Organic 'Aint Cheap!

   After months of consideration, we have decided to transition into eating organic. The health risks and long term affects of eating processed foods that have been enhanced with chemicals, hormones and other dangerous things are far more scary to me than a slightly larger grocery bill each month. Having said that, eating 100% organic is expensive. I mean really expensive. Here's a brief run down of my trip to the grocery store yesterday:

  Produce: Most organic produce is about a $1/lb. more than non-organic fresh produce. Gala apples were $2.99/lb vs. $1.99/lb, sweet potatoes were $1.85/lb vs. $.99/lb. This small difference I can handle. Keep in mind, the organic selection is much smaller - unless you go to a Whole Foods. I was only able to get about half of our produce in the organic section. But it's a good start. Deli: The deli meats and cheeses made by Publix are a few dollars less per pound than Boars Head, but the quality of meat is worth the money. Boars Head meats and cheeses are all natural and gluten free. We made the switch starting with BH traditional roast turkey breast, top round roast beef and white American cheese.
   Meat: HAH! This is where I had trouble. The cost of organic meat is out of this world. The average price for boneless, skinless chicken breast at Sam's Club or at Publix on sale is $1.79-$2.99/lb. The price for organic chicken breast.....$11.99/lb!! I passed on the chicken. I just can't afford to buy everything organic right now. Not sure if we ever could. The good news is that our freezer is full of "organic" red meat and pork from hunting season so we only need to buy chicken. I'll be checking out Whole Foods for their poultry prices. Sheesh!

   Dairy: It was what I expected. A few dollars more for organic eggs, milk and yogurt. Regular eggs are about $1.89 per dozen and organic were $3.99. But the hormones they put in dairy cows, and beef cows for that matter, are really dangerous. So we splurged on organic dairy. I also found this awesome dessert option - all natural frozen yogurt sandwiches made by Jala. They come in vanilla and chocolate, 6 sandwiches for $4.29, compared to Publix half gallon of ice cream for $4. Not too bad!
   Other changes: We switched from Splenda to Stevia, which is a natural zero calorie sweetener from the stevia extract. None of that nasty aspartame. Remember this is a transition, so we are not 100% organic. But we will suppliment our diet with whole wheat items like oatmeal, cereals, breads and pastas. They even make a low-carb, whole wheat tortilla for wraps!
   With a huge goal for saving money this year, adding organic items to our cart and balancing the grocery budget will be tricky.
 ***Something marketed as "organic" must be approved by the USDA as such and will have a stamp on it. Items marketed as "all natural" might not be certified organic and therefore not as expensive, but still a healthier option than regular processed food items.

Great Vacay on a Budget

   After the initial travel expenses of airfare, overnight parking, and gas to get to the airport, my budget for my trip to Pennsylvania was $300. I went with cash (although it's not the safest way to travel) because it helped me keep track of my spending. If I just swipe my credit card, it's very hard to stay within the limits unless you spend all day on your banking app figuring out how much you spent. If you decide to travel using your credit card, keep a tally of all your receipts so you know what you spent at the end of each day.
   Visiting friends and family when you're on a budget vacation is a great way to cut travel costs - no lodging expenses. Luckily for this trip, I was staying with some friends who recently moved to the area. And because they were new to the area, we did a lot of exploring, which is free :) We did visit a couple of microbreweries, some country stores and an outlet mall. But I just kept my "splurge spending" to a minimum.

   Whether you're staying with someone or in a hotel, you can cut down on meal expenses. Visit a grocery store and buy supplies to make meals where you're staying. No, cooking on vacation isn't ideal, but spending $30-$60 at every meal is not ideal either. Choose your dining excursions wisely. We only dined out twice during my 4 day visit. One evening, we picked up some wine, cheese and other snacks and had a great evening in watching movies (and the snow fall). It was great!
   My friends wanted to check out a casino near their new digs. But we played one cent slot machines - which was really fun and inexpensive. We also explored the town of Jim Thorpe which was great for pictures. There were antique stores and funky shops, a used book store, train station and all kinds of fun places to poke around. If you're on a budget, keep souvenir shopping to a minimum.
   To save money while in transit, take snacks with you so you don't have to purchase airport food at a fortune. Also, carry a reusable water bottle to fill at drinking fountains inside the terminal or with your complimentary "in flight" beverage.
   I stayed within my budget and had an amazing trip. Now, I don't have to worry about an astronomical credit card bill at the end of the month!

Home Mani/Pedi

   Any girl can give herself a decent manicure/pedicure with the right tools. You'll need a squirt of your favorite bath soap/bubble bath, any kind of body scrub, pumice stone (you can pick one up at Sally's Beauty for $.99), nail polish remover, cotton balls, nail clippers and nail file, cosmetic scrub brush, toe nail seperator (you can also use a piece of paper towel rolled into a long strip and weave it inbetween your toes), bottom and top clear coat, and your choice of polish color of course. 

   Start by taking off any old polish - even if its a clear coat. Soak feet for 10 minutes in hot soapy water. I have a little pedicure spa tub but if you dont, you can fill the bath tub 6" full and soak them in there.  Scrub your feet clean. Apply body scrub to pumice stone and massage feet vigorously. Pay special attention to the heel and ball of your feet. Rinse all soap/scrub and dry feet.

   Clip nails to desired length and file for a smooth surface. You can also use a cutical clipper at this point to clip dead skin and cuticals. Place toe seperator between toes and make sure nothing is touching your nails. Apply bottom clear coat, two coats of color and top clear coat, respectively - allow for one minute dry time between each coat. Sit still and don't DO anything for at least 10 minutes. **My problem is that I always try to rush and do something right after and inevitably mess up my nails.

   This same process can be applied to fingernails. When your nails are good and dry, apply choice of lotion and massage skin gently. Now you have beautiful hands and feet and saved $30+. Try supplimenting your biweekly or monthly mani/pedi with this home rendition and save hundreds of dollars a year!

Last Day of Fast and Struggling

  Today is our last day of the fiscal fast. Im struggling. One battle in my head is over a new travel tote. What's a girl to do without one? You might suggest "Use one you already have." Good thought. Especially considering I've aquired a new travel tote before almost every trip I've ever taken. Nothing too fancy so no judgement. You know, something in the $40 range from TJ Maxx. But because I already have several suitable totes, the rational side of my brain keeps announcing its argument, "That is ridiculous. Why would you buy a new bag? You have 100. You probably have 10 that would be perfect for this trip. That's really stupid to waste money on another bag just for the sake of having a new one." However, the fashionista shopping addict side of my brain rebuttles with, "Because you did SO well this week not buying anything. And you haven't bought anything that wasn't a necessity since Christmas! That was a month ago! Sweet reward....let's go to TJ Maxx!!" The battle continues. I will try to hold my ground.
   The other battle in my head is over a mani/pedi. No girl should go on vacation without a fresh mani/pedi. And my salon is running a special - both for $27. So, I could just go by after work today and get it taken care. Lord knows my toes are frightening. BUT, I know I can do it at home for free. I actually have a pedicure spa tub that Ian bought me for Christmas a few years ago. I have the scrubby soaps and lotion and plenty of polish options. Why would I waste money at the salon? Ugh - because it feels WAY better when someone else does it. Period.
   **Stay tuned for the home mani/pedi blog. #saving $27.

Saving While Traveling

   I am taking a trip to Pennsylvania on Thursday to see my best friend Piper. It's a 3 night, 4 day trip and I'm flying. With bag check fees for nearly every airline, travelers could be spending $50 or more for round trip luggage expenses. I did check on airlines with no bag checking fees, but none of them fly into Allentown, PA. Bummer. So my goal now is to pack light and bring two carry-ons only. I personally have never done this before.

   While selecting my 4-day wardrobe, I had to be creative. Every girl needs a brown shoe and black shoe option. I settled on my tan boots (flat) and knee-high black boots with a slight heel. For exploring or walking around town, going out at night, or just bumming around, one of these two options should cover me. I'll wear one on the plane and pack the other. I also needed to be wise with my coat selection. I chose a tan leather jacket and a black trench coat. This should cover fun, evening, and snow/rain. However, neither of these coats are very heavy - good for packing but not good if it's freezing, which it may be. So I opted for thick, long sleeve sweater/shirt options to layer and two pairs of jeans. I also packed a dress and tights, a few scarves, one pair of pajamas, versatile undergarments and a pair of gloves. I managed to squeeze in a clutch purse and a belt too.

   Packing your toiletry bag can be tricky. Everything liquid has to be 3oz. or smaller. And I believe it has to be enclosed in a plastic ziplock bag. To save a little here, (if you don't already have) buy a couple 3 oz. travel bottles. They can be filled with shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc. that you already have at home instead of spending $20 in travel size products at the drug store. Avoid packing other items that you likely don't need such as a hair dryer. They are big and bulky and chances are, the person you're visiting or the hotel you're staying in has one you can use anyway. For the ladies, if you have a large make-up bag, don't take the whole thing! You won't need 25 eye shadows on a 4 day vacation. Pick out the items you need for every day wear and a few extras like colored eye liner and one or two shadows that match the outfits you packed. Put those things in a smaller bag to save space.   

   By taking only 2 carry-ons and not checking a bag, I consider this an immediate savings of at least $50 for myself. So I'll take $50 and transfer it today into my savings account so I'm not tempted to blow it on my trip! (See savings ticker above)

Fiscal Fast Fail

  Try as we may, our first fiscal fast has failed. Ian really wanted to play golf on Sunday. He works 6 days a week and rarely gets play time. At first he thouht he might have a free round of golf voucher, but it had expired. He REALLY wanted to play golf. I came up with this compromise: If we had enough cash in our wallets between the two of us to pay for a round of golf, then we would go. Wouldn't you know we had $16 and the "after 2pm special" was $10. So golf he did. (I usually don't play I just bring a book and read. Sometimes he lets me drive the cart and I use a British accent as I chauffeur him around the greens :)
   Ian is not the only one who failed the fast. I am working on a personal project and Wednesday is my deadline. I ran out of a very necessary supply and could not finish without it. So, I took the $6 we had left and went to Wal-Mart to buy scrapbooking tape. We also needed an onion.
   The positive point to this story is we have not used a debit or credit card since the fiscal fast started and will not do so until Thursday. Now that we're out of cash....this should be interesting. Good thing mom and dad offered to have us over for dinner tomorrow night. Our fridge is pretty vacant.

"Honey, We're Out Of Soap..."

   In the last 24 hours, we have run out of several items around the house - some of the necessities and some of them not. Last night we were preparing some venison to make jerky. The marinade recipe called for a number of things we were out of including soy sauce, cumin and minced garlic. Well, there is no running to the store for a few things while we’re on this fiscal fast so we had to make due. We were able to find suitable substitutes for those ingredients and went ahead and made the marinade. We’ll let you know how it comes out J

   This morning while in the shower, Ian discovered he was out of his Old Spice shower gel. I told him we would not be getting any more until after next Thursday. Ian: shrugs his shoulders, picks up my pomegranate mango shower gel and squirts some on his loofa. Jen: “At least you’ll smell pretty.” ;0) wink.

 #nopurchasesfor7days

A Fiscal Fast

   Last night, we stumbled on a new show on TLC called Extreme Cheapskates. This episode featured Jeff Yeager, author of The Cheapskate Next Door and The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches. First of all, this man is extreme. I mean he rides his bicycle around town from gas stations to restaurants to laundry mats looking for spare change on the floor and in seat cushions. Most of the things he does to save money, I personal would not do. However, he did present a challenge that I would like to try called the Fiscal Fast.

   In his books, he outlines the fiscal fast, which is a 7 day spending freeze for your household budget. You cannot buy a single thing for a week. And NO stockpiling beforehand. The fast serves three main purposes. 1- It will help you save money. Don't rush out the following week and spend what you saved b/c that defeats the purpose. Instead, put it in savings or pay off some debt. 2- It will give you a new appreciation for how you spend (or waste) your money on a weekly basis. 3- It will remind you of all the great things in life that don't have anything to do with money. 

   While you're on a fiscal fast, use up the food in your pantry. Canned goods, pastas and sauces, cereals, etc. Use up the items in your fridge that are nearing an expiration date. All the condiments in the door that are almost gone - use them to season/marinade/flavor your cooking. The spending freeze includes gas and necessities too so make sure your gas tank is full and keep your "errand running" to a minimum during the fast. Make sure you have toilet paper, dog food, medication and things that you will absolutely need for the week but DON'T STOCKPILE! Do things at home for free entertainment like play board games or have a Wii tournament. Do a craft project with supplies you already have. Give yourself a home mani/pedi. Ride your bike wherever you need to go if possible AND ride your bike for something to do. Take it to a nearby park and ride the trails. Pick up that book you've been meaning to start and dive in. There are a lot of things to do after work and on the weekends that don't cost money. This is your chance to rediscover those things.

  We are accepting this challenge starting tomorrow. Do it with us and comment on the blog about your experience! 

Dining In

   We don't go out to eat that often for two reasons: It can be expensive, and I don't personally care for chain restaurants and the taste of commercial food. I believe with a good cookbook, culinary creativity, and some effort, you can make a delicious, first-class meal at home for half the cost and much more fun. Lately, I have been trying to recreate meals from some of our favorite restaurants.
   Recently I gave my best attempt at duplicating Harry's Seafood and Grill's chicken Baton Rouge. It's a grilled chicken breast covered in roasted red pepper sauce and melted goat cheese and I also made the sweet corn grits side dish. I NAILED it! It was awesome and I was really proud of myself. It would have cost us $40 (or more) to eat at Harry's but we ate at home for about $15 instead.

   Last night was my dad's birthday. We wanted to treat him to his favorite dinner - which would be something on the Sonny's menu - but dinner for 4 even at Sonny's could be pricey. And I knew cooking at home would make it special for him. So Ian and I prepared BBQ baby back ribs, which Ian slow cooked in the oven for 3 hours the night before and then grilled before dinner time, BBQ chicken, potato salad, baked beans and corn bread. For dessert I made a chocolate cheesecake with malted milk ball crust. The crust was my idea but I got the recipe for the cheesecake from my chocolate Pampered Chef cookbook. We feasted like kings :) Everything came out really delicious and we had plenty of left overs for lunch for a few days (bonus savings if you can get multiple meals from your cooking/leftovers). A meal for 4 at Sonny's probably would have run us somewhere around $60-$70. The cheesecake that I made, honestly could be comparable with the ones from the Cheesecake Factory. The cheapest chocolate cheesecake on their menu is $47 (for the whole cake). Thats over $100 for a birthday dinner for 4. However, by recreating all these yummy dishes at home, we made our feast for about $50.

   Cooking at home is almost always cheaper than dining out. There are many ways to get creative in the kitchen - using cookbooks, watch cooking shows, attend a cooking class or invite friends over to brainstorm new menus. The internet has millions of blogs and websites with great recipes for free. Print them, clip them from magazines! Get cooking!

  **These are a few of my favorite cookbooks. Hit the discount section at Barnes and Nobles or try Amazon.com for great deals on famous cookbooks.

    

  

Coffee Costing You Lots?

   If you are a coffee person and you're "outsourcing" for your caffeine fix, you're tossing a lot of money down the drain that could be in your piggy bank. Whether it's one cup in the morning and the occasional afternoon pick-me-up, or if you drink it all day long - slightly unhealthy by the way - there is much to be saved by changing your coffee intake habits.

   Let's say you stop at McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts each morning for a regular cup of Joe. That's roughly $1.50/day = $7.50/week = $30/month = $360/year (based on a M-F schedule) just for your daily cup of coffee! If you like foofoo coffee, like me - caramel latte or frapachino something or other - then you're looking at $2-3 per drink, roughly $600/year. If you're a Starbucks coffee drinker, you're looking at even more.

   Do I recommend boycotting coffee shops? No, of course not. But I do recommend brewing your own coffee at home before you leave for work, or brewing it at the office for your daily coffee fix. The occasional cup of gourmet coffee is a splurge everyone needs to decide if they can afford individaully. A 40 oz. tub of ground coffee will run you about $12.50 and last about 2 months. That's maybe $75 a year in coffee - a gigantic savings!

   If you decide you'd like to start brewing your own coffee, or you already do at home but you'd like to start at work, don't run out and by a $40 coffee pot. Check out your local thrift store's appliance section and pick one up for a couple dollars (you might want to find an electrical outlet in the store and plug it in to be sure the warmer plate works before you make the purchase). There are dozens of flavored creamers or even flavored coffees on the market that will give you the same gourmet taste that Starbucks delivers but for a fraction of the price.
   **Bonus: Invest in a good reusable/travel coffee cup like a Tervis Tumbler instead of using disposable cups to save even more money!

Date Night on a Dime

Fun doesn’t have to equal lots of dollars. Here are 15 date night ideas for a tight budget that I found on the Nest.com.

1. Go to the movies for cheap. There are ways to do movie dates on a budget: Find second-run theaters. They cost about $2 per person per show. Or go to a matinee of a current movie. Ocala even has a drive-in theater and you can bring your own snacks/drinks/dinner picnic!
2. Make it a lunch date. Order from the lunch menu -- it's cheaper than dinner and the portions aren't that much smaller.
3. Go to a cooking class. Go to Williams-Sonoma and attend one of their cooking demos. You'll have some new recipes to try instead of going to a restaurant, so you'll save even more money.
4. Rethink tool time. Cooking stores aren't the only places with free how-tos: Hardware stores like Lowe's and The Home Depot have DIY seminars. You can both learn to fix things, and it's fun and free!
5. Make a reservation -- for dessert. Cook dinner at home and then head to an ice cream shop for dessert. Drive around or go for a walk for good conversation time. Valentine's Day is coming up and the Melting Pot is a really popular choice but also very expensive. Consider just doing dessert there for your special occasion.

6. Have a Wii night. You've already invested in a Wii, now use it for date night. Have date-night Wii tourneys and make some interesting bets to spice things up. Anything goes, from doing dishes to sexual favors. **We also like to play dirty word Scrabble. You can play words that get you fired up for later :)
7. Hit the links. A really fun date is going to the golf course and playing just nine holes. I did that recently with my husband. Even if you guys aren't good, it's still fun.
8. Volunteer together. For a feel-great date: Volunteer together somewhere. Serve at a local food pantry or help Habitat for Humanity build something. It's a great bonding experience and is practically free.
9. Step up to the plate. Take a bat and a ball to a local school or community park and play around. Get into it with knee-high socks, baseball hats or even your favorite team's jersey. **Ian and I played on a team for a softball charity event I organized last year. It was a lot of fun!
10. Get crafty with your home improvements. Decorate and date! **This might work for some - BEWARE household projects can be stressful on a couple so remember to take it easy and don't be critical of each other during this process.
11. Go on a field trip. Soak up culture free of charge: Our neighborhood library has free passes to local museums. You can check out the passes like a library book.
12. Read all about it. If you look in any local paper, you can usually find an entertainment section full of cheap activities in the next few days. Stick to your own neighborhood so you won't have to use extra gas or waste travel time. **Speaking of reading, read a book together! We are going to hike the Appalachian Trail this year and we received a book about the trail for Christmas. We plan on reading it together :)
13. Pack a picnic in the park. Pack a picnic basket: blanket, bottle of wine, cheese, fruit, etc. Head down to a lake or park and enjoy. **We did this on our honeymoon by a lake and actually fell asleep on our picnic blanket. It was very romantic.
14. Take a staycation. You don't even have to leave the city limits: There is a lot to do in your hometown, I'm sure. **Marion County has a horse racetrack, canyon ziplining, cave diving/"splunking", antique stores, hiking trails, rivers for tubing and canoing, the possibilities are endless!
15. Have a theme night. Schedule a theme dinner and movie night at home. Create a menu based on the movie you're watching. For example - the movie Sabrina and cook a French dish from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking! **Ian just got me this cookbook so this is definately on my list for theme night!

Brown Bagging It

   Okay, so maybe I don't bring my lunch in a brown paper bag (which is wasteful by the way), but I do bring my lunch to work on most days, in my pretty Vera Bradley lunch box. If you're not already in the habit of packing a lunch, it can be a difficult habit to get into. First you have to keep lunch-friendly items in your fridge and pantry that are easy to grab in the morning. You also have to take into account the few minutes it will take in the morning to throw your lunch together. If you don't, you'll be late for work.

   If you're currently going out to get lunch every day or even a few days of the work week, you could be wasting a lot of money. Let's name a few places that we would likely eat lunch at - Panera, Boston Market, McCallisters, Crispers, Moe's or even Wendy's. The average lunch meal with a beverage at these places will run you about $8. That's $40/week = $160/month = $2,000/year! If anyone who was eating out for lunch everyday made a commitment to bring their lunch to work this year, you'd be 1/5 of the way to our savings goal just by changing your lunch habits!

   I'm personally making this commitment. In the past I've brought my lunch 2-3 days a week. But this year, I'll be "brown bagging it" everyday. And a bonus to packing your lunch is you can manage the healthy choices you put in your bag. Choose veggies and fruits for snacks and whole/multi grain bread for sandwiches. You can save time by making and packaging some things in advance. (see photo)

   Brown bag lunch ideas: dinner leftovers, tuna/egg salad and crackers, PB&J, soups, sandwiches, salads, pretzels, fruits, veggies, nuts, granola, yogurt, pudding/jello cups and oatmeal.

Budget Basics

   Now that we've jump started our savings, let's lay some ground work. The first thing anyone should do when trying to save money is make a budget. Your budget should include your total income, as well as all debt, bills, monthly expenses, etc. Hopefully - fingers crossed - when you put this on paper, your income should be greater than your necessary expenses. If it's not, take a good look at your budget and see if there's anything you can cut from your expenses.
   If your income is greater than your expenses, however much that is should be your monthly goal for savings. Don't forget to give yourself a little cushion for things like lunch once a week, dinner with a friend, renting a movie, the things in your life that aren't necessary but you don't want to give up. For example, our household monthly budget includes a few hundred bucks that we call "flex money". Date night is important to us. Even if it's just sushi once a month or having a drink downtown.
   If you have a job that affords you any kind of additional pay on top of your base salary, like overtime or commission or even an annual raise, this additional monies should go straight to your savings account. For example, Ian is a salesman and works on commission. If his average paycheck is X, and that is what we've budgeted ourselves to live on, then anything over X should be saved. It definaetly takes discipline on payday because it's really easy to say "Well, we just got paid so let's go to dinner. And a movie. And Gander Mountain." But what we should do on payday is look at our direct deposit and immediately transfer anything more than X right to the savings account.
   If your income is barely covering your expenses, have no fear! You can still save money this year. There are hundreds of ways to save money. Stay tuned for tips on trimming your monthly expenses.

Jump Start Your Savings

   Happy New Year everyone! I hope you rang in the New Year in a good way with your loved ones. We sure did! We attended a BBQ at our friends’ house for the eve and then Ian went to the Gator Bowl with his parents and brother. Now that we are officially in 2012, let’s get down to business and save some money, shall we?  

   To kick start our savings plan, we have to make some changes. Now, whether these changes are small or drastic, every bit is significant to the long-term goal. We started by making a change to our car insurance. First of all, we pay our car insurance bi-annually. Almost every insurance company offers a savings when paying bi-annually vs. monthly. It can be over $200 a year in savings so look into that if you’re not already doing it.  We received our 6-month premium bill from Geico last month and it was for $770 – which is $35 more than the last 6 months. So, I went online to get a quote from 3 or 4 other companies. I made sure to select the exact same coverage so the comparison premium would be fare. At least 2 other companies quoted me a premium for $100 less than Geico. To be completely fare, I called Geico and told them I was looking to lower our bill and asked if there were any other savings opportunities available for us at this time. I’ve been with Geico for 8 years and didn’t want to switch if I didn’t absolutely have to. The lady on the phone assured me I was taking advantage of every opportunity already and that there was no way I could lower my bill. So, that settled it. Before my insurance lapsed, I called Progressive and gave them my quote number. Our new premium is $625. That is a savings of $145. We did receive a one-time discount of $50 to sign our documents online. But even without that discount in the next renewal, it’s still a $95 savings – which is $190 a year!

   So what does that mean right now? If I had made the payment to Geico, we would be out of pocket $770 today. But instead, we are only out of pocket $625. I will take the $145 we saved and put it into our savings account TODAY!