Today was tough. It was one of those down days, but I tried to keep it together for the kiddos.
We went to our amazing church and heard a beautiful (as always) sermon from pastor Jack. He spoke about Rawanda and the work he will be doing there over the next 3 weeks. What a tragedy. I can't beleive that we just stood by. It makes me very sad.
We will add them to our prayer book.
After church we usually go out for lunch and spend around $20. Instead we came home for some mac-n-cheese and leftover pizza. No big deal. It actually worked out better since Bennett went down for a nap shortly after lunch. Lauren needed new shoes so Mike took the girls to Target. Don't you love Target? Cute stuff at great prices and you don't have the "Wal-Mart" guilt.
Dinner: Meatloaf, dijon potatoes and green beans.
Old habit: Going shopping on the weekends as an outing. Spending money for entertainment.
New habit: Do things together as a family that doesn't involve spending money. Today we went on a bike ride through our neighborhood.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Zoo Day!
Finding something to do to get out of the house on a Saturday that doesn't involve money is not that tough when it is a beautiful fall day or even a brisk spring day, but in the blood boiling, humidity of Dallas in August...it is pretty tough.
So after a morning of summer cabin fever we loaded up the kids and headed off to the zoo. It was a no cost trip since I have a membership for my photography business.
It was great! We packed snacks and drinks and loaded the wagon so we didn't have to rent one there. But the pressure to buy something around every corner was exhausting. Dippin' Dots, souvenirs, photo booths...they even charged to pet the sting ray. Really?
I just kept telling the girls that we weren't going to spend our money on those things. I felt a little like a loser. But I keep telling myself that it is all in how I present it to them and myself that will create new habits...and hopefully leave some of those old ones behind.
P.S. - This chimpanze threw a rock at some international tourists that were mocking him. Pretty funny. And free!
Dinner: Take and bake pizza and salad ($10)
So after a morning of summer cabin fever we loaded up the kids and headed off to the zoo. It was a no cost trip since I have a membership for my photography business.
It was great! We packed snacks and drinks and loaded the wagon so we didn't have to rent one there. But the pressure to buy something around every corner was exhausting. Dippin' Dots, souvenirs, photo booths...they even charged to pet the sting ray. Really?
I just kept telling the girls that we weren't going to spend our money on those things. I felt a little like a loser. But I keep telling myself that it is all in how I present it to them and myself that will create new habits...and hopefully leave some of those old ones behind.
P.S. - This chimpanze threw a rock at some international tourists that were mocking him. Pretty funny. And free!
Dinner: Take and bake pizza and salad ($10)
Sprinkles
My children eat sprinkles on just about anything. At first, it was just to help them eat certain things - oatmeal, malt-o-meal, green beans, whatever. And really how much sugar could they really add? (Don't answer that...) So sprinkles are my idea of those little things in life we can do to just make things more fun, more memorable, and a little sweeter.
I will add more each week so check back often!
Enjoy!
Sprinkles Archive
Friday, August 29, 2008
Gorcery Day!
Victory is mine! I paid cash for groceries today and only spent $104. ($91 at Wal-Mart, $13 at the bread store)
I had never gone to a discount bread store before. It was pretty amazing.
I got all of the following items...
2 packs cinnamon raisin english muffins
3 loaves of whole grain bread
1 loaf white bread
2 bags of little donuts (something I wouldn't normally buy...)
1 box of cherry pies (ditto)
2 packs of hamburger buns
1 pack of hot dog buns
1 pack of hoagie rolls
1 pack vanilla cookies
1 bag of tortillas.
Seriously...that is crazy. My freezer is full of bread and I planned my menu around what I could get at the bread store. We are having bbq sandwiches, soft tacos, hot dogs, and maybe even breakfast for dinner (my six-year-old's favorite).
My goal for this week is to not go back to the grocery store for anything but milk. My kids drink a ton and if we need more we can walk to the 7-11 up the street. Surprisingly, they charge less than the grocery store for milk.
Dinner: Hamburgers and hot dogs, baked beans, chips and fruit. Friends brought dessert.
Walk, don'drive: 0 miles...the dog hid my left shoe. I promise.
Making Changes
Old habit...
Friday dinner through Sunday lunch we ate out. It was our "treat" for staying in for the week, but we on average spent the same on those five meals than we spent on a week's worth of groceries.
New habit...
Instead of going to a restaurant on Friday night we are inviting friends over for dinner. They bring dessert and provide the dinner. So last night we fed our friends and ourselves for around $21 which was part of the grocery budget. We made some great memories, plus we have lots of leftovers for lunch on Saturday.
More background...
I am equating this entire experiment with losing weight. After the third baby I had 25 pounds to lose. Being rather daunted by this task, I just went back to how I ate before and hoped for the best. But things had changed and my metabolism was not what it used to be. So I joined Weight Watchers and slowly the pounds came of as I accounted for every single thing that went into my mouth. It is still something I am keenly aware of everyday. All of the little decisions add up, which is how we need to view spending money.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Fair Trade
Shortly before we became pregnant with our third baby in 2006, I did a few triathlons and even completed an Olympic distance triathlon to raise money for Team in Training.
Being a triathlete was a dream of mine since I was a teenager. It was one of those unspoken goals. Like being a Rockette, or country music singer or sous chef in Paris. I didn't share it with too many people since I couldn't swim the length of the pool and didn't own a bike.
So like I stated before, I tend to be a little competitive. Therefore, I couldn't just borrow a bike. I had to go to buy one...a really great one. Which has been displayed beautifully in our garage since baby three made himself known over two years ago.
A friend of ours started training a few months ago, so I let him borrow it. And then when I had the idea for the experiment I asked him to trade me...his wife's trail bike and baby trailer for my road bike. It was an awesome deal all around.
While our oldest was in school today I took it out for a test "errand" run. It went well...really well! Maybe I can talk the hubby into selling our second car.
Bike, don't drive: 8.1 miles
Walk, don't drive: 1.4 mile
Being a triathlete was a dream of mine since I was a teenager. It was one of those unspoken goals. Like being a Rockette, or country music singer or sous chef in Paris. I didn't share it with too many people since I couldn't swim the length of the pool and didn't own a bike.
So like I stated before, I tend to be a little competitive. Therefore, I couldn't just borrow a bike. I had to go to buy one...a really great one. Which has been displayed beautifully in our garage since baby three made himself known over two years ago.
A friend of ours started training a few months ago, so I let him borrow it. And then when I had the idea for the experiment I asked him to trade me...his wife's trail bike and baby trailer for my road bike. It was an awesome deal all around.
While our oldest was in school today I took it out for a test "errand" run. It went well...really well! Maybe I can talk the hubby into selling our second car.
Bike, don't drive: 8.1 miles
Walk, don't drive: 1.4 mile
Photo coming soon...
Adios amigos! (add def)
We should have started this experiment when the lawn was dormant. But it is growing, growing because of all of the rain we have had in the past few weeks. But are lawn men...mi amigos...are no longer coming to visit us each Thursday. We, I really mean Mike, will be mowing the lawn saving us $30 each week.
This has been a loooong week. And it is only Thursday.
More background...
Can you tell that we are big fans of hiring things out? In fact our three favorite words are "hire it done." Which is how it should be given the fact that we are both small business owners. We do not have much time and the time we have we want to spend with each other and our children. But...and this is a big but...all of this "hiring it done" is to the financial detriment of our family, which is the definition of needless. I can no longer justify not saving for my children's college fund, but spending close to $500 a month in maid and lawn services.
This has been a loooong week. And it is only Thursday.
More background...
Can you tell that we are big fans of hiring things out? In fact our three favorite words are "hire it done." Which is how it should be given the fact that we are both small business owners. We do not have much time and the time we have we want to spend with each other and our children. But...and this is a big but...all of this "hiring it done" is to the financial detriment of our family, which is the definition of needless. I can no longer justify not saving for my children's college fund, but spending close to $500 a month in maid and lawn services.
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