A little update

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Hiya!  How’ya been?

Life has been peachy here – just a little busy.  Since I haven’t had time to even really think about posting lately, I thought I would at least gather together a financial update.  April and May (so far) have been VERY good to me!   I have officially paid off more than 75% of my private student loan.  That means less than 1/4 of it left to pay.  I think I can say with complete confidence that this loan WILL BE PAID OFF BY THE END OF 2013!  Woohoo!

Check it…

April_May 2013

That’s right, I have around $7 Grand left and it’s done!  I then have another $27,000 to tackle the other loan, but I’ll deal with that when I get there.

Aside from paying off this loan like it’s my job, I went to Hawaii last month, which was amazing!

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I had planned to post a bunch of pictures, but I took so many!  Perhaps another day.

I’m also about to graduate from a citizen’s police academy this week, which has been a blast.  I highly recommend anyone looking into this and participating in a local CPA.  You learn a TON about how the police operate, they make it fun and it’s FREE :)

I’ve also been involved with my neighborhood association and committees associated with that.   Unfortunately with all of this, plus my full-time & contract job, The Thrifty Social Worker site has suffered.  I’m hoping to unload some of this to at least post weekly again.  Until then, thanks for reading my sporadic posts.

How’s your life going?  Are you one of the people who are becoming less frugal and eating out more these days?

I stopped…

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Since February I’ve planned to quit smoking.  I started cutting down on the number of smokes per day, started breaking habits associated with smoking and started doing a bunch of other preparatory things to get myself ready.  I had even come up with a quit date and I had planned to post about it with this fun picture…

Quit DayThen, I got overwhelmed by mid March and thought I couldn’t do it.  The thought of being a ‘non smoker’ was terrifying.  For those of you who have never been smokers, you probably can’t understand this.  For those of you who smoke or are ex smokers, I’m sure you feel me.

Throughout March, I kept going back and forth about whether I thought I could quit.  It was no longer a matter of wanting to, it was down to can I really do this?

Then, on Friday March 29 as I was driving home from work I noticed I only had a couple of smokes left in my pack.  I decided I wasn’t going to buy anymore.  I decided that I would stop. I have an e-cigarette/vaporizer that The Mister bought me and figured that could help me get through some of the rough patches until I got the hang of things.

I cannot officially say I quit yet.  That seems too final.  The finality of it, the decisive I’m NEVER doing this EVER again thing is too much for me.  Instead, I say I’ve decided to stop.  I have yet to call myself a non smoker.  It’s sort of along the same lines of someone being a ‘dry drunk’.  I feel like I’m still very much a smoker who just isn’t doing it right now.  I may  have another one someday, but for now, I’m not doing it.

I realized that 2 years ago around this same time I quit.  It was actually on Easter of 2011 that I had quit before (read that post HERE).  The thing about that attempt was that I did it under duress. A friend of mine was having some health problems and a co-worker/friend was struggling with pancreatic cancer.  It seemed like one thing after another happened that put more and more stress on me and I eventually gave up (read about my struggles HERE). I decided I would just be a smoker.  Later that summer a friend asked me what my smoking status was and my reply was “I’m totally off the wagon.  Hell, I’m not even chasing after the wagon anymore…”

So far it’s been 8 days since I’ve smoked.  I’m still puffing on my vaporizer every once in a while and I’m hoping to get myself off of that sooner rather than later but for now it’ll do the trick.  This time feels much different and I’m pretty confident that things will continue to go well.

Are you an ex-smoker?  What helped you quit?  Any advice for a novice? :)

Update: Champagne Vinegar Experiment

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If you recall, back in November I read somewhere that it’s easy to make vinegar out of old champagne or wine.  Without further investigation, I decided to take on the challenge of making my own.

As much as I hate to admit defeat…

failedUgh.  After further investigation, I found that it’s a much more in-depth process than I had been lead on to believe originally.

If you’d like to make your own vinegar, click HERE for a tutorial.

I knew my way was too good to be true…

What Do You Have Control Over?

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controlScenario: You order an electronic product online that you’ve been dying to get.  You anxiously await it’s arrival in the mail for days.  Finally it gets to your doorstep, you open it and plug it in.  To your surprise, nothing happens.  Hmmm…You unplug it and try it again and still nothing.  What do you do next?

(a) Keep trying everything you can to get it to work, until option b sounds like the most rational decision.

(b) Throw it against the wall.

(c) Contact the seller to let them know their product isn’t working as promised.

(d) Do nothing and take a loss.

Certainly you might choose (a) for a little while longer, trying to problem solve the issue, but I think the obvious choice here is (c).  That’s the one option in which you really have a sense of control.  Continuing to fiddle with it and trying to make it work will probably just increase your frustration and make you angry.  Option (b) won’t help anything and option (d) is just a waste of time and money.

You may have read this scenario and said to yourself “well duh, (c) is the obvious choice here” but how many of you, in reality, would end up going with option (a)?

Now take this scenario and apply it to other situations in life.  What do you normally do?  Do you focus on the parts of life you have no control over and try to create control OR do you realize what you have control over and focus on that?

When I was a therapist, this was probably the #1 issue I would work on with clients.  They would present a situation and we would dissect it to find what pieces they actually had control over.  More often than not, the only thing they had control over was their reaction to the situation.  Maybe they couldn’t change what other people did or said, maybe they couldn’t change the results of the situation and maybe they were completely powerless in the situation but the one thing they could ALWAYS control is their reaction to it (emotions, thoughts & behaviors).  They didn’t have to accept the situation or like it, but their reaction is what would set the tone for the next series of events.

When I worked with clients on their locus of control, I was infamous for saying “It is what it is, so now what?”  I didn’t say “It is what it is” to be dismissive, but rather to say “The situation has happened, it’s over.  We can’t change the past.  The situation is what it is.  Now what are you going to do moving forward from it?” 

It was this line of thinking I used back in 2011 when I decided to venture into the depths of aggressive debt repayment.  I had 2 choices. I could whine and cry about the fact that I had $73,000 in debt looming over my  head.  I could wish that I had picked different schools to attend.  I could hope that I came into a financial windfall that would pay this off.  I could complain that I had to make such big student loan payments.  I could blame the school for being so expensive (ignoring the fact that I made the choice to attend said college). You get the idea…

OR…

I could take a step back and look at what I had control over. That’s the choice I made.  That’s when I decided I needed to take a good hard look at what I’ve done to create the situation (aside from going to school) and what I can do to fix the situation.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

Another one of my infamous statements to my clients: Nothing changes if nothing changes. If one doesn’t change something, nothing is ever going to change.  If one always expects others to change, one is forfeiting their control in the situation.  And I promise, we all have some sort of control in what we do.  Sometimes the only control we have is how we react to the situation, but that’s better than nothing.

So, what’s your situation and what are you going to do about it?

Certainly we’re all faced with crappy situations we didn’t create.  We’re all faced with tough decisions.  At some point, we’re the victim of something.  But, just because we’ve been victimized doesn’t mean we have to be a victim forever.  And the sooner we realize this and see what we have control over, we empower ourselves to make things better.  It’s not always a quick process and it doesn’t make things easier necessarily.  But the sooner one takes control over the aspects one has control over, the sooner one has hope that the situation will get better.

 Why not give this a try?  The next time you find yourself frustrated about something, take a step back and ask yourself – What do I have control over here?  Just know, you have ZERO control over what other people do, think, or how they behave.  (It makes life easier when you know this going in :) ).

How many blogs and/or articles have you read about people taking control of their finances?  Now, how many of those blogs/articles end with the lotto?  I’m going to venture a guess here and that’s zero.  What’s the common thread among those blogs/articles?  Most of the people who have gotten themselves out of debt or have created more wealth for themselves have made personal changes in how they think about money, how they spend money and how they earn money.  That could be selling unwanted things, taking on more jobs, decreasing their spending, finding creative ways to earn more, increasing their use of couponing, etc…

So, I ask again, what’s your situation and what are YOU going to do about it?

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Sometimes, I just gotta be quiet

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Yesterday I was in the checkout line at Sprouts.  I wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation between the check out guy and the customer in front of me until I heard check out guy say “I love this bread!”.  I took notice of what kind of bread he was referring to.  It was a great bread – Oroweat Oatnut.  Yum!

As soon as I noticed the bread, my next impulse was to tell the customer “You know, you could get that cheaper at the bread thrift store down the street…”  

It’s true!  The only time I’ve actually bought this kind of bread was at the bread thrift store, on the clearance section for $1.29, which is about 60% cheaper than at a grocery store, especially Sprouts!

But, alas, I did not tell this customer about the potential savings he could have at the bread thrift store.  It seemed wrong on so many levels.  For one, this wasn’t my conversation to butt into.  Second, It’s probably a little rude to tell someone where else they can buy a product in front of the store clerks.

So, I sat back, quietly.  I didn’t say anything.  I was screaming inside of my head though…

Speaking of bread thrift stores, if you don’t know, they are amazing. Most of them have a clearance table of bread that’s just about to go bad for ridiculously low prices ($1.29/loaf at mine).  If you can’t eat the bread fast enough,  just freeze it!  I don’t eat bread much these days, but I always have a loaf in the freezer.  It’s super easy to thaw it in the toaster.

If you live in Denver Metro, click HERE to search for the nearest Bimbo Breads bakery outlets.  If you live elsewhere, a simple Google search of “bakery thrift store + your city” or “bakery outlet” should point you to the nearest one.  It’s just one more way to get what you might need at a cheaper price.

Does anyone else have this compulsion to tell others where they can save?  I really have to watch myself and it drives The Mister nuts when I do it :)

3 Paycheck Month

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March is a 3 paycheck month for me and I’m over the moon about it.  I’m not excited because I get to buy some useless crap with this ‘extra’ money, I’m excited because I get to make a sizable payment toward the ol’ loan and that makes me giddy.

If you haven’t caught on by now, I’m a geek like that.

I remember prior to 2011 when I realized it was a 3 paycheck month, I would get just as giddy but for the opposite reason.  Oooh, what can I buy now?  Sometimes it was electronics, sometimes clothes.  Sometimes it meant I would drop a little extra on eating/going out.  It was absolutely blown before I even got it.

That, of course, has all changed.  At the beginning of the year I go through my calendar to mark my pay dates and I take special note of the two 3 paycheck months. I figure this into my debt repayment spreadsheet and watch that balance drop. Then I start to fantasize about what it will be like to be 100% completely debt free.  Coming back to reality from such a fantasy is a real bummer.

This month I’m a bit torn.  I could save the extra money for my trip next month, or I could put it toward the loan.  Since The Mister and I have a sizable tax return coming to us and since we already have some money socked away, I’ve decided to put it toward my loan.  My goal for the end of this month is to completely miss the $10,000 balance.  I want to go from $11k to $9k.  Screw you $10k!

What about you?  What do you do with those extra paychecks every year?  Do you put it toward debt, vacation, new things, savings? By the way, I absolutely have nothing against taking hard-earned money and treating oneself.  I think when we ignore the other things that need to be taken care of in our lives to get those ‘treats’ is when we screw ourselves.  In my book, debt comes first.  Perhaps I will take a small chunk of that ‘extra’ money and treat myself, but the majority will go toward my obligations and not my whims.

Looking For Balance

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balanceI have been pretty absent lately.  Absent from a lot of things.  This blog.  Meaningful recreation.  Exercise.  Socialization with loved ones. My personal & financial goals.  Basically life outside of work.

I’ve been VERY unbalanced.  For reasons I’d rather not get into here, I have expending most of my energy into work.  This is not good for me.  At. All.

Thankfully, this unbalanced lifestyle should be coming to an end very soon and for that I am grateful  Some things will be changing and hopefully I will be returning to my equilibrium.  Homeostasis is right around the bend.

I should be able to put more energy and time into writing, which I’m excited about.  I do truly love writing and finding new tidbits to share.  I love seeing my goal achieved.  I love hearing about the victories of others.

Hang tight folks – I promise I’ll be back soon :)

Coconut Oil Lotion & Make Up Remover

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Seriously guys, coconut oil has become an obsession.  Obsession!

This stuff is great!  I’ve found so many great uses for it.  My favorite use for it is as a moisturizer.  My second favorite use for it is as a make up remover.

This way of preparing the oil for a lotion/make up remover is SUPER easy and just fantastic.

Get out the coconut oil & some vitamin E (optional)20121229184848763

Measure it out & place it in a mixing bowl.

20121229185201132I measured out 1 cup, which was enough to fill up a cute little glass jar I have.  I also squirted in some vitamin E oil (you can also squirt it out of capsules).

Whip it good

20121229190110509Use a hand mixer to whip it up.  This takes a while, about 5-7 minutes.  Whip it until it’s smooth.

Put it in a container of your choosing

20121229191119532That’s it!

Really, that’s all you do. Using a hand mixer makes it whippy and smooth.  Much easier to apply as a lotion.

Make Up Remover

This is seriously the BEST eye make up remover I’ve ever used.  I just put a very small amount on my finger and rub it over my eye lids & eye lashes, then wipe away with cotton rounds. The make up comes right off!

Want more uses for that coconut oil?  Here are 101!

Guest Post: How to Find Free or Cheap Entertainment for Your Family

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Since I’ve been a lazy blogger lately, I thought I’d throw in a guest post.  Thanks to Nick for writing this post, which has some great ideas for family fun :)

 Source

Families need to have fun together but many entertainment options tend to be relatively expensive. Is it possible to spend some quality time together without affecting the family budget negatively?

Creative mothers and fathers know how to come up with free or cheap entertainment options for the entire family. Here are several great ideas that you can try, whether you like to have fun at home or in town.

Have Family Picnics

A Sunday family picnic is a wonderful opportunity to spend some time outdoors. Whether you want to go to the local park or a nearby lake site, a picnic will be both inexpensive and easy to put together.

Prepare some food like sandwiches and salads. You will need some beverages, as well. A blanket and a board game will make the picnic complete. You can also use the opportunity to practice some favorite sports with your children.

The Local Museums

Family fun can be used to teach children something interesting. Familiarize yourself with the programs of the local museums. They usually have free hours or family discounts. Visiting on specific days or at particular hours will bring down the cost, as well.

Create a museum route and use an entire day off to explore one exhibition after another. It can be history, art, biology or science – pick the topics that your children will be most interested in. Surprisingly, you and your spouse will have a great time learning something new.

Be rational about the expenditure. Although these entertainment options are inexpensive, you will have to spend some money on them. Avoid using your credit card to make payments. If you do, check the monthly credit card report carefully. Does anything on it seem suspicious? Talk to a forensic accountant to figure out what is going on.

Fly Kites and Have Fun Outdoors

Kites are traditional family fun and they are inexpensive. You can buy a kite or you can have a great time making one.

All that you need is a windy day and an open space to fly kites. Teach your children the basic techniques and watch them getting better at it. Spending time outdoor will be exceptionally fun. You can ride bikes, play baseball or volleyball. Sports will be good for all the family members and you will get to relax from the busy daily routine.

Create a Family Garden

People living in cities have lost their understanding of farming and gardening. Many children have no idea where vegetables, dairy products and meat come from. Creating a family garden or visiting a local farm is another inexpensive idea for a family day off.

If you live in a house, you will get an easy opportunity to plant your own vegetable garden. Let your children plant the seeds and water them. Little ones will enjoy watching the vegetables grow. Apart from being cheap, this family entertainment option is exceptionally educational.

Alternatively, you can visit a local farm to show your children where milk and eggs come from, for example. Buying fresh farm produce will be another beneficial aspect of the activity.

Collecting Nature’s Treasures

Is your family into arts and crafts? Go treasure hunting and collect beautiful natural items that you can use in your next crafts project.

A visit to the beach will let you collect seashells and pebbles. Visit a forest or a park to pick some leaves and interesting plants. Teach your kids how to incorporate these natural treasures into their paintings. Seashells can be used for the creation of beautiful jewelry or for the decoration of boxes. It is really up to you. The more creative you get, the more fun you will have with it.

Have Your Own Living Room Adventure

As a parent, you will be responsible for the storyline in this family activity. Come up with a fairytale that involves princesses, knights and evil witches. The scenario will depend entirely on the number of family members and their preferences.
The next step would be to build a fort in your living room. Use boxes, pillows, blankets and everything else that you deem appropriate. The rest is up to family members. Such activities encourage improvisation and they will teach your children how to fantasize and have great fun at home.

Enjoying free moments with your children can be really inexpensive and fun. Get all the family members involved in the process. Getting ready for your day off can be just as exciting, as the actual activity. Think about the money you can spend and the things that you can make at home. Great family activities require involvement and some effort. You simply have to be enthusiastic about it and you will increase everybody’s excitement about it.

Author Bio:  This is a guest post by Nick Anderson who is a Marketing Executive at forthsonline.co.uk.

What are some of your own cheap/free family fun ideas? 

Monthly Update: February 2013

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Greetings, from a lazy blogger!  I guess I should give myself some credit – I’m not so much lazy as busy and otherwise unmotivated. February went by quickly and I realize that I haven’t posted anything since the January Monthly Update.  Bad Blogger!

As I mentioned in January, my life has become busy all of a sudden.  When it rains, it pours.  Work is busy, both my regular 9-5 job as well as my part-time contract job.  Call me crazy, but when I spend all day at a computer and then come home and work a few hours at the computer, I get a little sick of all the screen time.  I also just spent a week in Washington DC for a conference and the hotel charged $17 for internet in my room!  If it wasn’t for that, I probably would have taken a bit of time to post something.

Loan Progress

March 1 2013 ProgressI can’t believe this loan is down to $12,000!  That’s still a lot of money, but I’m so close I can almost taste it.  When I started this aggressive loan repayment thing a couple of years ago, I don’t know that I truly believed I would be able to pay it off so quickly.  If it wasn’t for that pesky wedding last year I’d probably already  have it paid off ;)

Check out my 2013 Loan Repayment Progress section to get some more particulars.

What I’ve Spent Money On

  • Insurance: It’s that time of the year – renter’s insurance AND car insurance due in the same month.  Blah.
  • A new ‘do: I decided it was time to change things up and get a new haircut.  Nothing too crazy, but much shorter and a little extra sass.
  • Eating/Going Out: I spent a little more this month going out – coffee with a  friend, a dinner or two out.  Nothing out of control, but more than last month.
  • Bills!: Ugh, a few of my bills were costlier this month than last.  The Mister and I have spent more in the last year on our electricity than in previous years and we had to pay quite a bit more to even out our  monthly averaged billing payments.  I was super bummed about that.  This winter has been colder than the last couple, so this makes sense.  Also, since we signed another cell phone contract, our bill has gone up a little.

What I Didn’t Spend Money On or What I Cut Down On

  • Gas: I’ve continued to decrease the amount of money I spend on gas.  This month I spent $26 under what I have budgeted.
  • Groceries: I finally completed a goal!  I’m still over what I budged, but I spent about $60 less this month on groceries than I did last month.  I need to continue working toward decreasing this expense though.
  • Cigarettes: I’ve been working on cutting down on my smoking and am working toward an eventual quit date. This month I spent $35 less than last month and $75 less than what I have budgeted.

Overall…

I think things went pretty well this month.  I’m still not going ultra-frugal, but I am finding a nice balance between saving money and going out to enjoy the company of others.

Goal Review

February’s Goals were…

February Goals

  1. Seriously, Decrease my grocery spending by $10. Pass! And then some :)
  2. Work out on Mondays & Tuesdays after work, with co-workers. Fail I’m seriously struggling with getting off my keester and moving.
  3. Stick with my plan to wean myself off of cigarettes.  Pass!

March Goals

  1. Spend no more than $20 going out (for the entire month)
  2. Work out 3x/week (I’m not giving up on this…)
  3. Continue to decrease smoking.

What about you?

How did you do in February?  What did you spend money on?  Do you regret any purchases?  What have you cut back on?  What are your goals for March?