "budget" is a frequent conversation around our house right now, which is honestly totally fine by me. I like that Lizzy is seeing that the "budget" translates in a real way in our house, sometimes meaning that we might have to wait a few days before doing something, even if it's something that we really want. I think it's good for her to see that when the budget is tight, we don't eat out a lot or buy lots of extras--those things are special treats, not necessarily givens.
This past Friday, Justin was off work. We were driving by 7-11, and Lizzy said, "Dad, I would love a slurpee. Could I have a slurpee?"
I was expecting the usual "No sweetheart, not today." {It isn't that we can't afford to buy a slurpee, it's just that our eating out portion of the budget is usually very small, and we try to make sure we don't dwindle it away on junk} Anyway, I was expecting a no, but instead Justin said "You bet!" and we pulled in. Justin turned to me, shrugged, and said, "Sometimes, you just have to say yes." Lizzy was so excited getting out of the car that I thought she was going to burst.
And at that moment, I don't think I could have loved the both of them any more. Because isn't that just the truth? Sometimes, you just have to say yes. Not every time, but sometimes. And this time? I'm so glad he did.
Lizzy: Look! There's Dairy Queen! I want a small strawberry sundae please!
Me: Thanks for using nice manners, but we aren't getting ice cream today.
Lizzy: But why?
Me: Because it's just not in the budget right now.
Lizzy: Oh.
or
Lizzy: I want Goldfishie crackers for lunch!
Me: You can have peanut butter and jelly for lunch, but we're all out of Goldfish crackers.
Lizzy: We need to go to the store and buy some.
Me: You're right--in two days, on payday we'll go to the grocery store and get some other Goldfish crackers, but right now we have lots of other things we can eat instead.
Lizzy: But I want fish crackers.
Me: I know, but we have other food to eat instead. Sometimes we don't always get to eat the exact things we want right when we want them.
Lizzy: I have a holler dollar (hundred dollars) in my piggy bank. I will give it to you and you can put it in the budget so I can buy goldfish crackers TODAY.
Me: Lizzy, that's so thoughtful of you, but your Dad and I will always buy enough food for us to eat. I know you really want goldfish crackers, but we have lots of other things to eat instead for now, and in two days, we can get some more at the grocery store.
Anyway, the "budget" is a frequent conversation around our house right now, which is honestly totally fine by me. I like that Lizzy is seeing that the "budget" translates in a real way in our house, sometimes meaning that we might have to wait a few days before doing something, even if it's something that we really want. I think it's good for her to see that when the budget is tight, we don't eat out a lot or buy lots of extras--those things are special treats, not necessarily givens.
This past Friday, Justin was off work. We were driving by 7-11, and Lizzy said, "Dad, I would love a slurpee. Could I have a slurpee?"
I was expecting the usual "No sweetheart, not today." {It isn't that we can't afford to buy a slurpee, it's just that our eating out portion of the budget is usually very small, and we try to make sure we don't dwindle it away on junk} Anyway, I was expecting a no, but instead Justin said "You bet!" and we pulled in. Justin turned to me, shrugged, and said, "Sometimes, you just have to say yes." Lizzy was so excited getting out of the car that I thought she was going to burst.
And at that moment, I don't think I could have loved the both of them any more. Because isn't that just the truth? Sometimes, you just have to say yes. Not every time, but sometimes. And this time? I'm so glad he did.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
This morning....
-I'm thinking of the stuffed zucchini recipe that I made for dinner last night. I was inspired by this awesome recipe from Annie's Eats:
But I was running short on time and ingredients, and so I just combined ground beef, pasta sauce, and sprinkled a bit of parmesan cheese on top (and baked in a water bath). They were delicious. I think Justin ate 3 of them. So, I can't even imagine how much more delicious the Annie's Eats version would be!
-I'm nervous about my skin cancer follow-up appointment tomorrow afternoon, even though I don't have any reason to think that I should be.
-I'm beyond irritated with OHSU, who handled the skin cancer fiasco, and who also sent me a letter that we received yesterday saying that they'd be sending us to collections as of today for non-payment.
Only? According to my records and my bank account, we last made a payment on 6/11/12 over the phone...so I have no idea what this "non-payment" crap is about. Literally, every month since the procedure in January, there has been some sort of issue with OHSU, and I'm tired of spending time each month on the phone with them trying to explain how they've messed up...again. I've done my share of paying on medical bills in my life, and literally no one has handled it as poorly as OHSU.
-I'm excited about the raspberry freezer jam that I made yesterday. If you've ever wanted to make jam, you should check out this photo tutorial that I did last year, because it literally takes 30 minutes and is the easiest and best thing in the world. And there's no cooking or baking involved whatsoever.
-I'm loving this photo that Kaitlin snapped of Lizzy last Monday while we were all berry picking. I totally stole it off Facebook. Speaking of berry picking...I really probably should, you know, WASH the blueberries that we picked a week ago, and actually do something with them.
-I'm excited about this stack of books that I got at the library for $1, total. Love their fill-a-bag sales!
-I'm still laughing about the shirt that I got for Justin (bottom photo) on clearance for $3 for himwhile he and the other Justin tried their hand at making beer for the first time this past weekend. They've totally decided that their first batch of beer will be the BEST! BEER! EVER! (even if it doesn't turn out), just because they made it. I think they're probably right!
But I was running short on time and ingredients, and so I just combined ground beef, pasta sauce, and sprinkled a bit of parmesan cheese on top (and baked in a water bath). They were delicious. I think Justin ate 3 of them. So, I can't even imagine how much more delicious the Annie's Eats version would be!
-I'm nervous about my skin cancer follow-up appointment tomorrow afternoon, even though I don't have any reason to think that I should be.
-I'm beyond irritated with OHSU, who handled the skin cancer fiasco, and who also sent me a letter that we received yesterday saying that they'd be sending us to collections as of today for non-payment.
Only? According to my records and my bank account, we last made a payment on 6/11/12 over the phone...so I have no idea what this "non-payment" crap is about. Literally, every month since the procedure in January, there has been some sort of issue with OHSU, and I'm tired of spending time each month on the phone with them trying to explain how they've messed up...again. I've done my share of paying on medical bills in my life, and literally no one has handled it as poorly as OHSU.
-I'm excited about the raspberry freezer jam that I made yesterday. If you've ever wanted to make jam, you should check out this photo tutorial that I did last year, because it literally takes 30 minutes and is the easiest and best thing in the world. And there's no cooking or baking involved whatsoever.
-I'm loving this photo that Kaitlin snapped of Lizzy last Monday while we were all berry picking. I totally stole it off Facebook. Speaking of berry picking...I really probably should, you know, WASH the blueberries that we picked a week ago, and actually do something with them.
-I'm excited about this stack of books that I got at the library for $1, total. Love their fill-a-bag sales!
-I'm still laughing about the shirt that I got for Justin (bottom photo) on clearance for $3 for himwhile he and the other Justin tried their hand at making beer for the first time this past weekend. They've totally decided that their first batch of beer will be the BEST! BEER! EVER! (even if it doesn't turn out), just because they made it. I think they're probably right!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Today, I am...
{SO STINKING EXCITED} for our "big" ultrasound appointment tomorrow afternoon. Seriously. Kait offered to do a gender reveal photo shoot for us, which would have been fun, but I just didn't want to wait one more second longer than 2pm tomorrow afternoon! Sorry Kait, lol!
{totally exhausted} after a mostly great, but really busy weekend. The big children's event that Justin and I have been planning for church was on Saturday, and it's nice to be done! About half the people who signed up to run carnival game stations for us just didn't show up the day of...so that was interesting. And stressful. But, there was a giant inflatable obstacle course there, so I'm not sure that the kids even really noticed the craziness behind the scenes, or even that there were no snow-cones this year. Okay, so they probably noticed the lack of snow-cones, but hopefully had fun anyway!
{bummed} that in the midst of the crazy day on Saturday, our anniversary got lost in the shuffle. I don't think Justin or I ever even said "Happy Anniversary!" to each other. If it weren't for some awesome and thoughtful cards from family, I think it probably would have gone completely unmentioned! I hope we get to take some time to have a date soon, though I'm not sure when that will be, because we are booked every single night for the next week!
{hopeful} that I'll make a big dent in our laundry pile today.
{loving} this Pinterest tip to use hot vinegar and Dawn dish-soap as a tub/shower cleaner. It totally works. Our shower was so dirty that I didn't even realize how dirty it was anymore...and this? Awesome. In fact, now that I know what sparkly-white looks like, I just may need to clean it again to get it 100% there.
{giddy} that the library finally has Insurgent waiting for me to pick it up today!
{stumped} about what to make for dinner!
{marginally irritated} that Justin got summoned for jury duty again. He seriously gets summoned more than anyone I know. I know it's his civic duty and all, but for us it basically just means three days of him not getting paid, and for people on a budget like ours, that SUCKS. And considering the fact that he has been summoned every single year and I *never* have, it's a little irritating! I wish I could go in his place!
{loving} snuggling with Lizzy watching Dora on this cloudy, rainy morning.
{excited} for Justin, and the early birthday present (his birthday is Wednesday) that he got from my parents. I don't think they knew this, but the toolbox that they got for him was exactly what I was hoping to get for him, but just couldn't swing this month.
{totally exhausted} after a mostly great, but really busy weekend. The big children's event that Justin and I have been planning for church was on Saturday, and it's nice to be done! About half the people who signed up to run carnival game stations for us just didn't show up the day of...so that was interesting. And stressful. But, there was a giant inflatable obstacle course there, so I'm not sure that the kids even really noticed the craziness behind the scenes, or even that there were no snow-cones this year. Okay, so they probably noticed the lack of snow-cones, but hopefully had fun anyway!
{bummed} that in the midst of the crazy day on Saturday, our anniversary got lost in the shuffle. I don't think Justin or I ever even said "Happy Anniversary!" to each other. If it weren't for some awesome and thoughtful cards from family, I think it probably would have gone completely unmentioned! I hope we get to take some time to have a date soon, though I'm not sure when that will be, because we are booked every single night for the next week!
{hopeful} that I'll make a big dent in our laundry pile today.
{loving} this Pinterest tip to use hot vinegar and Dawn dish-soap as a tub/shower cleaner. It totally works. Our shower was so dirty that I didn't even realize how dirty it was anymore...and this? Awesome. In fact, now that I know what sparkly-white looks like, I just may need to clean it again to get it 100% there.
{giddy} that the library finally has Insurgent waiting for me to pick it up today!
{stumped} about what to make for dinner!
{marginally irritated} that Justin got summoned for jury duty again. He seriously gets summoned more than anyone I know. I know it's his civic duty and all, but for us it basically just means three days of him not getting paid, and for people on a budget like ours, that SUCKS. And considering the fact that he has been summoned every single year and I *never* have, it's a little irritating! I wish I could go in his place!
{loving} snuggling with Lizzy watching Dora on this cloudy, rainy morning.
{excited} for Justin, and the early birthday present (his birthday is Wednesday) that he got from my parents. I don't think they knew this, but the toolbox that they got for him was exactly what I was hoping to get for him, but just couldn't swing this month.
Also, I'm pretty sure Lizzy was just as excited about the box it came in!
Friday, June 8, 2012
What I Ate This Week
So, on this post last week, I showed you how we grocery shopped on (less than) a food stamps budget this month. I also promised to come back today with photos of what I ate for the past week, and I'm here to deliver!
Friday- Homemade (freezer) breakfast burrito with hash browns, sausage, bacon, and cheese (top left)/ Lizzy and I split some pasta salad, peppers, carrots, Yumm sauce, apple, and crackers with PB (top middle)/ brown rice, beans, Caribbean Jerk Beef Shish-ka-bobs, and fresh fruit salad (top right)
Saturday-Toast with peanut butter, banana, & honey. Fruit Salad, and coffee (bottom left) / Leftovers from dinner Friday night (bottom middle)/ BBQ Chicken and Salads at my parent's house (no photo).
Sunday- wheat toast with PB and jam/ brown rice, black beans, Yumm sauce, cheese, tomato, pepper, (homemade Yumm cup) and a peach/ crock pot beef roast, baked potato, steamed veggies with some cheese, strawberries.
Monday- yogurt with strawberries plus coffee, homemade Yumm cup, apple, some cheese (no cheese in Yumm cup)/ beef enchilada (leftover from Sunday's roast) with green sauce, milk, strawberries
Tuesday- breakfast burrito and a peach/leftover roast, steamed veggies, banana, and lemonade/leftover enchilada and an apple.
Wednesday- wheat toast with banana, peanut butter, and honey plus coffee/ split a 6inch turkey subway with Lizzy and cheddar Sunchips/ homemade pistachio pesto over wheat pasta and chicken, blueberries.
On Tuesday, I also was getting a hankering for something sweet, so I made these flour-less fudge cookies, which I really really liked.
And then today, things looked like this:
Thursday: potluck at Mom's group--I tried eggs, a scone, and monkey bread/ grilled chicken with Yumm sauce, spinach salad, and strawberries (I also ate a breakfast burrito at about 3pm because I was still really hungry)/ homemade blackberry cobbler using applesauce instead of butter.
So here's what I have to say about shopping on a super tight grocery budget like ours:
Friday- Homemade (freezer) breakfast burrito with hash browns, sausage, bacon, and cheese (top left)/ Lizzy and I split some pasta salad, peppers, carrots, Yumm sauce, apple, and crackers with PB (top middle)/ brown rice, beans, Caribbean Jerk Beef Shish-ka-bobs, and fresh fruit salad (top right)
Saturday-Toast with peanut butter, banana, & honey. Fruit Salad, and coffee (bottom left) / Leftovers from dinner Friday night (bottom middle)/ BBQ Chicken and Salads at my parent's house (no photo).
Monday- yogurt with strawberries plus coffee, homemade Yumm cup, apple, some cheese (no cheese in Yumm cup)/ beef enchilada (leftover from Sunday's roast) with green sauce, milk, strawberries
Wednesday- wheat toast with banana, peanut butter, and honey plus coffee/ split a 6inch turkey subway with Lizzy and cheddar Sunchips/ homemade pistachio pesto over wheat pasta and chicken, blueberries.
On Tuesday, I also was getting a hankering for something sweet, so I made these flour-less fudge cookies, which I really really liked.
And then today, things looked like this:
So here's what I have to say about shopping on a super tight grocery budget like ours:
- It often includes eating the same or similar things several days in a row, which can be boring at times, but helps from wasting food. My lunches are usually leftovers from dinner (Justin usually packs a sandwich for his lunch, and about half the time Lizzy has what I'm having and half the time she has a sandwich of some kind along with fruit and veggies).
- It doesn't include a lot of convenience food or snacks. Sometimes, choosing to snack on an apple and cheese means that we have less cheese for dinner that night...which is generally fine, but just makes you think about what you're eating differently (am I really hungry, or do I just want something to munch on?) Most treats are homemade. We don't usually drink anything other than water, milk, and coffee, though I do love to splurge on good lemonade when we can. I've gotta meal plan in advance (and stick with it no matter how tired I am) since there's not really a last minute option like macaroni and cheese or frozen lasagna/pizza. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it sucks, and all I want to do is grab a pizza and a soda (oh goodness, that sounds so good right now!).
- I think we do a pretty decent job of eating fairly non-processed foods, but I could (and have at times) gone even more "scratch" than you saw this particular week--making bread, stock from scratch instead of canned, soaking beans instead of canned beans, etc. It helps save money, but is also a significant amount of additional work.
- Justin likes to have meat every night at dinner. I'm not quite so attached to meat, so I often do the rice and beans thing for lunch because it's less expensive while still being filling.
- We usually eat a LOT more spinach salads since they're filling and inexpensive. But salads have been my one pregnancy aversion this time around, so you didn't see as much of it this particular week.
- It's not possible to eat this much fruit on this budget during the winter.
- I think it would be VERY HARD to shop on this type of a budget with food allergies.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Food Stamp Budget Grocery Shopping
As I mentioned in this post about the 2012 Farm Bill, one of the most important (and most hotly debated) part of the whole bill is the section that funds the SNAP (Food Stamps) program. I challenged my readers to live on the "food stamps budget", which is about $31 per person per week ($496 per month for a family of four) before making a decision about whether they think the program should be cut or extended. As a side note, the actual subsidy that a person receives on food stamps varies by their income, but for these purposes, the $31/week seems to be the generally accepted amount.
In the above linked post, I also mentioned that our family grocery budget is often right about $200 per month. And honestly, it didn't get down to that level until it was a necessity rather than an ideal. Some months, when we have more discretionary income, that number creeps back up to $300 or so. But the past few months have been tight money-wise. Honestly, in the past few months, we're sometimes scrambling to sell things on Craigslist or have a garage sale to make ends meet, so nearly every category of our budget has been slashed. It isn't always fun...to be totally honest, after Justin called me and told me the amount of his paycheck yesterday, I stomped my feet and cried and yelled at God that I was tired of all this trusting in Him for provision business, and that I just wanted to be able to go buy a baby outfit after our gender ultrasound this month, or go out to dinner for our anniversary...or build our farmhouse table, or just to be able to buy some darn cookies at the grocery store. It sucks not to have discretionary money in the budget. But then I came across this on Pinterest again:
I don't care whether all the statistics are accurate--it was the reality check that I needed. It might suck to feel like we're poor, but even so, we are richer and more blessed than most. And those things I stomped my feet and yelled at God about? None of them are necessities, really. And the things that are necessities? Have been provided for in miraculous ways. So, I got myself together, and did what I always do on the last day of the month--a meal plan. And then I went grocery shopping, with our $200 budget in mind--which I know is just reality for lots of families, on food stamps or not. I try to shop once every two weeks, buying the bigger items such as cheese and meat at the beginning of the month. I buy produce and milk as needed. If all goes according to plan, I intend to take photos of what all we're eating this week and post them next Friday, so I won't go into the whole meal plan. Anyway, here's what I got:
In the above linked post, I also mentioned that our family grocery budget is often right about $200 per month. And honestly, it didn't get down to that level until it was a necessity rather than an ideal. Some months, when we have more discretionary income, that number creeps back up to $300 or so. But the past few months have been tight money-wise. Honestly, in the past few months, we're sometimes scrambling to sell things on Craigslist or have a garage sale to make ends meet, so nearly every category of our budget has been slashed. It isn't always fun...to be totally honest, after Justin called me and told me the amount of his paycheck yesterday, I stomped my feet and cried and yelled at God that I was tired of all this trusting in Him for provision business, and that I just wanted to be able to go buy a baby outfit after our gender ultrasound this month, or go out to dinner for our anniversary...or build our farmhouse table, or just to be able to buy some darn cookies at the grocery store. It sucks not to have discretionary money in the budget. But then I came across this on Pinterest again:
I don't care whether all the statistics are accurate--it was the reality check that I needed. It might suck to feel like we're poor, but even so, we are richer and more blessed than most. And those things I stomped my feet and yelled at God about? None of them are necessities, really. And the things that are necessities? Have been provided for in miraculous ways. So, I got myself together, and did what I always do on the last day of the month--a meal plan. And then I went grocery shopping, with our $200 budget in mind--which I know is just reality for lots of families, on food stamps or not. I try to shop once every two weeks, buying the bigger items such as cheese and meat at the beginning of the month. I buy produce and milk as needed. If all goes according to plan, I intend to take photos of what all we're eating this week and post them next Friday, so I won't go into the whole meal plan. Anyway, here's what I got:
{Please excuse my dirty floors}
Here's the run-down....keep in mind that we have meat in the freezer from our cow purchase.
5 dozen eggs- $5.98
16 oz frozen corn- $0.95
String cheese- $2.98
32oz Raspberry yogurt- $1.98
10 individual yogurts- $.44 each
2 eight ounce blocks of neufatchel cream cheese- $1.18 each
Shredded mozzarella cheese- $5.98
2lb block of cheddar cheese- $4.88
Two packages of Bar-S Bacon- $1.99 each
Large Jimmy Dean sausage- $5.89
2 packs frozen hash browns- $1.18 each
Frozen blackberries- $2.38
Frozen raspberries- $2.68
Original Yumm Sauce- $5.34
Sliced mushrooms- $1.49
Baby carrots- $0.79
Red Delicious apples- 2.83 pounds @ $0.89/lb
Jarred Applesauce- $1.88
Two 16 count flour tortilla- $4.68 each
10 pounds unbleached flour- $3.66
2 cans tomato sauce- two for $0.99 total
2 packets Italian dressing mix- $0.55 each
Three pack of fast-rising yeast- $0.88
Whole-wheat Ritz-$2.98
2 large cans of spaghetti sauce- $0.88 each
Folgers Coffee (small container)- $3.88
Jar of crushed garlic- $1.69
Red bell peppers- 0.64 pounds @ $1.98/lb
Bananas- 4.41 pounds @ $0.54/lb
5 pounds of potatoes- $1.49
Yellow Squash- 0.98 pounds @ $0.79/lb
Fuji apples- 3.29 pounds @$0.89/lb
Jar of medium black olives- $0.98
Green onions- $0.59
Two large cans baked beans- $1.78 each
Two loaves wheat bread- $2.18 each
Two containers strawberries- $1.48 each
6 oz blueberries- $1.89
Peaches-2.01 pounds @ $1.49/lb
Calico Cheese- $2.13
Total: $125.21, leaving $74.79 for the rest of the month. I'll keep y'all posted :)
Friday, May 4, 2012
Baby #2: 12 weeks
How far along: 12 weeks, 1 day (measuring 12 weeks, 4 days)
Size of baby: A plum. At the ultrasound yesterday, the tech said he or she was 2 inches long.
Weight Gain: -7 pounds by the doctor's scale, -15 by mine at home. But honestly, it doesn't look or feel to me like I've actually lost weight!
Symptoms: Same. But overall, more good days than bad.
Exercise: Still battling first trimester yucks and exhaustion, but I did manage to do the TurboFire toning DVD once.
Clothes: Regular stuff. Still can't find my bella band.
Cravings/Aversions: Last night, I told Justin that I really wanted pizza for dinner. He basically said that we just don't have an eating out budget this month (which is totally true, and yes, it's our mutual policy to hold each other accountable about budget stuff like that). And I snapped back that pizza was the only thing that I could possibly eat that night, and that if I couldn't have pizza, I wouldn't eat anything at all. Yes, it was quite melodramatic, and came out of my mouth before I even knew what I was saying. Needless to say, Justin told me to up a $5 pizza from Little Caesars, and it was delicious. And it'll probably come out of my grocery budget, but it'll be worth it.
Movement: Yesterday morning I thought I might have felt some "popcorn" movement, and pretty much pretended all morning that it was the baby. However, I think it was probably gas bubbles or something else, because (a) it's looking like I'll probably have an anterior placenta again, and (b) the baby was moving around like crazy during the ultrasound and I didn't feel a thing.
Worries: Today, I'm feeling okay. Thank you God, for the peace that only You can provide!
Milestones: Most of baby's critical systems are fully formed already. He or she is opening and closing his fingers and curling toes, too. The brain continues to develop fast, and the baby is wiggling around there like a worm.
Best moment of the week: Seeing the little one via ultrasound yesterday! I had literally had nightmares about yesterday's appointment for 10 days in a row, so I was super nervous going into it, and super relieved that everything looked just fine.
Also, an amazing story about my OB and insurance that I want to remember: I debated about whether or not to include this, because I know a lot of people get really passionate and opinionated about government assistance/healthcare, and I feel like I'll probably get some side-eyes and nasty anonymous comments for talking about it. But, it is a true, honest blessing, and so...here goes. In addition to having a ridiculous $5,000 deductible for insurance, which we have almost met thanks to the skin cancer procedures from January, we also discovered that even after we reach that deductible, they only pay 70% for maternity, up until we've paid $15,000 out of pocket each calendar year. Nice, right? So, it turns out that in Oregon, during pregnancy, you can apply for Oregon's version of Medicaid (OHP) to act as supplemental insurance to your private insurance in some cases, such as when you have a very high deductible. We talked about it for awhile. It wasn't a decision we made lightly. Ultimately, we applied, and I was approved, and that was and is a huge blessing to our family.
But, a lot of OBs don't accept OHP as supplemental insurance, including mine. I knew this going into it and was fine with that--it would still apply for the hospital and be a huge help to us there. However, when we met with the billing person at our OB's office yesterday, she was explaining that we'd have to pay $300 a month to cover the remaining $1000 or so we have left before we hit our deductible, plus the 30% after that. I almost cried. We told her that we were more than happy to pay in full, we just couldn't pay $300 a month. We're still paying down the skin cancer surgery/biopsies/doctors, which are broken into multiple different bills, and I feel like I'm having to spend an inordinate amount of time each month explaining to people in various billing departments that we budget down to the penny each month and will send them absolutely as much as we can, but that it may not be as much as they are asking. Still, we get letters that say things like, "Thank you for your payment. The minimum payment that we require is ____. Please send that amount next time." It's hard sometimes, trying to make everyone happy. Often, they're not, but we're doing the best we can.
As we explained this to the billing person, she said that she'd be right back. When she came back in, she told us that my OB had said that he'd make an exception in our circumstances and accept OHP as secondary insurance. Which means we'll probably pay around $100 out of pocket for this pregnancy. And I'm not really sure I can express in words how truly thankful I am for this because we have spent (and continue to spend) a LOT of money on medical expenses this year. It is a blessing. A huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I am so thankful. And if I get flamed for being on government healthcare in this circumstance, so be it. Obviously, it's not the place I'd like to be in an ideal world. But, I'm so thankful it's an option that was available to us and wish there wasn't such a stigma around talking about it.
{Heartbeat was 178. I believe Lizzy was 168ish around this same time}
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Hello Day.
Hello dinner. I've largely missed you these past few weeks. You really hit the spot!
Hello purple toenails! I can't remember the last time I bought a new fingernail polish, and when I do, I usually stick to the cheapies (I've never had or used Essie or OPI nailpolish in my life, so I don't even know what I'm missing). This time, you didn't let me down Wet N' Wild. I'm digging this pretty lilac-y color, and the huge oversized brush that made painting super fast.
Hello grass seed. Grow baby, grow! We planted almost 6,000 sq feet of grass seed in our backyard this past weekend, and now we are watering like crazy and anxiously waiting for it to sprout. I don't know why, but I'm so nervous that it isn't going to grow! I'm so happy we seeded when we did and didn't wait--because if we had waited until after Justin had gotten paid, I think the money we had allocated would have ended up being used for other things. And we've been talking about doing the backyard for four years, so I'm kind of relieved that we didn't have the opportunity to be all sensible and say, "We can hold off another year...we could really use that money elsewhere." It's done already, there's nothing to do about it now, I'm sure things will work out this month, and I'm super excited to use the heck out of the yard this summer.
Hello perfectly timed encouragement from a blog friend, Megan. This is one of the things that I love so much about blogging. You all are a BLESSING, and such an encouragement to me on so many occasions.
Hello OB appointment and ultrasound tomorrow. I'm still super nervous. But today, I noticed for the first time that it's on the same day as the National Day of Prayer, and that kind of made me smile. Lord knows I'll probably be praying up a storm that morning!
Hello day :)
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Grocery Shop With Me
The last few months, I've been slacking on the grocery budget. I was still meal planning before we shopped, but I'd basically just browse Pinterest and buy the ingredients to make whatever it was that I wanted to make, regardless of the ingredient price. It was nice, but not really the best use of our money all the time. After last month's smaller than average paycheck and another smaller-than-anticipated paycheck this month (sigh), it was time to get back on the grocery budget train.
Since we have quite a bit of beef and chicken in the freezer, my goal is to spend $150 or less this month on groceries (just groceries, not toiletries or cleaning products). I feel like this should be easy, but it always feels like a challenge. I think after my first trip today, which will hopefully largely last 2 weeks, we should be on track...but it may be close!
Since we have quite a bit of beef and chicken in the freezer, my goal is to spend $150 or less this month on groceries (just groceries, not toiletries or cleaning products). I feel like this should be easy, but it always feels like a challenge. I think after my first trip today, which will hopefully largely last 2 weeks, we should be on track...but it may be close!
So, here's what I got:
2 boxes instant brown rice @ $1.48 per box
Whole Wheat Ritz- $3.48
Quick Oats- $1.88
2 cans golden mushroom soup @1.48 per can
Caribbean Jerk Marinade- $2.96
5 pound bag unbleached flour- $1.98
Dried Cranberries- $1.84
Bulk Whole Wheat Penne- 1.39 lbs @ $1.99/lb
Salsa- $1.77
Reduced Sodium Beef Broth- $.98
Gravy Mix Packet- $.44
2 sleeves all-purpose yeast @ $.88 per sleeve
Olive Oil- $3.88
3 cans whole kernel corn @ $.60 per can
Cornbread Mix- $2.18
Bulk Ground Cumin Seed- 0.15lbs @ 4.39/lb
10 pounds potatoes- $2.49
2 bags Wheat Bread- $1.68
Green Bell Peppers- 0.71 lbs @ $1.19/lb
Tomatoes- 1.01 lbs @$0.89/lb
Zucchini- 1.03lbs @ $0.49/lb
Navel Oranges- 5.16lb @ $.49/lb
Yogurt Tub (32 oz)- $1.98
2 bricks cream cheese @ $1.18/ brick
2lb medium cheddar cheese- $4.88
5 dozen eggs- $5.58
Asparagus- 1.08lb @ $1.69/lb
Red Delicious Apples- 3.64 lbs @ $0.89/lb
Strawberries- $1.89
Bulk Peanut Butter- 2.04 lbs @ $3.79/lb
Celery-$0.69
Pineapple- 3.95 lbs @ $0.98/lb
Total: $78.97
This was a little more than I hoped to spend, because we've already used about $14 of our grocery budget this month shopping for our portion of last night's dinner and getting some basics like milk (leaving us roughly $58 for the month). However, some of the things we purchased (like the peanut butter, eggs, and bulk pasta) will probably last all month, which means that if I plan correctly, the shopping trip for the next half of the month will hopefully bring us in right at our budget.
This post is already long enough, but in case anyone is interested, I'll add my meal plan for the next two weeks after the jump! Click "Read More" at the bottom of this post to view the meal plan as well :)
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Cost of the Mystery Bruise
So, I am now getting hospital bills rolling in from the whole mystery bruise/skin cancer experience in January...and it looks like our responsibility after insurance pays will be about $5,000 (we have a $5,000 deductible per person--don't get me started on that. Right before I was diagnosed, we had looked into paying for private insurance, but after doing the math, we'd end up paying about the same out of pocket with the monthly payments that would go along with a private plan that covers what we'd need, and I'm not even sure that I could find a private company that would insure me anymore).
At OHSU, they split the faculty bill and the hospital bill into two separate bills handled by (apparently) two separate offices. So now I'm trying to make payment arrangements with two separate offices and trying to explain our situation, which is that we can commit to X per month, and I understand that may or may not be what you require patients to pay, but that is all we can do. We are budgeted to the penny--we know exactly where our money goes, and very little of it goes to "fun" or discretionary income that we can pull from. We know exactly how much we can pay each month and that is all we can do. Since Justin is in construction and his wage varies depending on the job, some months we may be able to do more, but we can't commit to that always.
Anyway, so far, I've only been able to leave voicemails that I'd like to make payment arrangements, so I've yet to talk to an actual person, but I'm dreading it. I understand that they provided a service for which they should be paid...for which we WANT to pay them....but seriously, you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip. I can commit to making a payment each month...but I'm guessing that I won't be able to commit to paying what they want me to pay (since they say in huge letters on the bill that payment in full is due within 30 days), and I'm kind of dreading that conversation.
I'm imagining that they may threaten to send us to collections if we can't pay what they want each month. I've heard different things about whether or not a hospital even can send you to collections if you're making a payment each month. I'd always heard that they couldn't send you to collections if you were paying something every month, but lately I've heard more and more stories to the contrary.
The only positive in this situation is that our ridiculous deductible has actually been met this year...which means that we could actually seriously talk about having baby #2 this year since the deductible wouldn't be an issue. Although, admittedly, there's not much of a timeline to make that happen. And I know it sounds a little crazy to be talking about having a baby in the face of all this, and I'll probably get a nasty anonymous comment saying "If you can't afford your medical bills, what makes you think you'll be able to afford another baby?!"
So to cut that off at the pass, I'd just like to say that it isn't that we can't afford the medical bills, it's just that there's a huge difference between an unexpected medical expense which the hospital expects to be paid in full within 30 days of being billed, and the extra expenses that go along with having a baby...which we'd have nine months to prepare for.
Also, it's really crazy to me that our responsibility is still $5000 even with insurance. I feel like it's a testament to the fact that something about the state of medical care in our country needs to be changed. I don't have the right answers, but I only know that it doesn't seem to be working right now.
At OHSU, they split the faculty bill and the hospital bill into two separate bills handled by (apparently) two separate offices. So now I'm trying to make payment arrangements with two separate offices and trying to explain our situation, which is that we can commit to X per month, and I understand that may or may not be what you require patients to pay, but that is all we can do. We are budgeted to the penny--we know exactly where our money goes, and very little of it goes to "fun" or discretionary income that we can pull from. We know exactly how much we can pay each month and that is all we can do. Since Justin is in construction and his wage varies depending on the job, some months we may be able to do more, but we can't commit to that always.
Anyway, so far, I've only been able to leave voicemails that I'd like to make payment arrangements, so I've yet to talk to an actual person, but I'm dreading it. I understand that they provided a service for which they should be paid...for which we WANT to pay them....but seriously, you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip. I can commit to making a payment each month...but I'm guessing that I won't be able to commit to paying what they want me to pay (since they say in huge letters on the bill that payment in full is due within 30 days), and I'm kind of dreading that conversation.
I'm imagining that they may threaten to send us to collections if we can't pay what they want each month. I've heard different things about whether or not a hospital even can send you to collections if you're making a payment each month. I'd always heard that they couldn't send you to collections if you were paying something every month, but lately I've heard more and more stories to the contrary.
The only positive in this situation is that our ridiculous deductible has actually been met this year...which means that we could actually seriously talk about having baby #2 this year since the deductible wouldn't be an issue. Although, admittedly, there's not much of a timeline to make that happen. And I know it sounds a little crazy to be talking about having a baby in the face of all this, and I'll probably get a nasty anonymous comment saying "If you can't afford your medical bills, what makes you think you'll be able to afford another baby?!"
So to cut that off at the pass, I'd just like to say that it isn't that we can't afford the medical bills, it's just that there's a huge difference between an unexpected medical expense which the hospital expects to be paid in full within 30 days of being billed, and the extra expenses that go along with having a baby...which we'd have nine months to prepare for.
Also, it's really crazy to me that our responsibility is still $5000 even with insurance. I feel like it's a testament to the fact that something about the state of medical care in our country needs to be changed. I don't have the right answers, but I only know that it doesn't seem to be working right now.
Monday, January 2, 2012
DIY Knit Kindle Case {A Tutorial}
So, I've been on the lookout for a case for my Kindle pretty much since it was given to me on my birthday back in August since it obviously isn't the best idea to have it just rattling around in my purse. However, I'm pretty frugal cheap, and had yet to find one that I liked but would also be willing to use my precious budgeted pennies on (more on that at a later date). So, I decided to make one over the weekend.
I knit a lined, envelope-style case using the Horizontal Herringbone stitch. Since it's a woven stitch, it tends to be a bit thicker than a lot of knit stitches, which I thought would lend itself to this project nicely. I also used the standard Red Heart yarn, but knit two strands together to make it a bit thicker. I cast on 22 stitches on size 13 needles. HOWEVER, please note that the newer Kindles/other e-Readers have different dimensions. The important thing is that you make your strip just slightly wider than your e-Reader, and twice as long plus 2-4inches. Here's some photos to show you scale:
Then, you need to decide if you want to line your case, and if so, where you want the lining to go. The scrap of fabric that I wanted to use wasn't long enough to span the entire knit surface, so I decided just to line where the Kindle would actually sit, and not the flap that folded over. Then, I just whip-stitched the fabric to the wrong side of my knit piece, using thread that was roughly the same color as my yarn. It doesn't have to be perfect by any means.
Once the fabric strip is tacked on where you'd like it, use a very large needle (I think this is an upholstery needle) to thread your yarn through the needle. Thread a much longer piece of yarn than you anticipate you need to sew up the sides, 'cause it's kind of a pain to get the yarn threaded.
Then, you'll just fold the knit piece so that you form a pocket deep enough to hold your e-Reader and stitch up the sides. I stitched my sides up in-side out (so the fabric was facing out rather than in). Once I stitched up both sides and tied off the ends, I just did a basic whip stitch around the fabric to clean things up a bit.
You can probably see that I chose to whip stitch around the entire edge on the left and right sides, but only around the fabric across the top. This pulled in the left and right edges a bit and created "tabs" of sorts for my buttons. I also whip stitched around the fabric only on the very front inner pocket. {If your fabric reaches the edge of your knit piece, I recommend whip stitching all the way around just for reinforcement and to make it look pretty.}
I decided that I wanted my buttons to be in the back--I was nervous about them resting on the screen itself. So, I just sewed a couple of buttons on the back. I didn't knit button-holes--I found it pretty easy just to slip the button through the knit stitch. BUT, keep in mind that if you line your knit piece all the way to the edges, you'll have to come up with some other way to fasten your buttons since there will be fabric in the way. I have no ideas there, but if anyone else does, let me know!
Finished, from the front:
I knit a lined, envelope-style case using the Horizontal Herringbone stitch. Since it's a woven stitch, it tends to be a bit thicker than a lot of knit stitches, which I thought would lend itself to this project nicely. I also used the standard Red Heart yarn, but knit two strands together to make it a bit thicker. I cast on 22 stitches on size 13 needles. HOWEVER, please note that the newer Kindles/other e-Readers have different dimensions. The important thing is that you make your strip just slightly wider than your e-Reader, and twice as long plus 2-4inches. Here's some photos to show you scale:
Then, you need to decide if you want to line your case, and if so, where you want the lining to go. The scrap of fabric that I wanted to use wasn't long enough to span the entire knit surface, so I decided just to line where the Kindle would actually sit, and not the flap that folded over. Then, I just whip-stitched the fabric to the wrong side of my knit piece, using thread that was roughly the same color as my yarn. It doesn't have to be perfect by any means.
Once the fabric strip is tacked on where you'd like it, use a very large needle (I think this is an upholstery needle) to thread your yarn through the needle. Thread a much longer piece of yarn than you anticipate you need to sew up the sides, 'cause it's kind of a pain to get the yarn threaded.
Then, you'll just fold the knit piece so that you form a pocket deep enough to hold your e-Reader and stitch up the sides. I stitched my sides up in-side out (so the fabric was facing out rather than in). Once I stitched up both sides and tied off the ends, I just did a basic whip stitch around the fabric to clean things up a bit.
You can probably see that I chose to whip stitch around the entire edge on the left and right sides, but only around the fabric across the top. This pulled in the left and right edges a bit and created "tabs" of sorts for my buttons. I also whip stitched around the fabric only on the very front inner pocket. {If your fabric reaches the edge of your knit piece, I recommend whip stitching all the way around just for reinforcement and to make it look pretty.}
I decided that I wanted my buttons to be in the back--I was nervous about them resting on the screen itself. So, I just sewed a couple of buttons on the back. I didn't knit button-holes--I found it pretty easy just to slip the button through the knit stitch. BUT, keep in mind that if you line your knit piece all the way to the edges, you'll have to come up with some other way to fasten your buttons since there will be fabric in the way. I have no ideas there, but if anyone else does, let me know!
Finished, from the front:
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Things in my Head
-I went to the dermatologist yesterday for the mystery bruise. She didn't really know what it was either, but her top three guesses are all harmless. The fourth possibility she called a "zebra"--extremely rare, but concerning. Because of my medical history where rare = my life, she decided to have it biopsied, and cut it out. So, now I'm chilling here with stitches in my back, and a prohibition from picking up Lizzy for the next three days (which is really easy to follow when you've got a screaming, tantruming child who will not listen and a husband in the shower) but no more information than I had before.
And of course, the night before I went, I was congested, had a migraine all day, and just felt miserable. I woke up through the night alternately sweating and freezing--almost like I had a fever. The first thing she asked in regards to the 'zebra' was, "You haven't had any fevers or night chills have you?" Of course. I told her that I had, just the night before, but she said that she wasn't all that worried in the context of the other cold-like symptoms. But seriously, I haven't had a fever or night sweats in probably a year. WHY did it have to make it's appearance right before going to the doctor, and give me something else to let my mind get wrapped up in worry about?! Overall, I've done pretty well with not worrying, but worry is a sneaky thing, and can take over so quickly--it doesn't need any extra footholds in my mind.
-Just after the dermatologist, we found out that it's going to cost $1,100 to fix our car. Our car has been rumbling, so we took it to our mechanic. It turns out that both the clutch and some bearings need to be replaced, and the Kia Sorento that we own seems to be the most expensive car in the world in terms of parts. I was figuring about $500, but the $1,100 was kind of a punch in the gut. Thankfully, we are in a better position financially than we have been in years and I'm confident that we'll actually be able to do it. The bad news is that it will essentially totally un-do all the work we've been doing in terms of savings and such, and Justin and I will probably only just do stockings again for Christmas, and that just sucks, you know? And could it happen at a worse time with Christmases and birthdays aplenty approaching?!
It's funny though, because usually I am the freak-outter and Justin is the one telling me everything will be okay, and that God is faithful to provide for our needs. This time, those roles were totally reversed--I was all calm and tranquil, and Justin was freaking out...though, I think he was mad more than anything else, because I know he had been wanting to get a new laptop for me for Christmas. But obviously, that's off the table now, which doesn't upset me, but I know is frustrating and irritating for him.
-But, to redeem the day, when we got home from the ridiculous morning, I had not one, but TWO pairs of free jeans waiting for me! One pair was a consolation prize of sorts from Lee Jeans for not winning the Life in Lee photo contest, and they are great. They're a pair of mid-rise skinny jeans in a long length--is it me, or are those REALLY hard to find?! And, they're stretch, but not skin tight or completely stretch. Still, they are the most comfortable jeans I think I've ever worn, and I'm excited to finally have a pair that I can tuck into boots. The second pair was from Meg, who totally blessed me by sending me a pair of the old school Long and Lean jeans after I raved about them the other day! I'm so excited!
-And THEN, I got to meet Cara @ Whimsy Smitten. Some of you may have seen the craziness that transpired during the post about the Band going to Mt. Shasta, but if you missed it, here's a re-cap: I came across Cara's blog several months ago (maybe from Incourage?), and at the time, she and her husband were living in Texas. Not too long ago, she mentioned that they were moving back to Oregon. I asked her where she was from, and she responded with the name of the small-town where Justin's parents live, and that they were living with their in-laws until they found a place. We talked about how it was such a small world, and that we should get together sometime, but it hadn't happened. AND THEN, when I posted about the band going to Mt. Shasta, Cara responded that the in-laws that she and her husband are living with are actually the drummer of the band and his wife! None of us had any idea--what a small world! So anyway, Cara's husband made some delicious pizza for all of us last night, and we got to meet and hang while the band had "practice" last night. It was tons of fun, and also totally helped redeem a sucky morning!
And of course, the night before I went, I was congested, had a migraine all day, and just felt miserable. I woke up through the night alternately sweating and freezing--almost like I had a fever. The first thing she asked in regards to the 'zebra' was, "You haven't had any fevers or night chills have you?" Of course. I told her that I had, just the night before, but she said that she wasn't all that worried in the context of the other cold-like symptoms. But seriously, I haven't had a fever or night sweats in probably a year. WHY did it have to make it's appearance right before going to the doctor, and give me something else to let my mind get wrapped up in worry about?! Overall, I've done pretty well with not worrying, but worry is a sneaky thing, and can take over so quickly--it doesn't need any extra footholds in my mind.
-Just after the dermatologist, we found out that it's going to cost $1,100 to fix our car. Our car has been rumbling, so we took it to our mechanic. It turns out that both the clutch and some bearings need to be replaced, and the Kia Sorento that we own seems to be the most expensive car in the world in terms of parts. I was figuring about $500, but the $1,100 was kind of a punch in the gut. Thankfully, we are in a better position financially than we have been in years and I'm confident that we'll actually be able to do it. The bad news is that it will essentially totally un-do all the work we've been doing in terms of savings and such, and Justin and I will probably only just do stockings again for Christmas, and that just sucks, you know? And could it happen at a worse time with Christmases and birthdays aplenty approaching?!
It's funny though, because usually I am the freak-outter and Justin is the one telling me everything will be okay, and that God is faithful to provide for our needs. This time, those roles were totally reversed--I was all calm and tranquil, and Justin was freaking out...though, I think he was mad more than anything else, because I know he had been wanting to get a new laptop for me for Christmas. But obviously, that's off the table now, which doesn't upset me, but I know is frustrating and irritating for him.
-But, to redeem the day, when we got home from the ridiculous morning, I had not one, but TWO pairs of free jeans waiting for me! One pair was a consolation prize of sorts from Lee Jeans for not winning the Life in Lee photo contest, and they are great. They're a pair of mid-rise skinny jeans in a long length--is it me, or are those REALLY hard to find?! And, they're stretch, but not skin tight or completely stretch. Still, they are the most comfortable jeans I think I've ever worn, and I'm excited to finally have a pair that I can tuck into boots. The second pair was from Meg, who totally blessed me by sending me a pair of the old school Long and Lean jeans after I raved about them the other day! I'm so excited!
-And THEN, I got to meet Cara @ Whimsy Smitten. Some of you may have seen the craziness that transpired during the post about the Band going to Mt. Shasta, but if you missed it, here's a re-cap: I came across Cara's blog several months ago (maybe from Incourage?), and at the time, she and her husband were living in Texas. Not too long ago, she mentioned that they were moving back to Oregon. I asked her where she was from, and she responded with the name of the small-town where Justin's parents live, and that they were living with their in-laws until they found a place. We talked about how it was such a small world, and that we should get together sometime, but it hadn't happened. AND THEN, when I posted about the band going to Mt. Shasta, Cara responded that the in-laws that she and her husband are living with are actually the drummer of the band and his wife! None of us had any idea--what a small world! So anyway, Cara's husband made some delicious pizza for all of us last night, and we got to meet and hang while the band had "practice" last night. It was tons of fun, and also totally helped redeem a sucky morning!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Snippets
-It's been a busy week. Honestly, I'm exhausted! And lately I've been spoiled with Justin having Fridays off, but he's working today. Boo. I just might have to hit up Starbucks for a Salted Caramel Whatever to get me through the day...then again, it's still in the 100's here, so maybe I'll wait on it a bit.
-On Wednesday, I shot my first solo wedding. I've been asked once or twice in the past, but I'm just not really set-up to do anything other than outdoor, and so I've always referred them elsewhere. This time, I knew the couple, knew their personalities, and knew the venue, so I went ahead.
It was fun--a great experience. I'm not sure that I'll ever be strictly a wedding photographer (it's really the seniors, families, and newborns that are my true loves), but it's a fun treat every once in awhile to be able to capture someone's big day. Also, I feel like there are so many ways to learn and grow when it comes to wedding photography...it's just a good reminder that there's always more to try and learn.
-Speaking of weddings and photography, I also recently did my first senior portrait session of the year for some friends of the family. Dillon and his mom Vickie play on our co-ed softball team, and Dillon is actually the younger brother of my brother-in-law Justin (aka Stump).
As I was editing the pics, I realized that Dillon was actually the ring bearer/ junior groomsman in our wedding...and now he's a senior in high school. Way to make a girl feel old! Seriously though, I just love being able to take photos, and pray that doors will continue to open in order for me to keep on doing it!
-Thank you all for your prayers for Justin's Aunt Gina--I've wanted to update, but have just wanted to wait until I had some more information. Gina was actually released from the hospital, which is AMAZING, but may still need to have surgery? I'm not sure of anything other than the doctors are continuing to monitor her daily.
-Did you guys see the announcement over at {(in)courage} for the blog conference? We can never afford the cost associated with blog conferences, so it's kind of an exciting idea to me to be able to participate without the travel expenses. I just hope that even in a small town like mine, we'll have a group of women who want to meet!
-Lastly, if you're thinking about participating in the blog based devotional/Bible Study on Paul (see the button on the right sidebar for info), you should hopefully have your books by now and begin. If you don't have it yet, don't stress--the daily "homework" is literally only a short 1-2 page reading/devotion, and wouldn't be too difficult to catch up if you'd like to participate. It's different than any study I've done before, but I'm enjoying learning about Paul--Paul wrote my favorite book in the Bible (Philippians), but I also often struggle with his stance towards women, so it's interesting to study him on a more in-depth level and learn about him.
-I hope y'all have a marvelous weekend!
-On Wednesday, I shot my first solo wedding. I've been asked once or twice in the past, but I'm just not really set-up to do anything other than outdoor, and so I've always referred them elsewhere. This time, I knew the couple, knew their personalities, and knew the venue, so I went ahead.
It was fun--a great experience. I'm not sure that I'll ever be strictly a wedding photographer (it's really the seniors, families, and newborns that are my true loves), but it's a fun treat every once in awhile to be able to capture someone's big day. Also, I feel like there are so many ways to learn and grow when it comes to wedding photography...it's just a good reminder that there's always more to try and learn.
-Speaking of weddings and photography, I also recently did my first senior portrait session of the year for some friends of the family. Dillon and his mom Vickie play on our co-ed softball team, and Dillon is actually the younger brother of my brother-in-law Justin (aka Stump).
As I was editing the pics, I realized that Dillon was actually the ring bearer/ junior groomsman in our wedding...and now he's a senior in high school. Way to make a girl feel old! Seriously though, I just love being able to take photos, and pray that doors will continue to open in order for me to keep on doing it!
-Thank you all for your prayers for Justin's Aunt Gina--I've wanted to update, but have just wanted to wait until I had some more information. Gina was actually released from the hospital, which is AMAZING, but may still need to have surgery? I'm not sure of anything other than the doctors are continuing to monitor her daily.
-Did you guys see the announcement over at {(in)courage} for the blog conference? We can never afford the cost associated with blog conferences, so it's kind of an exciting idea to me to be able to participate without the travel expenses. I just hope that even in a small town like mine, we'll have a group of women who want to meet!
-Lastly, if you're thinking about participating in the blog based devotional/Bible Study on Paul (see the button on the right sidebar for info), you should hopefully have your books by now and begin. If you don't have it yet, don't stress--the daily "homework" is literally only a short 1-2 page reading/devotion, and wouldn't be too difficult to catch up if you'd like to participate. It's different than any study I've done before, but I'm enjoying learning about Paul--Paul wrote my favorite book in the Bible (Philippians), but I also often struggle with his stance towards women, so it's interesting to study him on a more in-depth level and learn about him.
-I hope y'all have a marvelous weekend!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
BQOTD- Tax Time
It's nearing tax-time people! So, I'm curious--do you get a tax refund, or set it up so you keep most of your money throughout the year and break even (or have to pay) when tax time comes?
If you are getting a refund, what are you doing with it?
This year, we are getting a refund, though it is smaller than it would have been since we're having to pay back the 1st Time Homebuyer Program for the first time this year. We took a gamble with it knowing that we'd likely have to pay it back, and I'm so thankful we did, because replacing the nasty carpet with hardwood has done *wonders* for my allergies.
So. We'll be getting just over $2000 back. Of that, $1400 will be going to pay off Justin's truck. After that, we've allocated portions of the remaining amount to be spent on garden supplies, my new laptop screen, grass seed to hopefully have a grassy backyard this year, our summer softball team, savings (which is no longer with Chase--YAHOO!), and offering. Nothing too exciting, but man is it ever a blessing.
The only bummer is that our refund keeps getting pushed back--first it was scheduled for March 11th, then March 18th, and now March 22nd!
If you are getting a refund, what are you doing with it?
This year, we are getting a refund, though it is smaller than it would have been since we're having to pay back the 1st Time Homebuyer Program for the first time this year. We took a gamble with it knowing that we'd likely have to pay it back, and I'm so thankful we did, because replacing the nasty carpet with hardwood has done *wonders* for my allergies.
So. We'll be getting just over $2000 back. Of that, $1400 will be going to pay off Justin's truck. After that, we've allocated portions of the remaining amount to be spent on garden supplies, my new laptop screen, grass seed to hopefully have a grassy backyard this year, our summer softball team, savings (which is no longer with Chase--YAHOO!), and offering. Nothing too exciting, but man is it ever a blessing.
The only bummer is that our refund keeps getting pushed back--first it was scheduled for March 11th, then March 18th, and now March 22nd!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Take A Peek In My Grocery Bag
Not too long ago, Emily @ Imperfect blogged about their $250 grocery budget. Like her, I was pretty surprised how many people were spending way more than that each month. I was shocked when a friend of mine told me that she spends close to $1000 on groceries each month for her family of three. We're usually well within the $250 budget range (some months, much less), but we don't usually make super elaborate or gourmet meals either.
I went grocery shopping today, and so I thought I'd give y'all a peek inside my bag:
I went grocery shopping today, and so I thought I'd give y'all a peek inside my bag:
Blueberry Lemonade Smirnoffs, Martinelli's Apple Juice, Double Box Frosted Mini Wheats, Stovetop Stuffing for Chicken, brown rice, 2 boxes of Wheat Thins, Whole Wheat Ritz crackers, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 large can of pineapple chunks, 1 can whole black beans, 1 can whole pinto beans, 1 can peas, raisins, hot cocoa mix, olive oil, fajita seasoning mix, grape tomatoes, 3 large yams, bacon, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, pepperoni, Skim Milk, Kraft shredded Mozzarella cheese, String Cheese, 7 navel oranges, 4 bananas, 6 peppers (2 green, 2 yellow, 2 red).
Grand total: $62.83
The items that I bolded are atypical expenses-- things I only buy on a special occasion or if they're really on sale. We haven't had cereal in the house for months, because it's usually really expensive, and we both have other less expensive things we like just as well for breakfast (I do toast with PB, Justin likes 3 raw eggs in a glass of milk...say it with me...ew!). However, today, the double box of cereal was on sale for $2, so I went for it. We rarely have apple juice, but Lizzy's pediatrician recommended warm apple juice to help with her cough.
The items in italics are the "perimeter of the store" items. Today, it was about 50/50 in terms of perimeter of the store versus interior of the store due to some sales and other planned purchases. Usually it's more like 80/20 with 80% of things coming from the perimeter of the store. We do most of our shopping there, except for the occasional venture in for pasta, rice, or beans. We also do try to have crackers and raisins on hand as easy grab and go snacks for Lizzy. For me, the trick to the perimeter versus interior thing is to try not to buy anything from the interior of the store that isn't on my list. I broke this rule today for cereal, but rarely do in other cases. The reality of it is that we're going to have to buy some things from the interior of the store. Not everything there is bad. Not everything on the perimeter is good. But as a general rule, most of the junk is on the interior rather than the perimeter. Following the "list rule" gives me some flexibility in regards to meat, cheese, and produce, but limits my impulse buying of crap processed foods.
And here's my menu plan for the next week:
Thursday: Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Friday: Brown Rice, Black Beans, and Yumm Sauce
Saturday: Big concert for J, playing it by ear
Sunday: Superbowl, no normal meal
Monday: Bruschetta Chicken Bake, Green Salad
Tuesday: Pizza/Pizza Pockets/Pizza Bread
Wednesday: Chicken Fajitas
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Soup (Potato, or maybe Stew)
So, the food that I purchased today will get us through until the 11th or 12th at least. I may do one more similar shopping trip this month (which would bring us to about $120) or maybe two (which would bring us to about $180). On the next shopping trip, you probably wouldn't see any of the bolded items again, but you would see things like cheddar cheese, yogurt, hummus, spinach, and eggs ( all of which we already had in the house this time). In addition, we may spend another $20 picking up extra milk for J and Lizzy at Costco and other last minute items, for a total of about $200 spent on food this month.
You'll notice that I didn't really purchase any meat. We typically buy meat in bulk and freeze it. We buy meat every 2-3 months or so, and spend closer to $250 on the months that we buy meat.You'll also notice that there isn't a ton of junk food--we occasionally buy ice cream, but I try to keep a lot of the junk food out of the house since I'm here all day.
How much do you guys spend on groceries each month? Any tips?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Yes, MORE Snippets
-Snippets are seriously the only thing my mind is capable of in this crazy sleep deprived state. I don't know if this is STILL teething or what, but Lizzy is STILL waking up screaming hysterically several times a night. She is fine as long as we're in the room with our hand on her belly, but as soon as we leave (even if it's been an hour), she dissolves into someone-is-killing-me screams. Like I said, her pediatrician says it's not an ear infection. And that it IS either her teeth or separation anxiety. That's nice...I just don't know what to do with the sweet baby in the meantime other than letting her scream like that for hours, which is clearly just not an option. I'm okay with a little cry-it-out, but not the someone-is-killing-me scream. Any advice?
- Yesterday, I was 20 minutes into a 25 minute run when my treadmill slowed itself down to 1.5MPH and I could not get it to speed back up no matter what I did. I promptly dissolved into hysterics because I am almost seven weeks into a nine week program...it would just figure that the treadmill would break now and that I wouldn't be able to finish it. I kept telling Justin "THIS IS WHY I NEED A JOGGING STROLLER". And I do want a jogging stroller, but I'm not sure that I need it just yet. My dad says the treadmill is hopefully an easy fix. Plus, a (new) jogging stroller and a laptop screen just happen to cost the same thing. And truthfully, I need a new laptop screen more, since it is our only computer. I just do not have a very patient personality, and when I want something, whether that may be a particular food, or to watch a particular movie, or to have a particular thing, I tend to want it right then {ahem, if you'll notice, one of the tags on my blog just happens to be "I Want" ahem}. I want a jogging stroller RIGHT NOW. I already scoured the second-hand shops (before the treadmill broke), but they only had a two-seater that was like $180. It's probably good that they didn't have one, because even though we don't have money in the budget for one, I would have bought it anyway and put it on the credit card...which is obviously a bad course of action, and something that I'm trying not to do in general. Just call me Veruca Salt. Anyway, I am very hopeful that Justin will be able to fix the treadmill tonight, and then it will be a non-issue.
-In the meantime I just keep singing that kid's song (sing it with me), "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness, self-control, against such there is no law" in my head. Because clearly, both patience and self-control are things that I need to work on right now!
-It's exceptionally difficult to take a picture of a computer screen, but I think you get the jist:
To be honest, this picture doesn't even do the damage to my trusty Dell justice. The whole top inch of the screen is green and black dead-pixelness, and then there are dead pixels all through the middle of the screen too. This makes editing photos exceptionally difficult. And, I've already had a couple of calls about photo shoots, so it's probably about time to get it taken care of.
-My blog has been seriously lacking in terms of photos lately. I need to remedy that ASAP!
-I'm heading to the library today (one way I am successfully working on the patience thing--it's so hard for me not to just run out and buy books that I want to read!), and as always, I would love some book suggestions if anyone has any!
- Yesterday, I was 20 minutes into a 25 minute run when my treadmill slowed itself down to 1.5MPH and I could not get it to speed back up no matter what I did. I promptly dissolved into hysterics because I am almost seven weeks into a nine week program...it would just figure that the treadmill would break now and that I wouldn't be able to finish it. I kept telling Justin "THIS IS WHY I NEED A JOGGING STROLLER". And I do want a jogging stroller, but I'm not sure that I need it just yet. My dad says the treadmill is hopefully an easy fix. Plus, a (new) jogging stroller and a laptop screen just happen to cost the same thing. And truthfully, I need a new laptop screen more, since it is our only computer. I just do not have a very patient personality, and when I want something, whether that may be a particular food, or to watch a particular movie, or to have a particular thing, I tend to want it right then {ahem, if you'll notice, one of the tags on my blog just happens to be "I Want" ahem}. I want a jogging stroller RIGHT NOW. I already scoured the second-hand shops (before the treadmill broke), but they only had a two-seater that was like $180. It's probably good that they didn't have one, because even though we don't have money in the budget for one, I would have bought it anyway and put it on the credit card...which is obviously a bad course of action, and something that I'm trying not to do in general. Just call me Veruca Salt. Anyway, I am very hopeful that Justin will be able to fix the treadmill tonight, and then it will be a non-issue.
-In the meantime I just keep singing that kid's song (sing it with me), "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness, self-control, against such there is no law" in my head. Because clearly, both patience and self-control are things that I need to work on right now!
-It's exceptionally difficult to take a picture of a computer screen, but I think you get the jist:
Broken screen courtesy of pregnancy leg cramp, circa 2009
To be honest, this picture doesn't even do the damage to my trusty Dell justice. The whole top inch of the screen is green and black dead-pixelness, and then there are dead pixels all through the middle of the screen too. This makes editing photos exceptionally difficult. And, I've already had a couple of calls about photo shoots, so it's probably about time to get it taken care of.
-My blog has been seriously lacking in terms of photos lately. I need to remedy that ASAP!
-I'm heading to the library today (one way I am successfully working on the patience thing--it's so hard for me not to just run out and buy books that I want to read!), and as always, I would love some book suggestions if anyone has any!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Provision
On December 1st, I blogged about the money crunch we were experiencing this month. It was one of the first times this year that we've experienced questions about how to pay our basic bills, let alone food or gas {Justin is not on salary--he's an hourly employee that is also partially commission based}.
I blogged about my internal battle of knowing that when we follow the path that God calls us on, our needs will be provided for, but the battle of actually waiting on the Lord, and trusting for that to happen. It is so hard for me to sit patiently and wait sometimes. Sometimes, it is so hard for me to trust, even though I do believe.
I am so excited to write this post, because the ways in which we have experienced provision in these past two weeks have been humbling and absolutely awe-inspiring for me:
Will Justin and I be getting each other lavish gifts for Christmas? No. We *might* do small stockings for each other, depending on how things go. But our fridge is full, we have gas in our cars, and we were able to get the little kids in our lives small Christmas gifts. Our needs, and even a few of our wants, have been provided for.
It sounds so bizarre, but I am actually really thankful for our money crunch this month, because it's re-framed things for me. It's made Christmas cookies and buying a yearly ornament for Lizzy feel like the special treats that they truly are, rather than givens.
Thank you guys for your prayers and encouragement these past few weeks. My heart is so full.
I blogged about my internal battle of knowing that when we follow the path that God calls us on, our needs will be provided for, but the battle of actually waiting on the Lord, and trusting for that to happen. It is so hard for me to sit patiently and wait sometimes. Sometimes, it is so hard for me to trust, even though I do believe.
Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ~Matthew 6: 31-32
I am so excited to write this post, because the ways in which we have experienced provision in these past two weeks have been humbling and absolutely awe-inspiring for me:
- I was able to participate in a craft fair, and made a modest amount selling headbands. I was then invited to participate, free of charge, into a second "shopping night", where most of the participants were young moms, and made an average of $17 an hour {it's especially important for me to look at the hourly breakdown, because at the onset of the initial "Crunched" post, I was contemplating looking for a part-time retail type job, that likely would have paid minimum wage. I did not think that this was what God wanted, but I wasn't entirely confident in His ability to provide for our needs at that time}.
- The weather over the weekend was spectacular, and I was able to do a pending photo shoot.
- My parents gave us an incredible monetary gift, saying that they were "paying it forward" from a time when their parents had done the same.
- Justin's parents gave all their kids our Christmas present early this year, which was part of a grass-fed cow, split four ways. What a brilliant gift!
- So many friends, many who aren't aware of our financial situation, have dropped off Christmas presents for Lizzy.
- I've had several instances in which people who have no clue about our financial situation have spontaneously given us things--whether it's one of the older ladies at church giving us the leftover chili from the lunch at the craft bazaar, or the mentor couple from Bible Study saying that they have a huge bag of their granddaughter's old clothes that are Lizzy's current size, and asked if we accept second-hand clothes (um, yes!).
- For the first time ever, we actually received formula samples and checks in the mail. One of them was a $12 check, for the exact type of formula that Lizzy usually uses.
Will Justin and I be getting each other lavish gifts for Christmas? No. We *might* do small stockings for each other, depending on how things go. But our fridge is full, we have gas in our cars, and we were able to get the little kids in our lives small Christmas gifts. Our needs, and even a few of our wants, have been provided for.
It sounds so bizarre, but I am actually really thankful for our money crunch this month, because it's re-framed things for me. It's made Christmas cookies and buying a yearly ornament for Lizzy feel like the special treats that they truly are, rather than givens.
Thank you guys for your prayers and encouragement these past few weeks. My heart is so full.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Crunch.
One of the hard things about having a husband who works in the trades, is that there isn't necessarily a predictable paycheck every month--he isn't on salary, where we know that he will ALWAYS bring home X amount each month. Instead, his paycheck varies for a number of different reasons, including the fact that the drain-cleaning portion of his work is commission based.
Needless to say, when Justin got paid yesterday, it was a much smaller check than I think either of us were anticipating, for a variety of reasons. On my part, I had also completely forgotten that Justin had taken a draw last month to put a down-payment on a truck that he bought from a friend {which is another story and situation entirely}. Now, when I say it was a smaller check, I don't mean that it was a smaller check of the "oh, we'll have to scale down Christmas" variety. It was a smaller check of the "crap, this doesn't really cover our basic bills, let alone gas" variety.
{side note: sometimes I struggle with how much of the reality of our money situation to post on our blog. I don't want it to come across as though I'm complaining because we did choose this life. Also, I know my momma reads this blog and I don't want her to worry! Still, this worry about provision is sometimes a reality for me, and I feel like I also have to be honest about that.}
Months like this, I find myself questioning our decision for me to stay at home, even though I know we reached that decision after loads and loads of prayer, and that it was exactly what God wanted for us at this time. We've had tight months before {though not quite this tight}, and it has always worked out in the end. God has faithfully provided for our needs, always. Whether that meant a few extra photo shoots for me, or the appearance of some side work for Justin, it was always just enough. And it has been amazing to watch God provide that way in our lives. Doing so hasn't just been a blessing for Lizzy and I, it's made my faith in God's ability to provide stronger, even when things don't necessarily work on paper. It has really shaped the way I define "needs" and "wants".
That said, it is STILL hard for me to trust that we will be provided for, and that's definitely something that I'm struggling with today. It's definitely something that causes me to be scouring Craigslist for part-time jobs, even though I don't honestly feel in my heart that's what God wants.
Let me be clear--I'm not saying that we can just sit around, do nothing, and God will drop dollar bills in our lap. I do believe that God opens up opportunities in our lives that will allow us to be provided for, and also serve Him, like with the photography that has opened up for me this fall. And yes, I could {try to} pick up a seasonal part-time job, but I KNOW that isn't the path that God wants me to take right now, and would be serving myself rather than him. There may be a time in which I am called to work again, but that time just isn't right now. This isn't about stay-at-home moms being 'more Christian' or 'more faithful'--it's about prayerfully asking God what he wants us to do with our lives, and having faith that if we are following the path that God wants for us, our needs will be provided for.
And that's hard for me, because in my head, getting a job is the "easy" solution. I have to keep reminding myself that there are other potential solutions. I have the Christmas Bazaar this weekend, which will hopefully go well and bring in a little extra income. I have a photo shoot on Sunday if the weather stays clear. Justin is putting out feelers for some additional side work as well. If he receives a bonus this year, it will probably be in the next few weeks. We have an old clunker car that we've been meaning to list on Craigslist for parts. We have options. Last night, I still had moments of freak outs and anxiety, but sweet Justin just gave me hugs, and paraphrased Matthew 6:25-35. I fell asleep praying, and slept better than I have in months.
I'm still a little bit bummed that we won't be able to do up Lizzy's first Christmas like I would have liked. I just keep repeating a line from How The Grinch Stole Christmas that adorns our Christmas cards this year (our cards, which interestingly I had ordered before any of this had transpired...but how timely the message is now):
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" -Dr. Seuss
Needless to say, when Justin got paid yesterday, it was a much smaller check than I think either of us were anticipating, for a variety of reasons. On my part, I had also completely forgotten that Justin had taken a draw last month to put a down-payment on a truck that he bought from a friend {which is another story and situation entirely}. Now, when I say it was a smaller check, I don't mean that it was a smaller check of the "oh, we'll have to scale down Christmas" variety. It was a smaller check of the "crap, this doesn't really cover our basic bills, let alone gas" variety.
{side note: sometimes I struggle with how much of the reality of our money situation to post on our blog. I don't want it to come across as though I'm complaining because we did choose this life. Also, I know my momma reads this blog and I don't want her to worry! Still, this worry about provision is sometimes a reality for me, and I feel like I also have to be honest about that.}
Months like this, I find myself questioning our decision for me to stay at home, even though I know we reached that decision after loads and loads of prayer, and that it was exactly what God wanted for us at this time. We've had tight months before {though not quite this tight}, and it has always worked out in the end. God has faithfully provided for our needs, always. Whether that meant a few extra photo shoots for me, or the appearance of some side work for Justin, it was always just enough. And it has been amazing to watch God provide that way in our lives. Doing so hasn't just been a blessing for Lizzy and I, it's made my faith in God's ability to provide stronger, even when things don't necessarily work on paper. It has really shaped the way I define "needs" and "wants".
That said, it is STILL hard for me to trust that we will be provided for, and that's definitely something that I'm struggling with today. It's definitely something that causes me to be scouring Craigslist for part-time jobs, even though I don't honestly feel in my heart that's what God wants.
Let me be clear--I'm not saying that we can just sit around, do nothing, and God will drop dollar bills in our lap. I do believe that God opens up opportunities in our lives that will allow us to be provided for, and also serve Him, like with the photography that has opened up for me this fall. And yes, I could {try to} pick up a seasonal part-time job, but I KNOW that isn't the path that God wants me to take right now, and would be serving myself rather than him. There may be a time in which I am called to work again, but that time just isn't right now. This isn't about stay-at-home moms being 'more Christian' or 'more faithful'--it's about prayerfully asking God what he wants us to do with our lives, and having faith that if we are following the path that God wants for us, our needs will be provided for.
And that's hard for me, because in my head, getting a job is the "easy" solution. I have to keep reminding myself that there are other potential solutions. I have the Christmas Bazaar this weekend, which will hopefully go well and bring in a little extra income. I have a photo shoot on Sunday if the weather stays clear. Justin is putting out feelers for some additional side work as well. If he receives a bonus this year, it will probably be in the next few weeks. We have an old clunker car that we've been meaning to list on Craigslist for parts. We have options. Last night, I still had moments of freak outs and anxiety, but sweet Justin just gave me hugs, and paraphrased Matthew 6:25-35. I fell asleep praying, and slept better than I have in months.
I'm still a little bit bummed that we won't be able to do up Lizzy's first Christmas like I would have liked. I just keep repeating a line from How The Grinch Stole Christmas that adorns our Christmas cards this year (our cards, which interestingly I had ordered before any of this had transpired...but how timely the message is now):
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" -Dr. Seuss
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