I love Polyvore, it really allows me to dream in ways that shopping cannot let me do! I'm going shopping to buy some jeans and some tops tonight, and I'm going to let these things be my inspirations. I really need what I buy to translate well between casual, nights out, and church. That's a really hard line to walk. Church is ultra conservative- at least knee length skirts and absolutely NO cleavage. I'm a little more liberal in my day to day wear, I still keep away from the cleavage if I can (hard with my little blessings). I've done two sets that show ideas on how I can move from casual to church and still look trendy. Check them out!
First off, are pants! I really can't wait to have more!!!
Showing posts with label Money Saving Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money Saving Tips. Show all posts
10.06.2011
9.06.2011
Off the grid is sounding nice about now...
If you know my husband he will assault you with constant talk of living "off the grid". While normally the thought actually scares me, right now it's sounding really nice. Austine and I owe a lot of money, and despite the fact that he finally has a steady, awesome job, we are still living paycheck to paycheck. There really is no way to remedy this besides buckling down and cutting back, and we have cut back a lot. Currently our cell phones have been disconnected, this is the first time in 6 years of having a cell phone that this has happened. It's embarrassing to say the least, but it just comes to show that we need to do some creative money planning in order to get past this.
As a result, I am now looking for another nanny position, one that will allow Ethan to accompany me. I know that this will be hard to find, but I'm praying that it is out there for me, with the perfect boss and perfect child to watch. Ideally, it would only require me to be there in the morning hours so that I can come home and cook dinner for my family. Ideally, the baby I would be watching would be the same age or around the same age as Ethan, so that they would be able to get along and relate with each other. Ideally, I woudln't even have to leave my home.
So there are my qualifications for a position, it does look like I am being picky. I am going to add these qualifications into my rosary everyday, and hopefully I will see something happen. We really need to extra money right now to pull us out of this hole, so I'm hoping it'll be soon. I"m also considering starting to coupon, but I can't find any "experts" in my area. I would love to learn how to save even more money (beyond having a whole chicken every week haha). Does anyone have any experience couponing? How do I start?
As a result, I am now looking for another nanny position, one that will allow Ethan to accompany me. I know that this will be hard to find, but I'm praying that it is out there for me, with the perfect boss and perfect child to watch. Ideally, it would only require me to be there in the morning hours so that I can come home and cook dinner for my family. Ideally, the baby I would be watching would be the same age or around the same age as Ethan, so that they would be able to get along and relate with each other. Ideally, I woudln't even have to leave my home.
So there are my qualifications for a position, it does look like I am being picky. I am going to add these qualifications into my rosary everyday, and hopefully I will see something happen. We really need to extra money right now to pull us out of this hole, so I'm hoping it'll be soon. I"m also considering starting to coupon, but I can't find any "experts" in my area. I would love to learn how to save even more money (beyond having a whole chicken every week haha). Does anyone have any experience couponing? How do I start?
9.01.2011
Spectacles!
So I finally got around to going to the optometrist after four long years of insurance-abstinence (not voluntary abstinence mind you). I had a great appointment, walked out with some new contacts (YES), and a prescription in my hand. Insurance really flipping rocks! The only way I survived these past four years is due to Zenni Optical. This is the part where you should just thank me now. That's right, go ahead. Scroll down, alll the way down. Click the comment button, now write "Thank You Meat and Potatoes Mama". Ok, now scroll back up.
You can get dirt cheap, cute, amazing, brilliant, glasses for 10 dollars at Zenni Optical. The last pair I had lasted me four years. Four amazing years until I had a beautiful little boy who thought chewing on glasses was his idea of a "good time". Zenni really has an amazing website that allows you to virtually try on, compare, and order your prescription glasses. You can get polycarbonite, you can get anti-glare coating. Transistions, they have them! Want sunglasses you can actually see out of (yes please)? You can get tinting in a variety of colors. They have over 3000 different kinds of glasses, sunglasses, and even ski goggles, so you can imagine picking the ones you want is pretty hard. This is where you come in! Please, in the comment section (yes even you lurkers), tell me which pair looks the best on my face. I will love you forever. Ok, maybe I already do, but it is a shallow love that will only grow deeper if you comment.
Numbers 5 and 6 I am looking at getting tinted to be awesome sunglasses! Please help me decide!
You can get dirt cheap, cute, amazing, brilliant, glasses for 10 dollars at Zenni Optical. The last pair I had lasted me four years. Four amazing years until I had a beautiful little boy who thought chewing on glasses was his idea of a "good time". Zenni really has an amazing website that allows you to virtually try on, compare, and order your prescription glasses. You can get polycarbonite, you can get anti-glare coating. Transistions, they have them! Want sunglasses you can actually see out of (yes please)? You can get tinting in a variety of colors. They have over 3000 different kinds of glasses, sunglasses, and even ski goggles, so you can imagine picking the ones you want is pretty hard. This is where you come in! Please, in the comment section (yes even you lurkers), tell me which pair looks the best on my face. I will love you forever. Ok, maybe I already do, but it is a shallow love that will only grow deeper if you comment.
3.23.2011
Poor Man's Latte
So I have a latte addiction. More specifically, chai latte's. I love them to death, but I do not have a steamer at my house so I can make them cheaply (at home). Maybe someday I will get a steamer, but in the meantime I have figured out how to make a Poor Man's Latte. I think this would work great if you had a espresso machine too, so you can make coffee latte's. However, if you can afford an espresso machine, you probably have a steamer anyways.
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| Step 1: Add milk (any percentage) to a clean jar. Cap and shake vigorously. |
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| Step 2: Microwave for 2 minutes! |
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| Step 3: Add tea (in my case Chai, but you can use any kind of tea). |
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| Mmmm delicious foam! |
3.14.2011
Miscellany
I can't sleep, thanks to this wonderful time change! While Ethan actually took it really well (he can't read a clock anyhow), I am just so used to being up until 1 or so that I am now up till a ridiculous time. I have a billion things running through my head. I think I often can't sleep at night because once I stop doing things, I can't get my thoughts in order. Normally writing things down helps, so here we go:
Thought #1: Austine's School Loans - They are evil. While I appreciate that they have given him the opportunity to get this great job, I'm coming to the realization that we are probably going to be paying them for 10-20 years. This is really disheartening. We haven't paid Sallie Mae in about 3 months, which is awful. We need to start paying RIGHT NOW, but there are so many other things that need to be paid attention to! I have to have Austine call tomorrow when he gets home to see our options. I know we can't afford to pay the 800ish dollars we owe them.
Thought#2: When are we going to pay for my car- Ugh, I really do want my car back but it is so low on the priorities list it's ridiculous. While driving the Buick has been working for us, we will be saving gas if Austine uses my car. We also owe Toyota money, but not half as badly as we owe Sallie Mae. Fortunately I have a plan to start catching up with them. Either way, just to get my car registered is about 350 bucks, plus car payments, plus insurance (which I haven't been paying because I'm not using it).
Thought #3: If we could just pay off credit cards, we'd have a lot more money- Ugh this is a big one. I'm starting off small and working my way up, which I probably shouldn't be but it is so nice to say, YES that card is gone. So far we have paid of one card, out of too many. It's hard to get the priorities straight, really. Which one should I pay first? Should I wait on this now, or do it later?
Thought #4: I want to cloth diaper, but I'm scared I'll hate it- I just got an offer from a friend to buy her 15 Tiny Tush Elite diapers from her, they've barely been used! While I really have been seriously thinking about cloth diapering, I'm still not 100% sure it's for me. 200 bucks is quite an investment, and I know I'll want more than 15 when it comes around to it (that would mean laundry every two days, holy cow!), I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it for the cost alone, it will save us major major cash.
Thought #5: How much I want to fix up this house/make it nicer- This is a big one. Since Austine has been unemployed so long, we've been living with the bare minimums for quite a while. In the very beginning we didn't even have curtains! We've slowly added to the house and it's finally starting to feel like home. There is still a lot we want to do/get. We don't have a dining table worth anything, and the one we have is starting to fall apart (thank you cheap apartment furniture). We've never had any nightstands which is such a pain in the butt, we've been putting things on the floor when our bed is super super tall. I would also love a dishwasher, since I grew up with one and always loathed doing dishes. But we also have a horrible front yard full of weeds, a house that needs to be painted, a backyard that needs fencing all around. It's kinda ridiculous.
Seems like I'm all thought-out. Probably time to try sleep again!
Thought #1: Austine's School Loans - They are evil. While I appreciate that they have given him the opportunity to get this great job, I'm coming to the realization that we are probably going to be paying them for 10-20 years. This is really disheartening. We haven't paid Sallie Mae in about 3 months, which is awful. We need to start paying RIGHT NOW, but there are so many other things that need to be paid attention to! I have to have Austine call tomorrow when he gets home to see our options. I know we can't afford to pay the 800ish dollars we owe them.
Thought#2: When are we going to pay for my car- Ugh, I really do want my car back but it is so low on the priorities list it's ridiculous. While driving the Buick has been working for us, we will be saving gas if Austine uses my car. We also owe Toyota money, but not half as badly as we owe Sallie Mae. Fortunately I have a plan to start catching up with them. Either way, just to get my car registered is about 350 bucks, plus car payments, plus insurance (which I haven't been paying because I'm not using it).
Thought #3: If we could just pay off credit cards, we'd have a lot more money- Ugh this is a big one. I'm starting off small and working my way up, which I probably shouldn't be but it is so nice to say, YES that card is gone. So far we have paid of one card, out of too many. It's hard to get the priorities straight, really. Which one should I pay first? Should I wait on this now, or do it later?
Thought #4: I want to cloth diaper, but I'm scared I'll hate it- I just got an offer from a friend to buy her 15 Tiny Tush Elite diapers from her, they've barely been used! While I really have been seriously thinking about cloth diapering, I'm still not 100% sure it's for me. 200 bucks is quite an investment, and I know I'll want more than 15 when it comes around to it (that would mean laundry every two days, holy cow!), I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it for the cost alone, it will save us major major cash.
Thought #5: How much I want to fix up this house/make it nicer- This is a big one. Since Austine has been unemployed so long, we've been living with the bare minimums for quite a while. In the very beginning we didn't even have curtains! We've slowly added to the house and it's finally starting to feel like home. There is still a lot we want to do/get. We don't have a dining table worth anything, and the one we have is starting to fall apart (thank you cheap apartment furniture). We've never had any nightstands which is such a pain in the butt, we've been putting things on the floor when our bed is super super tall. I would also love a dishwasher, since I grew up with one and always loathed doing dishes. But we also have a horrible front yard full of weeds, a house that needs to be painted, a backyard that needs fencing all around. It's kinda ridiculous.
Seems like I'm all thought-out. Probably time to try sleep again!
1.07.2011
Money saving tactics from a broke mom
So, Austine has been out of a job for such a long time now. He graduated from college 2 years ago with his B.A. (which has done nothing for us) in Graphic Design. He's been working with his dad since he was 16, so he's pretty handy with a hammer and some nails, and that's what gets us through our various expenses. Unfortunately, that kind of work can be really unpredictable. One month you will make buttloads, and the next month you'll have nothing. Right now we are in a nothing month so I am in super saver mode, especially when it comes to groceries.
Tip #1: Whole Chicken
Yup, that's right. The whole bird. There is so many things you can do with this (that is super super easy), and it's so cheap. A largeish chicken will cost 5-6 dollars, which is as much as a pound and a half of chicken breasts. The good thing about a whole chicken is that it's really useful for up to three meals. That's a lot when you're dirt poor. Normally, I will roast it up, eat one side as a meal, then use the other side shredded in tacos, pot pie, or something else. Then I will save the bones and leftover meat and make chicken and dumpling soup. All in all I think each meal costs about 2-3 dollars each this way.
Tip#2: Wholesale Stores
Ok, so this may not be the most unique and secret technique to save money, but it works. The key at stores like Costco and Sams Club is to buy shelf stable items, toiletries, and other things you tend to use on a daily basis. If you buy veggies, meat, or other unstable food items you're going to end up wasting money. I don't know anyone who can eat 10 lbs of grapes in a week. We typically buy toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, condiments, canned, and freezer items there. Our toilet paper managed to last us a whole year (I know, how did that happen with Austine's butt? Only God knows).
Tip#3: Make everything from scratch
Yeah, it's a pain in the butt. But in the long run it saves you money and tastes better. I know our grocery bill always ends up higher when we buy a lot of stuff from the freezer aisle (our own laziness). I can always whip something up from a bit of flour and butter, and it's definitely gotten us out of a few messes (also known as, we have no food, what are we eating?).
Tip#4: Treasure Box
My mom clued me in on this community site that serves California and Arizona. Treasure Box is a website that has a monthly menu that you buy from; you buy a whole box at a time. In this box is a weeks worth of food: for 30-35 dollars. It's a huge savings and makes a big difference on our grocery bill. Obviously we are needy enough to get this, but if we were making more money I don't think I'd feel comfortable using it anymore, there are enough people who really need them.
Tip #1: Whole Chicken
Yup, that's right. The whole bird. There is so many things you can do with this (that is super super easy), and it's so cheap. A largeish chicken will cost 5-6 dollars, which is as much as a pound and a half of chicken breasts. The good thing about a whole chicken is that it's really useful for up to three meals. That's a lot when you're dirt poor. Normally, I will roast it up, eat one side as a meal, then use the other side shredded in tacos, pot pie, or something else. Then I will save the bones and leftover meat and make chicken and dumpling soup. All in all I think each meal costs about 2-3 dollars each this way.
Tip#2: Wholesale Stores
Ok, so this may not be the most unique and secret technique to save money, but it works. The key at stores like Costco and Sams Club is to buy shelf stable items, toiletries, and other things you tend to use on a daily basis. If you buy veggies, meat, or other unstable food items you're going to end up wasting money. I don't know anyone who can eat 10 lbs of grapes in a week. We typically buy toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, condiments, canned, and freezer items there. Our toilet paper managed to last us a whole year (I know, how did that happen with Austine's butt? Only God knows).
Tip#3: Make everything from scratch
Yeah, it's a pain in the butt. But in the long run it saves you money and tastes better. I know our grocery bill always ends up higher when we buy a lot of stuff from the freezer aisle (our own laziness). I can always whip something up from a bit of flour and butter, and it's definitely gotten us out of a few messes (also known as, we have no food, what are we eating?).
Tip#4: Treasure Box
My mom clued me in on this community site that serves California and Arizona. Treasure Box is a website that has a monthly menu that you buy from; you buy a whole box at a time. In this box is a weeks worth of food: for 30-35 dollars. It's a huge savings and makes a big difference on our grocery bill. Obviously we are needy enough to get this, but if we were making more money I don't think I'd feel comfortable using it anymore, there are enough people who really need them.
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