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?

This Week...Beyond Money 4/18 - 4/24

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 did something I swore I would never do. I used Roundup in the front garden. I hated to do it, but the poison ivy was totally out of control. Trucker has been pulling it up, but I can't expect him to keep going out there constantly. Last year I was barely able to go into the garden because of the sheer volume of poison ivy and the horrible disfigurement I experience when I am exposed. I finally after a lot of thought and delay, I decided that I would spray as little as possible as infrequently as possible so I could get back into the garden. I love spending time in the garden, and want to be able to keep up on both gardens, lawn and tree line this year. I made the dilution a little lighter than it called for and sprayed once on a still day. The poison in one bed is pretty well dead; the other may need a second spray. I will not spray more than I absolutely have to. Hopefully after that second spray I will be good.
* I planted some Little Finger carrots. I wasn't planning on growing them this year, but just decided to go for it. We'll see if I get anything.
* I fed the bunnies radish greens from the seconds bin.

Cooking/Groceries:
* We had tacos a couple of nights. I found ground beef on sale for $3/lb. We used half a pound each night. I added lettuce (free from seconds bin), peppers (fried; manager's special), black olives (on sale) and cheese (on sale). I strained off a large amount of fat and saved it in the refrigerator to use in cooking. While some people are squeamish about animal fats, I've always preferred them to margarine or shortening. I use them in moderate amounts, so I'm not overly concerned with saturated fat content. Plus it's free!
* Trucker made his amazing french toast to use some bread and eggs getting a little past their prime. Seriously the best breakfast ever. He always makes extra for me to have for breakfast for a couple days after (I just pop it in the toaster and it's almost as good as fresh).
* For our anniversary, Trucker made dinner. He made steak (on sale, $6), baked potatoes ($.15/lb at Aldi) and green beans (canned since we are out of our dehydrated stores for the year).
* I cooked some chicken with Thai seasoning that I got on manager's special ($2/lb). We used it to make wraps for lunch one day, with leftovers.
* I made beef stew with some leftover steak, carrots (manager's special), broccoli (manager's specialstant), radishes (seconds bin), turnips (seconds bin), Swiss chard (seconds bin), a can of corn, and a box of instant mashed potatoes (salvage grocer; I would have used regular potatoes, but didn't realize we were out. I got these for $.40/box, so I had two boxes to use in a pinch). I served it over pasta. We had lots of leftovers for lunches.
* I went to the grocery store for a cheap shop. I only bought items on manager's special: $.88/loaf bread, $1 fancy hamburger buns, $1.50 for a giant bag of mustard greens (I will likely get some greens from work, but I can eat a lot of greens. Also, I don't think I will get any mustard greens for free and I like them enough that that matters. hehe), and $1.50/8 oz brick of cheddar cheese (usually $2.50).
* I made tuna salad for lunch one day that Trucker worked. He will eat tuna if there is nothing else to eat, but he won't be happy about it. I have some in my stores that I got at a fantastic price at the salvage grocer. I added a rib of celery, several grated radishes and baby turnips and served it on a manager's special hamburger bun.

Fun:
* We went on a couple of coffee dates. We brought our travel mugs.
* My friend messaged me one day and asked if I wanted to go with her to a salsa class at a nearby restaurant. It was starting in 20 minutes. I have always wanted to learn to dance, but have been hopelessly nervous and awkward about it. I remember one awful time a friend took me dancing and my feet never left the floor. I decided to go for it this time. The class was amazing. I am not good (yet???), but had so much fun. I was able to dance a little bit by the end of the class. I want to go more often as I can. The cost was only a $5 donation to charity.
* This week was our nine year wedding anniversary. We went on a cheap date the day of, and had a nicer date the next day. On our anniversary, we went to the second-run theatre for a cheesy-as-heck sci-fi movie. Cost: $4.50. Afterwards, we went to Steak n Shake with a BOGO coupon for milkshakes. It cost $4 before tip.
* The next day was our fancy date. We went to a bar downtown known for cheap prices. Afterwards we walked around downtown and along the river, laughing and talking. That night the symphony was putting on a concert with $10 tickets (for the bad seats). It was a smaller theatre than the one we usually go to, so even being in the back half of the second balcony, we were still able to see really well. The concert was beautiful.
* My friend, Daisy Duke, came over one afternoon and had coffee with me. It is always so nice to be able to just hang out and talk with a good friend.

Nature:
* We went hiking at a metro park near us. It was a hot day, so we only went for a couple of miles, but it was nice.

Frugality:
* I made a double payment to a credit card.
* I haven't been driving to and from work. The beauty of this is unbelievable. I save $8.50 a day over driving to my factory job, plus reduce my need for 4 oil changes a year, for a savings of $180/month. This translates into a "raise" of $1.05, tax free. This means that even with technically getting a lower wage than at the factory, I break even. Plus, my work day is 8 hours and 15 minutes from the time I leave the house til I get home. The factory kept me away for 13 hours each day.
* Now that I don't work at the factory, I can wear whatever hygiene items I want. At the old job, the chemicals in certain products could interact with the paint, causing problems. Unfortunately, most of the items that were acceptable were really expensive (during that time, I wore the expensive items on work days and cheaper items on off-days). Now I can use whatever I find affordable. This means $1 shampoo instead of $6, and $2 deodorant instead of $5.

Waste Reduction:
* I donated 8 large boxes of random items that were cluttering up the house. Better to donate them to a good cause rather than let them languish in my house. Some of the clothes I thought maybe I'd use for a craft, but after a year if they hadn't been used, they probably wouldn't be.
* I composted lots of weird things.
* I used the last little bit of shampoo at the bottom of the bottle as bubble bath.

Work:
* I returned my uniform to my second part time job. Even though I didn't have to, I thought since I'd barely worn them, it made sense to let them use them for someone else. I brought one of my coworkers some apple chips since she and her daughter loved them. She knew I had to come in for my last check so she had saved several boxes and some bubble wrap for me. So sweet. I'll miss them all a lot.
* I got to take home seconds from harvest day. I got two bags: one of lettuce and Swiss chard, the other of radishes and turnips with greens. We got a few meals out of it.
* I was off on Saturday, but stopped by the second farm site for the kick-off for a little bit to volunteer. It was a smaller event than the previous week. We got in potatoes and onions. My boss teased me a bit for planting onions in heels, but I was on my way to another event and forgot to bring a second pair.
* I found a pair of muck boots at a thrift store for $5. I hadn't used the ones I bought from Tractor Supply, so I will return them this week.

Future:
* I started taking my permaculture class again. They've upgraded the program so I'm starting over. It keeps track of what I have taken and what I haven't. This is nice so that, even if I don't pay for certification, I could always screen save the course list to show how many lessons I've taken.
* Trucker got another table for flea marketing at a fantastic price.

Health:
* We went walking a few times. I've also been working really hard at the farm which is lovely. When harvesting, planting and weeding I'm basically doing squats all day. I also went dancing which worked muscles I didn't know I had.
* We realized (again) this week that we have to be better about staying hydrated. Especially since we are both working as laborers now, it is very important. My problem is forgetting to drink anything; Trucker's is that he drinks coffee all day and forgets to drink anything else.

Community:
* While I was working in the yard one afternoon, I met my neighbor that lives catty-corner from my backyard. She is an adorable 88-year-old who still gardens and tends her house and yard. We had a good talk. I hope to get to know her better this summer.
* Trucker gave a huge box of chips to my coworkers. He had got them on auction for $3 for a box of 30 bags (value $30+). He is so thoughtful. Everyone was telling me I had a keeper.
* My friend and I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity at a Women Build clinic. We helped to build door and window headers while playing with power tools.
* I let Daisy Duke borrow some of my garden tools so she can put her garden in. Considering I won't need them for another week, it costs me nothing to let her borrow them and saves her the cost of having to buy all the supplies just for a small patio garden.
* My boss said during our weekly meeting that she wanted to plant a pollinator garden, but we didn't get the grant for it. That same night, I found a thrift store selling seeds for $.25/pack. I bought 17 packs of flower seeds, focusing on flowers that were both pollinator-attracting and self-sowing. I also brought in all of the extra flower seeds I had in my stash (this is my cleanout year). So we will be able to get that garden in.

How was your week?

This Week...Beyond Money 4/11 - 4/17

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 radish leaves (scraps from job) and leafy tree trimmings.
* I put a scarecrow out. It was some random thing I picked up at a barn sale I go to on their free day. I was thinking of putting it at the curb because it was too broken to sell. However, I loved him, so I decided to find a way to keep him.
* The garlic is looking fantastic. I love growing my own garlic. It is so easy to grow a year's worth of garlic and it's super easy to store as well.

Cooking/Groceries:
* I made a pasta and veggie dish with cheese sauce. I used sugar snap peas (manager's special), Swiss chard (from my job), radishes (from my job), onions, garlic, celery and carrots. I used a very small portion of pasta mixed in and a load of veggies. I added just a tiny bit of ham for flavor.
* We ate leftovers and items from the pantry/freezer a lot this week.
* I cooked chicken bones and veggie scraps down to stock. I used the bones twice before tossing them in the compost bin.
* I made chicken noodle soup using homemade stock and the bits of chicken I pulled off the bones after cooking. I also added Swiss chard, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, zucchini (dehydrated) and a small handful of green beans (dehydrated).

Fun:
* We went out for a couple of coffee dates.
* My mom took my sister, Trucker and me out for ice cream when they were in town. It was so lovely to be able to talk with them.

Nature:
* We went hiking at a local metro park. We also went to a living historical farm on site.
* I am absolutely blissed out while working out in nature. I love learning more about growing plants. Birds fly over us while we work and sing all day. My boss is amazing with animal prints so she points out all the different animals that cross our beds (deer, rabbits, coyotes, etc). Every day when I walk home from work, I am completely happy. I'm sure all this Vitamin D is doing me a world of good.

Frugality:
* I paid off a couple of debts! I paid off a credit card (There was a special promotion, so by paying it off by May, I paid no interest for a savings for $40) and my medical debt. Total, this saves me $75 a month that can go to other things.
* Ray absolutely loves her tree. It is so fun to watch her run, jump and climb up the side of it.
* I cut flowers from the front garden to bring inside. I love having fresh flowers in the house, but don't do it often because of the cost. I haven't cut flowers from my garden in the past, but plan to do so more often this year.

Waste Reduction:
* I composted lots of weird things.

Work:
* I am happy beyond words. I love this job. My boss and coworkers are amazing. The work is wonderful. I love working really hard knowing that it is making a real impact. I've always struggled in jobs when I didn't believe in what I was doing. This job makes me want to work harder, smarter, more efficiently.
* I was able to take home some seconds produce from my job. While we would never take anything that could be used for feeding the community, there are some items so damaged that they would otherwise be thrown in the compost bin, such as cracked radishes, or items with excessive bug nibbles. We are encouraged to take those items so that we can talk with our clients/customers about our produce. I brought home several cracked radishes (I cut out the bad spots and sliced them), some parsley (tiny pieces that couldn't be bundled) and Swiss chard (trimmings from cleaning up some plants that had extensive leaf miner damage; since I cooked them, it was no issue). All of this would have simply been composted otherwise.
* I packed lunch each day I worked. Trucker ate for free at his job.

* We had a Spring Kick-off event at the farm this weekend. The day before I got to go out canvassing the neighborhood (and racking up some major mileage). I loved getting into conversations with some lovely people and sharing recipes with a cute little lady down the street. The event was fantastic. It was so wonderful to get to spend time with some wonderful volunteers and fabulous neighbors. A company nearby sent 12 workers there for the day  and they knocked through so many projects.  Trucker showed up for a bit, as did my mom and sister. Overall, it reminded me that there are a lot of good people in the world and that I am very happy that I moved into this neighborhood.

Preparedness:
* I packed a tin with a couple protein bars, first aid items and feminine hygiene items and placed it in my car to have on hand just in case.

Future:
* Trucker got a great bargain on a folding table (75% off). We are wanting to get into flea markets this year or next, so we are starting to source supplies.

Health:
* My blood pressure is much lower than it was. Last year when I was at the doctor and at my physical for my factory job, my blood pressure was technically in Stage 1 hypertension. That being said, I do have a pretty strong case of white-coat hypertension, so that number was probably higher than it was actually. When I tested while relaxing before work (and I always felt quite calm in those early mornings before work), it was around 138/85. Now it ranges from 103/71- 111/76. Not bad at all. The two big changes that I have made have been to significantly reduce stress (Actively avoiding situations that caused stress/angst in the past) and I've cut back to just a cup or two of coffee a day.

Community:
* I spent the entire week immersed in our community. Between growing food for people in my neighborhood to meeting chefs at local sustainable restaurants to canvasing the neighborhood, I felt very connected. I am very happy.
* After the kick-off, one of the worker's sent me home with some leftover muffins she had made for the event. She had too many for her family to eat and didn't want them to go to waste. I enjoyed them for breakfasts and sent Trucker with some for him and his boss the next morning.

How was your week?

This Week...Beyond Money 4/4 - 4/10

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 harvested a cup of baby kale from the indoor garden. Last year I'd started to get a good little harvest from the container, but the moment I brought it outside, the bugs devoured it all. I think I'll keep it indoors this year for as long as it gives me produce.
* I fed the bunnies tree trimmings. They absolutely love it. Their contented little grunts are too cute for words. Nurse Ratched devours hers in seconds. Frank eats his and then plays with the twig. Hazel-ra eats what she wants, then promtly pushes the twigs out of her space.
* All except one okra seedling has died. So it is. Okra is a food that I love, but won't suffer if I can't have a huge amount. Fortunately the farm grows okra. Yay!

Cooking/Groceries:
* I made stir fry one evening with leftover beef, carrots ($.49/lb), celery ($.69/pk, Aldi), onion ($.33/lb, Aldi), and snow peas ($.99/lb on manager's special). I cooked the rice in the beef cooking water for extra flavor. I had enough stir-fry leftover to use as a work lunch (with some peanuts added for a bit of extra protein). I had lots of rice leftover also.
* I used some ham from the freezer, some pineapple from my job, some leftover rice and sweet and sour sauce to make a Hawaiian casserole. It was pretty good. In the future, I'd add sauteed bell peppers and onions.
* In preparation for my new job, I froze some small containers of bottled tomato juice. I opened a bottle ($.69/salvage grocer, usually $3+), but have a hard time finishing the whole thing. This will reduce my waste, while also providing a nutrient-dense, refreshing drink for sweltering days on the farm. I'll pull it out of the freezer before heading to work, and it should be thawed later in the day to provide a great afternoon pick-me-up.
* Trucker stopped at the grocery and got some good deals: mushrooms (manager's special, $.99; He is allergic, but gets them for me since I love them), snow peas (manager's special, $.99/lb), steak (manager's special, $3/lb), southwestern dip (manager's special, $1.20; regularly $3.99).
* We went to my parents house for dinner one night. My mom made tacos. We brought tortilla chips and the southwestern dip. She made her famous apple pie for dessert.
* I made brownies to use up a mix from the pantry, eggs that were getting a tad old and some peanut butter chips from the pantry.

* I made a weird casserole that Trucker liked. I thought it was okay, but it wasn't something I'd look forward to. I mixed together some leftover rice, a can of drained tomatoes and chilis, a can of cheese soup and a can of buffalo chicken (I didn't have any meat thawed other than the ham and I couldn't bare the thought of more ham). I topped with bread crumbs and a little cheese and baked til heated bubbly. It was filling and prevented pizza takeout, so it worked.
* I made quiche using ham, kale, fried peppers (manager's special for $1) and lots of manager's special eggs. I added just a tiny bit of cheese to the top.
* I wanted to get some food prepped for the coming week. I'm starting my new job and suspect I'll be too tired and sore to want to cook. Plus, I'll need some easily portable lunches. I hard boiled a dozen eggs and made calzones. To make the calzones, I made a batch of pizza dough and rolled into smallish circles (6 inches?). I spread a little pepper spread on half of each, then topped with a little tomato sauce. I added fried peppers, ham and cheese. I folded in half, pinched the edges closed. I brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with Italian seasoning and baked at 350 til golden.

Food Preservation:
* I froze a lot of fruit from my second part time job.

Fun:
* We went out for a coffee date. Thank you, Vicki!

Nature:
* We went out for a short hike at a local metro park. It was a particularly frigid day, but it was so good to get out into nature for a bit to enjoy the sunlight, fresh air, and wonderful companionship.

Frugality:
* I reduced driving as much as possible

Work:
* This was my last week at both of my part time jobs. It was so hard to say goodbye to so many good coworkers. Everyone was incredibly sweet. My bosses at the factory said that they'll put in a request so when I come back in the fall, hopefully I go back to my regular department. I'd love that because I really enjoyed working where I did and with all of my coworkers and bosses. My boss at the other job offered me (and Trucker) work at the holidays temping. I am planning on doing it when possible because I really enjoyed working with them all, and the money can't hurt either.
* It was kind of funny. I had a really interesting realization recently. My dad has a joke he tells regularly: An old man was working at a gas station. One day a couple pulls up, and as he's pumping their gas, they say "We're thinking of moving to this area. What are the people like here?" He pauses, then asks, "Well, what are the people like where you live now?" They respond, "Oh, terrible! They are rude, loud, inconsiderate. Just the worst people you could ever imagine." "Well," he said mournfully, "you'll find that they're just like that here." An hour later, another couple pulls up. They say, "We're thinking of moving to this area. What are the people like here?" He says, "Well, what are the people like where you live now?" They say, "Oh, they are just lovely. Kind, considerate, quick to help out. Just the nicest people you could possibly imagine." "Well," he says, "you'll find that the people around here are just like that." When I was interviewing for my new job, my new boss asked me to describe my ideal boss. After I did, she asked me if I usually worked with bosses like that (Sneaky, sneaky :) ). When I thought about it, I do. While, of course, I've gotten along with some people at jobs better than others, I can't think of anyone I actually disliked at either of my jobs. My bosses were very nice. One of them in particular was always walking around looking for ways to help each of us out. Every day at the end of the shift, she'd walk around and take out everyone's trash so as soon as shift was over, we could go home instead of spending 5 minutes cleaning up. I found that my coworkers were just lovely people, good to talk with, helpful, funny, just about the best group of people you'd hope to work with. This realization makes me really hopeful for the future.
* I packed a lunch each day I worked at my regular job.
* I brought a lot of fruit scraps home. I will freeze most of it.
* I sent Trucker with brownies for his boss, boss's wife and the cashier at the auction house. He said they loved them.

Future:
* We had another good pay period at the booth. It wasn't our best month yet, but it wasn't bad either.

Health:
* I've been lifting hand weights to try to get ready for my new job. I know that this is in no way enough, but perhaps better than nothing.

How was your week?