Saturday, August 29, 2009
I've moved!
A friend was nice enough to give me his old blog that he didn't use anymore, so now you can find me at lifesgoodadvice.com. Hope to see you there! :)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The sad realization...
Summer is almost over. I'd like to say it's been a great summer but in all honesty, it hasn't. There are so many things I love to do in the summer, and because of my financial situation I didn't get to do any of it, other than a few trips to the beach. I wanted to go pick fruit, because it feels so satisfying on so many levels. I wanted one or two day trips. I wanted to explore. The farthest I ventured this summer was Niantic. I suppose these setbacks will do me good in the long run, because it does push me to try harder and to enjoy when I get little "extras", because right now it's all necessities.
I sat contemplating this in my favorite chair, while playing with Alex's camera and enjoying the cooler tempeartures, which is a nice break from the heat and humidity we've been having.
Enjoy it now, because who knows how long it will last...
I love billowy white curtains.
I sat contemplating this in my favorite chair, while playing with Alex's camera and enjoying the cooler tempeartures, which is a nice break from the heat and humidity we've been having.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What I have learned
Here is a list of the many things I have learned in the last few months since losing my job.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle: I was big on this before, but even more so now. Before, I reused plastic take out containers, reused plastic bags and even turned them into plarn. Now I go even further. I save the last bit of a bar of soap to use when hand washing laundry. I save loofahs to turn them into cleaning scrubbies. I save plastic containers to start seeds in (currently my dill is growing in a cottage cheese container). I save vegetable and fruit scraps to give to my friend's rabbits.
Rice: I have learned why rice is a staple in so many counties. It fills you up, is versatile, and cheap. Although I do have to admit, there are days I am sick and tired of eating rice and just wish I could go to McDonald's and get a double cheeseburger. There is almost always rice in the fridge now. It stretches even further than bread does, which brings me to my next point.
Make as much as you can yourself: I bake my own bread. I haven't done the math, but I'm sure that what it costs me to make two loaves of bread is less than half of one store bought loaf. All those little extras that you pay an insane amount of money for, I make at home and save who knows how much (I really hate doing math). I make my own brownies, cupcakes, candies, etc. It's great because you know EXACTLY what goes into your food.
Befriend people with gardens: Right now there are fresh organic tomatoes in the basket, which will be turned into tomato sauce later. There's also an organic butternut squash. A month ago a friend gave me, literally, the biggest zucchini I have ever seen, which became 48 zucchini muffins and zucchini alfredo. She also gave me three yellow squash, two of which I had to give away because I just can't use that much squash. The point is, if someone offers you free fruits and veggies, take it!
Grow your own food: I rent, and so unfortunately I don't have the room for a garden. I've tried container gardens and they just don't work for me. I do, however, seem to be having quite a bit of luck with herbs this year. My basil and chives look lovely (which is great as those are my two favorite herbs), and everyone else seems to be chugging along, slowly but surely. But if you've got the room to grow it, do it. (The cost of seeds can be covered by food stamps if you receive them.)
Water: I've always hated paying for bottled water. It's a waste of money and a waste of plastic. Invest in a filtered pitcher (if your tap water doesn't taste that great). Don't waste money on soda or juice. Depending on how much you drink, most of your caloric intake comes from beverages. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to waste calories on something, I want it to be actual food and not liquid. Just drink water, it's better for you and your wallet.
Don't pay for what you can do yourself: Going to the salon to have my hair trimmed - $20 minimum. Having my friend do it - I owe her a hug and a thank you. Getting a mani/pedi (not that I ever paid for it anyway) - $30. Doing it myself - $3, if that. Getting a new cell phone - $100+. Using an newer cell phone a friend gave me - free! (Plus it gets reused and doesn't end up in a landfill!) If you can do it yourself, by all means, do it yourself!
Find discount stores: I started checking out all those discount stores I said I would never shop at. Anyone in the southern New England area - check out Ocean State Job Lot. I was there the other day and found Dove hair products at $2 cheaper than Walmart. I ended up paying $7 for shampoo AND conditioner, whereas if I had bought them at Walmart it would have cost me $12. I even found the name brand salon stuff for $5, when I find it elsewhere in upwards of $15. My jaw dropped! I also find spices for .88 cents, a steal for spices I use often like garlic powder or cinnamon.
It forces you to clean out your junk: I'm a bit of a product junkie. I've got tons of makeup (what girl doesn't?!), samples, trial sizes, products I used but didn't really like but didn't want to throw out, etc. I realized at one point that I had four different kinds of body wash, three of them opened. I had three containers of body scrub. I've got a milk crate filled with lotion, body butter, and perfume. If I happened to pass by Victoria's Secret during a sale, FORGET IT! I stocked up like we were going to be stuck in a bomb shelter for three years (because nothing says nuclear war like Strawberries & Champagne). Instead of going to the store to buy more, I started using what I already had. When it's a choice between smelling like sweat and dirt, or smelling so-so, trust me, you'll take so-so.
Get creative with beauty products: I was never a big fan of paying big bucks for the stuff at Bath & Body works or Victoria's Secret (hence why I only went during sales). Mix sugar and lime/lemon juice for a great facial/body scrub. Coconut oil is great for dry hair - spread it on, leave it for 20 minutes, wash it out. Vinegar is good to clean all the product gunk out of your hair. Use a lemon juice and ice water rinse to make your hair shiny. Make a paste of brown sugar and orange juice as a scrub for your lips (yes, even your lips need to be exfoliated). You wouldn't believe how many beauty solutions you can find in your kitchen! Also, I don't throw out the last of the lip gloss - I use a knife to scrape out the last bit and put it in a pot. If there's an eyeshadow I like but doesn't look good on me, I repurpose it. I have a rather pretty shade of pink/purple eyeshadow that doesn't look very flattering on my eyes, but I mix it with lip gloss (scraped from the tube, of course) and voila! New tinted lip gloss!
See what the government can do for you: I found out I was eligible for food stamps. I only got three months of benefits, but it provided me with almost $600. If you wait for sales, you can make that money stretch! I also found out I'm eligible for about $400 due to the fact that my heat is included in my rent. Do a search and find out what the government can help you with. You'd be surprised.
New sources of entertainment: Forget going to the movies or even renting them - check out the library for free movies (and books too, of course). Instead of driving 45 minutes to the shore and paying for parking, I drive to a pond a few miles up the road and enjoy free parking Monday - Friday. Instead of buying new or even used video games, I try to completely beat the ones I currently have (for example, I've been working on completing the time trails on Tomb Raider). Instead of going out to the bar, buy a bottle of whatever and mix it with lemonade, and then sit on the porch with friends. You can get a lot drunker on a lot less money and have just as much fun.
How to be innovative: I have a lot of dreams, things I want to accomplish in my lifetime. One of those dreams is to travel. Unfortunately I don't see me being able to afford it, unless I somehow hit the lottery. I've discovered a few ways in which I may be able to accomplish this dream. One is homeexchange.com - if anyone has seen The Holiday, this is the website that Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet use to trade homes. Another is befriending people in other countries, who would let me stay with them. And I'm sure that there are many other possibilities that I haven't thought of yet. The point is, if you have a dream, no matter how impossible it may seem, there's a way to make it come true.
What's really important: Being surrounded by wonderful people. My friends have been a huge help and very supportive and encouraging. I have the most amazing boyfriend in the world whom I love very much and consider myself so lucky to be with, even though we do have our ups and downs like any other couple. Sometimes, when it's hard to find the strength to keep going, I think of them. Even if it's just a trip to the beach with a friend or knowing that soon Alex will be home, it's enough to keep me going when I can't find that strength within myself. My dreams also help to keep me going, even when I think there's no chance of them coming true, because I know that I'll find a way.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle: I was big on this before, but even more so now. Before, I reused plastic take out containers, reused plastic bags and even turned them into plarn. Now I go even further. I save the last bit of a bar of soap to use when hand washing laundry. I save loofahs to turn them into cleaning scrubbies. I save plastic containers to start seeds in (currently my dill is growing in a cottage cheese container). I save vegetable and fruit scraps to give to my friend's rabbits.
Rice: I have learned why rice is a staple in so many counties. It fills you up, is versatile, and cheap. Although I do have to admit, there are days I am sick and tired of eating rice and just wish I could go to McDonald's and get a double cheeseburger. There is almost always rice in the fridge now. It stretches even further than bread does, which brings me to my next point.
Make as much as you can yourself: I bake my own bread. I haven't done the math, but I'm sure that what it costs me to make two loaves of bread is less than half of one store bought loaf. All those little extras that you pay an insane amount of money for, I make at home and save who knows how much (I really hate doing math). I make my own brownies, cupcakes, candies, etc. It's great because you know EXACTLY what goes into your food.
Befriend people with gardens: Right now there are fresh organic tomatoes in the basket, which will be turned into tomato sauce later. There's also an organic butternut squash. A month ago a friend gave me, literally, the biggest zucchini I have ever seen, which became 48 zucchini muffins and zucchini alfredo. She also gave me three yellow squash, two of which I had to give away because I just can't use that much squash. The point is, if someone offers you free fruits and veggies, take it!
Grow your own food: I rent, and so unfortunately I don't have the room for a garden. I've tried container gardens and they just don't work for me. I do, however, seem to be having quite a bit of luck with herbs this year. My basil and chives look lovely (which is great as those are my two favorite herbs), and everyone else seems to be chugging along, slowly but surely. But if you've got the room to grow it, do it. (The cost of seeds can be covered by food stamps if you receive them.)
Water: I've always hated paying for bottled water. It's a waste of money and a waste of plastic. Invest in a filtered pitcher (if your tap water doesn't taste that great). Don't waste money on soda or juice. Depending on how much you drink, most of your caloric intake comes from beverages. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to waste calories on something, I want it to be actual food and not liquid. Just drink water, it's better for you and your wallet.
Don't pay for what you can do yourself: Going to the salon to have my hair trimmed - $20 minimum. Having my friend do it - I owe her a hug and a thank you. Getting a mani/pedi (not that I ever paid for it anyway) - $30. Doing it myself - $3, if that. Getting a new cell phone - $100+. Using an newer cell phone a friend gave me - free! (Plus it gets reused and doesn't end up in a landfill!) If you can do it yourself, by all means, do it yourself!
Find discount stores: I started checking out all those discount stores I said I would never shop at. Anyone in the southern New England area - check out Ocean State Job Lot. I was there the other day and found Dove hair products at $2 cheaper than Walmart. I ended up paying $7 for shampoo AND conditioner, whereas if I had bought them at Walmart it would have cost me $12. I even found the name brand salon stuff for $5, when I find it elsewhere in upwards of $15. My jaw dropped! I also find spices for .88 cents, a steal for spices I use often like garlic powder or cinnamon.
It forces you to clean out your junk: I'm a bit of a product junkie. I've got tons of makeup (what girl doesn't?!), samples, trial sizes, products I used but didn't really like but didn't want to throw out, etc. I realized at one point that I had four different kinds of body wash, three of them opened. I had three containers of body scrub. I've got a milk crate filled with lotion, body butter, and perfume. If I happened to pass by Victoria's Secret during a sale, FORGET IT! I stocked up like we were going to be stuck in a bomb shelter for three years (because nothing says nuclear war like Strawberries & Champagne). Instead of going to the store to buy more, I started using what I already had. When it's a choice between smelling like sweat and dirt, or smelling so-so, trust me, you'll take so-so.
Get creative with beauty products: I was never a big fan of paying big bucks for the stuff at Bath & Body works or Victoria's Secret (hence why I only went during sales). Mix sugar and lime/lemon juice for a great facial/body scrub. Coconut oil is great for dry hair - spread it on, leave it for 20 minutes, wash it out. Vinegar is good to clean all the product gunk out of your hair. Use a lemon juice and ice water rinse to make your hair shiny. Make a paste of brown sugar and orange juice as a scrub for your lips (yes, even your lips need to be exfoliated). You wouldn't believe how many beauty solutions you can find in your kitchen! Also, I don't throw out the last of the lip gloss - I use a knife to scrape out the last bit and put it in a pot. If there's an eyeshadow I like but doesn't look good on me, I repurpose it. I have a rather pretty shade of pink/purple eyeshadow that doesn't look very flattering on my eyes, but I mix it with lip gloss (scraped from the tube, of course) and voila! New tinted lip gloss!
See what the government can do for you: I found out I was eligible for food stamps. I only got three months of benefits, but it provided me with almost $600. If you wait for sales, you can make that money stretch! I also found out I'm eligible for about $400 due to the fact that my heat is included in my rent. Do a search and find out what the government can help you with. You'd be surprised.
New sources of entertainment: Forget going to the movies or even renting them - check out the library for free movies (and books too, of course). Instead of driving 45 minutes to the shore and paying for parking, I drive to a pond a few miles up the road and enjoy free parking Monday - Friday. Instead of buying new or even used video games, I try to completely beat the ones I currently have (for example, I've been working on completing the time trails on Tomb Raider). Instead of going out to the bar, buy a bottle of whatever and mix it with lemonade, and then sit on the porch with friends. You can get a lot drunker on a lot less money and have just as much fun.
How to be innovative: I have a lot of dreams, things I want to accomplish in my lifetime. One of those dreams is to travel. Unfortunately I don't see me being able to afford it, unless I somehow hit the lottery. I've discovered a few ways in which I may be able to accomplish this dream. One is homeexchange.com - if anyone has seen The Holiday, this is the website that Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet use to trade homes. Another is befriending people in other countries, who would let me stay with them. And I'm sure that there are many other possibilities that I haven't thought of yet. The point is, if you have a dream, no matter how impossible it may seem, there's a way to make it come true.
What's really important: Being surrounded by wonderful people. My friends have been a huge help and very supportive and encouraging. I have the most amazing boyfriend in the world whom I love very much and consider myself so lucky to be with, even though we do have our ups and downs like any other couple. Sometimes, when it's hard to find the strength to keep going, I think of them. Even if it's just a trip to the beach with a friend or knowing that soon Alex will be home, it's enough to keep me going when I can't find that strength within myself. My dreams also help to keep me going, even when I think there's no chance of them coming true, because I know that I'll find a way.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Veggies!
I decided to attempt the blog thing again. I had an account many years ago on deadjournal. No idea how often I'll update this. Hopefully I'll stick with it.
Anyway, I was given three enormous yellow squash and an even bigger zucchini by a friend. Hence, zucchini and squash week in my apartment. Unfortunately, my boyfriend won't touch veggies (with the exception of carrots and broccoli), so I had to figure out a way he'd eat them. I ended up making zucchini alfredo and multigrain zucchini muffins. The zucchini alfredo was alright, although I knew he wouldn't eat it, so more for me! I ended up with so much zucchini I was able to make two batches of muffins. After some tweaking, I came up with a rather tasty recipe. And here it is for your reading (and tummy grumbling) pleasure!
Multigrain Zucchini Muffins
1 1/2 C white flour
3/4 C wheat germ
3/4 C oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1 C plain low fat yogurt
1/4 C molasses
1/2 C honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C zucchini, shredded
1 C carrots, shredded
1/2 C walnuts, chopped
1/2 C raisins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 24 muffin cups.
In a small bowl, sift all dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add dry mixture to wet. Fold in zucchini, carrots, pecans, and raisins. Scoop into muffin cups.
Bake about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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