This Week...Beyond Money 5/16 - 5/22

For me, a life beyond money is making choices so that you can live the best possible life, regardless of your income level. Obviously, you have to make a living, but there are many ways to improve your quality of life without increasing your income levels and correspondingly your expenses. This regular post will be some of the ways that we improve our quality of life beyond just trying to make more money.

Gardening:
* I planted a container of flowers for indoors.
* I fed the bunnies weeds and produce scraps to cut feed costs. I need to be better at weening them on to higher rations of greens versus pellets.

Cooking/Groceries:
* We had tacos with leftover sausage and seconds produce. It was a quick heat and eat meal for a busy day. By the time we had the lettuce shredded, the meat was reheated and dinner was served.
* We went grocery shopping and scooped up a few manager's specials. We found spaghetti for $.50/box (Regularly $1.89, but the cheapest we can get it is $.79/box at the salvage grocer), hoagie rolls for $.69/6 pack, and a pack of 8 English muffins for $.89.
* I made breakfast sandwiches for us one morning. I fried up eggs and a few slices of bacon and served them on English muffins. While I assembled the sandwiches, I sauteed some kale in some of the bacon fat to serve on the side. Sauteed greens are pretty much a daily thing now, and I still can't keep up. Time to get to dehydrating.
* I made popcorn for our snacks.
* We get pretty much limitless greens from the farm. So we have been eating a lot of them. Steamed. Sauteed. With black beans. Pasta and greens. Eggs and greens. I may need to start making green smoothies just to use it up.
* I made stir fry and rice one evening. I used a variety of seconds I got from my farm: Swiss chard, radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, collard greens and turnip greens. I made sauce using a packet we got in a bulk lot from the salvage grocer. I had enough leftover to use for two work lunches.

Fun:
* We went out for a working coffee date one morning to write. $3.18, with travel refill.
* We went out with one of our friends and a new friend of his. We got pizza and drinks a hole-in-the-wall place near us. We split the meal to keep costs low.
* I got to hang out with my BFF, Doodles. We went out for coffee, then I took her to see our antique booth. Afterwards, we ran a couple errands together. I love a friendship where you can have fun doing whatever, as long as you are together.

Nature:
* We went on a fantastic hike at a metro park south of us. It was so beautiful. There wasn't much in the way of wildlife, but it was still lovely. We found a fantastic old barn. When I was reading about the farm, I found out that the farmer had paid $1.25 an acre!

Frugality:
* I used samples for my shampoo and conditioner again this week.
* Our doctor sent us a bill for Trucker's checkup appointment for a $40 copay. Since it was a preventative visit, we didn't owe it. I called and they said that the computer automatically sends a bill. A 3-minute phone call saved $40; that's $800/hr, tax free. :)
* Trucker continues to organize the house. He is much better at tending the house than me. I'm great with cooking, food preservation, gardening and special projects, but he is much better at organization. I've been helping as I have time. One of the great things has been getting a solid inventory on household items. Now all of our light bulbs are together, the laundry detergent has been consolidated into fewer bottles (there were 5 open ones....oops), etc. This will keep us from having to buy something because we don't know we have an open container and has made the second bathroom/laundry room/utility room much nicer looking. Soon I'll be able to go in a decorate.

Waste Reduction:
* I composted weird things.
* I aimed to use leftovers creatively to avoid waste.

Work:
* I packed a lunch each day I worked.
* Trucker ate for free on his long shift thanks to his boss's wife.
* I picked up my pay from the temping. She gave me much more than I expected. I am putting it into savings for a trip we are planning on taking.
* I took home seconds produce: kale, collards, mustard, beets, radishes, carrots, sunchokes, and turnips with greens.

Future:
* Trucker's boss said if he wanted to put up an auction, he could post it if Trucker did the writing and photos. His first auction went live this weekend. Hopefully it does well and this will be another great stream of income for us.

Health:
* The first incline on our hike was hard, but we insisted on continuing. I was so glad we did. We got a solid 5 miles in with moderate effort. We had gotten in the habit of going on 2 mile, easier hikes, so this was a good workout.
* We got back Trucker's lab results. All is well. His cholesterol is a tad high, but everything else is great.
* I went for a short run. While it wasn't a superb run, I did better than I expected. All of the sprints I've been doing at the farm have been keeping me in good shape. I've also noticed that as I've gotten stronger in the last couple of months, I seem to be running with better form. I've been strengthening my abs and I think that is helping.


Community:
* My boss asked me if I could cover greenhouse duty for her this past week so she could visit family. I covered the day for her. When she heard that Trucker had gotten us tickets for a concert later this summer, she insisted on switching days with me so we could spend the night and make a weekend of it. I love working with a good team that values each other.
* I gave Doodles a bag of seconds produce; she shared with her dad.
* Doodles gave me an incredible chickens coloring book! Too cool! I had so much fun coloring in it while we had coffee.
* I went to a community meeting for my side of the city. My organization teamed up with several other community organizations to talk about what we want to see happen in our neighborhoods. They provided a free meal. At each course, we discussed different questions and talked about changes we'd like to focus on. It was a wonderful night.

How was your week?

This Week...Beyond Money 5/9 - 5/15

For me, a life beyond money is making choices so that you can live the best possible life, regardless of your income level. Obviously, you have to make a living, but there are many ways to improve your quality of life without increasing your income levels and correspondingly your expenses. This regular post will be some of the ways that we improve our quality of life beyond just trying to make more money.

Gardening:
* I fed the bunnies weeds, scrap produce and tree prunings.
* Trucker got me some manure and peat moss at a good price at auction.

Cooking/Groceries:
* We made a quick meal of quesadillas and soup one evening. We used a carton of salvage-grocery tomato soup. It was too heavily seasoned and not quite enough for the two of us. I added a baggie of frozen tomato sauce from the freezer (unseasoned; from the canner tomatoes I got from my farmer friend last year). It made the seasoning appropriate and was filling.
* I made a pasta, ground sausage (manager's special; $1.50/lb), and greens (seconds from work; turnip greens, Swiss chard and radish greens) dish with tomato sauce. It made enough for dinner and ample leftovers for work lunches; out of pocket cost: $3.25.

Fun:
* We went on a couple coffee dates, $3.18 with our travel mugs.
* We went out for our monthly pizza outing with our friends. We met up during the end of happy hour so we were able to order discounted items. We got the seasonal pizza since that was 30% cheaper than regular price during happy hour. It was a great evening, as always.
* We used the library for books and movies.
* We went to my hometown for their community yard sale. My sister was off work so she walked around with us all day. We rarely get to hang out with her, so it was perfect. Afterwards, we had dinner with two of my sisters, my parents and my Grandpa.

Frugality:
* When we went picking, we were very good about avoiding personal purchases.
* The exception was a tool chest for Trucker. We have been shopping for one for 2 years. A new one would cost hundreds of dollars. We found a nice used one for $75, but we were in Chicago with no way to get it home. While we were picking, we found a beautiful old tool box from the railroad. The guy who sold it to us actually worked at the train yard right down the road from our house and snagged it when they were getting rid of it. It is so pretty. It is rugged and the color compliments our color scheme. It is so rich in history and is as beautiful as it is practical. The best part? We got it for $20.
* I used a shampoo and conditioner sample. It was enough for the entire week.
* I picked a bouquet of wildflowers. It is a simple arrangement, but smells amazing.

Waste Reduction:
* I composted lots of things.

Work:
* I packed a lunch each day I worked.
* Trucker got a free lunch at his job.
* I was able to take home lots of seconds produce from work. It would otherwise have been composted. It is nice to find new recipes to make with the veggies so I can tell people at the farm stand.

Future:
* We went to a community yard sale. We got lots of fun pieces for the booth and spent relatively little.
* Trucker spent 6 hours rearranging the booth. It is good to freshen it up sometimes. It is much easier to shop in now, as it is U shaped with two entrances instead of P shaped with one.

Health:
* I continue running at work. I'm regaining my lung capacity and strengthening my heart. It is great. I love the interval training of adding some sprints to farming.
* My farming appetite has awakened. I'm eating constantly. I'm not gaining or losing weight, but I am building some muscle.

Community:
* One day the delivery at Trucker's job was several hours late. They had to stay late to put it away once it finally arrived. I knew they'd be frustrated, so I decided to bring them something sweet. Starbucks was having their happy hour for half off frappachinos. While I never go to Starbucks. I figured this would be a nice little treat for them. It cost about $10 to get a drink for everyone.

How was your week?

This Week...Beyond Money 5/2 - 5/8

For me, a life beyond money is making choices so that you can live the best possible life, regardless of your income level. Obviously, you have to make a living, but there are many ways to improve your quality of life without increasing your income levels and correspondingly your expenses. This regular post will be some of the ways that we improve our quality of life beyond just trying to make more money.

I didn't take any photos this week, so enjoy some of my favorite photos of Ray. My apologies to dog people.

Gardening:
* I bought a bag of potting soil at a going-out-of-business sale for 20% off.
* I fed the bunnies tree prunings.

Cooking/Groceries:
* I have to admit, it was a terrible week for cooking. We ate out a couple times, forgot to eat more often, and the rest of the time made quick and easy meals like mac n cheese, lunch meat sandwiches or quick salads with canned soup. It was the most insanely busy week, and frankly, I didn't plan well enough. I'll try to do better in the coming week.
* We went shopping at the salvage grocery store. I got some great deals: organic mac n cheese ($.33/box; cheaper than Aldi), organic cereal ($.33/box), Jiff Cappuchino hazelnut spread ($.49; regularly $4.49), toilet paper ($.99/4-pack; 100% post consumer recycled material), coffee ($2.50/12 oz bags), and lots of individual snack packs of organic gummy candies, pretzels, biscotti, biscuits and other items for lunch and to bring to share with coworkers ($.33-.49). We filled the cart to overflowing for $55

Fun:
* We went to opening night of Civil War. Trucker loves comic book movies. We don't usually go to full-price movies, but I figure occasionally it is okay.
* Our friends had a picnic in the park. We all brought food and had a good time talking together.
* We had to go out of town, so we made a bit of a day trip of it. We popped in to a locally owned coffee house, a thrift store and a winery. The winery was quite affordable for very good wine. It was $6 for a flight of 4. We will plan to take Daisy and her hubby sometime soon.
* We visited my family one evening. We brought my mom her Mother's Day gifts. We got her some trees at the Arbor Day fest last weekend. Trucker got her a nice 9-piece cast iron set. It usually cost over $200, but since he got it at auction, he paid $25. My family doesn't mind gifts being used. This set was returned because it was too heavy for the original purchaser to lift.

Frugality:
* While out picking, we found a $5 bag sale at a church rummage sale since it was the last day of the sale. After we had gotten things for our booth, I filled up the bag with a few items for me. I got 3 pairs of leather pumps, 4 pairs of earrings and a shirt. The rummage sale was in a very ritzy neighborhood, so the items I got were fantastic. They were a much finer quality than I would consider ever buying myself new, and honestly, would be outside of my preferred price range at a thrift store.
* My car was acting up, so I took it to my cousin to fix it. He was able to fix it in a few minutes, so he didn't charge me his usual rate (he usually charges an hour minimum). I brought him a 6-pack of his favorite beer.

Waste Reduction:
* I composted weird things.
* I rinsed out some salsa and hot sauce jars and dumped the rinse water into my Trash Chili container.

Work:
* I packed a lunch each day I worked. One day the company gave us a free lunch for an award we won.
* Trucker's boss fed him one day he worked. He brought donuts the other morning for everyone.
* I got to leave early on Friday because I worked overtime throughout the week. One day there was a call off on a day that was already going to be crazy busy, so I came in early to help out.
* I temped for 6 hours at my old job. They were crazy busy for Mother's Day, so it was good to be able to help them out some. Plus I got to talk with my friends. The boss got us all pizza to say thanks for working a busy shift, and I got to eat a couple of chocolate covered strawberries that were otherwise going to be thrown away.
* I took home seconds produce.

Future:
* Trucker wanted to get new head shots, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. He needed them for getting acting gigs and needed a more professional photo for his books. He found a photographer who was wanting to update his portfolio. He took the photos for free and sent us the photos online to print. He also took couples photos for us. I plan to print them and hang them up.
* We went picking together one day.

* Our antique mall had a party one evening. Last time there was a party, we did really well. This time, not so much. It is the start of the slow season, so I'm sure that played into it. Also, the weather was really crummy all week, but the night of the party was perfect, so people probably wanted to be outdoors rather than go antiquing. As it was, we made the best of it. We enjoyed the free cake and punch and did a lot of networking with other vendors. We met someone who repairs and resells radios. He gave us the details of what he needs and his maximum price so we can scoop up items for him. I also talked with someone about cake pans she wants. She said she will email me later this week. All in all, it was a good event, even if not in the way we were hoping.

Health:
* My resting heart rate has dropped to a healthier level.
* I have been running at work. When I realize I forgot a tool across the farm, I've taken to sprinting to the tool shed. When I am going to go weed at a different field, I run there. I'm sure it only saves me seconds, but considering that I work for a nonprofit doing work I really appreciate, I want to be as efficient as possible. Not only that, but it makes for a better workout. I do a lot of strength exercises (driving T-posts, lifting bags of compost, carting around wheelbarrows) and squats (basically harvest days are entirely squats). Going for short bursts of sprinting gets my heart rate up and switches things up a bit.

* When I temped at my old job this weekend, my old boss mentioned how fit and tan I looked.

Setbacks:
*  My car started acting up, but fortunately, my cousin was able to fix it for me. He is such an incredible help to the whole family. Without him, we would all have a much harder time maintaining our used vehicles. It seems that setbacks have a way of reminding us how fortunate we are to have a solid community around us.

Community:
* I took my family and Daisy some seconds produce. It would otherwise have been composted, so I was glad it was eaten instead. I overheard one of my coworkers telling a volunteer that we aim to reduce waste on the farm and that I am really good at making sure none of our food goes to waste.

How was your week?

This Week...Beyond Money 4/25 - 5/1

For me, a life beyond money is making choices so that you can live the best possible life, regardless of your income level. Obviously, you have to make a living, but there are many ways to improve your quality of life without increasing your income levels and correspondingly your expenses. This regular post will be some of the ways that we improve our quality of life beyond just trying to make more money.

Gardening:
* My boss gave me some of the tiny leftover onion starts we had leftover since they were going to be composted otherwise. I planted them next to the garlic.
* At the Arbor Day Festival, I was given 3 ramps. I planted them in the fence line. Here's hoping they overtake that portion of the backyard!

Cooking/Groceries:
* Trucker has been cooking a lot lately, which is wonderful. He made pork chops with green beans, dinner rolls and chips.
* I steamed a huge bag of manager's special mustard greens. I used some with my lunch and the rest I'll freeze to use in winter.
* I made pumpkin pie pudding. I also found some fun recipes for homemade pudding mix that I want to try soon: chocolate and vanilla.
* I made stir-fry with leftover pork, mustard greens, radishes, turnips, Swiss chard stems, celery and garlic.
* I roasted a lot of seconds produce from the farm: asparagus (It's finally here!), radishes, turnips and Swiss chard stems. I love roasting vegetables. So simple, but so delicious.

Fun:
* Our friend gave us a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream at a fancy ice cream shop. He is vegan, so he couldn't use it and thought we would like it (he was right!). We used that as a little date one evening. We bought one scoop, so for $5 we each got one.
* We took our friends out for dinner. Daisy Duke's hubby's birthday was this week. We bought a Groupon for a nice Asian fushion restaurant. The coupon was for a $50 value for $30. I used a promo code to get $10 off (and used my rewards card to pay for it and earn points back). We spent an hour and a half talking and laughing together. They are amazing friends and I am so glad to know them.

Nature:
* We went to a local arboretum for their Arbor Day Festival. It was so lovely to see all the pretty trees. I got to make my own Lorax mustache, meet the Lorax and Parky the Pig (from the National Park Service). I was in geek heaven. We oogled lots of pretty trees and flowers, enjoyed trying to identify new plants and exploring the Japanese garden.

Waste Reduction:
* I have been saving water from rinsing produce to water the container garden and seedlings.
* I composted weird things.
* As I have cooked this week, I've been filling containers in the freezer with bones and veggie scraps for making stock. I have 2 1/2 containers full and waiting until I have time.

Work:
* I am still enjoying my new job. It has been so nice to be able to work outside and help with this incredible program.
* I packed a lunch each day.
* I got to take home loads of seconds.
* Trucker ate for free one day at his job.
* Trucker's boss gave us a free step ladder that someone paid for but never picked up for several months.

Health:
* I am struggling to drink enough water. I really have to be better at this.
* One of my coworkers said that she's noticed I've slimmed down since starting this job. I haven't weighed myself for a bit, but I do feel good. Really, that's the important thing.
* Getting seconds at this job makes it so easy to get lots of produce in our diet. I usually bring home two bags of seconds and we eat lots in every meal.

Community:
* I gave Daisy Duke some seeds. I bought a pack of acorn squash seeds, but there were way too many for my little garden. She is putting in a container garden, so I thought she could use some of them. It is a fun black-skinned variety.
* My boss said I could take some of the seconds produce to give to Daisy.

How was your week?