Food View- whats a weekly grocery shopping trip looks like up in here?

I am quite certain that the first grocery store I ever stepped in was Red Owl, owned by the Huber's at the corner of Church and Meridian Street here in Small Town, USA. 

Isn't this such a cool vintage photo? Even though it is not the Red Owl I use to know, it still brings back some memories.

It kind of makes me sad to think that kids of this generation will only know grocery shopping at Wally World or Target Boutique(said with a French accent), and not really get a home town feel when they walk into their local grocery store.

I admit, I have shopped all the big box stores for groceries and still do once in awhile. Lately though I have been trying to keep it smaller, more local. It is a challenge to find small & local, but it's there, and it can really be worth it. 

I try to keep my grocery budget at about $150 a week, give or take(mostly give) a few dollars. Unless we are having company or a special occasion then I usually budget for more.

My first local stop was Cedar Summit Farm. This is a great organic farm! They raise grass fed beef and have a store/creamery right there on site. They carry a nice selection of meat & dairy products with a few extra things tossed into the mix.

You are probably wondering if grass fed, organic products are more expensive?.......Yes they are. 

But here is the pay off, they are super high quality, high in essential fatty acids, high in CLA(conjugated linoleic acid) and very low in chances of contracting E.Coli. I also do not have to worry about my daughter getting any added hormones through food. Lord knows, we don't need to add to that brewing disaster!

Here is what I bought at the Farm:

1/2 gallon Whole,Grass fed Milk-, 2 dozen pastured chicken eggs( jumbo, and xtra large), 1 bottle of local maple syrup( total splurge @ $10.99!), Ferndale Italian sausage(Turkey) , 2 lbs of grass fed ground beef, 1 lb of Kalona grass fed butter.

Farm Total: $42.09

Next Stop: the local Coborns. 

Lately I have been finding myself doing most of my "non Farm" food item shopping there. They have a great selection for a small town grocery store. Yes the prices are higher than Wally World, but when it comes to the price of gas and the price of my sanity, I think staying local is a great choice! 

  

Now, before you try to bust me out, I do still purchase some craptastic foods. It's not all organic or "real". We are not perfect, never will be and sometimes it is hard to get a B'Dog to do new tricks....if you know what I mean. Honestly I can't blame it all on the B'Dog...I like chocolate(all kinds) and Lily likes....well...anything with sugar. It's a total work in progress folks!

OK let's get on with it:

Produce: Bananas, Strawberries, grapefruits, snap peas, kale(going to try making kale chips per my cousin Kristi), green onions, and red potatoes.

Bread: 100% Whole Wheat(Bruce & Lily) & Ezekiel bread(for me)

Meat: 1 bag of shrimp, 1 package of sandwich meat, 1 package of Applegate bacon, 

3 packages of Bare chicken breasts

Staples: Rice vinegar, corn starch(I was looking for arrow root powder because I want to stop using corn starch but the store did not have it. Will have to look online for it), long grain brown rice, long grain white rice, and cashews

Home made pizza fixings: Turkey pepperoni, and Mozzarella cheese. 

I am on the hunt for healthier versions of both.

Junk Snacks: M&M's and peanuts to make trail mix, Food Should Taste Good multigrain chips, Annie's white cheddar bunnies, and plain ripple generic potato chips.

Coborns TOTAL: $109.92

For a Grand Total of  $152.01!

Not too bad, right? I know I could work on getting a little more of the super junkie processed stuff out of our diets and finding better alternatives. I am trying, really, really hard. Isn't it scary that this is a vast improvement from how we use to eat?

Maybe next time I will have some substitutions included. Provided I can find them :)

I always love to peek in and see what other are doing for meals....maybe sometime down the road I will include what our menu looks like for the week. Would that be something that interests you?

Thanks for visiting my kitchen.

Enjoy the View~

Jenifer

Budget View-Part 4-The Freedom Account

Today is part 4 of my budget series. So far we have covered:

Part 1- Needs vs Wants

Part 2- 7 reasons to have a budget

Part 3- The Emergency Fund

Today I would like to touch on The Freedom Account.

It is a bit of the Emergency Fund and a few other categories rolled into one.

I got this great idea from Kimberlee at The Peaceful Mom. 

Her blog has so many inspiring money saving & budgeting ideas. 

If you are a nerd like me, you could spend hours there! 

Her family of 6 lives on $28,000 a year (Click the link and check out her series on this subject.)!! 

AH-MAZ-ING! 

I don't think living on $28,000 a year is for everyone, however you may just find one gem in a blog post that helps you manage your money a bit better like I did when I found her post about The Freedom Account(click this link to read all the details on how to start your own Freedom Account).

This is Kimberlee's system for managing regular and irregular expenses. It has really helped me maintain a successful budget from month to month.

There are a couple things I do differently:

#1- Kimberlee suggests having 2 checking accounts. I have a checking account and a savings account at the same bank so I can transfer money to and from each account with ease.

#2- I have my Emergency Fund listed as one of my Freedom Account categories.

#3- I use this account for all my irregular expenses. The categories I have listed right now are:

Emergency Fund, Car Maintenance & Tabs, Tires for Vehicles, Vacation, Garbage Pickup(every 3 months), Braces(Miss L gets them on this summer), Medical Expenses(co-pays & bills), and Christmas.

These are expenses that could break my budget if I didn't put away some money for each category with every paycheck. Realistically, I don't put away money every  paycheck but I do try to stick some money in my Freedom Account every month and disperse it evenly. 

I am working towards the point where I am disciplined enough to do it every 2 weeks.
Just remember your categories might be completely different than mine.

Just like My Emergency Fund, the Freedom Fund brings me complete peace of mind that I will not have to be a slave to credit card debt! 

I plan to show you my bill paying system in my next Budget View post. I know a lot of people use a computer program to keep track of their bills, but I find putting a pen to paper helps me to keep things organized better. Who knows maybe someday I will upgrade to a more technologically advanced system but for now, I'm keepin' it old school.

Enjoy your View~

Jenifer

Budget View- Part 3- The Emergency Fund

Even if you are on a limited budget and only have a few pennies left over when all the bills are paid for the month, you can still create an Emergency Fund so you do not have to rely on credit or go into debt when an emergency presents itself.

Remember that the point of this Budget View series is to help anyone who wants it. These are the things that work for my household. It may or may not work for yours. Take what may apply and work for your family and leave the rest.

Dave Ramsey is a well known finance coach, and has authored a great book called:

Total Money Makeover

  

Lots of great advice on how to get out of and stay out of debt.

I read this book a couple years back when I checked it out at my local library. It really changed the way I looked at our financial situation and how to really take control of it. If you have the time I highly suggest finding a copy and reading it. You may find something to implement that will help you and your family find financial peace.

One of the steps from Dave's book that I immediately implemented was his Baby Step 1- finding a way to get $1000 into an emergency fund. 

About 4 years ago we decided to not have a major credit card any longer. We never let our credit card debt get away from us BUT we were at the point in our lives where paying that payment every month and never seeing the balance budge was just a bad reminder of money mistakes we made over the past few years. When we got our tax refund that year we paid off the entire balance and cut up the card for good! 

Building the $1000 emergency fund was not necessarily a quick process but we tried to build ours up as quick as we could in case something unforeseen popped up and we needed access to quick money.

It really is not a matter of IF  an emergency situation will happen it is a matter of WHEN  it will happen.

Having an emergency fund will soften the blow a little bit when things like unexpected job loss, a medical emergency, or home & car repairs happen.

This way you will not be creating any new debt by taking out a loan or using a credit card. 

If you are in debt you will have a feeling of security with an emergency fund in place because you know you will not be adding to the debt you are working so hard at paying off.

The best way to begin is by opening up a savings account and have it taken out of your pay check automatically. This will give you pretty quick access to your money when that emergency does arise.

If you feel like you are not much the saving type, start small. 

Let's be honest we don't miss the $5 we spend at the local coffee shop a time or two a week for our morning pick-me-up, do we?. $10 a week or $20 bi-weekly adds up faster than you think and you hardly notice the difference in your pay!

Remember building an Emergency Fund is a great way to break the cycle of debt. It also gives you a better chance at having a budget that really works for your household and brings you the peace of mind you deserve.

Enjoy the View~

Jenifer

Budget View Part 2- Budget isn't a naughty word and 7 reasons to have one

WHAT? You mean to tell me you don't have one of these growing in your backyard? 

Apparently my parents didn't either. I heard the phrase, "Money doesn't grow on trees kid" more times than I care to admit. 

So I decided things were going to be different when I grew up and had my own yard. 

I was going to find that elusive money tree and make sure I planted a grove of them......guess what? 

Things are not so much different now that I have a family and I am the grown up PLUS  I never found that dang tree. 

Instead I had to figure out how to make our financial situation work for my family. My husband would rather bring home the bacon and leave it to me to figure out how to fry it up in a pan. (I know people of a certain era are singing the Enjoli perfume commercial right now). So I have been designated the CFO of our family.

With that title comes a lot of responsibility...so I had to think of some good reasons to actually have and try to follow a budget to the best of my abilities.

When I really thought about them these were the seven I came up with: 

#1-Take Control-

I hate to admit it, but I would be lying if I didn't, I am a bit a control freak. When it comes to the control freak spectrum I am on the very low end of it and most of the time it is about things that are out of my control anyway.... BUT you can see how this "TAKE CONTROL" reason for a budget would be very enticing for a self-proclaimed control freak, right? 

Taking control of your budget means that your money no longer controls you! It puts you back in the drivers seat. If you happen to have a spending problem this will help you avoid overspending.

#2-Prepare for Emergencies 

Surprises & emergencies are inevitable in life. And in the financial realm emergencies usually equal finding a source for quick money. The source is either a credit card or a savings account. I like to call the latter an emergency fund. We all know where credit cards take us...usually right down the old highway to hell if we are not completely disciplined to pay the balance off at the end of each month. But having an emergency fund is like a little security blanket that keeps us all warm and fuzzy at night knowing it is there for the "just in case" moments. I will talk more about the emergency fund in a future post.

#3-Reduce Arguments

I have always made it a goal to try and never argue with the B'Dog about money. Have we had a 100% success rate with this goal? 

No. 

I will say this though, the arguments are few and far between and I give credit to the budgeting system we have in place. I have heard that money woes are the #1 reason marriages fail.....I wonder how many marriages could be saved if both parties sat down and developed a budget that worked for them?

#4-Get more shut eye

How many times have you or your partner lied awake at night worrying about money, resulting in lost hours of precious sleep, which Americans get to little of anyway? 

Lack of sleep leads to crabbiness, crabbiness leads to arguments and we all know where the arguments lead....sometimes if left unchecked they lead to D-I-V-O-R-C-E(if you are married that is). 

Using a budget will hopefully give you the peace of mind so you are not lying awake at night and wearing crabby pants in the morning.

#5-Help Save Money for Fun Stuff

I told you that budget should not be a naughty word. 

And following one should never prevent you from having fun.

Typically because we have a budget we become more conscious about how and what we spend our money on. Impulse shopping becomes a thing of the past, but if we slip up once in awhile, a budget lets us quickly see where we are overspending and we can correct it quickly.

This in turn leads to being able to afford all our needs and freeing up some extra cash to spend some money on our wants. It could be a family vacation you have always dreamed of, or a new golf club you have been eyeing up. How about the massage your back has been screaming at you to go get or the 2nd new motorcycle tire of the year that you want to purchase before the season comes to an end? 

#6-Work Less

I know some people that work 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet. I understand that this has become more commonplace in the past 5 or so years because of America's economy. But honestly in a lot of cases if we all would  just take some time and create a budget and do our best to follow it, we might not have to work so hard. Wouldn't you rather spend time with your friends & family, and have fun doing all the activities you love? 

#7- Give More

I know that sometimes we all feel like we should be someone else's charity case because we can't seem to find two nickles to rub together BUT consider this....I was once told that if you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world. 

Now, I don't know how accurate that is, but if it is true, that means YOU and I, are richer than 5 BILLION people! 

I'll let you sit on this for a second...........

There are soooooo many opportunities to give. 

I will admit, I really need to work on this step too. 

I give, when I am presented with an opportunity to give, but sadly, it is rarely at the forefront of my mind.

If you are like me, then you want to know that every cent of your charitable contribution is going toward the cause and not the President of a non profit organization or a corrupt foreign government. I make sure if I am giving to organizations that I do a little homework on them to find out how the money is allocated.

There are many people who can benefit from our generosity in our own community.......families affected by cancer that cannot pay their electric bill this month, a Dad that just lost his job and now the family has to resort to the food shelf this month to feed the kids, a young  Mom loses her husband in a tragic accident and struggles to get through her daily grief much less make their children dinner that night.

I have had loved ones benefit greatly from wonderful, giving people and it meant the world to them and helped them through a very difficult time. 

My challenge for all of us this week is to find a cause that tugs at our own heart strings. Make a donation, And don't tell anyone what you did. Let that warm feeling of giving be enough applause. We don't always need a pat on the back for the good things we do. 

Just remember $1, $5, or $100...Every.Little.Bit.Helps. 

I hope one of the reasons I listed above strikes a cord with one of you who is on the fence about creating your own budget. Or try to find your own reasons to budget for you and your family. Once you find the freedom it gives, you will wonder why you waited so long.

Enjoy the View~

Jenifer

  

Simple View of my skin care routine

At the beginning of the year, instead of the good old New Year's Resolution I decided to instead try to apply A Word to my life......

It's not that I think my life is complicated, by any means.... but there is always room for improvement and elimination, even if it is something small. Stream lining my skin care routine is one way to make life a little more simple AND affordable.

As of right now, I use 3 very well working, economical products, that are super easy to use.

All descriptions have links listed to take you right to the particular product.

1. Norwex Body Cloth (click link)

This is a dual task performer! As you cleanse you are exfoliating as well. I really love this cloth.

Norwex also claims their microfiber has antibacterial qualities because a silver agent is woven throughout the fabric. TRIPLE PLUS!

If you do not have a friend or family member that is a Sales Rep for Norwex you are more than welcome to contact mine: Amanda @ hobbick84@gmail.com.

2. Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (click link)

This is a very mild soap made with coconut, olive, hemp, and jojoba oils. All of the oils used in these products are certified organic. Dr. Bronner's has a large line of products and many different "flavors" of Castile soap. 

I happen to like this one because it is fragrance free which works well for people with allergies and sensitive skin.

Pair this with the Norwex cloth & a little water and it takes water proof mascara off beautifully!

I have also seen this product at Target in the natural skin care isle.

3. Coconut Oil (click link) 

(I transferred from my store bought jar to the little purple lidded Tupperware container pictured above, because I also use a lot of coconut oil in the kitchen and I didn't want any cross contaminating going on, that would just be GROSS!)

OH Folks, I could go on and on about coconut oil and it's amazing benefits for days BUT for this particular post I will just talk about how I use it as a moisturizer for my face.

My first thought when someone suggested I try Coconut Oil on my face was like "There is NO WAY I am going to put oil on my face...I have break outs lady, my skin is oily enough! Eeeekkk!"

So I did what I always do, and I googled it. 

I was in full on research mode. 

After the 125th review I read about how this is a "must-have product" for your skin care routine, I headed out to my local grocery store and purchased this "fountain of youth in a jar".

I am happy to report that I now have fewer break outs than I did pre-coconut oil. I give all the credit to the anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties that it possesses. 

One of the best things, It is ONE ingredient! Unlike the other moisturizers I have been using all these years that contained 20 or more ingredients that I could not pronounce. 

*A word of caution, make sure you are buying PURE & Unrefined coconut oil. This will ensure you are not going to have problems with your pores clogging and causing break outs.

Great for ALL skin types!

See, so simple! 2 basic steps: Cleanse/Exfoliate with Norwex cloth and Dr Bronner's Castile soap, and moisturize with coconut oil. 

Not only are these products VERY affordable, but they are all free of harsh chemicals and very earth friendly.

Keep in mind, the last thing in life that needs to be complicated is your skin care routine. 

Take a a really good look in the mirror today, appreciate what God gave you, and.....

Enjoy the View!

The Budget View- Part 1- Needs vs Wants

OK we are all adults here, right?

I am willing to bet most of my savings account that the audience here does not consist of two-year old toddlers who kick and scream every time they do not get their way.

I also believe it's a safe bet that we all have had a case of "BBLS": Big Bottom Lip Syndrome. Typically this BBLS rears its ugly head when we have either figured out we don't have enough money for something we want or we have been told by someone(who probably loves us) that we do not need to make a certain purchase at this particular time.

I know you probably thought I was going to jump right into the tools(materials) you need to make a budget successful...

I actually think knowing the difference between real needs and wants can be the most important tool to learn how to use in a household budget. Everything else comes secondary.

In my very humble opinion our society has become a bit, ahem..... immature, lax when it comes to knowing the real definition of  a need.

I have faith that most of us already know this, but some of us may just need a very gentle reminder.

Please allow me do a break down, but first a word of warning..... 

Disclaimer: I am not judging anyone if spending your hard earned money on wants is what you wish to do. Although if you are struggling & stressed trying to make ends meet month to month, live on lines of credit(loans, credit cards, borrowed money) you find difficult to pay off, or have constant arguments in your relationships because of money, take a moment to ask yourself: "Self, do I  need to re-evaluate my true financial needs and wants?"

House:

Need: A roof over our head to keep us warm at night; a place where we are comfortable and safe that we can call home. 

Want: All the latest and greatest bells and whistles in a home that could house 10 people or more(because let's get real, most of us DO NOT have 10 or more people living with us)

Food & Clothes:

Need: Nutrient loaded, non-processed food we can make ourselves at home, and clothes that keep our private parts covered and our bums warm.

Want: Going out to eat and spending 10x's the amount of money we would spend by cooking it ourselves at home. Having 50 pairs of shoes, 20 pairs of jeans, or 10 different purses hanging in our closets.

Life:

Need: Breathing oxygen.... 

Want: The Life of someone else...someone who has a bigger house, a nicer car, a "fairy-tale marriage", someone else's vacation, or someone else's clothes.

Transportation:

Need: A mode of transportation that gets our family to and fro safely.

Want: The next best thing, with a big 'ol car payment.

Beauty:

Need: Usually this category requires an appropriate amount of sleep, exercise, and eating healthy. 

This may sound cliche but this Need can also be met by just "stopping to smell the roses", literally. 

Taking the time to really soak in all the beauty God provides us on a day to day basis.

Want: Warning! This is not a slam against the beauty industry. I use to be part of it as an Esthetician. And it was so much fun! But every last service that is provided by a Cosmetologist, a Nail Tech, an Esthetician, or a Massage Therapist, falls into a Want category: Facials, eyebrow waxing, acrylic nails, pedicures, massages, hair color...you see where I am going here, right?

I know, I know...many of us would hate to even think about living without some of the services mentioned above, Me being one of them! BUT sometimes the truth hurts, ouch!

Water:

Need: Plain, clean drinking water(this may require a filtration system of some kind on your tap)

Want: Any store bought bottled water.

Energy:

Need: Vitamin D from the sun, Fresh air, healthy non processed food, exercise

Want: Energy drinks, Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, Gym memberships & Exercise equipment that is not being used.

Now just one minute before you go all pout-y lip on me. I have been guilty of most of these in my lifetime. And honestly this is just scratching the surface. I am not pointing fingers at anyone, just merely pointing out a few of the differences between Needs and Wants. 

However, at certain stages in my life I have had to prioritize what is really important for myself and my family and our peace of mind when it comes to our finances.

If you are serious about wanting financial peace in your life, I suggest you start right here....figuring out the difference between your basic needs and wants. I know it sounds so boring, and horrifying but I promise if you stay tuned there will be room for the fun stuff...plus taking this step means I won't hear about your episode of Hoarders, because I can't watch that show, it makes my skin crawl.  

Oh Lord have mercy....ain't nobody got time for that!

And remember, that no matter what step you are standing on, take a really good look around you, and show gratitude for everything & everyone you have in your life. And always remember to........

Enjoy the View

The Budget View: Where I start

Who really wants to be on a budget?
Um, I don't see a lot of hands shooting up in the air and waving wildly :)

However, the geek in me finds some sort of excited satisfaction in figuring out a budget for my family.... but I don't always think it is fun or easy to follow it. Most times a budget puts a serious crimp in my style, and if you knows me, I am stylin' and profilin'(sorry, I should have warned you with a "geek alert" before I pulled out my urban slang, because I am so not urban).

When it comes to spending money I have always leaned more conservative.  My Hubby, who I will lovingly refer to from here on out as the "B'Dog", would say I am just indecisive & fickle about what to spend our money on.
Let me plead my case:
#1- I am indecisive because I do not want to theoretically be caught with my "pants down" due to over spending and under planning. I know that seems like all the rage right now, especially at a Government level, BUT I hold myself to a little higher standard than that.
I know, I know, so 1950's of me.

AND #2- As far as the "Fickle" part goes, I have a spending disorder, is it called: Buyer's Remorse. No matter what I buy, when I buy it, or how much I buy it for, there is always a nagging feeling of regret & remorse.
This disorder serves our budget well, until B'Dog really has his heart set on making a purchase. That's when I start to look like a control freak with iron purse strings. Amazing how we can see the same situation in a completely different view.

I'm all like: " Do we really NEED that right now?"
And B'Dogs all like: "Yes, plus I really WANT it right now."

We typically compliment each other very nicely in our purchasing decisions, because neither of us gets our way 100%  of the time. Truth be told it can be a jerky little ride, like too much "gas pedal/brake pedal action"  but for the most part it's a fine balanced act.

So here is my idea: I am going to try out a budgeting series.
I am thinking it will have 4-6 parts over a 2 week period.
I hope you consider joining in on these posts, even if you despise the "B" word, not to be confused with the "B'Dog".
You may find a tip or two that will benefit you or your family a long the way.
I would also LOVE to hear what works in your budget.
I am constantly learning and I am sure some of my readers have fabulous ideas!

Remember no matter what your money situation is right now I hope you......

Enjoy the View....it's free! 

DISCLAIMER:
I am not a Pro at economics, math, investing, ect.
I have no formal training or education in any of these areas.
But I do consider myself semi-pro at keeping OUR household afloat from month to month.
I am happy to report that for the past 11 1/2 years (20 if you count when I was single, but I will stick with the years we have been a family unit)  our family has not had even ONE over draft fee from a bank. 
I consider that pretty successful!