A Daisy Resolution

It's true, time slips through all of our fingers, and looks like mine have giant gaps. However, it is once again that idyllic time when dreams of what can be accomplished in the next year, and as I sit in my pajamas on New Year's Eve at 10pm (Yes, I'm super-cool), I have a moment to think about what New Year's resolution to make.


I heard once that if you write down goals, you are more likely to accomplish them. So, let's give it a whirl, after all, the most it could cost me is personal shame and public embarrassment as I publicly announce (to all four of you who follow this blog) what I hope to accomplish next year.

1. Do a WEEKLY blog entry
2. Spend less than $500 total on clothes and shoes for the year--It would be a miracle if I spent less than $1,000 over the year, but I'm going to aim high (or low as it may be) and we will see where I end.
3. Store less stuff--This actually means "have" less stuff. Okay, so goals are supposed to be measurable and whatnot, but there is only a couple hours until midnight and all I know is that I don't want to complain about not having enough room for all my "stuff."
4. Read a book once/month--Cheater alert: I started this goal this fall, but it's good enough to carry on into 2010. My current read is Ike: An American Hero, a 700-page monstrosity of a biography on the late Dwight D. Eisenhower. Did I mention that I'm super-cool?
5. Stay out of debt--In 2009, we paid off my student loan, my car, and my credit card. Let's keep the good times rolling. I wonder if I can go through 2010 without accumulating another dollar on my credit card. Well, at least if I can do #2, I have a stronger chance to accomplish #5.
   

Maybe, I'll make this entry a homepage as a daily reminder of what my goals are, which in the end should either motivate me or cause me to implode into myself and become a puddle of failure. Either way, I won't be in the same place I am today!

Hello 2010!

Organizing the Glove Box

I feel like opening the glove box is done at my own risk as receipts, napkins, travel mugs, and who-knows-what-else comes billowing out. I stuff my glove box with whatever, and then of course, when it becomes important for me to find those important pieces of paper: registration and proof of insurance, I am buried in years worth of oil change receipts.

Then I came across an idea in Real Simple magazine. Take of those accordion files made for receipts or coupons and use it to organize the glove box. I found a small, plastic accordion file at Target for about $4. It even has a little zip lock compartment in the front! So, here is how I cleaned out the glove box:

1. Pull everything out of the glove box.



2. The first thing to go back into the glove box is the owner's manual to the vehicle.



3. In the VERY FRONT of the accordion file, place your current proof of insurance and registration.



4. Then, in the different sections, put the receipts of any car work done



5. Throw away any trash, and file any car work over one year old in your home with other home records--but get them out of the glove box.



6. Stick $2 change in quarters in the zip lock pouch for those unexpected tolls and parking meters.



7. Decide on the other 3 or 4 important items you want in your glove box. I have a tire pressure gage, napkins, phone charger, and an emergency poncho (because my parents gave it to me. Yes, I live in the desert and have no need for an emergency poncho, but I feel like as soon as I toss it, I'll find myself in a situation where I'll inevitably need it)

Thoughts on John the Baptist

Mark 1:6-8 (New International Version)
"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: 'After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'"

I was reading through Mark and came across these verses and they made me think about how John the Baptist was freed up from everyday burdens that tend to entangle us.

1. His clothing is simple--Not that we all need to reduce our closets to one outfit, but I have mentioned before that I can waste 20-30 minutes each day trying to figure out what to wear. John kept is simple. He wasn't concerned if people had seen his outfit before or sit staring at his closet wondering what would impress others.


2. His meals are simple--Sometimes we eat what we want, not what we have, or what we can afford. Yes, we live in American where we can eat anything we want at any time we want, but really, feeding our impulses can cost us at least $400 a month in eating out, instead of settling for the PB & J or spaghetti that is in my cupboard. Plus, at least its better than bugs.


3. His lifestyle is simple--No car payment, no house payment, no credit cards. He lives with what is within his means. Revolutionary.


4. His message is simple--Jesus is coming. John isn't busy explaining all the intricacies of doctrine and theology. His faith revolves around the promises of God, and his focus is just a Savior.
   

Of course, as my friend Sam would point out, John the Baptist did end up beheaded, but I think I can learn lessons from how he lived his life.

Local Treasure Hunts

It seems like no matter what size city we grow up in, that famous phrase comes from our lips: "There is nothing to do here." My sister has an acquaintance who calls Tucson, "Nothing to Do-son."

The truth is, there is usually something going on in our own backyards, but we need a sense of adventure, be open to some creativity, and ready to explore.

I like to google the word "Festivals" + the city I live in + the year. So, "Festivals Tucson 2009." And thanks to the Internet, we have found some local treasures.

• St. Demetrios Greek Festival (September) $3 Entry Fee
  
  
• Tucson Celtic Festival & Highland Games (November) $12 Entry Fee ($10 if you bring a non-perishable food item)

• Winterhaven Festival of Lights (December) Free

I have also googled "Things to do in Tucson," and the first website that came up was from Trip Advisor. Of course! People travel to the cities we live in and post what to do around our towns, sites to see, and restaurants to try. Reap the benefits of the tourists' work; I like that. Trip Advisor listed museums, hiking routes, farmer's markets, and artisan neighborhoods and shops, all low cost or free to do.

Then, there are always the wonders of Facebook. It is amazing what suggestions you can get by simply posting your status as, "What is there to do in Tucson this weekend?" or "What is your favorite thing to do in Tucson?" Then, you get the local flavor:

• Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch $5 Entry & Feed Fee



• Disney Lane (near Christmas) Free

Happy exploring, and I hope you fall in love with your back yard!

The $5 Jewelry box

I have to credit my friend, Kat, for this stroke of brilliance. I was getting the tour of her house when I encountered the way she stores her jewelry in her closet. She had taken a peice of foam core, hung it in her closet, and hung her jewelry there for storage and display. And here is the brilliance of it:

• Everything is neatly displayed, making it easy to decide what to wear.
  
• Necklaces are not lost in a nest of knots.


• Takes up no shelf space, like a clunky jewelry box, and clothes can be hung in front.


• It's cheap

So, I decided to copy my friend and bought the supplies:

• A piece of foam core ($2.50 at Target)


• Push pin tacks ($1.99)

One added perk is that I had to go through all of my jewelry, and I ended up finding pieces I had forgotten that I owned. I cleaned out old and outdated jewelry, untangled necklaces, and set aside the pieces I wanted to keep. I really was limited to the space on the board, so it is actually a great way to limit how much jewelry I am hoarding.

I laid the board down on a flat surface, arranged my jewelry on it, and then placed the push pins where the jewelry is to be hanging from. Then, I removed the jewelry from the board, placing everything in the same order on another flat surface, so I didn't forget where I had placed all the jewelry. Then, hung the board in the back of the closet with a hammer and three small nails. Finally, I hung all the jewelry up. The foam core may not be as thick as the push pins, but it works.

When to Ebay, Craig's list, or Buffalo

Ahhh...the classic dilemma: How do I sell my stuff? It's a great way to make a few extra bucks while ridding my life of the excess and clutter that is around me. But, when do you use what resale service? Here's my quick guide to when to use what service:

1. Ebay

• This is where you make the most money.
• Items that are like new or slightly used.
• Items from brand names and stores that are sought after.
• When you have 1-5 items to get rid of.
• Useful if you have the time to sell each; about 30min-1hour for each item to set up, sell, and mail.

2. Buffalo Exchange, Plato's Closet, or other trendy used clothing stores, or Bookman's

• Average $2-$5 per item (maybe up to $10 for bigger items).
• It seems like these stores have a mental block from taking everything, they may take 10%-60% of your items, so you have to come with a lot.
• Good for if you have at least 2 large bags full.
• Items can be from new to more used than items you would put on Ebay.
• Brand names, styles from within the last year, or great vintage pieces.
• Most helpful if you can block out a morning or afternoon and hit all the stores that buy used clothing with the same bags.

3. Craig's list

• Craig's list is great if you just want someone to come and take your stuff more than you want to make a couple bucks.
• Don't expect to make money, maybe $2-5 for a bag of clothes.
• Price items based on what you would expect to pay at a garage sale, because that is what Craig's list is, a giant garage sale.
• Items can be in any condition.
• Should't take a lot of time or energy--it's more like a creative dump.
• One word of advice: never meet someone alone, bring a buddy.

Your mom always said that there are starving people in the world...

One thing I have never been able to master is meal planning. It seems like a couple times a month I end up trashing groceries that went bad or buy groceries that never saw the light of day (or the inside of my stomach). I found a jar of red curry in my fridge today that hasn't been used for over a year. In fact, if I recall correctly, I think I used it for one dish, one time.

One problem, that whole "I look into the fridge and can't find what I want, so I'll go get what I want" attitude that I can blame on being American, but will just blame on me. What if I just ate what was in my fridge, even if I don't want spaghetti from yesterday, instead of leaving the house to grab some food "to go," which really means, "to go to my house and eat at the coffee table."

Wow, that might require things life self-control or resisting instant gratification. That's a novel idea.

But still, how do I plan meals that are: cost effective, efficient, healthy, and full of ingredients that won't end up in my trash can because I couldn't figure out how to use them again?

My Closet: The Black Hole of Time

I waste so much time each morning trying to figure out what I am going to where. I sit on the edge of my bed, stare at my closet and try to put an outfit together, while trying to remember what I want to wear later in the week. I also am amazed at how many tops I own, and how few bottoms.

I'm telling you, figuring out what to wear would be a 10-20 minute process.

First step: I had to clean out the closet, and I'll share taht 8 trash-bag story later.

Second step: I spend 30 minutes on laundry day putting together my outfits for the week and hanging them as such, thinking about what I have going on during the week.

Now, I get up in the morning and just grab the next outfit, and this has saved my life in the morning.

It also helped me to figure out how much excess clothing that I had in my closet, realizing that I could go through months of outfits without wearing certain items in my closet.

The Vacation Account

Ashley and I are fans of INGDirect, and online bank, which usually has higher interest earnings than a traditional bank (though in the recent economy has caused the interest to take a hit). One of the reasons we like ING is because it takes about a week for withdrawn funds from ING to arrive in your traditional bank, so you really have to plan your finances.

The best thing is that you can open multiple savings accounts and label them for what you want the money to go toward. Thus, the vacation account!

Everyone has their priorities, and travel is one of ours, so we opened a vacation savings account that Ashley and I both deposit into monthly, about $100-$200 a month.

People ask us all the time how we can travel around the world. Ashley and I always say that everyone has their priorities that they choose to spend money on. We like to travel. Consequently, we don't go out to eat in nice restaurants, we don't see movies (outside the cheap theater), we don't have nice clothes or nice cars, etc.

In the end, Ashley and I decided that travel is an important enough part of our life that we have a savings account that we set aside money in so that we can travel without stressing about how to pay for our adventures. One of the best financial decisions we have made.

Bring My Own Bags

Most of us have a cupboard that is a mess of shopping bags. I stuff these bags in this cupboard, where I don't have to see them, and I think I'll use them again. However, it turns into giant cupboard for storing an unnecessary amount of plastic bags.

I finally made the choice to buy a couple of those "green," reusable grocery bags for about $1 for each bag and cleaned our the bag cupboard. Now we have a use for each kind of bag:

• Plastic bags: trash bags for our smaller garbage cans like in the bathroom.



• "Green" bags: for general shopping at the grocery store, Target, etc.



• Large garbage bags: trash bags for our large garbage can in the kitchen.



• Paper bags: bags for donating clothes, books, etc. or for carrying supplies or gifts outside of the house.
  

I also found out that most grocery stores will give you a five cent discount for each "green" bag you bring; Sunflower markets give ten cents per bag.

I helps to keep the "green" bags in my car trunk. Otherwise, I tend to forget them, or when I have an impromptu trip the store, the bags are with me.

I heart Dave Ramsey

In the pursuit to simplify, my husband and I have been taking a look at our personal finances to figure out how to simplify our financial life. Really, it is a pursuit of financial health. One of my friends introduced me to Dave Ramsey and his financial wisdom, and we just love him. It is more of a biblical financial plan than a budget.

I agree with Dave Ramsey's ideas and principles about how to handle finances because it means having specific goals for your money and designating money for certain purposes. The idea is that if your money is already designated, you are less likely to spend it.

Dave Ramsey has seven baby steps to financial freedom, and sadly to say, I'm only on step two:

1. $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund
2. Pay off all debt
3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings
4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
5. College funding for children
6. Pay off home early
7. Build wealth and give! Invest in mutual funds and real estate

But is has totally changed how my husband and I look at our personal budget.

Check out more information about Dave Ramsey' Baby Steps.

Hidden Treasures at the Street Fair

One of my favorite things about Tucson is the 4th Avenue Street Fair that comes to Tucson every spring. It is fun to walk down 4th Avenue and browse the tents full of fresh, fun, and funky arts, crafts, and goods for sale. It's always a good time with friends!


The 4th Street Fair is free entertainment! Plus, you get the chance to be outside as spring hits and catch a bit of a tan. It's kind of like a big treasure hunt, and provides hours of fun and entertainment for free (that is, if you pack your own food & water). And don't forget the people-watching.

Ashley and I bring some cash for food, the kind of greasy fair food that really only tastes good when it is sold out of a stall window, you know, fry bread, kettle corn and pulled-pork sandwiches!


Oh yeah, and we look for one or two unique items to bring home.

This year, I stumbled upon two new vendors that were my favorite at this year's street fair, both for totally different reasons:

• Black Canyon Restorations
  Black Canyon Restorations, in their own words, "try to salvage as much material as possible before it goes to the landfill. We use old windows, molding, glass, hardware, stove parts, bed frames, barn wood, railings and many other materials that are incorporated into the design and assembly of our products." Reduce, reuse, recycle, and look good doing it!
  
  Perfect! Black Canyon Restorations has artsy, unique pieces that we just fell in love with!Plus, they were reasonably priced! We bought a shelf to display my small collection of tea cups and saucers. I loved that the hooks were made from old silverware. It's unique, fun, and okay, it did make me feel a little heroic to support such a creative and environmental effort.

• Golden Designs
  With an event like the 4th Avenue Street Fair, there is a plethora of tie dye. It lured me in as I got lost in all the music and art. But after browsing through a number of tents exploding with tie dye, I finally found a vendor who tie dyed on clothing made in the U.S.A. Sold! I came out proudly with a tank top that was made in the U.S.A. and dyed by a small business owner!

We mark that off as a good day with a couple fun treasures!

Making Progress

I am celebrating one small victory this week.

Old Navy classically has their "Item of the Week," and once in a while it is a deal that will stop you in your tracks. Actually, it won't stop you in your tracks; it will make you rush straight to the mall to purchase the item that I didn't need 5 minutes ago, but now suddenly can't live without. That is how I ended with a $12 pair of skinny jeans in my closet this past October.

And now, temptation began to settle in again. Summer dresses for $15 at Old Navy, and endless commercials to remind me of this amazing deal.

I looked up the dress online and saw that it this fabulous summer fashion item was not made in the U.S.A., so I passed on it. I looked through Buffalo Exchange and American Apparel, and could not find a similar dress.

So at the end of the day, I ended up not purchasing a dress that I didn't need to start with. After all, there are 3 skirts and 4 dresses hanging in my closet at the moment.

I call this...progress.

Skip the Restaurant & Cook with Friends

So many of our social gatherings happen around food. We go out for coffee, for lunch, for dessert, for dinner. I looked back on a couple months of bank statements just to see what I spent on food other than groceries and I was surprised to find that I could make a car payment and one month of car insurance with all the money I spent at coffee shops, restaurants, and fast food joints.

It begins to feel like, "If I want to see my friends, I am going to spend a load of dough on going to restaurants."

And of course, it might seem weird if you continually suggest going on a picnic just so you can brown bag your lunch.

So is my only option to just become a hermit, a social pariah, so I can eat my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of shame huddled in the corner of my living room?

My New Habit: instead of always meeting at a restaurant, invite friends over to make meals together.

However, cooking together is a whole new adventure! I have experienced so much more joy with my friends by trying a new recipe in the kitchen rather than ordering a new dish at the latest vogue bistro.

The perks of cooking together:

• Cooking together provides a shared experience that is unique to whoever is sharing it. You can't help but bond when you cook together
  
• The kitchen fills with laughter-wearing silly aprons and figure out what chopping a carrot julienne means


• It is a more cost-effective way to eat meal
  
• Cooking a meal together provides a natural conversation outlet
  
• There is someone who can help you do the dishes when all is said and done


• You have the ability to make healthier meals in realistic portions

Ideas of how to make it an ongoing adventure with friends:

• You can split up the ingredients list between friends
  
• Even lunch can become a "build your own" salad or sandwich at home


• Make it a challenge to see how inexpensive you can make your meals


• Take turns with friends bringing the recipe
  

And when the meal is done being prepared, there is a greater enjoyment when it is time to eat. I feel like I have earned my meal! I love that sense of accomplishment!

I also think I tend to take more joy in eating when I prepare my own meal. I mean, I spent all that time cooking, I'm not going to wolf down my food, I'm going to savor every bite I slaved over. Eating slowly prevents overeating since your stomach has time to catch up with your mouth, all in all helping me to eat healthy portions.

And just for fun, here are a couple of my favorite recipes to cook with friends:

• Neopolitan Macaroni & Cheese


• Tarragon Chicken Paillards & Salad


• Weight Watchers Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie


• Shish Kababs (why not? just cut up red peppers, onions, pineapples, chicken, beef, or whatever else you like)

Ode to Richard J. Foster

It was when I read Richard J. Foster's Celebration of Discipline that I first was introduced to the discipline of simplicity. The ideas are so counter-cultural, and yet, make so much sense in my heart of hearts. It is our greed, lust, and insatiable thirst for "stuff" that can kill our capacity for joy and to live life to the full.

Living life to the full does not mean living life with our arms full of stuff. Though I prefer to live life with my arms full of Ashley!

Here are a few of my favorite quotes and my musings from that book:

"Simplicity is the only thing that can sufficiently reorient our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us." (p. 74)

"...if what we have we believe we have gotten [for ourselves], and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety." (p. 77)

• This is such a vivid and descriptive idea: that our possessions have the power to destroy us. Rather, it is our perceived need to possess that gives our stuff power over us.




• If we put to great a value on our possessions, then we spend time worrying how to keep, preserve, and sometimes showcase our possessions because we don't know who we are without them.

• Giving our possessions the power to define who we are (an inanimate object giving meaning to our very purpose and the design of our souls) will ultimately fail us at our search for meaning, security, love, and purpose.
  

"We cling to our possessions rather than sharing them because we are anxious about tomorrow" (p. 78)

• This is the very idea of hoarding. It reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge, who couldn't begin to spend all the money he had hoarded, but fear of the unknown caused him to sit on top of his wealth. Scrooge was bound, imprisoned, by his wealth.




• Didn't we all see that Scrooge was finally living a full life when he was able to let go of his wealth and possessions? His possessions no longer controlled or defined him.




• Clinging to stuff is opposite in nature of how we are to live. Cling to healthy relationships, to our loved ones, not to stuff.



• It is true, those who are able to share with others live with a lighter spirit because they are not consumed with wasting energy on figuring out how to hold onto possessions.

"Simplicity is freedom...Simplicity brings joy and balance." (pg. 9)

"To attempt to arrange and outward life-style of simplicity without the inward reality leads to deadly legalism." (pg. 70)

• I would go as far as to say that trying to arrange an outward life-style of simplicity without the inward can feed into an addiction for control.



• The need for control exists in most of us, and living by a strict set of lifestyle guidelines is a great way to feed, and temporarily satisfy that need for control, but it only makes the need for control greater in our life, and that is what will destroy us.

The inward reality, as Richard J. Foster describes, "is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first--and then everything necessary will come in its proper order" (p. 75). It's like Stephen Covey's idea of putting first things first.

It is not fixing our outer environment in order to achieve inner peace and simplicity. It is letting our outward attitudes and surroundings to be a reflection of what exists inside of us.

To seek God first is to live simply. He is consistent in character, unwavering in His love, and wills what is good in my life.

To seek control first is to live in the oppression of our spirits of our own devising. I am inconsistent in character, my loyalties and love are moslty conditional, and I often cannot see what is good or bad until after the fact.

Foster, R.J. (1978). Celebration of Discipline: The path to spiritual growth. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers.

Cha-Ching with Change

I realized pretty quickly that when I started working in all cash (instead of cards), that I ended up with a lot of change by the end of the day.
Time to bring back the piggy bank! At the end of every day, I empty the wallet, pockets, and car consul and throw all the change in a tin.



I consider change as money spent or unusable, even when it is still in my wallet. So, it just builds through the day and through the weeks!



If you want to take it a step further, you can put a little post it on the "bank" that could indicate something specific you are saving for, like "shoes" or "Disneyland."


I, however, am not that good and tend to let the change build up for 2 months, and usually find there was an unplanned expense of some sort (like a recent parking ticket I received) and use the money to pay for that.


I'm a fan of the Coinstar machines at the grocery store. I just dump all my coins in the machine, take my receipt to customer service, and get cash. However, it does take around an 8% cut for doing the counting for you, so if you are wanting to keep that 8% then use that mindless television-watching time to roll those coins.


The biggest treat is seeing how that change builds up, and all of a sudden I have extra money that would have easily been spent if I used my debit card rather than cash.

Shopping with a Social Conscience

Shopping with a social conscience means to me:

1. Reducing or halting oppression of human beings around the world
   
2. Supporting the fellow American and the American economy

I don't think any of us want to support a sweatshop; we don't want to contribute to or continue the oppression of human beings. And given the opportunity, we would choose to help stop the oppression of our fellow brothers and sister in humanity.

However, much clothing is manufactured outside of the U.S., and the truth is, I do not know how other countries, namely second- or third-world countries, treat their employees. Mostly, I hear its bad. I took a peek at the tags of the clothes in my closet, and found a veritable who's who of countries known to have problems with poverty: Indonesia, India, Honduras, Vietnam, El Salvador, etc.

I'm pretty sure I have contributed to the oppression of the poor without a thought. I don't want to continue that trend in my life: thoughtless spending with possible anti-humanitarian consequences.

I am trying to change my shopping habits. What's my method?

1. Buy American (look for the "Made in U.S.A." label)



2. Buy used



3. Borrow (not buy) items from friends that I will only need for one or two uses

With the American economy in the dumps, it is even more important to put our American dollars back into America. I want to support our home town businesses, factories, and manufacturers. Do a little homework, and look for American-made products.

Some of my favorite brands that are made in the U.S.A. are

• Byena Clothing



• American Apparel



• Vera Bradley
  
  

Buying used also puts money back into the local economy as most thrift stores are putting money back into the local community and local aid for those in need. Buying used also reduces waste, helping out our environment.

Plus, some stores will give you cash or store credit for items that you bring in, which is a great money-saver. If shopping is about wasting time, socializing with friends, and the thrill of the hunt, there is no better adventure than diving into a thrift store. A couple of my favorites are:

• Plato's Closet



• Buffalo Exchange



• Saver's

It's true, I probably won't ever be a fashionista, but I can change the world one outfit at a time. I can't help what I already own. Those are dollars already spent and goods owned. However, I can change my shopping habits starting today.

Simply Joyful

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always"

In this day and age, we have the the right to pursue happiness, and boy do we. Except that happiness is a temporary and fleeting feeling. Joy, however, is a state of life. Joy changes who we are. Finding our simplest joys opens the heart and makes room for living life, not spending our life hunting for happiness.
Where do I find joy?

1. Laughing with my sister


2. Feeling the sun shine down on me the first time I step out of the house each morning



3. Falling asleep next to my husband



4. The smell of the asphalt after a summer rainstorm
   
   
5. Seeing my sister in a luchardor mask
   


6. The Tucson Celtic Festival and the ability to buy Haggis in the desert
   


7. A nephew that dressed himself



8. The adventures teenagers bring to my life



9. Dublin on St. Patrick's Day



10. Driving without the radio on



11. Someone else doing the dishes
    
    
12. Going to camp...still



13. Communicating everything without a word
    
    
14. Thirty-minute pool noodle fights with middle school girls



15. Christmas Avenue



16. Kisses on the cheek



17. Crawling into a bed with freshly cleaned sheets



18. A day at the zoo



19. A parade



20. Receiving mail in the mailbox (not inbox)



21. Memorable adventures when everything seems to go wrong


22. Sitting outside and reading a book



23. People-watching at a coffee shop
    
    
24. Pin-trading at Disneyland


25. Saturdays

Debit or Credit? Neither.

I don't think about what I am spending when I am using a card, and I'm often surprised how $3 here and $5 there add up quickly, and I've spent $50 or $100 without thinking.

Proverbs 23:5
"Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."

Ain't that the truth.

I had to change the way I was spending money and made the switch to cash.

I use my budget to figure out how much money you have for: groceries, gas, entertainment, and other monthly expenses aside from bills, tithe, savings, and charitable donations. Then, I made little envelope pouches for each category. Each paycheck, I withdraw cash and separate the cash into the respective envelopes.

There are a number of advantages to this method:

• It prevents identity theft: We hear so much about how using our debit cards and credit cards open us up to identity theft. Using cash prevents your account number from being mishandled by a business.


• It saves money in bank charges for accidental overdraft and other charges: When the cash is spent, that's it.


• It prevents credit card debt: Again, when the cash is spent, that's it.


• It forces you to deal with the most important budget items first, not last: You have to pay bills, put money into a savings account, etc. before withdrawing cash, so you become more intentional about financial responsibility.

Declutter Your Brain

I go through our day making a list in my head; I think we all do.


Take a shower, try to get the squeeze the remaining shampoo out of the bottle. Pick up Shampoo.


Brush my teeth with my electric toothbrush, which is loosing its vigor. Get AA batteries.


Put on my makeup for the day, routing around old eyeshadow containers, mascara tubes, etc. Clean out makeup bag.


This happens all day with burned out light bulbs, needed groceries, piles of mail, and on and on and on. However, most likely, we don't simply take care of the list, so we relive it the next day, and the next, and the next. I just stick an "oh yeah" on the front of my list items.

I learned from a co worker that every time I thought those thoughts in my mental "to do" list, I was expending unnecessary energy and stress. My brain became cluttered by "to dos" that never go done.


Declutter the brain:

1. Grab a pen and paper and stick it by your night stand
   
   
2. The next day, keep this pad with you and write down every "to do" you think on that pad throughout the day (Now the list has become tangible!)


3. Maybe repeat this for a couple days.


4. Now, put a date next to each item. What can be taken care of tomorrow? this weekend? next week? next month?


5. Use your original list and create a list for every date you wrote down. I love the 4x6 post-its for these!


6. Stick these post-its on your calendar or bulletin board and cross items off as you accomplish the task. It will feel so good!

Ultimately, this will help the environment and the wallet because it will help you group your tasks and errands so you do less daily driving around. Instead, you can get into the car with a plan of attack!

Saving the Planet, One Load of Laundry at a Time

I try to keep laundry a once a week event in our house. We were trying to figure out how to cut corners and save the planet, and reducing water usage seemed a practical way to do that. The goal was to limit our household to doing three loads per week:

• One load of laundry for me


• One load of laundry for my husband


• One load of household (sheets, towels, rags, etc.)

One load of laundry per person, per week.

This is an average, and the general rule is that all clothes are washed on cold (another money-saving tip), and households are washed on warm.

The surprise result of doing laundry this way was that I noticed my closet was still bursting with clothes on laundry day. However, my favorite pieces were always in the laundry, leaving clothes I had lukewarm feelings toward hanging in my closet, untouched, unworn, unused.

I concluded that I have more clothes than I need or wear (which I'm sure most of us do), and it was time for the purging of the closet!

Less clothes = less laundry!

How it all started

I would go to bed with the closet door open and look inside as I would fall asleep. I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear tomorrow. And then, when I woke up, I would turn and look into my closet to continue the process of figuring out what to wear.

If I was going to be late, it was because I tried on at least three outfits before finding an ensemble that I was satisfied with. It started to become a running joke between my husband and me as he would often find me standing in towel, just staring into my closet.

It's so silly. Something as trivial as getting dressed in the morning took up so much time, energy, and unneeded stress.

Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin."

I would finger through my clothes over and over again trying not to forget what I had seen in there.

And then I figured out the problem.

It's not that I didn't have anything to wear, it's that I had too much to wear. Sometimes too many choices is what can clutter my brain.

So it started with my closet. I needed to simplify. Get back to basics, and get rid of unnecessary clutter and stress that can crowd around me in a million small ways.

It was time to start living the daisy life!