Perfecting Imperfection

I can honestly that I had a really great New Year's Eve and a pretty uneventful New Year's Day.  Here's some pics of New Year's Eve - we didn't do anything New Year's Day because Dean was still miserable and sick.  I'm happy to report, though, that everyone seems to be healthy right now!

Hot Dogs and Sauerkraut ~ a New Year's tradition!

Midnight Mimosas

Ready to make some noise!

Banging pots and pans while watching some fireworks with the neighbors!

Playing with Christmas Toys - waiting for the big moment

Daddy and Danika - Cathy took this picture.  Isn't it great?

She made it until 11:45 and then fell asleep on the couch!  The noise didn't even wake her up!

So ~ I've been reading my new book, "Family Feasts for $75 a Week" and getting lots of great ideas and tips on how to get more for my money as well as save some time while cooking at home.  Truth be told - I didn't do so well shopping this week.  I guess I haven't really disciplined myself enough, yet.  But I can't be too hard on myself...it was only the first week I tried.  :)

I did hit 2 different stores - one for their awesome prices on everyday stuff and ingredients for meals I have planned this week.  The other store for their meat - because their prices are decent and the meat is high quality.  I will say that I probably picked an awful time to go shopping there, though - the selection was very limited...that's what happens late on a Sunday at a small store.

Anyway, the one thing that I am going to try this month to help me get more on track saving money at the grocery store is keeping a price book.  It's suggested in the book and I realized that I really don't know when a deal is a good deal or a great deal.  Keeping track of prices at the stores I shop will help me to see when something on sale is at a "stock-up" price or just a better than normal price.

One thing that was a real eye opener when I was working on our food budget was how much we really spend eating out and ordering in.  We fall victim to 2 excuses when it comes to not cooking our own meals.  The first is picking lunch up while working.  We do this because we are SUPER busy and there isn't always something easy to grab for lunch.  I'm still not use to cooking for 6 people and a lot of the time we don't have leftovers!  So we get $8 here and $6 there...maybe a $5 foot-long or $4.99 meal from Wendy's.  Those add up QUICK!

The other thing that we are guilty of - mostly me - is thinking, "We don't go out to eat much, so ordering Chinese or Pizza once in a while is no big deal."  The problem with THAT is that when we do it it can cost $40 or more!  I could make at least 2 dinners for that price...maybe more once I start learning the prices of things and the time to buy.

This is not to say that we won't order out once in a while - but we have a goal to cut our "restaurant" spending in half this month!  Trying to reach that goal will make me much more likely to plan my lunch the night before work than waking up and realizing there is nothing to take.

So - on with this week's menu!  I'm linking up over at I'm an Organizing Junkie - head on over to see some more menus for this week and maybe get some ideas for what you want to make this week!



Monday ~ Breaded Pork Chops and Vegetable Fried Rice

Tuesday ~ Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday ~ Crispy Cod and Tossed Salad

Thursday ~ Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Bread

Friday ~ Florentine Chicken and Veggies

Saturday ~ Black Bean and Smoked Sausage Soup with Homemade Biscuits

I have made only 1 resolution...it's a big one, though.  We are going to get healthier financially.  We are going to make a BUDGET (a real one) and stick to it.  That is going to require some sacrifices and some creativity on our part.  I'm willing to do it, though...because I have an ultimate goal of getting into a bigger house and having more room.  I need my own room - not bedroom, I'm happy to share that with Jerry.  I just need my own space.  The kids need their own space and Jerry DEFINITELY needs his own space.  We need a bigger house.  We need to budget for a bigger house.  We are starting Saturday!  :)



The first thing that we thought about cutting back on was our cell phones.  We both have smart phones.  We are connected 24/7.  We can find information out quickly.  We are never lost and we can reach each other (and anyone else we know) 15 different ways from our phones.  However, our phone bill is outrageous.  Going back to regular phones that simply text and call people will save us at least $60 a month!  That's $720 a year!  That's not a ton of money but it's a start.  Funny thing is, I feel like I'm quitting smoking again.  I quit 2 years ago and was so anxious for the first few months...I feel like that.  I remember reading something about having to redefine yourself as a nonsmoker - which was one of the hardest parts!  I had to find other things to do when I would usually have a cigarette...now I'm going to have to find something else to do when I would usually jump on Facebook on my BlackBerry to see what everyone is doing!

The other thing that is in my control is our food budget.  I have been doing a little research and found out there are a few things I can do to help cut our food budget.  First of all is meal planning - which I try to do but don't always stick to.  I am changing that in 2011.  I'm sticking to my plan.  I ordered these two books with my Borders gift cards to help me out!



I'm also going to try a new approach to shopping.  We started shopping from Aldi.  I can't believe the savings.  I will tell you that there are some things (we are slowly making a list) that we don't like from Aldi.  For example, their american cheese.  But we can get that in huge quantities (which we will have no problem using) from Sam's Club.

I'm also going to stockpile a little and try planning for an entire MONTH so that I can buy things when they are on sale instead of when I need them.  It's going to take a few months and I'm not expecting to get it perfect right off the bat - I'm going to take baby steps.

In January we lose our smartphones, will create a budget, make a monthly menu and shop at Aldi for most of the things I need.  We'll see what we can add to February ...maybe I'll start looking into stockpiling and even adding coupons to the mix.  Whatever it is, we are going to work on freeing up some money so that we can all get some much needed extra space!

So...notice the time? I'm not sure when I'll be finished with this and have it posted, but I'm starting it at 1:05 am...2 hrs. and 5 mins. AFTER I was suppose to be in bed. I have the perfect person to blame it on, though. My husband - he needs to come to bed so that I can fall asleep. For some reason unknown to me I haven't been able to fall asleep without him in bed for the last 2 years or so...okay, maybe more like 3...ever since Nate was born. Even when he stays out until ridiculous hours thinking he is in college again - and knowing that I'll be the one to get up with the kids in the morning anyway - I can't sleep. Last time it was when I needed to take his Aunt Dee Dee to the airport. I needed to leave the house at 4:45 am to be at his grandmother's for 5:00 am and the airport for 6:00 am. The whole reason that I was taking her instead of him was because he was going drinking with a buddy and would probably be too drunk to drive that early in the morning - the effects of the night before not having worn off yet...little did I know it wasn't the effect of the night before because the night before turned into the morning of and he didn't get home until 3:30 am!

So that this doesn't sound like I'm totally bashing my husband - he did make me breakfast before I left...which was really yummy . . . but I didn't sleep at all before going down to the airport. Which made the whole trip rather surreal. Like I was driving underwater the whole time or something. It didn't help that it was pitch black out. Or that I was driving his truck and not my Escape because my Escape was having 'issues'.

Tonight I am not sleeping because my husband is "stuck" on a certain board on his stupid Lego Star Wars game for Wii...he just quit and is now turning out all the lights because I should follow him like a little puppy who is thrilled her master is home...finally. Oddly enough, that's what I'm going to do. Not because he is beconing, but because I'm damn tired...and I have to work tomorrow. UGH.

I read this crazy stat about how completely and utterly pointless New Year's resolutions are - something like 45% of them don't last a week...and another 20 to 25% are out the window by the end of the month. So...why bother, right?

I will admit that I am in that 20 - 25% that have given up on their resolutions by the end of the month. I don't know how many times I vowed to quit smoking...and then had a pack of cigarettes in my purse 2 days later. I have also vowed to remember to send birthday cards to everyone. I've vowed to drink more water. I've vowed to save money. I've probably promised to do just about every average resolution that there is.

Here's this years list -

1) Go to bed before 11pm on weeknights.
2) Start FLYing EVERYDAY - not just when I feel like it. I don't live in CHAOS - but I'm not happy with the way things are around here...I feel like I'm just hanging on.
3) Read my Simple Abundance book & my One Year Bible...plus keep my little journal going that I started.

There you go. Lame, I know...but I quit smoking almost 2 weeks ago - hopefully for good this time, so I can't use that one this year.