We had a yard sale a few weeks ago. The whole community that we live in sponsored it. I love yard sales. Not the actual selling part, or the pricing part. But the feeling I get when I get rid of stuff that we no longer need.
It makes me feel lighter, freer. And it adds a dash of order and organization to our otherwise chaotic home of six people. Plus it makes more room for the new "stuff" that will ineveitably come into the home each holiday and birthday...
It was hot as hades the day of the sale. Felt like 90 degrees by 8 a.m., and humid too. Eric helped me drag out the clothes, old strollers, baby clothes, toys, and knick knacks. And I sat there in the heat for 4 hours. People were funny; most wanted to negotiate and pay next to nothing for the items. But it felt good to see so much of it go. I am going to drop off the rest of the things that didn't sell this week at the consignment store.
Christian was funny about the sale. He ran outside to inspect the toys I had for sale. They were mostly little baby items that the boys had outgrown. He looked around for a minute and turned to me with a puzzled look, "Where did the cars go Mommy?" He wanted some big boy toys. So, his sister walked him to the neighbor's sale and found a race track with two cars for $2.50. He was thrilled! He sat there and played with it on the hot driveway while I talked to customers. "Hi people!" he'd call to them. "See my new cars?" So cute.
Next up on my list to clean will be the older kids' rooms. Let's face it, their rooms are never in great shape even when clean. But lately, they had been pretty decent (ie no food, dishes, or trash around. Just some dirty clothes and clean ones scattered). But then, their teachers had them clean out their desks and lockers for the end of the school year. Oui vay. For two days they brought home notebooks, projects, supplies, and papers. Now their room look like supply stores! So we wiil have to have a room cleaning party next week.
I am doing a little "house cleaning" with my diet lately too. I found out 4 years ago that I am allergic to milk and corn. I never did anything about it because the task seemed too daunting, plus I was going through two pregnancies (not a great time to diet). Recently though, I grew weary of always having a stuffy nose and skin rashes and irritations. So, I decided to eliminate corn and dairy. Boy did it make a difference! I am less itchy, less sneezy, stuffy, and so on. And it sure cuts down on my snacking. Do you know that the food industry puts corn in almost everything?
Corn syrup is the worst offender. I read that the stuff is addictive and leads to obesity. It makes you crave more sugar. Well, it is in most deli meat, most ketchup, candies, cookies, wheat thins...you name it! So, needless to say, I don't snack as much. When I do it tends to be apples, peanuts, pita chips, or a piece of toast.
The "babies" are happy with my "allergy house cleaning" and new milk-free living. They have benefited because I am stocking the house with more milk-free bread, rice cheese, and rice milk ice cream.
Just last night we had breakfast for dinner. I made french toast with soy milk and eggs for us, regular milk french toast for Lanae, and pancakes (batter had corn in it) for Eric. Colin had a nitrite-nitrate free hot dog and gluten-free spaghetti. :-) We are a complicated bunch for sure.
The hardest part of my new allergy-free living is learning what to order at my favorite place: Chick-fil-A. Alas, they put corn and milk in almost everything they serve. Even the fries...and chicken...and Chick-fil-A sauce! I think I could safely have their side salad (no dressing), cole slaw, and raisin and carrot salad, and a regular lemonade (the diet lemonade has corn in it!!!) I think I may cheat this weekend in honor of Father's Day. We have some coupons for free Chick-fil-A and we may all go as a family Saturday afternoon...the "babies" will suffer for the milk-filled chicken and I may need a benedryl after, but it is just so darn tasty it may be worth it.
That is all for now. The tale of Jen will continue next week...
Friday, June 18, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Jen of all Trades: Hardest $15 I've Ever Earned
Happy belated Mother's Day blog readers! Hope you all had a relaxing Mother's Day. I know I enjoyed a nice breakfast in bed delivered by my 4 kids, a lunch made by my 12-year-old son, and a night out at the theater to see, "Beauty and the Beast" with my daughter and oldest son. My husband also cleaned out my minivan, two bathrooms, and the kitchen. So nice! Ahh, Mother's Day. What happens the day after such a lovely holiday?
Well, for me, it was back to reality. And back to school for the kids. But today my friends, was no ordinary Monday.
As most of you know, since I left my technology job in September, I have become a "Jen of all Trades." I consign things monthly at a local consignment store; I write freelance articles for the newspaper; and now--I am adding "daycare" to my list.
I have started watching my next door neighbor's 3 kids (ages 2, 4, and 9) from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. three to five times per week, as needed.
My neighbor went back to work as a nurse (night shift) to help support her family. Her husband leaves for work at 7:00 a.m. and she gets home at 8:30 a.m. or so; that's where I fit in. $15 bucks a day is nice money, and I thought the work would be easy. Right?
Wrong!
Last Friday kicked off with my own toddler screeching at my neighbor's 2-year-old because he wasn't used to "sharing" toys; my daughter got up early to "help" with the 4-year-old and 9-year-old boys from next door to race around the basement, throwing around the dirty laundry and jumping on furniture; and when the three kids left at 9:00 a.m. my house looked like a tornado hit it! I found a yogurt melting in the "babies" toy microwave, and I had to spend their nap time recovering the kitchen and basement from a sea of toys.
Today, I vowed, would be different. I told my 6th grade son to watch "Today Show" on the basement TV while he waited for his 7:25 a.m. middle school bus. I had my daughter "sleep in" until 8 a.m. instead of waking up early to "help" me watch the neighbor's 3 kids. And I prayed the "babies" were sleepy enough to sleep in until 8:00 or 8:30 a.m., leaving me with just the neighbor's 3 kids to watch instead of 7.
"The new rule is, we all eat at the table," I said, proud of myself for setting some boundaries for my new little visitors. The 3 sat at the table, quietly eating their Cookie Crisp cereal, and sipping juice. Ahhh...it felt calmer. "I can do this," I thought. "This is much better than Friday."
But what happens after the calm? The storm!
7:30 a.m. and my eldest son's bus had not arrived. Colin, who has Autism, did not like schedules to change without warning or explanation. He lived by his schedules and plans. "But Mom," he said, "What about my field trip? We leave there at 8:15 from the school." Indeed, he was correct. The clock was ticking. 7:40 am and still no school bus.
I called the school and learned his special ed bus had broken down. My son panicked; he had already texted his best friend that morning and asked if he could sit next to her on the field trip bus. I had to get him there, or he would be the only 6th grader to miss the trip.
But the school said they "couldn't guarantee" that his replacement bus would be to our home in time to get him to school for the field trip.
So, I had a problem. A pickle. A lemon. And I made lemonade.
"Get dressed," I said to my sleepy daughter who sat on the stairs wondering why her eldest brother was still home. "Let's wake the babies."
As luck would have it, I had an extra car seat. My sister, good Samaritan that she was, bought one of the "babies" one. It is too large for my toddler, but the right size for my neighbor's daughter. I loaded them - all seven kids - in the car. Slowly.
Let me tell you, I was the mother of an "only" child for many years until just 2 or 3years ago; so for me, loading 7 kids ages 1-12 was no easy chore! I don't know how my sister does it with 6! I am not cut out.
But somehow we made it to the school in time. Hurray! Colin got to go to the field trip and to sit by his best friend. I got the kids home in time to be picked up by their mom. My daughter got on her own school bus to the elementary School. And I earned my $15 bucks.
And by 9:00 a.m., I needed a nap!
I know it is hard for my neighbor to go back to work. And it is hard for me to stay home, too. Especially when I try to earn money with all of my "side jobs." Either way, a mother's work is never done.
That is all for now. My recessionary tale will continue Friday.
Well, for me, it was back to reality. And back to school for the kids. But today my friends, was no ordinary Monday.
As most of you know, since I left my technology job in September, I have become a "Jen of all Trades." I consign things monthly at a local consignment store; I write freelance articles for the newspaper; and now--I am adding "daycare" to my list.
I have started watching my next door neighbor's 3 kids (ages 2, 4, and 9) from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. three to five times per week, as needed.
My neighbor went back to work as a nurse (night shift) to help support her family. Her husband leaves for work at 7:00 a.m. and she gets home at 8:30 a.m. or so; that's where I fit in. $15 bucks a day is nice money, and I thought the work would be easy. Right?
Wrong!
Last Friday kicked off with my own toddler screeching at my neighbor's 2-year-old because he wasn't used to "sharing" toys; my daughter got up early to "help" with the 4-year-old and 9-year-old boys from next door to race around the basement, throwing around the dirty laundry and jumping on furniture; and when the three kids left at 9:00 a.m. my house looked like a tornado hit it! I found a yogurt melting in the "babies" toy microwave, and I had to spend their nap time recovering the kitchen and basement from a sea of toys.
Today, I vowed, would be different. I told my 6th grade son to watch "Today Show" on the basement TV while he waited for his 7:25 a.m. middle school bus. I had my daughter "sleep in" until 8 a.m. instead of waking up early to "help" me watch the neighbor's 3 kids. And I prayed the "babies" were sleepy enough to sleep in until 8:00 or 8:30 a.m., leaving me with just the neighbor's 3 kids to watch instead of 7.
"The new rule is, we all eat at the table," I said, proud of myself for setting some boundaries for my new little visitors. The 3 sat at the table, quietly eating their Cookie Crisp cereal, and sipping juice. Ahhh...it felt calmer. "I can do this," I thought. "This is much better than Friday."
But what happens after the calm? The storm!
7:30 a.m. and my eldest son's bus had not arrived. Colin, who has Autism, did not like schedules to change without warning or explanation. He lived by his schedules and plans. "But Mom," he said, "What about my field trip? We leave there at 8:15 from the school." Indeed, he was correct. The clock was ticking. 7:40 am and still no school bus.
I called the school and learned his special ed bus had broken down. My son panicked; he had already texted his best friend that morning and asked if he could sit next to her on the field trip bus. I had to get him there, or he would be the only 6th grader to miss the trip.
But the school said they "couldn't guarantee" that his replacement bus would be to our home in time to get him to school for the field trip.
So, I had a problem. A pickle. A lemon. And I made lemonade.
"Get dressed," I said to my sleepy daughter who sat on the stairs wondering why her eldest brother was still home. "Let's wake the babies."
As luck would have it, I had an extra car seat. My sister, good Samaritan that she was, bought one of the "babies" one. It is too large for my toddler, but the right size for my neighbor's daughter. I loaded them - all seven kids - in the car. Slowly.
Let me tell you, I was the mother of an "only" child for many years until just 2 or 3years ago; so for me, loading 7 kids ages 1-12 was no easy chore! I don't know how my sister does it with 6! I am not cut out.
But somehow we made it to the school in time. Hurray! Colin got to go to the field trip and to sit by his best friend. I got the kids home in time to be picked up by their mom. My daughter got on her own school bus to the elementary School. And I earned my $15 bucks.
And by 9:00 a.m., I needed a nap!
I know it is hard for my neighbor to go back to work. And it is hard for me to stay home, too. Especially when I try to earn money with all of my "side jobs." Either way, a mother's work is never done.
That is all for now. My recessionary tale will continue Friday.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The 411 on 7-11
What's up blog followers?
I am behind on my new blogging schedule. I "skipped" Friday and Monday, due to newspaper deadlines.
But I'm back. And I want to give you the "411" on 7-11. For those of you who don't know what that phrase means, I consulted the Urban Dictionary. According to them, "411" is another term used for "information". Here is an example: "Ok Kim Possible, I need the 411 on what information you have discovered on your secret mission so I can analyze it on my supercomputer to help find out who is behind the crime."
Okay so here is the 411...
My sister came to town this past weekend, along with my four nieces, my nephew, and my nephew's girlfriend. They wanted to go see the National Zoo. My sister was excited to show her youngest son, age 3, the animals for FREE.
Me, being a savvy money-conscious person, knew better. Free, eh? NOT!
The entrance to the zoo is free. But that is where it ends. They get you in and BAM, you want a map. $2 for a map? Really? Are you kidding me.
We said no thanks, and just kept walking. So the zoo is hilly, and the three adults were hoofing it, pushing "the babies" in the double stroller and my youngest nephew in a single stroller. Plus we had 6 other kids ages 8to 18. And it was hot out my friends.
In less than 10 minutes, the animals weren't the only hungry ones in the zoo. Our kids were hungry and thirsty.
Luckily, I had packed snacks for the babies: a water bottle, a box of fruit snacks, rice crispy treats, and a bag of cheez-its. I pulled out this stash feeling like a well prepared Mom, when the vultures descended.
My nieces wanted rice crispy treats and fruit snacks. My daughter wanted crackers. My eldest son, who never drinks water - ever - downed my water bottle. The "babies" were lucky to split a pack of fruit snacks and have a few crackers. Poof! All of my food was gone.
So, after saying "Hi" to a zebra, seeing a wolf, and watching a cheetah pace, the kids were all starving. So, we headed to the zoo cafe. This is where they try to "get you" and make up for the fact that you visited the zoo for "free." The cafe wanted $10 for a kids meal! A hot dog, fries, a drink and apple sauce - that probably cost them $3.00 to prepare. If you add that up for my family, it would have cost us $60 bucks for the 6 of us! My sister would have dropped the same amount.
"Let's head back to 7-11," suggested my wise husband. "It's across the entrance from the zoo."
Despite the groans from the hungry and tired kids, we all headed to the welcoming beacon that is 7-11.
Ahh...there we were met with so many good deals. I went healthy and bought a wrap and some yogurt. The "babies" got yogurt, grapes, cookies, and cereal bars. My husband got a BIG GULP, some tasty chicken fingers, potato wedges, chips, and tacquitos (2 for $2.22!) My gluten-free son got a hot dog (no bun), pepperoni, a soda, and some chips, while my eldest daughter found her favorite Italian sub, a soda, and some chips. All this came to less than $30 bucks! We saved half the money we would have spent in the zoo! Plus, we had leftover snacks to use the rest of the day.
7-11 has come a long way. Their sandwiches are actually fresh and good. I had some kind of chicken and cheese wrap. It felt better than fast food, and it hit the spot. If you find yourself out and about and want something to eat but don't want fast food, 7-11 is worth considering. They certainly saved the day--and 30 dollars-- for our family.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue Monday.
I am behind on my new blogging schedule. I "skipped" Friday and Monday, due to newspaper deadlines.
But I'm back. And I want to give you the "411" on 7-11. For those of you who don't know what that phrase means, I consulted the Urban Dictionary. According to them, "411" is another term used for "information". Here is an example: "Ok Kim Possible, I need the 411 on what information you have discovered on your secret mission so I can analyze it on my supercomputer to help find out who is behind the crime."
Okay so here is the 411...
My sister came to town this past weekend, along with my four nieces, my nephew, and my nephew's girlfriend. They wanted to go see the National Zoo. My sister was excited to show her youngest son, age 3, the animals for FREE.
Me, being a savvy money-conscious person, knew better. Free, eh? NOT!
The entrance to the zoo is free. But that is where it ends. They get you in and BAM, you want a map. $2 for a map? Really? Are you kidding me.
We said no thanks, and just kept walking. So the zoo is hilly, and the three adults were hoofing it, pushing "the babies" in the double stroller and my youngest nephew in a single stroller. Plus we had 6 other kids ages 8to 18. And it was hot out my friends.
In less than 10 minutes, the animals weren't the only hungry ones in the zoo. Our kids were hungry and thirsty.
Luckily, I had packed snacks for the babies: a water bottle, a box of fruit snacks, rice crispy treats, and a bag of cheez-its. I pulled out this stash feeling like a well prepared Mom, when the vultures descended.
My nieces wanted rice crispy treats and fruit snacks. My daughter wanted crackers. My eldest son, who never drinks water - ever - downed my water bottle. The "babies" were lucky to split a pack of fruit snacks and have a few crackers. Poof! All of my food was gone.
So, after saying "Hi" to a zebra, seeing a wolf, and watching a cheetah pace, the kids were all starving. So, we headed to the zoo cafe. This is where they try to "get you" and make up for the fact that you visited the zoo for "free." The cafe wanted $10 for a kids meal! A hot dog, fries, a drink and apple sauce - that probably cost them $3.00 to prepare. If you add that up for my family, it would have cost us $60 bucks for the 6 of us! My sister would have dropped the same amount.
"Let's head back to 7-11," suggested my wise husband. "It's across the entrance from the zoo."
Despite the groans from the hungry and tired kids, we all headed to the welcoming beacon that is 7-11.
Ahh...there we were met with so many good deals. I went healthy and bought a wrap and some yogurt. The "babies" got yogurt, grapes, cookies, and cereal bars. My husband got a BIG GULP, some tasty chicken fingers, potato wedges, chips, and tacquitos (2 for $2.22!) My gluten-free son got a hot dog (no bun), pepperoni, a soda, and some chips, while my eldest daughter found her favorite Italian sub, a soda, and some chips. All this came to less than $30 bucks! We saved half the money we would have spent in the zoo! Plus, we had leftover snacks to use the rest of the day.
7-11 has come a long way. Their sandwiches are actually fresh and good. I had some kind of chicken and cheese wrap. It felt better than fast food, and it hit the spot. If you find yourself out and about and want something to eat but don't want fast food, 7-11 is worth considering. They certainly saved the day--and 30 dollars-- for our family.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue Monday.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Hello, Good Luck, and Good Buy
Hello. This has been a week of good luck and good buys.
After I had three articles printed in this week's Gainesville Times newspaper, I immediately started thinking: what next? And, as luck would have it, my editor had 2 new assignments for me. If you add that to the one she is holding (the one I already wrote about Gainesville Middle School) and the other one I am working on (about the movies), that means I'll have a minimum of four more articles coming in the next month. That is good luck, fun to do, and also a little extra money coming in for groceries.
Speaking of groceries, we are trying food from from Angel Food Ministries (http://www.angelfoodministries.org). I had ordered it on the 7th (pay day) and it was delivered yesterday to a local church for pick-up.
I signed in and then these very nice people gave me the following: 2 pounds of ground beef, 3 pounds of steak, 3 pounds of pork chops, vegetables, desert (moon pies :-), 3 pounds of nuggets, 2 pounds sausage, Salisbury steak, pasta, sauce, 2 dozen eggs, 2 pounds rice, 6 pounds of potatoes, 6 pounds of seafood (including shrimp, snow crabs, and stuffed crab), and 5 lbs of gluten-free breaded meat.
How much, you ask? $120. Now that is a good buy. And the shrimp is delicious. I will let you know about the steak tonight. It is enough food to last us at least a few weeks and it cost almost half of what it would in the store. But wait, there is more.
My sister was in town visiting us on the way to Hilton Head. She brought 5 of her kids with her, plus my nephew's girlfriend. I was planning on cooking them my seafood from Angel Food, but my sister and her kids were craving Chick-fil-A. She said she planned on treating us.
I felt bad having her pay for all six of us. However, luck intervened and she only ended up needing to pay for two of our kids' food.
Why?
Because when the nice folks of Angel Food Ministries finished loading up my cart with food, they handed me an envelope full of coupons for Chick-fil-A! I had 4 free meals! What a nice touch. Two Christian organizations like Angel Food and Chick-fil-A working together to help families out.
My husband and I ran into some good buys this week at a very surprising place: The Mall! Yes, I know--it is shocking. Me, who abhors the mall, went there with my husband on a date. He loves to go, so I figured what the heck. So we hit the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax and decided to "window shop." But when we stopped at Champs to look at shoes--good buys surrounded us. First, there was the sweatshirts. Nice sweatshirts with zippers--regularly $30--for five bucks! We bought two, one for my oldest son and one for my husband. Next, there was polo shirts. Regularly $25, on sale for $3.99! We bought 2.
The final good luck I had happened thanks to my husband. Even though we get the Gainesville Times delivered to our house, I wanted more copies. So, he brought me home six more copies of the newspaper so I could have extra articles to save and send to my friends and family. In addition to this being sweet...it also gave me some good deals. Because each paper had a coupon insert! Now, instead of having one coupon for a free, yes free, coffee drink at Dunkin Donuts - I have seven! Coffee anyone?
We that is my week in a nutshell. Hello, good luck, and good buy--or good-bye actually, at least for now. My recessionary tale will continue on Thursday.
After I had three articles printed in this week's Gainesville Times newspaper, I immediately started thinking: what next? And, as luck would have it, my editor had 2 new assignments for me. If you add that to the one she is holding (the one I already wrote about Gainesville Middle School) and the other one I am working on (about the movies), that means I'll have a minimum of four more articles coming in the next month. That is good luck, fun to do, and also a little extra money coming in for groceries.
Speaking of groceries, we are trying food from from Angel Food Ministries (http://www.angelfoodministries.org). I had ordered it on the 7th (pay day) and it was delivered yesterday to a local church for pick-up.
I signed in and then these very nice people gave me the following: 2 pounds of ground beef, 3 pounds of steak, 3 pounds of pork chops, vegetables, desert (moon pies :-), 3 pounds of nuggets, 2 pounds sausage, Salisbury steak, pasta, sauce, 2 dozen eggs, 2 pounds rice, 6 pounds of potatoes, 6 pounds of seafood (including shrimp, snow crabs, and stuffed crab), and 5 lbs of gluten-free breaded meat.
How much, you ask? $120. Now that is a good buy. And the shrimp is delicious. I will let you know about the steak tonight. It is enough food to last us at least a few weeks and it cost almost half of what it would in the store. But wait, there is more.
My sister was in town visiting us on the way to Hilton Head. She brought 5 of her kids with her, plus my nephew's girlfriend. I was planning on cooking them my seafood from Angel Food, but my sister and her kids were craving Chick-fil-A. She said she planned on treating us.
I felt bad having her pay for all six of us. However, luck intervened and she only ended up needing to pay for two of our kids' food.
Why?
Because when the nice folks of Angel Food Ministries finished loading up my cart with food, they handed me an envelope full of coupons for Chick-fil-A! I had 4 free meals! What a nice touch. Two Christian organizations like Angel Food and Chick-fil-A working together to help families out.
My husband and I ran into some good buys this week at a very surprising place: The Mall! Yes, I know--it is shocking. Me, who abhors the mall, went there with my husband on a date. He loves to go, so I figured what the heck. So we hit the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax and decided to "window shop." But when we stopped at Champs to look at shoes--good buys surrounded us. First, there was the sweatshirts. Nice sweatshirts with zippers--regularly $30--for five bucks! We bought two, one for my oldest son and one for my husband. Next, there was polo shirts. Regularly $25, on sale for $3.99! We bought 2.
The final good luck I had happened thanks to my husband. Even though we get the Gainesville Times delivered to our house, I wanted more copies. So, he brought me home six more copies of the newspaper so I could have extra articles to save and send to my friends and family. In addition to this being sweet...it also gave me some good deals. Because each paper had a coupon insert! Now, instead of having one coupon for a free, yes free, coffee drink at Dunkin Donuts - I have seven! Coffee anyone?
We that is my week in a nutshell. Hello, good luck, and good buy--or good-bye actually, at least for now. My recessionary tale will continue on Thursday.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The High Price of Having a Voice
Well loyal followers, I am back. After an unintended 3-week-respite, I am picking up where I left off in my recessionary tale.
So, where was I? Was in hiding for happy reasons, like Conan O'Brien, counting my millions until it was safe to resurface? Was I hiding out licking my wounds like Tiger Woods, waiting to make my big return? Or was I lost, tangled up in the swamp brush, surrounded by hungry alligators, like that poor Autistic girl they found trapped in the woods in Florida this week....(what a miracle that they found her.)
No, no, no. Nothing that dramatic. The first week was spring break. The second week, the "babies" got sick and then so did I. That's when things really took a tumble. And just when I thought I would have time to blog, POOF - I get two huge newspaper article assignments! I could tell you about the spring break adventures or how we avoided going to the doctor for too long when we all got sick...but instead I want to talk about my assignment at the newspaper. For it is a recessionary tale in and of itself.
Even though my Gainesville Middle School piece is done but not published yet, I am still submitting article ideas. So my editor accepted my two latest article ideas: a George Mason University nursing student (and friend) who rescued a lost toddler from Manassas traffic and a profile about the "reverse date night" (movie and then dinner, to save money on the new higher movie costs).
Then, last Thursday my editor surprised me. She assigned me to a medical article--my first real assignment from her! Due of course - this past Monday.
The Haymarket Medical Center closed down unexpectedly in April, here in Gainesville, leaving 5 doctors and 26 other staff suddenly unemployed. No one could get the doctors from the practice to talk to the press. My editor asked me to do it.
So, I spent all of the end of last week and this past weekend trying to reach these people. I googled the doctor's numbers, tried to reach them at home. I Facebooked former staff. I relentlessly bothered the PR person at Prince William Hospital, trying to get her to have the practice staff call me. I interviewed a former patient. I got online and searched the bankruptcies for the entire country, to see if the owner had filed. I even contemplated sending a telegram to the home address of a doc that left the practice earlier this year to take a job in another state, to beg her to give me some quotes. (Too expensive).
Why was I soooo determined to speak to these people? Was it because it was my job? Was it because I was curious? Was it because I was going to get paid a large sum of money?
Ha ha. No. The irony is I am going to paid $100 bucks for the article. That is lower than any tech writing assignment I've ever had. But even more money would be nice right now, that wasn't what was motivating me.
I was restless all weekend thinking about the thousands of former patients. They must have struggles like me and my kids...some jobless, others trying to support families on one income; many living with health conditions or illness; and all of them crushed that their doctor who had seen them through thick and thin over the years was just not there for them anymore.
Why? They wanted to know why. I felt like they needed a voice, my voice. I had to find answers for them, and give them some closure now that their relationship with this kind compassionate family practice was over.
And thinking of those people is what made me, despite my illness, not give up on this story all weekend.
And finally, Monday morning, they spoke to me. The former practice manager called me! Then, one of the former doctors on staff called and spoke to me for one hour! I felt overjoyed! My one article quickly turned into two: a long news article and a Q&A sidebar.
The recession had hit the practice hard. People weren't going to their office as much--to save the cost of co-pays, deductibles, COBRA payments. They had less money coming in. The owner was not a business man and he didn't have the heart to charge his patients if they cancelled an appointment, or send them to collections for non-payment. He was not able to survive these tough recessionary times. Other practices like his are sure to follow.
Take my GP. I finally went to the doctor this week. I had put it off because I was so busy after Easter fighting illness and then doing my articles. When I finally went in yesterday, I had a 101 fever! Bronchitis. And what did I find out?
My doctor is leaving at the end of the month, and some nurses too. Their practice isn't getting enough business--they are forcing her to find a new job. I am crushed! I love her. The worst part is, her husband's business isn't doing well. They are professionals. They have two kids. But now, they feel the fear of worrying about how to provide for their family.
The recession doesn't discriminate. So many are being affected. People need to read about these stories to be informed. To understand. And to know they are not alone.
So, even though I worked hard for little money, the return is very great. This Thursday my articles come out. Thousands of local patients will read details that the other papers couldn't uncover.
Was I underpaid?
Maybe.
But that is the high price of having a voice. And it is one high price I feel good about paying.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow. (I promise.)
So, where was I? Was in hiding for happy reasons, like Conan O'Brien, counting my millions until it was safe to resurface? Was I hiding out licking my wounds like Tiger Woods, waiting to make my big return? Or was I lost, tangled up in the swamp brush, surrounded by hungry alligators, like that poor Autistic girl they found trapped in the woods in Florida this week....(what a miracle that they found her.)
No, no, no. Nothing that dramatic. The first week was spring break. The second week, the "babies" got sick and then so did I. That's when things really took a tumble. And just when I thought I would have time to blog, POOF - I get two huge newspaper article assignments! I could tell you about the spring break adventures or how we avoided going to the doctor for too long when we all got sick...but instead I want to talk about my assignment at the newspaper. For it is a recessionary tale in and of itself.
Even though my Gainesville Middle School piece is done but not published yet, I am still submitting article ideas. So my editor accepted my two latest article ideas: a George Mason University nursing student (and friend) who rescued a lost toddler from Manassas traffic and a profile about the "reverse date night" (movie and then dinner, to save money on the new higher movie costs).
Then, last Thursday my editor surprised me. She assigned me to a medical article--my first real assignment from her! Due of course - this past Monday.
The Haymarket Medical Center closed down unexpectedly in April, here in Gainesville, leaving 5 doctors and 26 other staff suddenly unemployed. No one could get the doctors from the practice to talk to the press. My editor asked me to do it.
So, I spent all of the end of last week and this past weekend trying to reach these people. I googled the doctor's numbers, tried to reach them at home. I Facebooked former staff. I relentlessly bothered the PR person at Prince William Hospital, trying to get her to have the practice staff call me. I interviewed a former patient. I got online and searched the bankruptcies for the entire country, to see if the owner had filed. I even contemplated sending a telegram to the home address of a doc that left the practice earlier this year to take a job in another state, to beg her to give me some quotes. (Too expensive).
Why was I soooo determined to speak to these people? Was it because it was my job? Was it because I was curious? Was it because I was going to get paid a large sum of money?
Ha ha. No. The irony is I am going to paid $100 bucks for the article. That is lower than any tech writing assignment I've ever had. But even more money would be nice right now, that wasn't what was motivating me.
I was restless all weekend thinking about the thousands of former patients. They must have struggles like me and my kids...some jobless, others trying to support families on one income; many living with health conditions or illness; and all of them crushed that their doctor who had seen them through thick and thin over the years was just not there for them anymore.
Why? They wanted to know why. I felt like they needed a voice, my voice. I had to find answers for them, and give them some closure now that their relationship with this kind compassionate family practice was over.
And thinking of those people is what made me, despite my illness, not give up on this story all weekend.
And finally, Monday morning, they spoke to me. The former practice manager called me! Then, one of the former doctors on staff called and spoke to me for one hour! I felt overjoyed! My one article quickly turned into two: a long news article and a Q&A sidebar.
The recession had hit the practice hard. People weren't going to their office as much--to save the cost of co-pays, deductibles, COBRA payments. They had less money coming in. The owner was not a business man and he didn't have the heart to charge his patients if they cancelled an appointment, or send them to collections for non-payment. He was not able to survive these tough recessionary times. Other practices like his are sure to follow.
Take my GP. I finally went to the doctor this week. I had put it off because I was so busy after Easter fighting illness and then doing my articles. When I finally went in yesterday, I had a 101 fever! Bronchitis. And what did I find out?
My doctor is leaving at the end of the month, and some nurses too. Their practice isn't getting enough business--they are forcing her to find a new job. I am crushed! I love her. The worst part is, her husband's business isn't doing well. They are professionals. They have two kids. But now, they feel the fear of worrying about how to provide for their family.
The recession doesn't discriminate. So many are being affected. People need to read about these stories to be informed. To understand. And to know they are not alone.
So, even though I worked hard for little money, the return is very great. This Thursday my articles come out. Thousands of local patients will read details that the other papers couldn't uncover.
Was I underpaid?
Maybe.
But that is the high price of having a voice. And it is one high price I feel good about paying.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow. (I promise.)
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tales of The Easter Bonus
Alright boys and girls, are you ready for story? How about the, "Tales of the Easter Bonus?"
Yes, the bonus was not just a myth, a promise, a fantasy. It is the real deal. So, that is why I have taken a two-day hiatus from blogging. I have been helping to decipher a real problem: how to spend the Easter bonus.
I know you are thinking, "Hmm...this appears to be a no-brainer. You have struggled with money for months. Spending should not be hard, right?"
Wrong. Think about it. Bills have piled up. Repairs. Dreams. There was a long list of things that we had to prioritize.
And so that is just what we did. Our list had a lot of not-so-fun items on it. "Get both cars inspected." Yuck. How much fun is that? Especially when we know one of the cars will need an expensive break job to pass inspection. Oh, and there were other fun ones. "Pay last years car tax on both cars. And 2008's car tax on both cars." That is one we've put off for...well, quite some time!
There were of course some fun ones that were necessary too. For example, it is spring and time to do clothes shopping for our kids. My eldest son has already out-grown his sneakers that I bought him at the beginning of sixth grade. He was wearing the ones I bought him at Wal-mart, and I noticed this morning that they had a hole in them. So, I took him to Ross after school. This time I spent more money on his shoes, a whole $25, on nice leather sneakers. They would have cost me double that in the department stores though. Hopefully, they will last him longer.
The "babies" are in need of some warm-weather clothes too. My 14-month-old needs some shorts and t-shirts and I need some post-pregnancy spring clothes too. So, my daughter and I are heading off to the local school this Saturday morning to see what bargains we can discover together. They are having a consignment sale at 7:30 a.m. at Buckland Mills. They have it two times a year. In the fall, we found clothing for like $2-5 dollars per item! Some things were like new and others had the orginial store tags on them. They have household goods, shoes, and toys too. We can't wait to go. If it hadn't been for the Easter bonus, we wouldn't have even been able to afford to go this spring. I would have been devastated.
The funny part is, even though we have the money sitting there in the bank, it is hard for us to spend it. Except on the bills and groceries. When we try to do the frivolous things we used to do when we were a two-income family--like go out to dinner--it just feels wrong.
For example, we took the kids to Chili's Tuesday and then to Coldstone after. The dinner cost us what we usually spend now in one week's groceries! My husband and I just looked at each other, the bill, and shook our heads. And Coldstone, my god. I saved the receipt so I can remember our error in judgement forever. I remember a few weeks back I took my son to Coldstone with a coupon, and I only spent $3.35 for two kids ice creams. We both had a grand time. Well this time, it cost a lot to feed all six of us ice cream. We had no coupons and it was the price of two weeks of our daughter's school lunches! "Enjoy," we told the kids. "We are only doing this one time."
The worst part is, after spending all that money on a "special treat" for the kids (and a "break" from cooking for me), my husband got sick. Not just "sick" over the fact that we spent too much of the Easter bonus. But physically ill! He had tummy troubles so badly all night and morning that he had to come home early from work! "Humph!" I said to him. "This never happens when we eat at home! When I cooked you the free shrimp last week or the homemade lasagna, you slept like a baby." He nodded his head. We both agreed, while eating at home involves more planning and cleaning, it is cheaper and tastier and safer!
I understand now why people were changed after living through the Great Depression of the 1930s. For we have been changed now too. We are more practical now. We are less wasteful. And we are still keeping our eyes out for a good deal.
This weekend, my husband and I will go out on a date. We haven't had a night out away from the kids since my birthday, December 11th, 2009. We debated over where to eat and what movie to see. In the past, we would have eaten wherever we fancied and seen a late movie, ordering expensive snacks.
This time, we are going to a matinee. After, we are going to a nice Italian restaurant that we ate at on my birthday. We have a 20% off coupon. And I am going to bring $1.00 candy in my purse from Dollar Tree and drinks to eat at the movies. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my husband's stomach fares better at the nicer restaurant than he did at Chili's...and that we both feel better saving money using our cost-cutting techniques on our big night out. :-)
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Yes, the bonus was not just a myth, a promise, a fantasy. It is the real deal. So, that is why I have taken a two-day hiatus from blogging. I have been helping to decipher a real problem: how to spend the Easter bonus.
I know you are thinking, "Hmm...this appears to be a no-brainer. You have struggled with money for months. Spending should not be hard, right?"
Wrong. Think about it. Bills have piled up. Repairs. Dreams. There was a long list of things that we had to prioritize.
And so that is just what we did. Our list had a lot of not-so-fun items on it. "Get both cars inspected." Yuck. How much fun is that? Especially when we know one of the cars will need an expensive break job to pass inspection. Oh, and there were other fun ones. "Pay last years car tax on both cars. And 2008's car tax on both cars." That is one we've put off for...well, quite some time!
There were of course some fun ones that were necessary too. For example, it is spring and time to do clothes shopping for our kids. My eldest son has already out-grown his sneakers that I bought him at the beginning of sixth grade. He was wearing the ones I bought him at Wal-mart, and I noticed this morning that they had a hole in them. So, I took him to Ross after school. This time I spent more money on his shoes, a whole $25, on nice leather sneakers. They would have cost me double that in the department stores though. Hopefully, they will last him longer.
The "babies" are in need of some warm-weather clothes too. My 14-month-old needs some shorts and t-shirts and I need some post-pregnancy spring clothes too. So, my daughter and I are heading off to the local school this Saturday morning to see what bargains we can discover together. They are having a consignment sale at 7:30 a.m. at Buckland Mills. They have it two times a year. In the fall, we found clothing for like $2-5 dollars per item! Some things were like new and others had the orginial store tags on them. They have household goods, shoes, and toys too. We can't wait to go. If it hadn't been for the Easter bonus, we wouldn't have even been able to afford to go this spring. I would have been devastated.
The funny part is, even though we have the money sitting there in the bank, it is hard for us to spend it. Except on the bills and groceries. When we try to do the frivolous things we used to do when we were a two-income family--like go out to dinner--it just feels wrong.
For example, we took the kids to Chili's Tuesday and then to Coldstone after. The dinner cost us what we usually spend now in one week's groceries! My husband and I just looked at each other, the bill, and shook our heads. And Coldstone, my god. I saved the receipt so I can remember our error in judgement forever. I remember a few weeks back I took my son to Coldstone with a coupon, and I only spent $3.35 for two kids ice creams. We both had a grand time. Well this time, it cost a lot to feed all six of us ice cream. We had no coupons and it was the price of two weeks of our daughter's school lunches! "Enjoy," we told the kids. "We are only doing this one time."
The worst part is, after spending all that money on a "special treat" for the kids (and a "break" from cooking for me), my husband got sick. Not just "sick" over the fact that we spent too much of the Easter bonus. But physically ill! He had tummy troubles so badly all night and morning that he had to come home early from work! "Humph!" I said to him. "This never happens when we eat at home! When I cooked you the free shrimp last week or the homemade lasagna, you slept like a baby." He nodded his head. We both agreed, while eating at home involves more planning and cleaning, it is cheaper and tastier and safer!
I understand now why people were changed after living through the Great Depression of the 1930s. For we have been changed now too. We are more practical now. We are less wasteful. And we are still keeping our eyes out for a good deal.
This weekend, my husband and I will go out on a date. We haven't had a night out away from the kids since my birthday, December 11th, 2009. We debated over where to eat and what movie to see. In the past, we would have eaten wherever we fancied and seen a late movie, ordering expensive snacks.
This time, we are going to a matinee. After, we are going to a nice Italian restaurant that we ate at on my birthday. We have a 20% off coupon. And I am going to bring $1.00 candy in my purse from Dollar Tree and drinks to eat at the movies. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my husband's stomach fares better at the nicer restaurant than he did at Chili's...and that we both feel better saving money using our cost-cutting techniques on our big night out. :-)
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Top Ten Things You Can Buy For Three Bucks
Welcome to Spring! It is pouring rain here in Northern Virginia. Someone wrote in Facebook that we will need to build an ark. Feels that way. March showers will bring April flowers, or something like that.
Three is the number on my mind. I went to three grocery stores yesterday. The tri-fecta: Bloom, Giant, and Wegmens. And the number that kept coming up: 3 dollars. So, today I will write a top 10 list for you. All about the wondrous things you too can purchase with the three dollars you have stuffed in your pocket right now, just itching to be spent.
Top Ten Things You Can Buy For Three Bucks
10. Two dozen eggs at Wegmens, store brand ($1.49 per dozen)
9. 8 bagels at Bloom, store brand (1.49 per bag, 4 bagels per bag) They are tasty. I tried them already.
8. 3 cans of corn beef hash at Giant (if you have the $1.50 off coupon I had. If not, 2 cans of corn beef hash. They are 2 cans for $3.00).
7. 3 jars of Wegmen's brand spaghetti sauce
6. 3 2-liter bottles of Coke at Wegmen's
5. 6 cans of Tuna at Bloom, store brand (each can is 2 for a $1.00)
4. 3 items at the McDonald's dollar menu - like some tastey small fries, a McDouble, and a hot fudge sundae. Which would fill my son up but not my husband. He requires four items...
3. 1 package of Sunkist strawberry fruit snacks(10 pack) for 2.99 at Giant
2. 3 loaves of sandwich bread at Giant, store brand
1. 1 loaf of the most delicious bread on the face of the earth: Wegmen's Parmesan Peppercorn Baguette for $3 bucks
I must admit, I sinned on Sunday. Me, the queen of good deals, I came home with item 1. on the list above. Yes, I bought $3 fresh baked bread from Wegmens! I couldn't help it. It just smelled so darn good. I know I could have bought 3 loaves of Giant bread instead. But we already had Target bread at home in the freezer (this is my rationalization voice speaking). I know we didn't need it, but I felt we deserved a special treat (translation=I had to have me some yummy bread!)
It got worse. I went home to make lasagna, and the bread, was sitting there on the counter. I thought, "Hmmm...I should really save it for dinner. It would go nice with the lasagna." But then, it just looked so good. Then, I thought, "What would it hurt to have just a bite? You know, to try it out?"
So, I opened the package. It was all downhill after that.
The "babies" must have like bread radar or have like special noses like dogs do. Because they made a beeline to me in the kitchen. They had their first sample of the bread with me. And my God, what an experience. It melted in our mouths. The three of us looked at each other, speechless, and licked crumbs off of our fingers. They followed me straight to the couch and we made short order of half, yes half, of that baguette!
Sadly, my husband only received a small piece of the coveted special treat with his lasagna. Sometimes hunger leads to selfishness. I am human. The "babies" and I got carried away.
So, what will I be doing with the next $3 I have in my pocket?
You guessed it? Going to Wegmens. Life is short. He works hard and we all deserve some nice bread now and then.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Three is the number on my mind. I went to three grocery stores yesterday. The tri-fecta: Bloom, Giant, and Wegmens. And the number that kept coming up: 3 dollars. So, today I will write a top 10 list for you. All about the wondrous things you too can purchase with the three dollars you have stuffed in your pocket right now, just itching to be spent.
Top Ten Things You Can Buy For Three Bucks
10. Two dozen eggs at Wegmens, store brand ($1.49 per dozen)
9. 8 bagels at Bloom, store brand (1.49 per bag, 4 bagels per bag) They are tasty. I tried them already.
8. 3 cans of corn beef hash at Giant (if you have the $1.50 off coupon I had. If not, 2 cans of corn beef hash. They are 2 cans for $3.00).
7. 3 jars of Wegmen's brand spaghetti sauce
6. 3 2-liter bottles of Coke at Wegmen's
5. 6 cans of Tuna at Bloom, store brand (each can is 2 for a $1.00)
4. 3 items at the McDonald's dollar menu - like some tastey small fries, a McDouble, and a hot fudge sundae. Which would fill my son up but not my husband. He requires four items...
3. 1 package of Sunkist strawberry fruit snacks(10 pack) for 2.99 at Giant
2. 3 loaves of sandwich bread at Giant, store brand
1. 1 loaf of the most delicious bread on the face of the earth: Wegmen's Parmesan Peppercorn Baguette for $3 bucks
I must admit, I sinned on Sunday. Me, the queen of good deals, I came home with item 1. on the list above. Yes, I bought $3 fresh baked bread from Wegmens! I couldn't help it. It just smelled so darn good. I know I could have bought 3 loaves of Giant bread instead. But we already had Target bread at home in the freezer (this is my rationalization voice speaking). I know we didn't need it, but I felt we deserved a special treat (translation=I had to have me some yummy bread!)
It got worse. I went home to make lasagna, and the bread, was sitting there on the counter. I thought, "Hmmm...I should really save it for dinner. It would go nice with the lasagna." But then, it just looked so good. Then, I thought, "What would it hurt to have just a bite? You know, to try it out?"
So, I opened the package. It was all downhill after that.
The "babies" must have like bread radar or have like special noses like dogs do. Because they made a beeline to me in the kitchen. They had their first sample of the bread with me. And my God, what an experience. It melted in our mouths. The three of us looked at each other, speechless, and licked crumbs off of our fingers. They followed me straight to the couch and we made short order of half, yes half, of that baguette!
Sadly, my husband only received a small piece of the coveted special treat with his lasagna. Sometimes hunger leads to selfishness. I am human. The "babies" and I got carried away.
So, what will I be doing with the next $3 I have in my pocket?
You guessed it? Going to Wegmens. Life is short. He works hard and we all deserve some nice bread now and then.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Fifty Bucks: Nothing to Sneeze At
Well dear readers, I took the day off from blogging yesterday. Instead of writing my blog for you, for free...I went and interviewed the principal of a local middle school. My son's middle school to be exact! She was very interesting and after I whip up a nice feature article, the local paper has promised to pay me fifty dollars. That my friends, is nothing to sneeze at. That will be some nice money to add to our month's grocery food fund.
I used to be a real journalist back in the good old days. Okay, not that* long ago. I was a daily reporter for the Arlington Journal in the late 90s. I covered courts, cops, and education. Prior to that, I was a magazine writer for a non-profit magazine and in college I worked for Gannet News Service as political reporter. So, now after years of working as a technical writer, I am figuring out if I still remember how to get not only the meat at the grocery store--but the meat of a nice, juicy story. I will let you know Monday after I finish sinking my teeth into this Principal piece.
Speaking of sinking my teeth into things, I had lunch out today. Guess how much I spent? Well, I will give you a few clues. I only brought $5 dollars and some change with me to Chick-fil-A, and I came home with four bucks. But I ate hearty.
Now, please stop groaning. I know you all think I eat there too much. But can you blame me? Come on people. The coffee--it is free! And the staff there, they come to your table and re-fill it and bring you little mints too. But I digress.
The cost. First let me tell you what I ate. I ate a chicken sandwich, an order of waffle fries and a coffee. I brought my free Wal-mart water (I will tell you about that later). The cost? $1.55!
How did I do it?
Saving my receipts. Each time you go to Chick-fil-A they give you a receipt. Save the receipt! At the bottom, and at the bottom of a lot of receipts at fast food restaurants, there is a number and web site that you can go to and do a survey. It takes about 10 minutes or less to do the survey. If you do it, you get a code to write down. The code is good for 1 free sandwich, no purchase necessary. So, I used my receipt and code for 1 free sandwich, got my free coffee, brought my own spring water, and bought 1 order of fries for $1.55. And what did I do with my new receipt? I saved it of course! For my next lunch with my friend Pam at Chick-fil-A. Times are tough, dear readers.
Speaking of tough times, I was thrilled at Wal-mart yesterday. I was there after my interview with the principal. My husband had to pick something up, so the "babies" and me went along for fun. Well, it is a darn good thing we did. They were kicking off the grilling season by grilling hot dogs and giving them away! We had free hot dogs, free bottled water, and free cake. The "babies" went wild when they saw the cake. Keep your eye out for give-aways like that and for openings of new stores. There is a Maggie Moos opening up at the end of March in the Harris Teeter plaza on Rt. 29 in Gainesville and I am hoping they will have giveaways. There is also a Dunkin Donuts opening up in the Wegmens plaza; I will keep you posted. We went to an opening of a 7-11 once a few months back and walked away with free sandwiches and brownies to last us a whole weekend.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue again tomorrow.
I used to be a real journalist back in the good old days. Okay, not that* long ago. I was a daily reporter for the Arlington Journal in the late 90s. I covered courts, cops, and education. Prior to that, I was a magazine writer for a non-profit magazine and in college I worked for Gannet News Service as political reporter. So, now after years of working as a technical writer, I am figuring out if I still remember how to get not only the meat at the grocery store--but the meat of a nice, juicy story. I will let you know Monday after I finish sinking my teeth into this Principal piece.
Speaking of sinking my teeth into things, I had lunch out today. Guess how much I spent? Well, I will give you a few clues. I only brought $5 dollars and some change with me to Chick-fil-A, and I came home with four bucks. But I ate hearty.
Now, please stop groaning. I know you all think I eat there too much. But can you blame me? Come on people. The coffee--it is free! And the staff there, they come to your table and re-fill it and bring you little mints too. But I digress.
The cost. First let me tell you what I ate. I ate a chicken sandwich, an order of waffle fries and a coffee. I brought my free Wal-mart water (I will tell you about that later). The cost? $1.55!
How did I do it?
Saving my receipts. Each time you go to Chick-fil-A they give you a receipt. Save the receipt! At the bottom, and at the bottom of a lot of receipts at fast food restaurants, there is a number and web site that you can go to and do a survey. It takes about 10 minutes or less to do the survey. If you do it, you get a code to write down. The code is good for 1 free sandwich, no purchase necessary. So, I used my receipt and code for 1 free sandwich, got my free coffee, brought my own spring water, and bought 1 order of fries for $1.55. And what did I do with my new receipt? I saved it of course! For my next lunch with my friend Pam at Chick-fil-A. Times are tough, dear readers.
Speaking of tough times, I was thrilled at Wal-mart yesterday. I was there after my interview with the principal. My husband had to pick something up, so the "babies" and me went along for fun. Well, it is a darn good thing we did. They were kicking off the grilling season by grilling hot dogs and giving them away! We had free hot dogs, free bottled water, and free cake. The "babies" went wild when they saw the cake. Keep your eye out for give-aways like that and for openings of new stores. There is a Maggie Moos opening up at the end of March in the Harris Teeter plaza on Rt. 29 in Gainesville and I am hoping they will have giveaways. There is also a Dunkin Donuts opening up in the Wegmens plaza; I will keep you posted. We went to an opening of a 7-11 once a few months back and walked away with free sandwiches and brownies to last us a whole weekend.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue again tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A St. Patty's Day Special: The Potato Diaries
A top of the afternoon to you readers! Happy St. Patrick's Day to you, one and all! I come from a long line of strong, Irish, women. So, I am going to do my Irish heritage proud, and whip up something Irish for you today: potatoes.
Potatoes are serious business not just in Ireland, but right here in my very own household.
My husband craves them. My son, whose Irish name is so Irish he may one day wake up with green skin and shamrock eyes, dreams about them. My daughter begs for them. And the "babies" see them (mashed, fried, or otherwise) and squeal with delight, "Tattos!" "French fries!" "Mine!"
Although all potatoes are coveted in our home, I have recently solved a long-standing mashed potato dilemma. I'd like to share my journey with you. The journey began when I met my husband and we fell in love.
When I met my husband, I quickly learned that he had one love that was even greater than his love for me: his love of mashed potatoes with butter.
While romancing me, he would take me to various restaurants. And while we were out holding hands, he was most ardent in his compliments of me. He would sit there eagerly awaiting the arrival of my smiles, the bread baskets, and....the waitress as she delivered him a steaming plate of piping hot mashed potatoes. Ah yes, he was very passionate in his pursuit both of me, and the potato. He would say no to the side of veggie, and yes to a double (YES DOUBLE) side of mashed potatoes.
So, me, who had in former relationships allowed the men to do the cooking, I dusted off my dishes and my cookware. I cleaned the cobwebs off the kitchen and started cutting potatoes. I cut many a potato for my man. With peels on, with them off. Adding milk, butter, sometimes garlic, sometimes without. In times of stress, I would buy flakes. As we added to our family and one by one the "babies" joined us, I bought the frozen potatoes. That way, I could steamed them in the convenient microwave bag and mash them in a jiffy.
But, sadly, there was something missing. The cheap flakes tasted - cheap. The homemade way, took too long. All that peeling, for a family of 6. And each person likes theirs slightly different. My son, likes his with more spice. My daughter with less spice. My husband with more butter. The "babies," they liked them plain. The list goes on.
Then, I realized something that I had forgotten in the pursuit of a good buy. That despite my need to save money during tough times in this recession, my family still held precious memories associated with their mashed potatoes. Memories that had no price tag.
My eldest son likes the mashed potatoes that his father, my ex-husband, feeds him when they go to eat at Bob Evans just the two of them. My daughter, remembers when she was little and living just her and her dad. She remembers how he would microwave the Country Crock mashed potatoes you buy pre-made. To my kids, and my husband, it is more than just the taste of the potatoes, it is the memories, the love, that adds to the flavor.
So, I made a pork roast last night. It cost $9.99. I bought two containers of mashed potatoes: Bob Evans ($3.59) and Country Crock ($3.79). The whole meal: about $18.00 or $3 per person. Plus, I had some rolls that I got free with a coupon I had (for buying some pot roast).
But the look on everyones' face at dinner last night: priceless. Everyone was happy with the mashed potatoes. I may not be able to make them exactly like Bob Evans or Country Crock, and maybe they cost a little more than homemade. However, we saved money eating at home. And I solved the mashed potato problem by giving them what they craved most: the potatoes their hearts had been craving.
What are you craving this St. Patty's Day?
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Potatoes are serious business not just in Ireland, but right here in my very own household.
My husband craves them. My son, whose Irish name is so Irish he may one day wake up with green skin and shamrock eyes, dreams about them. My daughter begs for them. And the "babies" see them (mashed, fried, or otherwise) and squeal with delight, "Tattos!" "French fries!" "Mine!"
Although all potatoes are coveted in our home, I have recently solved a long-standing mashed potato dilemma. I'd like to share my journey with you. The journey began when I met my husband and we fell in love.
When I met my husband, I quickly learned that he had one love that was even greater than his love for me: his love of mashed potatoes with butter.
While romancing me, he would take me to various restaurants. And while we were out holding hands, he was most ardent in his compliments of me. He would sit there eagerly awaiting the arrival of my smiles, the bread baskets, and....the waitress as she delivered him a steaming plate of piping hot mashed potatoes. Ah yes, he was very passionate in his pursuit both of me, and the potato. He would say no to the side of veggie, and yes to a double (YES DOUBLE) side of mashed potatoes.
So, me, who had in former relationships allowed the men to do the cooking, I dusted off my dishes and my cookware. I cleaned the cobwebs off the kitchen and started cutting potatoes. I cut many a potato for my man. With peels on, with them off. Adding milk, butter, sometimes garlic, sometimes without. In times of stress, I would buy flakes. As we added to our family and one by one the "babies" joined us, I bought the frozen potatoes. That way, I could steamed them in the convenient microwave bag and mash them in a jiffy.
But, sadly, there was something missing. The cheap flakes tasted - cheap. The homemade way, took too long. All that peeling, for a family of 6. And each person likes theirs slightly different. My son, likes his with more spice. My daughter with less spice. My husband with more butter. The "babies," they liked them plain. The list goes on.
Then, I realized something that I had forgotten in the pursuit of a good buy. That despite my need to save money during tough times in this recession, my family still held precious memories associated with their mashed potatoes. Memories that had no price tag.
My eldest son likes the mashed potatoes that his father, my ex-husband, feeds him when they go to eat at Bob Evans just the two of them. My daughter, remembers when she was little and living just her and her dad. She remembers how he would microwave the Country Crock mashed potatoes you buy pre-made. To my kids, and my husband, it is more than just the taste of the potatoes, it is the memories, the love, that adds to the flavor.
So, I made a pork roast last night. It cost $9.99. I bought two containers of mashed potatoes: Bob Evans ($3.59) and Country Crock ($3.79). The whole meal: about $18.00 or $3 per person. Plus, I had some rolls that I got free with a coupon I had (for buying some pot roast).
But the look on everyones' face at dinner last night: priceless. Everyone was happy with the mashed potatoes. I may not be able to make them exactly like Bob Evans or Country Crock, and maybe they cost a little more than homemade. However, we saved money eating at home. And I solved the mashed potato problem by giving them what they craved most: the potatoes their hearts had been craving.
What are you craving this St. Patty's Day?
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Visions of Shopping Dancing In My Head
I couldn't sleep last night, so I lay there and decided to take a trip instead. A visual journey if you will...back to the one place I spent the more time at during childhood than my own home: the Oakdale Mall.
Ahh...I felt as if I re-visited it last night, the Oakdale Mall, in Johnson City, New York in all it's former 1980s glory: the dark-brown tile floors; the big Sears store anchoring one end where we'd always park the family Ford Sable and head inside, purses clutched tightly, ready for action; the Limited store on the right, boasting new "Forenza" t-shirts; the hot pretzel and lemonade stand in the middle, tempting me with its delightful smells; the Bon Ton store at the half-way point, awaiting my mom and I with its sales racks and our friend Jo the sales lady who knew my sister and would stop and chat with us. Then, past the Bon-Ton, I would pass the 5-7-9 store on my right, the only store I couldn't go in unless they could sew together two items making say a size 12 or larger for me to fit into...and then finally the good old Montgomery Ward store at the other end of the mall, where I used to go visit my sister as a child. That's where she worked when I was little, where she bought me my first Cabbage Patch doll, where she used to work at the snack station, and where I proudly went around saying, "I am Allison's little sister. She works here you know."
I adored going to the mall. My mom, big sister, and me...I guess we weren't a family who hiked, or did charity work together, or who went touring the country singing like the Patridge Family, oh no...but we did shop together. Sometimes I think we are not just a country divided down political lines--I think we are a country divided by money types: the spenders and savers. And we were definitely the spenders.
We would take our part-time, full-time, baby-sitting, birthday money, pocket-money, you-name-it-money to the mall and spend. Long before I sat here today blogging about coupons and deals and scouting for the best grocceries in town, we were out on the prowl like tigers on the African Serengenti stealthily moving in on our prey: the best deals in town. We wanted the 2-for-1 sales, the clearance racks, the double-coupons.
The irony is, even though I am still "on the hunt" for good deals, I have changed. I only hunt for cheap food. When it comes to clothes, I prefer to hunt at second-hand stores, Ross, or TJMaxx. I find malls too big, too bright, and too loud. And most importantly, too expensive. I just can't swallow paying clearance prices there when I know I can get things cheaper at the second-hand stores, yard sales, or the bargain basement stores. My sister and mom still go to malls, and my husband--he is still a lover of malls.
In fact, one of our earliest dates--date 3 or 4--I made the great sacrifice for him. I took him to a mall in Virginia Beach area to see his favorite football player. I figured we'd drive there, see Joe Theisman, eat, and leave. No big deal, right? I hadn't gone to a mall for a long time, aside from the occasional trip to see the Easter bunny or the times I had gone to Boston to see my sister. But when we go to the mall, we saw Joe, and then, my husband-to-be suggested that we, "look around." I indulged him. Hours later, I left, with expensive shoes I didn't need, and a T-shirt that cost too much. :-) But we had a great time.
I think somehow along the years, I have undergone a change. I am slowly becomming a saver. I want to save money. I don't want to collect things anymore. I actually own less clothes than when I was younger. I only want to own just what I need to be comfortable and the rest for the kids to be comfortable. The memories of the malls seem funny to me now. I grew up inside in a mall, but I may grow old outside in the sun.
So, what are you? A spender or a saver? Or a little of both?
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Ahh...I felt as if I re-visited it last night, the Oakdale Mall, in Johnson City, New York in all it's former 1980s glory: the dark-brown tile floors; the big Sears store anchoring one end where we'd always park the family Ford Sable and head inside, purses clutched tightly, ready for action; the Limited store on the right, boasting new "Forenza" t-shirts; the hot pretzel and lemonade stand in the middle, tempting me with its delightful smells; the Bon Ton store at the half-way point, awaiting my mom and I with its sales racks and our friend Jo the sales lady who knew my sister and would stop and chat with us. Then, past the Bon-Ton, I would pass the 5-7-9 store on my right, the only store I couldn't go in unless they could sew together two items making say a size 12 or larger for me to fit into...and then finally the good old Montgomery Ward store at the other end of the mall, where I used to go visit my sister as a child. That's where she worked when I was little, where she bought me my first Cabbage Patch doll, where she used to work at the snack station, and where I proudly went around saying, "I am Allison's little sister. She works here you know."
I adored going to the mall. My mom, big sister, and me...I guess we weren't a family who hiked, or did charity work together, or who went touring the country singing like the Patridge Family, oh no...but we did shop together. Sometimes I think we are not just a country divided down political lines--I think we are a country divided by money types: the spenders and savers. And we were definitely the spenders.
We would take our part-time, full-time, baby-sitting, birthday money, pocket-money, you-name-it-money to the mall and spend. Long before I sat here today blogging about coupons and deals and scouting for the best grocceries in town, we were out on the prowl like tigers on the African Serengenti stealthily moving in on our prey: the best deals in town. We wanted the 2-for-1 sales, the clearance racks, the double-coupons.
The irony is, even though I am still "on the hunt" for good deals, I have changed. I only hunt for cheap food. When it comes to clothes, I prefer to hunt at second-hand stores, Ross, or TJMaxx. I find malls too big, too bright, and too loud. And most importantly, too expensive. I just can't swallow paying clearance prices there when I know I can get things cheaper at the second-hand stores, yard sales, or the bargain basement stores. My sister and mom still go to malls, and my husband--he is still a lover of malls.
In fact, one of our earliest dates--date 3 or 4--I made the great sacrifice for him. I took him to a mall in Virginia Beach area to see his favorite football player. I figured we'd drive there, see Joe Theisman, eat, and leave. No big deal, right? I hadn't gone to a mall for a long time, aside from the occasional trip to see the Easter bunny or the times I had gone to Boston to see my sister. But when we go to the mall, we saw Joe, and then, my husband-to-be suggested that we, "look around." I indulged him. Hours later, I left, with expensive shoes I didn't need, and a T-shirt that cost too much. :-) But we had a great time.
I think somehow along the years, I have undergone a change. I am slowly becomming a saver. I want to save money. I don't want to collect things anymore. I actually own less clothes than when I was younger. I only want to own just what I need to be comfortable and the rest for the kids to be comfortable. The memories of the malls seem funny to me now. I grew up inside in a mall, but I may grow old outside in the sun.
So, what are you? A spender or a saver? Or a little of both?
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Grandma: Now I Understand
I think I heard my Grandma Kinsman's voice the other day. She passed away years ago mind you. And it wasn't some big, emotional, "I miss you Jenny," or other such nonsense. That wouldn't be like her anyways. No, it was much more practical.
I was walking the "babies" in the double-stroller down the busy two-lane road in Haymarket. We were heading to Bloom; I had my coupons and purse stowed away beneath their little feet, and a long strip of Ritz crackers on top of the stroller. Well, I hit a bump and the crackers went flying. And that's when I heard her voice.
"That's over .60 cents of good crackers laying there. Pick them up fast." So, I did. She was right. I had bought the Ritz on sale at Giant for $2.50 if there are 4 rows of crackers inside that is like about 62 cents per strip. Not worth leaving on the street.
It is funny how my perspective has changed in this economy. In the past, I don't think dropping crackers would have made my heart jump. But now, to me it is tantamount to throwing hard-earned money away on the ground. Why would I do that?
I didn't always think like this. But my grandma did.
When I was much younger, say 9 or 10, I thought my grandma was great but a little screwy when it came to money. I would go to her house and sit at her teal-green Formica kitchen table. I would sip a cold diet-coke through a straw, perched at her l-shaped booth in her spotless clean kitchen and munch on Wise potato chips while she made her grocery list and cut her coupons. She was so meticulous about it. I'd watch Grandma Kinsman slowly write each item: Very-thin bread with coupon at Giant; two bags of goldfish on sale; one new bag of Wise potato chips on sale with coupon.
It didn't just stop with the coupons. She did this soap thing too. She would use regular bar soap; none of this push soap of modern days. Oh no, regular bar soap. And when you got the bars down to the sliver, she would collect them and put them in these little pink gauze bags and tie them up and use them in the shower like the loofahs we buy now, only with soap already inside them. She wasn't a wasteful one my grandma.
She was generous too, but not wasteful. She would take me to Long John Silver's, with coupons. Or treat us to a nice Sunday night steak dinner. Grandma even helped us take nice family vacations and helped me afford my studies in Oxford, England for six months. She could afford to do things like that. Why? Probably because she had lived so carefully and frugally that she had saved so much up over the years. The Depression had taught her well.
But back then, all I thought was, "What is wrong with this woman? The Depression is OVER! Doesn't she know that?"
Now, I look back and realize, wow--what a smart woman she was. She knew how to stretch a dollar! She knew how to make things last. There was a method to Grandma Kinsman's madness, and I should have been taking notes not making jokes.
I mentioned this to my sister the other day. I told her how smart my Grandma was about saving money.
"Of course she was," she snapped at me in the tone that only big sisters can perfect over time with years of practice. "How do you think I learned how to be this way?"
Well, now I was beginning to understand. My sister was older and had listened to my Grandma more than I did. So, now I could learn both from my memories of Grandma, and from her. Nice how that works. Come to think of it, I used to pick on my sister for being frugal too. Ironic, especially since for the millionth time last night my husband stared in wonder at our spotless glasses--and said, "I can't believe how clean they are." I smiled. "Yes, dear. And all for a dollar." Thanks big sister. We wouldn't have done it without your advice or our trip to the Dollar Tree.
Well, now my daughter Lanae is now part of Grandma Kinsman's legacy. In a weak moment, and I mean WEAK, I agreed to McDonald's this weekend. It was raining and I knew there was no bread left for sandwiches and everyone was hungry after coming home from church. So, I said, do what you will. And my daughter, after being told to order "anything" said, "I want the dollar menu."
I was so proud of her, given the chance, she now prefers the dollar menu. It is the smart choice and she knows it. I was so proud, I told my husband to pick her up a milkshake in the drive-through, the same milkshake I have said no to so many times. And when she couldn't finish it, she put it in the freezer at home for later. That's my girl.
I'd like to believe that Grandma Kinsman is smiling down from heaven as we speak.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
I was walking the "babies" in the double-stroller down the busy two-lane road in Haymarket. We were heading to Bloom; I had my coupons and purse stowed away beneath their little feet, and a long strip of Ritz crackers on top of the stroller. Well, I hit a bump and the crackers went flying. And that's when I heard her voice.
"That's over .60 cents of good crackers laying there. Pick them up fast." So, I did. She was right. I had bought the Ritz on sale at Giant for $2.50 if there are 4 rows of crackers inside that is like about 62 cents per strip. Not worth leaving on the street.
It is funny how my perspective has changed in this economy. In the past, I don't think dropping crackers would have made my heart jump. But now, to me it is tantamount to throwing hard-earned money away on the ground. Why would I do that?
I didn't always think like this. But my grandma did.
When I was much younger, say 9 or 10, I thought my grandma was great but a little screwy when it came to money. I would go to her house and sit at her teal-green Formica kitchen table. I would sip a cold diet-coke through a straw, perched at her l-shaped booth in her spotless clean kitchen and munch on Wise potato chips while she made her grocery list and cut her coupons. She was so meticulous about it. I'd watch Grandma Kinsman slowly write each item: Very-thin bread with coupon at Giant; two bags of goldfish on sale; one new bag of Wise potato chips on sale with coupon.
It didn't just stop with the coupons. She did this soap thing too. She would use regular bar soap; none of this push soap of modern days. Oh no, regular bar soap. And when you got the bars down to the sliver, she would collect them and put them in these little pink gauze bags and tie them up and use them in the shower like the loofahs we buy now, only with soap already inside them. She wasn't a wasteful one my grandma.
She was generous too, but not wasteful. She would take me to Long John Silver's, with coupons. Or treat us to a nice Sunday night steak dinner. Grandma even helped us take nice family vacations and helped me afford my studies in Oxford, England for six months. She could afford to do things like that. Why? Probably because she had lived so carefully and frugally that she had saved so much up over the years. The Depression had taught her well.
But back then, all I thought was, "What is wrong with this woman? The Depression is OVER! Doesn't she know that?"
Now, I look back and realize, wow--what a smart woman she was. She knew how to stretch a dollar! She knew how to make things last. There was a method to Grandma Kinsman's madness, and I should have been taking notes not making jokes.
I mentioned this to my sister the other day. I told her how smart my Grandma was about saving money.
"Of course she was," she snapped at me in the tone that only big sisters can perfect over time with years of practice. "How do you think I learned how to be this way?"
Well, now I was beginning to understand. My sister was older and had listened to my Grandma more than I did. So, now I could learn both from my memories of Grandma, and from her. Nice how that works. Come to think of it, I used to pick on my sister for being frugal too. Ironic, especially since for the millionth time last night my husband stared in wonder at our spotless glasses--and said, "I can't believe how clean they are." I smiled. "Yes, dear. And all for a dollar." Thanks big sister. We wouldn't have done it without your advice or our trip to the Dollar Tree.
Well, now my daughter Lanae is now part of Grandma Kinsman's legacy. In a weak moment, and I mean WEAK, I agreed to McDonald's this weekend. It was raining and I knew there was no bread left for sandwiches and everyone was hungry after coming home from church. So, I said, do what you will. And my daughter, after being told to order "anything" said, "I want the dollar menu."
I was so proud of her, given the chance, she now prefers the dollar menu. It is the smart choice and she knows it. I was so proud, I told my husband to pick her up a milkshake in the drive-through, the same milkshake I have said no to so many times. And when she couldn't finish it, she put it in the freezer at home for later. That's my girl.
I'd like to believe that Grandma Kinsman is smiling down from heaven as we speak.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Zen Lasagna, Dollar Tree Delights, and Modest Needs
Yesterday I decided to make lasagna. I haven't made it in years--since I was in my late 20s. I just thought it would be a delicious way to keep us all full for a few days.
In the past, I've gotten rave reviews on my lasagna. However, I must admit, cooking it always stressed me out. For example, I used to have these dinner parties for my friends Stephen and Bryon. I'd clean, set the table, and then get the ingredients out last minute. I would dump the whole box of lasagna noodles in a boiling pot of water (without timing it), then mix up the cheese, throw it all together. Needless to say, my some of my noodles were over-cooked and would fall-apart and I'd always have extra noodles in the end.
I'd always scratch my head in wonder, thinking, "hmmm...why would they give me so many extra?" Then, I'd put so much cheese in the layers--all in the name of "creativity"--so I'd run out and need to mix up more cheese or sauce. It always tasted good in the end, but it did stress me.
Do you know why? I will give you a clue: it wasn't the lasagne's fault. It was mine!
I was a wasteful, last-minute person! I didn't read the directions carefully or cook ahead. Those two go hand-in-hand, because if you are in a hurry, you tend to get confused and mis-read things.
So, yesterday, I was "in the zone" as they say on those sports channels. I felt like I was in flow with the universe. I discovered, viola - the recipe only calls for HALF a box of lasagna noodles. I actually have half a box of noodles for the next time I cook lasagna! What a concept! Then, I timed the noodles while they boiled, I measured my sauce and cheese and spread it out carefully. Sure, I was still "creative." I added my own spices that were not listed in the recipe. But it came out perfect. I didn't waste anything or run out of any cheese. And it was so peaceful not to rush and to have that lasagna cooking when the kids walked in from school. I was prepared and relaxed. Now that is the way to cook lasagna. We ate it for dinner last night--perfecto! And we will have it again today for lunch or dinner.
This morning, I ran into my receipt from last weekend's trip to the Dollar Tree Store. So, dear readers, let me share my fabulous finds with you. Maybe I will inspire you to make your way there this weekend and save some money too.
Once a month my kids and I go to the Dollar Tree store in Manassas. My sister in Boston, who has 6 kids, got me into this great new routine. My complaint to her was that I had been spending too much money on dishwasher tabs. You know those expensive convenient little things you throw in your dishwasher? Well, even when purchased at Wal-mart, with coupons, they were costing me the price of a latte and still leaving spots on my cups. My 10-year-daughter was even complaining. My sister said, "Get over to Dollar Tree. Even my plumber said to use the powder detergent. It is a dollar there for SunSations."
Well, my husband was skeptical, at best at this idea. He thought there is no way that $1 powder would solve our dishwasher malady and that surely we'd have to get a new dishwasher. But I thought, what the hell? Let's give it a try. I loaded up the older kids and went there. And by-God that SunSations stuff does work! It cleans the heck out of our dishes! I buy 2 boxes of the stuff a month now! I also get their dish soap for the sink, 2 scotch tapes for a buck, Mr. Clean magic eraser sponges, egg noodles, light bulbs for my night lights, hair clips, make-up (they have name brands), hand soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, and more. It is definitely worth the trip.
You know, even when we have more money, it will be hard for me to stop being this way. Why would I throw our money down the drain by paying 3-4 times the price for things just because I can afford to do so in the future? That is wasteful....
So, I am wondering, what will I do with all of this money I am saving in the future? Sure, I could save it. That is step one. But another thing I'd like to do is give back. To charities some day. To places like The Women's Center. And to places like this: Modest Needs (http://www.modestneeds.org )
When I was just starting out as a Special Education teacher, and I was a poor single parent. I was really struggling financially and with health problems (Lyme's disease). I was really at such a low in my life; I felt so sad and was in such pain every morning I could barely get out of bed. I had bad aches and pains that felt like arthritis and was just starting on heavy anti-biotics for the Lyme disease. I was waiting for my first monthly teaching check to arrive but had exhausted all savings. I was so depressed.
I needed help with a utility bill and I had no where to turn. I asked God for help.
A friend gave me the Modest Needs web site and I submitted my bill and documentation explaining why I needed help. They paid my bill and kept my lights on for me and my son!
Basically, they will help out with a bill or need that is "modest" usually under $1000. You submit a request and if accepted, they will request documentation. Then, people will donate money to your request. Once your request is filled, the organization will pay your debt or bill directly. It is such a great group. Spread the word. I plan to become a donor. In this economy, I am sure if you don't need the link, you know someone who does.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
In the past, I've gotten rave reviews on my lasagna. However, I must admit, cooking it always stressed me out. For example, I used to have these dinner parties for my friends Stephen and Bryon. I'd clean, set the table, and then get the ingredients out last minute. I would dump the whole box of lasagna noodles in a boiling pot of water (without timing it), then mix up the cheese, throw it all together. Needless to say, my some of my noodles were over-cooked and would fall-apart and I'd always have extra noodles in the end.
I'd always scratch my head in wonder, thinking, "hmmm...why would they give me so many extra?" Then, I'd put so much cheese in the layers--all in the name of "creativity"--so I'd run out and need to mix up more cheese or sauce. It always tasted good in the end, but it did stress me.
Do you know why? I will give you a clue: it wasn't the lasagne's fault. It was mine!
I was a wasteful, last-minute person! I didn't read the directions carefully or cook ahead. Those two go hand-in-hand, because if you are in a hurry, you tend to get confused and mis-read things.
So, yesterday, I was "in the zone" as they say on those sports channels. I felt like I was in flow with the universe. I discovered, viola - the recipe only calls for HALF a box of lasagna noodles. I actually have half a box of noodles for the next time I cook lasagna! What a concept! Then, I timed the noodles while they boiled, I measured my sauce and cheese and spread it out carefully. Sure, I was still "creative." I added my own spices that were not listed in the recipe. But it came out perfect. I didn't waste anything or run out of any cheese. And it was so peaceful not to rush and to have that lasagna cooking when the kids walked in from school. I was prepared and relaxed. Now that is the way to cook lasagna. We ate it for dinner last night--perfecto! And we will have it again today for lunch or dinner.
This morning, I ran into my receipt from last weekend's trip to the Dollar Tree Store. So, dear readers, let me share my fabulous finds with you. Maybe I will inspire you to make your way there this weekend and save some money too.
Once a month my kids and I go to the Dollar Tree store in Manassas. My sister in Boston, who has 6 kids, got me into this great new routine. My complaint to her was that I had been spending too much money on dishwasher tabs. You know those expensive convenient little things you throw in your dishwasher? Well, even when purchased at Wal-mart, with coupons, they were costing me the price of a latte and still leaving spots on my cups. My 10-year-daughter was even complaining. My sister said, "Get over to Dollar Tree. Even my plumber said to use the powder detergent. It is a dollar there for SunSations."
Well, my husband was skeptical, at best at this idea. He thought there is no way that $1 powder would solve our dishwasher malady and that surely we'd have to get a new dishwasher. But I thought, what the hell? Let's give it a try. I loaded up the older kids and went there. And by-God that SunSations stuff does work! It cleans the heck out of our dishes! I buy 2 boxes of the stuff a month now! I also get their dish soap for the sink, 2 scotch tapes for a buck, Mr. Clean magic eraser sponges, egg noodles, light bulbs for my night lights, hair clips, make-up (they have name brands), hand soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, and more. It is definitely worth the trip.
You know, even when we have more money, it will be hard for me to stop being this way. Why would I throw our money down the drain by paying 3-4 times the price for things just because I can afford to do so in the future? That is wasteful....
So, I am wondering, what will I do with all of this money I am saving in the future? Sure, I could save it. That is step one. But another thing I'd like to do is give back. To charities some day. To places like The Women's Center. And to places like this: Modest Needs (http://www.modestneeds.org )
When I was just starting out as a Special Education teacher, and I was a poor single parent. I was really struggling financially and with health problems (Lyme's disease). I was really at such a low in my life; I felt so sad and was in such pain every morning I could barely get out of bed. I had bad aches and pains that felt like arthritis and was just starting on heavy anti-biotics for the Lyme disease. I was waiting for my first monthly teaching check to arrive but had exhausted all savings. I was so depressed.
I needed help with a utility bill and I had no where to turn. I asked God for help.
A friend gave me the Modest Needs web site and I submitted my bill and documentation explaining why I needed help. They paid my bill and kept my lights on for me and my son!
Basically, they will help out with a bill or need that is "modest" usually under $1000. You submit a request and if accepted, they will request documentation. Then, people will donate money to your request. Once your request is filled, the organization will pay your debt or bill directly. It is such a great group. Spread the word. I plan to become a donor. In this economy, I am sure if you don't need the link, you know someone who does.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Hip, Hip, Hooray for Chick-fil-A!!
Ahhh, readers, I write to you sitting here with a full belly and a happy soul. I didn't cancel my plans yesterday - or today! I spent last night and this morning at my favorite fast-food establishment: Chick-fil-A!
Would you like to know where my $22.50 consignment earnings from last month went to?Let me explain how that seemingly small amount I earned, actually inspired a night of celebration and a morning of happiness.
At about 4:30 p.m. yesterday, I rounded up my daughter, my husband, and the "babies," and we headed via 2 cars over to pick up my son from Gainesville Middle School. He stayed for after school art club. Since the train crossed the tracks causing too much traffic and we were running late, no time to stop and get my "big" $22.50 check at Stuff Consignment. Sigh. :-( If I told you what I used to get paid as a tech writer dear readers, you would cry tears of mud...
I digress. So, we headed to Chick-fil-A. It was family night there and if you bought an adult meal, you got a kid's meal free. Plus, I had a coupon from one of those mailings that come in the envelopes (like 50 coupons per envelope with local specials) for "buy 1 medium waffle fries and drink, get 1 chicken sandwich free." So, my husband got 1 adult meal (chicken sandwich, fries, drink) and got chicken nuggets kids meal for our daughter free. My eldest got an adult grilled chicken meal (no bun, he can't eat wheat) meal with drink and fries, and got the "babies" their nugget meal free. Then, I used the coupon and paid for medium fries and drink and got my chicken sandwich free. It came to about $15 bucks.
Plus, I got free coffee. They give it away EVERY DAY. Did you know this. GO THERE. Unbelievable. Especially if you love caffeine. Another tip. If you don't like the kids toy that comes with the kids meal, or don't want it: DON'T OPEN IT! You can trade it in for a free ice cream! We did! We got two free kids ice creams and the four kids split them. Yummy!
By the time my husband left for his 6:00 p.m. appointment, Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales were getting ready to perform and the Chick-fil-A cow was there, so my kids didn't notice dad was even leaving. The kids got pictures of the characters and free balloons and we entered some drawings for free giveaways this week. It was worth it. Oh, we spent $3.20 more of my earnings; my husband got another chicken sandwich on his way out apparently, a. because they were so darn good, and b. because he had skipped lunch. So our grand total was about $18 bucks.
A little over $4.00 left from the consignment check earnings, right?
Wrong!
Thursday mornings in the DC area (for now) they give away 1 free breakfast item, per person, at Chick-fil-A. So, every Thursday morning, my four kids and I jump out of bed and get ready early so we can drive-through and have breakfast together before school starts. Then, I drop them off at school.
If it's a good week money-wise, we buy hashbrowns (.90 cents per order) per person and order some free waters. If it is an okay week, we buy two orders and the four kids get 8 hash browns each (there is 16 per box). If it is a not-so-great-week, we just eat the free item and our free waters. And I always get the free coffee too. Some weeks, the free breakfast item is a chicken biscuit, or cinnamon bun, yogurt, wrap, you name it. Check it out.
It makes my kids so happy and it is FREE! What a nice company that Chick-fil-A is to care about hard-working families struggling in this economy...
Well, I spent my last $4.00 on hash browns for the kids. There was squeals of happiness all around. The "babies" never finish the free sandwiches so my daughter got some extra; she shared her hash browns with me and my eldest. It was nice to see that even though times are tough, we can make the best of things and still have moments together like that: laughing, sharing food, taking time out to eat together somewhere special before we all start our days. I peeked in the window of Chick-fil-A and noticed many other families doing just the same.
So, here is a potpourri of other topics: Safeway sales and angel food. I will make it quick...
Safeway, if you have one in your area, has MAD crazy deals this week. Please don't ignore the flier. There is a coupon for 1.99 Cracker Barrel cheese and my husband is in love with that cheese and I never buy it as it is insanely expensive. But it is tasty...Also, if you are a closet POM drinker you can buy 5 this week and they are .99 cents a bottle but you must buy FIVE. Okay? Arnold bread is buy one get one free. And Hamburger helper is .99 cents a box if you buy 4 or more. (I WILL). And, finally, Pampers are 8.99 which is not the best deal but is good if you have pampers coupons (I have one for $2.00 and one for $1.50). Look in the Gainesville Times this week; I just got like 3 sets of coupons.
And, I read a great article in the Times about this. I am going to order from a place called Angel Food Ministries. They offer food at discounted prices. You can order a weeks worth of meals (regular or gluten free), meat, or snacks, fruit, and more, all online. Then you pick it up locally at a pick-up point. The prices are AMAZING! There is a family of four package that is food for a week for $30! I think there is a chicken package that is like $20 for like 10 lbs of chicken breast. Isn't that like $2.00 per pound? Here is a link: http://www.angelfoodministries.com The March order deadline is the 16th. I will let you know what I think of the food in my blog...
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue again tomorrow.
Would you like to know where my $22.50 consignment earnings from last month went to?Let me explain how that seemingly small amount I earned, actually inspired a night of celebration and a morning of happiness.
At about 4:30 p.m. yesterday, I rounded up my daughter, my husband, and the "babies," and we headed via 2 cars over to pick up my son from Gainesville Middle School. He stayed for after school art club. Since the train crossed the tracks causing too much traffic and we were running late, no time to stop and get my "big" $22.50 check at Stuff Consignment. Sigh. :-( If I told you what I used to get paid as a tech writer dear readers, you would cry tears of mud...
I digress. So, we headed to Chick-fil-A. It was family night there and if you bought an adult meal, you got a kid's meal free. Plus, I had a coupon from one of those mailings that come in the envelopes (like 50 coupons per envelope with local specials) for "buy 1 medium waffle fries and drink, get 1 chicken sandwich free." So, my husband got 1 adult meal (chicken sandwich, fries, drink) and got chicken nuggets kids meal for our daughter free. My eldest got an adult grilled chicken meal (no bun, he can't eat wheat) meal with drink and fries, and got the "babies" their nugget meal free. Then, I used the coupon and paid for medium fries and drink and got my chicken sandwich free. It came to about $15 bucks.
Plus, I got free coffee. They give it away EVERY DAY. Did you know this. GO THERE. Unbelievable. Especially if you love caffeine. Another tip. If you don't like the kids toy that comes with the kids meal, or don't want it: DON'T OPEN IT! You can trade it in for a free ice cream! We did! We got two free kids ice creams and the four kids split them. Yummy!
By the time my husband left for his 6:00 p.m. appointment, Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales were getting ready to perform and the Chick-fil-A cow was there, so my kids didn't notice dad was even leaving. The kids got pictures of the characters and free balloons and we entered some drawings for free giveaways this week. It was worth it. Oh, we spent $3.20 more of my earnings; my husband got another chicken sandwich on his way out apparently, a. because they were so darn good, and b. because he had skipped lunch. So our grand total was about $18 bucks.
A little over $4.00 left from the consignment check earnings, right?
Wrong!
Thursday mornings in the DC area (for now) they give away 1 free breakfast item, per person, at Chick-fil-A. So, every Thursday morning, my four kids and I jump out of bed and get ready early so we can drive-through and have breakfast together before school starts. Then, I drop them off at school.
If it's a good week money-wise, we buy hashbrowns (.90 cents per order) per person and order some free waters. If it is an okay week, we buy two orders and the four kids get 8 hash browns each (there is 16 per box). If it is a not-so-great-week, we just eat the free item and our free waters. And I always get the free coffee too. Some weeks, the free breakfast item is a chicken biscuit, or cinnamon bun, yogurt, wrap, you name it. Check it out.
It makes my kids so happy and it is FREE! What a nice company that Chick-fil-A is to care about hard-working families struggling in this economy...
Well, I spent my last $4.00 on hash browns for the kids. There was squeals of happiness all around. The "babies" never finish the free sandwiches so my daughter got some extra; she shared her hash browns with me and my eldest. It was nice to see that even though times are tough, we can make the best of things and still have moments together like that: laughing, sharing food, taking time out to eat together somewhere special before we all start our days. I peeked in the window of Chick-fil-A and noticed many other families doing just the same.
So, here is a potpourri of other topics: Safeway sales and angel food. I will make it quick...
Safeway, if you have one in your area, has MAD crazy deals this week. Please don't ignore the flier. There is a coupon for 1.99 Cracker Barrel cheese and my husband is in love with that cheese and I never buy it as it is insanely expensive. But it is tasty...Also, if you are a closet POM drinker you can buy 5 this week and they are .99 cents a bottle but you must buy FIVE. Okay? Arnold bread is buy one get one free. And Hamburger helper is .99 cents a box if you buy 4 or more. (I WILL). And, finally, Pampers are 8.99 which is not the best deal but is good if you have pampers coupons (I have one for $2.00 and one for $1.50). Look in the Gainesville Times this week; I just got like 3 sets of coupons.
And, I read a great article in the Times about this. I am going to order from a place called Angel Food Ministries. They offer food at discounted prices. You can order a weeks worth of meals (regular or gluten free), meat, or snacks, fruit, and more, all online. Then you pick it up locally at a pick-up point. The prices are AMAZING! There is a family of four package that is food for a week for $30! I think there is a chicken package that is like $20 for like 10 lbs of chicken breast. Isn't that like $2.00 per pound? Here is a link: http://www.angelfoodministries.com The March order deadline is the 16th. I will let you know what I think of the food in my blog...
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue again tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
All Kinds of "Bread" and Feeding Six for the Price of 3
My brain is like sandwich meat: all wrapped up in bread today. I am talking about bread here--literally and figuratively.
Let's start with bread the food and then get to the other bread.
Okay, so you can buy bread anywhere these days, right? You can get it at Safeway, Giant, Shoppers, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, or even go all fancy and stop and get a tasty treat like fresh-baked bread at Panera. Yum. I can smell it baking now...The point is we have so many choices.
Well, I have shopped around for bread and found out taste matters, but price matters too. Here is my report: the best bread for the money is at Target.
I am not talking about the fancy, healthy bread with 9 grams of protein and whole grains (that would probably Arnold's bread, use coupons and check your ads for sales--like at Safeway). I am not talking about fresh bread (Panera or Safeway bakery).
I am talking about sandwich bread. You can get a loaf of sandwich bread at Target for 97 cents! If you want it enriched with vitamins it is $1.09. And boy, it is de-lic-ious! My family adores it. I just bought 2 loaves this week and froze one. We are almost done with the first loaf. You can't beat it. The babies love it. They just jacked like half my breakfast which was 2 slices of Target toast with some Smart Balance spread.
BTW, Giant is a close second. If I am pressed for time, which I am sometimes (okay, often), I will subject my family to the 1.00 dollar bread at Giant. It is located at the bottom of the bread shelf; just be sure and check the dates. Otherwise, you may grab one that expires too soon. I try to get one that is good at least a week.
Well, now on to the other bread. The dough. The money honey. I am having "buyers regret" or "shoppers blues." You know the feeling you get after you have gone out and spent money on clothes or other things you couldn't afford? Maybe a trip to TJMaxx to splurge on shoes? Or maybe it was a dress or shirt you just had to have? Then you woke up the next day and saw the charge on your online bank listing and you felt a gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach....
Well, that is how I feel. Only I didn't go on a spending spree yesterday for me. I only made two "extra" trips to the grocery store: Giant and Bloom. Yes, I got good deals dear readers. Yes, I had to get my husband's prescription filled and I even picked free (YES FREE) shrimp (for the second day in a row mind you) and 1/2 price gluten-free cereal that will last one week or more for my eldest son. Did we need the items? Yes.
But, they were unplanned trips. IE not in the budget. We are so tight living on one income. And so, I am worried about the bread. The dough. The money, that was spent. It amounts to about 1/2 of our grocery money for the next two weeks.
Sooo....do I freak out? Do I pray? Do I cancel tonight's plans? Plans? What plans you ask?
Well, I cook for 6 people three times a day. We used to go out all the time. (We also used to go out on real dates without the kids, but that is a whole different story...). The kids miss going out. They hear about their friends going out to eat; they hear about the neighbors going out to eat. So, tonight, since my husband has a 6 p.m. appointment to get to, and my son needs to be picked up at school at 5 p.m., and the babies have their second nap until like 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. and I can't watch everyone and pick everyone up and cook....I am planning a cheap meal out.
We are going to pick up my consignment store check at 4:40 p.m. and then go to Chick-fil-A in Gainesville, VA. Tonight at Chick-fil-A they are having a great deal. For each adult who buys a meal, you get one kids meal free. So, we are going to buy two adult meals, get two kids meals free, and buy 1 kids meal for the "babies" to split (they don't finish a whole meal anyways). Plus, there will be a puppet show there for entertainment ("Veggie Tales"). And, you can put your names in a drawing for prizes and stuff. It is hard to pass this up. I have promised the kids. And how often can you feed six people for the price of 3? Not often. Do I have the heart to crush my kids' hopes by canceling our one trip out as a family? Not really.
Well, this is when prayer comes part of my recessionary tale. I can pray that some of my items do sell this month before rent is due. I can pray my husband's Christmas bonus will come before then end of the month. (The bonus we all now half-jokingly refer to as the "Easter bonus" as it is more aligned with that holiday now. Grrrrr....). And I can see how many bills I can juggle or put off until next month. Or I can see how many food items I can stretch and ration to make things just "work."
So, off to Chick-fil-A we go...
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Let's start with bread the food and then get to the other bread.
Okay, so you can buy bread anywhere these days, right? You can get it at Safeway, Giant, Shoppers, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, or even go all fancy and stop and get a tasty treat like fresh-baked bread at Panera. Yum. I can smell it baking now...The point is we have so many choices.
Well, I have shopped around for bread and found out taste matters, but price matters too. Here is my report: the best bread for the money is at Target.
I am not talking about the fancy, healthy bread with 9 grams of protein and whole grains (that would probably Arnold's bread, use coupons and check your ads for sales--like at Safeway). I am not talking about fresh bread (Panera or Safeway bakery).
I am talking about sandwich bread. You can get a loaf of sandwich bread at Target for 97 cents! If you want it enriched with vitamins it is $1.09. And boy, it is de-lic-ious! My family adores it. I just bought 2 loaves this week and froze one. We are almost done with the first loaf. You can't beat it. The babies love it. They just jacked like half my breakfast which was 2 slices of Target toast with some Smart Balance spread.
BTW, Giant is a close second. If I am pressed for time, which I am sometimes (okay, often), I will subject my family to the 1.00 dollar bread at Giant. It is located at the bottom of the bread shelf; just be sure and check the dates. Otherwise, you may grab one that expires too soon. I try to get one that is good at least a week.
Well, now on to the other bread. The dough. The money honey. I am having "buyers regret" or "shoppers blues." You know the feeling you get after you have gone out and spent money on clothes or other things you couldn't afford? Maybe a trip to TJMaxx to splurge on shoes? Or maybe it was a dress or shirt you just had to have? Then you woke up the next day and saw the charge on your online bank listing and you felt a gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach....
Well, that is how I feel. Only I didn't go on a spending spree yesterday for me. I only made two "extra" trips to the grocery store: Giant and Bloom. Yes, I got good deals dear readers. Yes, I had to get my husband's prescription filled and I even picked free (YES FREE) shrimp (for the second day in a row mind you) and 1/2 price gluten-free cereal that will last one week or more for my eldest son. Did we need the items? Yes.
But, they were unplanned trips. IE not in the budget. We are so tight living on one income. And so, I am worried about the bread. The dough. The money, that was spent. It amounts to about 1/2 of our grocery money for the next two weeks.
Sooo....do I freak out? Do I pray? Do I cancel tonight's plans? Plans? What plans you ask?
Well, I cook for 6 people three times a day. We used to go out all the time. (We also used to go out on real dates without the kids, but that is a whole different story...). The kids miss going out. They hear about their friends going out to eat; they hear about the neighbors going out to eat. So, tonight, since my husband has a 6 p.m. appointment to get to, and my son needs to be picked up at school at 5 p.m., and the babies have their second nap until like 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. and I can't watch everyone and pick everyone up and cook....I am planning a cheap meal out.
We are going to pick up my consignment store check at 4:40 p.m. and then go to Chick-fil-A in Gainesville, VA. Tonight at Chick-fil-A they are having a great deal. For each adult who buys a meal, you get one kids meal free. So, we are going to buy two adult meals, get two kids meals free, and buy 1 kids meal for the "babies" to split (they don't finish a whole meal anyways). Plus, there will be a puppet show there for entertainment ("Veggie Tales"). And, you can put your names in a drawing for prizes and stuff. It is hard to pass this up. I have promised the kids. And how often can you feed six people for the price of 3? Not often. Do I have the heart to crush my kids' hopes by canceling our one trip out as a family? Not really.
Well, this is when prayer comes part of my recessionary tale. I can pray that some of my items do sell this month before rent is due. I can pray my husband's Christmas bonus will come before then end of the month. (The bonus we all now half-jokingly refer to as the "Easter bonus" as it is more aligned with that holiday now. Grrrrr....). And I can see how many bills I can juggle or put off until next month. Or I can see how many food items I can stretch and ration to make things just "work."
So, off to Chick-fil-A we go...
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Catch of the Day: 2 POUNDS OF FREE SHRIMP!
Today was just another typical day in the life of me, Jen, a 37-year-old mom of 4...here in Northern Virginia...trying to stretch every last dollar we have in order to feed our family of six. I decided to start this blog, because, as an out-of-work technical writer and former journalist, I realized that my job as of late, has been full-time cost-cutter and creative saver. I am learning the fine-art of finding the best deals in town: finding out how to get free gift cards or food for transferring prescriptions; where to sell your clothes and items to make an extra buck at consignment stores; where the best detergent for your dishwasher in town is (that plumbers recommend) - that only costs - a buck! And, when times are really tough, where you can find food banks to access. I will take you on my daily adventures. I can maybe help you find deals; and you will help me by sharing in my journey...
Let us begin...
Today, my 12-year-old son got off the bus. I told him to jump in the car as I was headed to the consignment store in Gainesville. I had 37 items to consign. He grabbed a snack and we headed over to the store. There, I gave the nice manager at Stuff Consignment the spoils of my latest "spring cleaning": a slew of Ann Klein skirts and other clothes from two seasons ago that are two sizes too small for me; some spring dresses that may never fit again, a half-dozen name-brand pairs of shoes that I never wear, a bunch of DVDs I don't watch, books I never read but drag around every time we move, and some kids clothing. Whatever I sell there, I will make 60%. I pick up my check each month on the 10th. I didn't drop off much last month, so alas, my check tomorrow will only be for 20 bucks. But hey, that's grocery money, right?
Speaking of which, after leaving the consignment store, Colin and I stopped by Giant. Did you know that this week in the Haymarket/Gainesville area that there is a major special going on? If you transfer any of your prescriptions (ANY) to them for a refill, you get either 2 pounds of shrimp, free Salmon, or free Talapia? So, I headed in with my husband's empty prescription bottle in hand. I spent ten dollars on his co-pay, and the free shrimp was on sale this week for 15 bucks. Do you see the beauty in this? Also, be sure to stop by the seafood section because they are giving away samples of Old Bay seasoning in packets too; yummy.
While we waited for the perscription to be finished, my oldest son and I had a chat. He wanted to know how I spent my day. I told him how I fed the "babies" (my 2-year-old and my 13-month-old) and put them for nap, that his step-day (my husband) watched them while he was working from home. This allowed me to go to "The Very Thing." This is the other consignment store in the area. I dropped off a bunch of jewelry there, some candlestick holders, etc. and other items.
Then, I stopped at Bloom grocery store in Haymarket, VA, to get a few things to have for lunch. I was so excited to tell oldest son about my great buy there, and I am excited to tell you too readers. He loves food; but his food is sometimes soooo expensive because he can't eat wheat or gluten. He has Celiac disease. So, I was in Bloom today, and I had to go to the bathroom. On the way there, I notice they have this "discount" bin. Well, you know all grocery stores have these bins? They are usually hidden away on the way to the bathroom or off to the side. They have products for like 50% off sometimes. Well they had this Koala Chocolate Gluten Free Krispie cereal he likes that is normally like over 5 dollars and I never buy it. But it was 50% off! So I did! 2.50! My weak bladder was his good fortune!
Then, I went down the wrong aisle at one point. I was in a hurry looking for minute rice; I wanted to make minute rice to go with the free shrimp (that I got from yesterday's prescription at Giant) for my husband's lunch. I wanted to get home before the "babies" woke up. So, I went down the wrong aisle and guess what? Keurig coffee is on sale at Bloom this week! I got so excited, because I love coffee and I love a good deal. It is like 2 dollars off. I think it was down to $5.99. I have 2 coupons in my organizer that came out in the local papers last week for $1.50 off two package. If you have that coupon too, get yourself to Bloom. I know I am going to go back tomorrow. That will make the K-cup coffee like $4.50 per box! Pretty amazing and almost the price of one Grande Latte at Starbucks. Think about it.
Well, when my oldest son and I came home with our spoils from Giant, my daughter, age 10, was excited to see me and excited to see more groceries. Tonight will be pizza night; in the old days that meant calling an actual restaurant and waiting for it to arrive. Now that we live on one salary, it meant I popped the frozen pizza in the oven and made a gluten free one for my oldest son and stuck some waffles in the toaster for the "babies." But, fun was had by all and no one went to bed hungry, so I can rest easy - at least for tonight.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Jen
Let us begin...
Today, my 12-year-old son got off the bus. I told him to jump in the car as I was headed to the consignment store in Gainesville. I had 37 items to consign. He grabbed a snack and we headed over to the store. There, I gave the nice manager at Stuff Consignment the spoils of my latest "spring cleaning": a slew of Ann Klein skirts and other clothes from two seasons ago that are two sizes too small for me; some spring dresses that may never fit again, a half-dozen name-brand pairs of shoes that I never wear, a bunch of DVDs I don't watch, books I never read but drag around every time we move, and some kids clothing. Whatever I sell there, I will make 60%. I pick up my check each month on the 10th. I didn't drop off much last month, so alas, my check tomorrow will only be for 20 bucks. But hey, that's grocery money, right?
Speaking of which, after leaving the consignment store, Colin and I stopped by Giant. Did you know that this week in the Haymarket/Gainesville area that there is a major special going on? If you transfer any of your prescriptions (ANY) to them for a refill, you get either 2 pounds of shrimp, free Salmon, or free Talapia? So, I headed in with my husband's empty prescription bottle in hand. I spent ten dollars on his co-pay, and the free shrimp was on sale this week for 15 bucks. Do you see the beauty in this? Also, be sure to stop by the seafood section because they are giving away samples of Old Bay seasoning in packets too; yummy.
While we waited for the perscription to be finished, my oldest son and I had a chat. He wanted to know how I spent my day. I told him how I fed the "babies" (my 2-year-old and my 13-month-old) and put them for nap, that his step-day (my husband) watched them while he was working from home. This allowed me to go to "The Very Thing." This is the other consignment store in the area. I dropped off a bunch of jewelry there, some candlestick holders, etc. and other items.
Then, I stopped at Bloom grocery store in Haymarket, VA, to get a few things to have for lunch. I was so excited to tell oldest son about my great buy there, and I am excited to tell you too readers. He loves food; but his food is sometimes soooo expensive because he can't eat wheat or gluten. He has Celiac disease. So, I was in Bloom today, and I had to go to the bathroom. On the way there, I notice they have this "discount" bin. Well, you know all grocery stores have these bins? They are usually hidden away on the way to the bathroom or off to the side. They have products for like 50% off sometimes. Well they had this Koala Chocolate Gluten Free Krispie cereal he likes that is normally like over 5 dollars and I never buy it. But it was 50% off! So I did! 2.50! My weak bladder was his good fortune!
Then, I went down the wrong aisle at one point. I was in a hurry looking for minute rice; I wanted to make minute rice to go with the free shrimp (that I got from yesterday's prescription at Giant) for my husband's lunch. I wanted to get home before the "babies" woke up. So, I went down the wrong aisle and guess what? Keurig coffee is on sale at Bloom this week! I got so excited, because I love coffee and I love a good deal. It is like 2 dollars off. I think it was down to $5.99. I have 2 coupons in my organizer that came out in the local papers last week for $1.50 off two package. If you have that coupon too, get yourself to Bloom. I know I am going to go back tomorrow. That will make the K-cup coffee like $4.50 per box! Pretty amazing and almost the price of one Grande Latte at Starbucks. Think about it.
Well, when my oldest son and I came home with our spoils from Giant, my daughter, age 10, was excited to see me and excited to see more groceries. Tonight will be pizza night; in the old days that meant calling an actual restaurant and waiting for it to arrive. Now that we live on one salary, it meant I popped the frozen pizza in the oven and made a gluten free one for my oldest son and stuck some waffles in the toaster for the "babies." But, fun was had by all and no one went to bed hungry, so I can rest easy - at least for tonight.
Until we meet again. My recessionary tale will continue tomorrow.
Jen
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