My Own Frugal Family Challenge

Check out this article from Good Morning America and USA Today on their Frugal Family Challenge. If most American families are anything like the families profiled here, I don't feel so bad about our lifestyle.


But... after careful scrutiny of our spending habits I was mortified to discover 43% of our income was spent on eating out last month. Like the families profiled in the above article, we were going to a restaurant or fast-food joint every day, sometimes more than once. This is just plain unacceptable! My parents raised me better than that! Being a student and working full-time has probably facilitated this indulgent lifestyle, but no matter what the excuses are, the economy is struggling and so is our little household budget. Our biggest expense has not been rent, but FOOD. Something had to change!


We want to save money for many good reasons: to buy a house, to buy a replacement for our truck that stopped running, you know, because it's smart to have a savings account. So I put myself in charge of the kitchen (for good this time) and made myself cook every day. I am very happy to have a kitchen. To have running water and working appliances we should consider ourselves like royalty because for most of human history, we would be lucky to have a fire pit and a running stream.


Anyway, we've already seen success! This month I've reduced our eating out to just 16% of our income! I know I'm a little premature in this ruling since we have 3 whole days left in September, but I feel justified in announcing this success because we have plenty of food left in the house and I won't have to get fresh groceries for at least another week.


It hasn't been easy to make this change. We have slipped up and gone out for a quick meal here and there out of desperation for food fast (and I love Wendy's fries!). In the meantime, I am expanding my cooking skills and remembering how fun it is to plan and prepare meals. Cooking is an art form and I am demonstrating a lot of talent here, at least my husband seems to think so. ♥


One thing I have to learn yet is how to better use leftovers. Why is it so much easier cooking for a large group? That reminds me, Thanksgiving is coming up! Hooray for food!

Career Qualms

I'm a 25 year old woman with 12 years working experience a class away from an AA Degree in Humanities and no idea what I want to be when I grow up.


Since I began my college adventure (in the Fall Semester of 2001) I've majored in: History, Sociology, Humanities, Middle-Eastern Studies, and now I'm afraid I'm back to Undecided.


I never knew exactly what I was planning to do with a Middle-Eastern Studies degree, except that it's such an interesting region of the world and I believe Westerners could benefit to get out of their comfort zones and know more about the people we are at war with. I just finished Arabic One (with an A-) but had to drop International Relations and Development for lack of interest and motivation. It's discouraging and makes me want to rethink what my goals are.


Settling on one of many interesting career choices has been the source of much grievance lately as the weather changes along with my monthly season. At times I feel frantic, as if I should know without a doubt what I'm studying for and yet...


I'm so undecided I couldn't choose if my chocolate fix depended on it!


Listed below are some subjects that I love to dabble in:

♥ Humanities
♥ History
♥ Writing
♥ Architectural History
♥ Music
♥ Counseling
♥ Public speaking
♥ Classic Literature
♥ Current Affairs/Politics
♥ Family History
♥ Culinary Arts
♥ Interior Design
♥ Diet & Nutrition
♥ Photography
♥ Travel


I couldn't choose just one all-time favorite, okay, maybe history is mentioned in three or four instances, counting the classic literature, but what could I possibly do with a history degree besides teach? I certainly don't feel like repeating myself four times a day or acting like a public babysitter... Except I've always had this idea that teaching university students wouldn't be half-bad but it would have to be in the subject of Humanities because it's so vast of a subject within itself that it couldn't possibly get boring.


*Sigh*


Recently I've been happy to create art on my fingernails, prepare hearty cooler-weather meals, and organize the household finances. These are just diversions! Shouldn't I want a career? Shouldn't I know what I want?

Parsley, Sage...

Well, I finally got around to mounting this handy spice cabinet on my kitchen wall.



My Papa made it for me! It was a gift for Christmas (2007)... yea I know, go ahead and scold me!

The time it took for me to utilize this fine handcrafted wooden fixture does not minimize the joy I get out of it, as now I can see exactly what spices I have on hand, and my cupboards have so much more free space! Plus, with all of the extra cooking I've been doing, I can appreciate it even more.

Weekend Escape

Dusty and I spent two glorious days with my father at the family cabin in the mountains.