My Shoe String's 2 Short

Clutter, Clutter, Everywhere

2008-04-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've been in my new digs for almost a month now. I am still surrounded by clutter and chaos and it is not getting better fast.

How appropriate that I am reading a book by Marla Cilley (aka Flylady) and Leanne Ely called Body Clutter. The first exercise was to find a pen and notebook. Because I had done some organization as I was packing, I knew where to find the incredible stash of notebooks I have accumulated over time.

During the move I left behind 3 pounds, which I am planning not to find again. But my eating habits haven't been in harmony with that plan.

I am, however, diligently decluttering every day, and finding this a rather helpful process. More news on the health front next Friday!

Have a great day!
Marcia

Boxes, Suitcases, Drawers and Bags

2008-03-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

About a week age...March 15th to be exact... I was surrounded by these things and I can only describe it as chaos. I am moving and so is a lot of my stuff. Actually most of it is already at the new house, but there are probably a load or two yet to go. Plus of course all the cleaning, which isn't too bad, but there are a lot of scuff marks on the walls.

It has been a stressful time. Given the housing market in Calgary, we had to jump when we found a place - and it is a good place. It gave me 2 weeks to pack, and now I am at the end of the two weeks of cleaning. I have no idea how I thought I might be able to pack and clean in two weeks, but I am sure glad I didn't have to!

What amazes me is how much stuff I have accumulated - most of it in lovely brown boxes with lids that I collected from the deli - and how hard it is for me to get rid of it. Stuff should be used, not hidden away in brown boxes!

A lot of it will be going to new homes via Wycliffe Bible Translators - I'll have to call them again, since I lost the number. Some is going via Freecycle. Some is going into the garage sale box!

Theres' more to this issue than I want to cover in one post, but I need to get back to sorting boxes. I'll come up for air later.

Financial Foundation Stones

2008-02-27T06:27:00.000-08:00

Every stable house needs foundations. Last night I shared my financial foundations with my Toastmasters group, and today I share them with you! I decided that I would begin to live like a millionaire, even though I am not a millionaire and may never become one. No matter, this is how I choose to live!

This is one of the few books in my Personal Finance Library that I bought in hardcover because I didn't want to wait for it. It wasn't in the stories that I found inspiration, but in the statistics in the first few pages. From those pages I gleaned the foundation stones that help me deal with my life - particularly in the area of personal finance!

Get enough sleep - I wonder if there is a way to have your computer shut off automatically at 10 pm?
Work more than 40 hours a week - but don't over do that!
Exercise on a daily basis
Own your home
Keep track of your finances - Quicken, Money, an account book
Discuss financial matters.
Give to charity
Be frugal
Make lists - especially shopping lists
Shop around
Do your research
Accept leadership roles
Look forward, not backward
Keep your eye on the goal

My goal is to share, in this blog, how these stones are incorporated into my life and how they are making a difference.

Have a great day! I'm getting ready for work!

Up......Again

2008-02-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

I weighed in at TOPS this morning and I'm not happy. I'm over 240 again, and I don't want to be there. Period, end of discussion. It feels strange to write this number where anyone can read it, but if you don't know where I've been, you won't know where I'm heading either. And part of the purpose of the Friday blog is to be honest about this aspect of my life.

What I didn't do:

Exercise. Someone made off with my bike while I was ill, and I've been taking the bus to work.
Write down what I eat. In TOPS we acknowledge that we need to control our emotions and not let our emotions control us. I don't FEEL like writing every bitty morsel that passes through my lips. And I don't. Even though I know that this is a proven part of the success project.

What I will do:

I do walk to a further bus stop, and twice I walked the full distance, but I don't think I got in my minimum 1/2 hour a day.
So I will write down what I eat and if I can figure out how to link my Fitday to this blog I will do it.
I will develop a GAZELLE mentality about this and make it a much higher priority than it really is. More important even, than knitting!

My daughter just walked in the door, so the post is over.
See you next time,
Marcia

The Camera Part 2

2008-02-18T09:53:00.001-08:00

It's Family Day in Alberta and I have the day off. I've spent some time today researching cameras. I asked people in my lace knitting group what cameras they used and so far I have one response, recommending the Cannon Powershot SD800. She also recommended a website: www.megapixel.net which I visited this morning. Here's what I learned:

More megapixels = better definition of pictures. I think this is important.
More megapixels = more memory usage so you need bigger memory cards.
Optical zoom is better than digital zoom.

There was also a great article on accessories that you should have - like extra batteries, memory cards, a camera bag and a card reader.
I haven't explored the world of card readers yet, but I do know something about batteries, and I am tossing between rechargables and lithium at the moment.

I also talked to my friend Marlyss and she recommended buying my camera at Blacks because they give a class in how to use the camera. My family has shopped at Blacks for over 40 years, and the idea of a class is great. Plus they have a sale on until the end of the month!

The budget for the camera is $250. I don't think I will buy all the accessories at the same time, After all, I think I can knit myself a mighty fine camera bag!

What's the point of all of this for living like a millionaire?
Millionaires (according to The Millionaire Woman Next Door ) do research before they make major purchases. On my limited budget this camera is a major purchase. It is also an opportunity to practice my researching skills! Have fun.

Keeping me Honest

2008-02-16T16:22:00.001-08:00

19 years ago, on Valentine's Day I quit smoking. Cold turkey. And although I have wanted to, I have never had a cigarette since. And I miss it, still...

HOWEVER.... quitting smoking has enabled me to enjoy the purchase of some items that still give me pleasure:

Vittantonio - the heart shaped waffle maker that makes Valentine's Day fun
My grain grinder which still grinds kamut grain into flour every time I bake muffins.
Singer sewing books that showed me what wonderful things my old machine could do.
Playmobil sets that kept the kiddo occupied for hours while her mom soaked in the tub!

This year I couldn't figure out what to splurge on in celebration of the anniversary. So, I called the credit card company, found out how much I owed, and paid it off.

No bells, no whistles, just a clear card. To be honest, it was a bit of a let down and Valentine's day was a bit flat this year!

But I need to keep it at zero, so I've decided to use this blog as a way of keeping me honest. I will keep the thing at zero if it kills me!

I also have another card that I owe $3057 on. It is at a rate of 4.97% and I have been making bi-weekly payments on that of $70. The minimum payment when the card had the most debt was $140 a month, so I've just kept paying it - and of course every couple months you sneak an extra payment in there as well!

The debate going on in my head right now is should I increase my payments here? Every $20 per month I add, cuts the number of monthly payments I need to make by 2 - which is pretty significant I think.

Well, I think that the Saturday after payday, I will designate as "Debt Repayment Day" and share what I'm doing and learning in that regard.
Have a great day, and keep on saving,
Marcia

Major Purchase coming up!

2008-02-13T20:40:00.001-08:00

I have been scanning pictures of my projects and they're not great. Although, they aren't bad either. But I have decided to break down and buy a digital camera in the next month or so.

These are the steps I am taking:

Collecting a pile of ads from the flyers - so I know what my range is.
Learning the lingo: pixel, mega pixel, Optical Zoom, LCD screen, etc.
Asking google "how to choose a digital camera"
Ask my friends what they like - I'm hearing a lot about Canons at the moment
Break down and buy the thing - and the lithium batteries and memory card!

I'll keep you posted as I get closer to making the decision!

Meal Planning

2008-02-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was just over at the "Simple Dollar" blog where there are 100 steps to getting started on this journey of frugal delights. This one grabbed my attention because it is something I do NOT do...
"Plan your meals around your grocery store flyers"

Over the course of my cooking years, I have accumulated a fair swack of recipes that I like, and that I have the minor ingredients (like spices) to make. I have a fairly standard repertoire for lasagna, moussaka, spaghetti sauce, meatloaf and chicken dishes. I watch for the ingredients to come on sale, swoop down and buy what the bank can afford and stash it away.

When the main ingredients for a certain recipe come up, I buy and cook - usually a lot, and store the meals in my freezer. (I live alone) Meal planning has become a simple grab in the freezer.

Rather than re-inventing the menu-wheel every week, why not make a list of the things you need to cook the things you want to cook, and collect them when they are on sale. When you're ready, do a goodly number of them - Like "Simple Dollars" suggestion of "quadrupling your casserole recipe" and be done with it for a while. Nothing keeps life simpler than having dinner ready in the freezer.

I think I'll go grab some soup - or whatever is at the front - one of my flaws is that I don't label my creations!

Lifelines - Lace & otherwise

2008-02-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well, this isn't the greatest scan - but it is the best I can do at the moment.
This is my first "official" lace project - the shawl for my mom. If you look closely (a magnifying glass might help!) you can see a line of pink thread running through the knitting. It's called a lifeline and if I make a mistake I can pull down to that spot and the thread will catch the stitches. This means I don't have to re-knit the whole thing. (Which I've done already but I wasn't this far along yet!) At this stage I've just put in another one before I start the next pattern.

As is usually the case, once you have the "insurance" you probably won't make mistakes, but it certainly has increased my peace of mind as I knit!

I've been sick the last week or so. Something moved into this body of mine and tried valiantly to take over. This has happened before and I've been laid low for a few weeks, because I couldn't afford medication (no benefits for me). One of the things I appreciate about my job is the medical lifeline it offers - sick days, prescription coverage etc. I've been able to be home, resting and taking my medications and focusing on getting my health back. This is not something I take lightly and I am very grateful.

As I've been recuperating, I've also been reading - No Dark Valley by Jamie Langston Turner and The Shack by William P. Young. I was reminded of the greatest lifeline of all - The GRACE of God, who loves me and cares for me. All the time - yesterday, today and tomorrow.

He is THE LIFELINE - and I am grateful for all the others He has provided me with.

The Scale & I

2008-01-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

The scale was bought - $9.99 but I had to buy a battery. Then I had to squeeeeeeeze it into my backpack and ride home with it!

I've used it twice. The fine print says that it's accurate within 5 pounds either way. But it agreed with the TOPS scale just fine. The TOPS scale said I'd lost a whole quarter of a pound. That means I still have more than 3 pounds to get to me pre-holiday weight. I had so hoped I'd be lower that that by now.

Did I really? Then why was I buying bagels almost every day? I know that bagels have lots of calories. Not only that, they have lots of wheat and wheat gluten. And, in my opinion, they need butter, peanut butter, and jam. Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. I'm not going to tell you how many bagels I've enjoyed over the past two weeks!

So, a new goal - I need to begin eating more vegetables. For some reason, at this season of my life, I don't like veggies. I used to love salads, and now I don't. Don't know why though. So I'm going to have to grit my teeth and do this - I have salad in the fridge, beans in the freezer, and my main meals - shepherds pie, lasagna, and mousakka, are loaded down with veggies.

I'm going to head over to Joe's Goals and add that to my list. Then, if I can figure out how to do it, I'm going to make it public on myblog - and I'm going to track it!

See you at Joe's!

That Weight Loss Thing!

2008-01-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

Well, it is Friday, and my week to write about the battle. Our TOPS meeting had to cancel because we don't have a key to get in the building. This is not fun! I need to see how much progress I've made on losing the 3 pounds I got for Christmas this year! I can get a scale for $15 at work, so I might get that. At least I'll think about it!

In spite of the weather, I have been biking to work - it was so windy on Tuesday morning I thought I might end up in Oz! That was probably the most difficult ride yet! Today there is fresh snow, so I'll have to plow through that - a good workout for the quads!

I have been using my fitness tapes. In fact, yesterday I took the wrapping off the Aerobic DVD and did that for the first time. Today, after I post, I'll do the flexibility one. Then I'll have done them 3 days in a row!

At "The Happiness Project" she suggests doing things everyday, because the day off tends to stretch into days, and weeks, and months - although hopefully not years!

So here are my goals for this week:
Probably buy the scale.
Eat more salads - I will buy a head of lettuce
Eat more vegetables
Do the DVD's 6 times next week - especially the Flexibility and Strength.

I'll be doing some spending this week, so I'll share about that later!
Have a great week!

In community

2008-01-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

Maybe another name for this post should be "Knitting in Community" because this project has brought me into a community of knitters, all of whom are knitting the same blanket. There is a Yahoo group you can join and it is awesome. People were having problems at certain points in the pattern, and the community was there to help them out!

People are knitting this blanket in a wide variety of yarns - mine is one that I've tried to knit into a sweater and a vest already, but I am really liking the way it is becoming this blanket!

In the picture you can also see my homemade stitch markers. I had bits left over from the Christmas ornaments and created those to help with the knitting! I now have an endless supply available to me!

Blogs bring us into community. Every blog I read, gives me new inspiration, new ideas, and new projects to try. I keep a notebook by my computer to record them. I don't have the time right now, but I don't want to go looking for them later. Because of them I continue to live more frugally, knit more dangerously and move towards fitness! (My life emphases right now!)

One knitter asked me about scanning things. My blanket is on the printer as I speak, and what you see in the top corner is nothing more than a scan!

Whatever your interests, challenges or concerns, there is a community of people that can help, encourage and inspire. I hope this blog is part of that!

Marcia

Getting off and on track

2008-01-12T05:15:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was an awful day. I came home from work and I wanted a bath. There was no water. The water main had broken. I had enough water in the house to drink - but I think I will be storing some in the freezer in case this catches me off guard again! Thursday it was annoying - but the guys were working as hard as they could. Friday I really needed to wash my hair. I heated my last pot of water and used so very little of it to actually do the job, I was amazed! I'm into using less water, so I may do this more often!

The other misery in my life is a cold sore. I get these once in a while, and I am miserable while I have them. Which makes me feel sorry for myself - and that justifies all kinds of lapses in my life. I bought lunch at work - the least expensive lunch, and fairly healthy. But still - more than I would have spent if I hadn't been in such a funk.

And of course the dreaded task - taking down the Christmas tree. I will miss the twinkle lights until December!

On the knitting side of things, I have finished my lace scarf. I might knit it again in a less fuzzy wool so that you can see the lace, but the purpose was met and I learned how to read the charts! I've also finished my "Snowy Evening" mitt. My friend needs to try it on, so if it works I'll start the other one!

I got to my TOPS meeting yesterday. Christmas gave me 3.25 pounds. I'm glad the season was not more generous! I've begun planning my meals a little more completely. I will work had at my success!

On the shopping side of things, I haven't done much. An unexpected bill came that needed paying. I have enough in the stash to get through with only minor expenses. Like the vegetarian spaghetti sauce I'll be concocting this afternoon!

Have a great week!
Marcia

Adventures in Lace - New Skills.

2008-01-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

I've been busy - too busy knitting to do anything else it seems. It's been fun. I designed a scarf based on patterns I found in a neat book called Arctic Lace. Here's what I've learned so far:

How to read the code. Once you work with it, it makes perfect sense!
Designing a lace pattern or motif. Mine was pretty simple - I just combined several different motifs and made a longer one. This worked because all three had only 14 stitches and the center stitches were pretty similar. Someone at work would like to buy it for $10 - the cost of the yarn!
Maybe, with the tools in the back of the book, I can design a pattern for THE SHAWL all by myself!

Speaking of THE SHAWL, the yarn arrived from Nova Scotia - twice. One shipment was more like sock wool, and the second one was the lace wool I was expecting. She would like the other back, and now that I've seen it and touched it (but I didn't drool) I want to keep it too. It's in an envelope, ready to go, but....

Tomorrow, I promise I will write some more about my shopping habits.

2008 "The Year of Knitting Dangerously"

2008-01-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

I know I set out to write a personal finance blog, but... finances involve every area of my life, and I need to set some structure, or my posts will be all over the map. And besides, other bloggers do this too - a topic for each day of the week!

We've decided to do a "Yankee Swap" for Christmas 2008. The caveat is that we must either learn a new skill, or take an existing skill to a new level. My brother's first idea was glass blowing. Mine was learning a new knitting skill and making something out of that. But I have other ideas and I need to wait a bit before I order the fleece I want for this project.

In the meantime, my mom turns 70 this year and I want to make her something that I design myself - at least somewhat. I've bought some alpaca lace yarn on E-bay that I am waiting for. Elizabeth Zimmerman's Almanac will supply the base pattern, and a wonderful lady in Holland is finding some dutch lace patterns for me to incorporate into the design.

This book was going to be a gift for the other knitter in the family, but... I've already knit one project from this, and it is such delightful reading. Give me two years and I think I will have knit most of the projects in the book! Then I'll pass it on - maybe!
I also have another shawl that I'm knitting at work. It was a trial run for the main event, but I don't think I could knit two shawls in this pattern - as beautiful as it is. It's called "Blue Jeans Lace Leaf Shawl" and I found it at www.knittingpatterncentral.com.

As it stands, I have Willem's mitts, the green shawl, and a baby shawl on the go, as well as the finishing touches on 2007's angel for Ema.

Learning new skills - via library books, the internet, and people you know, is a valuable financial skill as well. I can create things that I could never afford to buy.

I plan to post about my creative endeavors on Wednesday - so stay tuned. If I can get a digital camera and take pictures, that will make this more interesting as well!

They still don't fit!

2007-12-28T16:38:00.000-08:00

This summer, before I left for Ontario I bought a pair of pyjama pants. They ought to have fit, but they didn't. And even though I weigh 10 pounds less than I did then, they still aren't comfy!

However, as I am missing my TOPS meeting, I am using them to give me a feel for how I'm doing. I don't own a weigh scale, so this is it.

They aren't too tight. But I like loose, and that they aren't. Maybe next week! In the meantime, here's an update on the week.

I picked up the eggnog on Monday, and foolish me, checked to see if the ice-cream was on sale. It was. And so I came home with a box. At least it was only one box. Full of the best tasting ice-cream in the city. So good in fact, that I'm not telling you what flavour it is or where I got it. No use in more of us having to resist!

This is one of my "TROUBLE" foods. I can finish the carton within 24 hours. This time, however, it took me until Thursday. But it is now gone. Does this mean I can now have it in the house and not go crazy? Am I now in control? I think not. And with New Year's around the corner, it would be tempting to resolve not to have any at all this year. I tried that last year, and it was an abysmal failure. Maybe I should just stay out of the store that sells this particular flavour of ice-cream. Maybe, if the craving for ice cream is so great, I should just go to the mall and buy a cone.

Anyways, on Fridays, I will be honest about whether or not I've succumbed to the call! And I trust that I will be able to resist.

On the exercise front, I have been biking to work every day. Yesterday I did a lot of walking, rather than waiting for buses to take me a little way. I've done my flexibility tape once. That's less than I had planned to do, but I've done them all at least once.

My plan for next week is to do them all at least once. I plan to eat vegetables every day - and I still have to do that today. I've been busy freezing portions of broccoli and yams and I've got servings of rice as well. They were on sale this week and I stocked up. At least my supper meal will be healthy!

Have a great week. Maybe the jammies will feel great next week!

Blessings,
Marcia

Shopping Day!

2007-12-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

Well, if Friday is the day I focus on my journey with weight loss, Thursday will be the day I focus on how I'm spending my money.

I spend money almost every day. Today I met Dorothy for coffee. We have been exchanging a basket every Christmas for longer than I can remember - probably 10 years or so. Anyways it means we buy each other gifts every other year, and visit at least once a year! Our paths have diverged somewhat but I still know her phone number off by heart...go figure!

It was a two bus ticket day. Ticket one got me to the library where I dropped off my books, the recycling bins where I dropped off... well what else would you drop off at a recycling bin the week after Christmas?

Then I walked up to Starbucks, used my "free coffee" coupon and bought a piece of banana bread because I forgot to have breakfast. I used the waiting time to re-write my list. We both wanted to go to the mall, so we parted company at Sears. There were no jeans for me or shoes (they weren't on the list but it doesn't hurt to check!). I left Sears with my wallet intact. Ditto for the calendar store and Indigo books. The line-up was too long there! Next on my list was Sport Chek. I had a gift card and needed weights and stretch bands for my work-out tapes. There was only one 5 pound weight, but most of the exercises call for just one weight so I'll survive! No chain oil for the bike though!

I left the mall and walked up to Superstore, where I find the best deal on that great necessity - TOILET PAPER! 30 Rolls, 500 sheets per roll for $16.99. They also had yams on for 38 cents a pound so I bought some of those, (not on the list though) and decided to wait with the milk powder for a bit. Maybe I can make that last until next week! Then I walked to the library to pick up my holds - vital since I'll get dinged a $2 donation if I don't pick them up on time! I'll talk about the books on Tuesday which is library day! (holidays have messed up the schedule a bit!)

As I'm writing this, the yams are "baking" in the microwave, and I've frozen lots of broccoli (on sale this week for 99 cents a pound)

And here's the point to this: I think of freezing and canning and preserving as tasks for the summer and fall - not the week after Christmas. But yams are usually double in price and broccoli as well. So why not stock up and put it up? At least it's not hot outside!

TOPS: Taking Them off Sensibly

2007-12-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

I've been reading blogs for a while now, and one of the things I appreciate is the "Theme of the Day" I'm going to implement this because there are so many things to ponder and write about. If there isn't some order, this will soon become a place of Chaos - and I don't like Chaos.

Fridays - at least most Fridays - I go to TOPS www.tops.org which is a non-profit weightloss organization. Today, I'm not there because I don't want to end the year on a sour note, and I have to work the next few Friday mornings. All that to say that on Fridays I will be discussing my own weight loss journey for my own encouragement and whoever else comes to pay a visit!

Last week I weighed in at 239.50 pounds. This was very exciting for a number of reasons. I've moved from being "extremely obese" to "severely obese" according to the BMI scale. I also broke into the 230's. Finally, this is the lowest I've been in the four years I've kept such records! Yes!

On Saturday I had Christmas party #1. Tuesday was #2 and today is #3. I said I would make cookies - I needed a reason to bake. I will not be repeating this next year! I have no idea what I weigh - but given the circumstances - I believe I'm a bit heavier than I was last week.

The Solution:
I've used up my last bit of white flour, so the baking stops here. I probably won't indulge again until next year. My baking these days is mostly muffins.

I am still cycling to work, so I am getting about 40 minutes of exercise per day. And my work is active. I'll keep that up.

I will make better eating plans - more vegetables and protein than I have been eating.

I have some exercise videos that I will start incorporating into my schedule - flexibility, strength and aerobics.

I hope to be back at my meetings on the first Friday of January, and we'll know then, how my plans succeeded.

Joyful Christmas,
Marcia

Learning Curves

2007-12-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

Well, part of my learning curve is to learn how to flip the sheep. I couldn't get rid of it, and I couldn't flip it either. But these are three of the ornaments I made for my kid relatives this year. It was also my first experience with felting, although my purist friends would remind me that it's actually "fulling" when you create a fabric and then shrink it! They might also tell me that shepherd's pie made with ground beef was really "cottage pie"

My first attempt at the heart was just to crochet a pattern I found on the web and throw it in the wash with my towels and sheets (which I wash in hot water). They turned out big, and heavy and BORING. Just read. Then I made what turned into a coaster. A red heart - with the squigglies in it (yarn from my stash) and a white edge to make it square. They are lovely coasters - but took too long to make. And I couldn't figure out how many stitches to cast on to make it the right size.

Finally I opted for knitting lengths of red and gold fabric (kind of like a scarf) using the squigglies every 3rd or 4th row. For the tree fabric I did a couple of rows of brown on either side of the green (the squigglies look like lights on it!) and cut them into triangles to make the trees. I got a lot of ornaments out of that piece - although I really only needed one! The sheep were white with black strips for the feet. The bit between the legs became the head!
I've been giving them away as gift tags and such, but I just glued some pin backs to them to make pins!

The down side of this project was that I had to buy a lot of yarns because this is new to me. And I'm out of the squiggly yarn, so I can't make more. I can't even remember what it was called!
Oh well. I now have lots of different colours of yarn to make some mitts and hats for my friends, In this house, nothing really goes to waste!

So where does the learning curve come in? Being frugal, making nice things for little cost, is sometimes a hit and miss process - especially when you are working from an idea in your head. I wanted ornaments with some zip and the sqigs supplied that. I figured out how I could felt them and not waste water. By just making fabric, shrinking it, and cutting the shapes, little was wasted and I had more than enough to share!

I tried three different ways, and had three different results, all of which brought me closer to the picture in my head! Now if I can only figure out how to flip the sheep!

I'm Back...Sort of

2007-12-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

It never fails... No matter how hard I try (And I've been working on things since January) I am still writing and finishing Christmas cards, finishing up a nativity for my nieces. I've sent the wise men off - but their camel might arrive late - I'm out of the embroidery floss colour I need!

The calendar is in the mail and I have set up the calendar for 2009. Not too difficult with the program I bought! The plan is to print it off in January, do some doodling and get it photo-copied. That's got to be cheaper than the reams of printer ink I've gone through this year! I just need a solution for printing the pictures.

In any case it's been a learning curve!

On another note, I once published an article on Wiki-how about Christmas ornaments I made using a bag of buttons. It had been read over 8000 times in the last two years. Now I just have to find a way of locating the picture. Which led me to rescan the ornament and now I will try to insert a picture of it into this post at least! And as you can see, I've succeeded. I bought these buttons at 40% off, and used the yellow and orange ones to make stars, the pastel ones for my sheep and the red ones for my hearts. This one was an experiment with the hot glue gun. Instead of sewing the buttons on, I glued them.

Instead of gifts, I send each of my nieces and nephews an ornament - a heart, a star or a sheep. Now that my sister has daughter number 4, I had to come up with a 4th ornament - and it's a tree. My next post will be about the learning curve of this years ornament!

The Chicken's in the Oven

2007-11-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

I was just visiting another blog on making ends meet, www.beingfrugal.net where she's busy cutting down her grocery bill too. My chicken is in the oven, based on the recipe for Honey Roasted Chicken, which she links to from another site. You know how it goes. You've visited 10 sites and collected 40 recipes and you haven't even finished your first cup of coffee!

The recipe is pretty easy to do, so I did it, but I was so busy adding the cayenne pepper I forgot the salt and the mustard - which in my house would be Dijon.

I had a warehouse package of chicken legs that I bought for $1.79/lb. This is not the best sale I've seen, but I was at the store, and I wanted chicken. The package, 9 legs in all, cost me $14.95.

This was very interesting to me. You see, I work in the deli, as you may be tired of reading and we sell chicken legs, already cooked for $1.49 each. Hmmmmmm. I think I know where to buy chicken legs from now on!

Just another proof that doing the math makes a difference. And I don't have to cook either!

My Cup Runneth Over! - Pumpkins Part 2

2007-11-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Alida reminds me, when I'm bemoaning my financial state, that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He also owns the pumpkins and they are coming home to roost. Yesterday I wrote about the two pumpkins I had scavanged and how they are now freezing their buns off in my freezer, ready for my next batch of muffins, soup, or just veggies!

I went to my friend's house, so we could go to our Bible study together, and she had 5 pumpkins by the front door and two in the pot. Her son, bless him, had saved them from being smashed, and brought them to her. Two of the smaller ones are now sitting at my house, patiently waiting for their turn in the pot!

So, I know now what I will be doing tomorrow! Good thing there's room in the freezer still. God is good, and He is probably chuckling right now!

Have a great day.

FYI: a cup of cooked pumpkin has lots of vitamin A and only 53 calories. Lots of fiber too!

My Kitchen is full of Pumpkin!

2007-11-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

I was going to cut peppers, but I forgot about the pumpkins... And therein lies a tale, I'll tell you.

Getting a pumpkin into a knapsack is a challenging business, but doable if you get it cleavered in the produce department. I did, and a small one fit nicely. It was also a manageable project getting it ready for the freezer! No blisters, no sore hands and no inundation of the orange stuff.

Two things happened:

My brother was going to bring me some pumpkins when he bought his own. He forgot
The Co-op ran out of pumpkins and I didn't get enough for my winter baking

So, I scavanged 2 pumpkins that are no longer needed elsewhere, but they do need to be dealt with post-haste.

The first pumpkin I microwaved - each quarter for 20 minutes. The skin was softer and so very much easier on the hands.

Today I've combined microwaving and peeling. I hurt. All that keeps me going is the thought of all the pumpkin soup and muffins I can make!

Here's my pumpkin recipe in case you too are up to your eyeballs in pumpkin today! I got mine from www.cooks.com.

Pumpkin Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour - I use spelt or kamut whole grain all the time!
1/2 cup sugar - I use 1/4 cup
2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup pumpkin ( the stuff I'm working on now - or should be)
but you can also use canned
1/4 cup melted butter. I use olive oil. (About 1/3 cup for a double batch)
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Crease 12 muffin cups. Mix all ingredients just until flour is moistened. Your batter should be lumply. Fill the cups 2/3 full. They suggest sprinkling the top of each muffin with some sugar, but I don't. After all I'm sweet enough!
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Immediately remove from the pan.

I tried a Thai pumpkin soup last week but it wasn't a hit. I was kind of glad because I didn't want to have to go finding out where and when that's on sale!

Back to the pumpkin!

Poverty-Line Personal Finance!

2007-11-01T08:58:00.001-07:00

It's my day off, and I've spent most of it (So far - It is only 10 a.m.) reading blogs about money, personal finance, and I am learning a lot. One of the things I'm noticing is that there are no "poverty-line" bloggers. Oh well. THERE"S ME!

I hit Calgary almost 20 years ago, a new single parent in a very strange place. And I took a budgeting course. That was my first foray into personal finance, and I haven't stopped since. I have more books on PF than I have on home-schooling - which I tried to do for all of Em's educational life. She's now 20 and has friends, problems, a job....

I'm working at the Co-op in the deli, and making a paycheck, getting benefits (This is very nice) and as usual - trying to keep my head above water.

I've also decided to be a little more thematic about my posting and I've found a post on Dough Roller that I'd like to write about and personalize.

The post ( which I found on Get Rich Slowly) described the seven habits of wealth.

Here they: (with quotations to make the list more interesting)

Hard work- By working hard, old man, I hope to make something good one day. I haven't yet, but I am pursuing it and fighting for it. - Vincent van Gogh

Modest living - A just and reasonable modesty does not only recommend eloquence, but sets off every great talent which a man can be possessed of. - Joseph Addison

Patience - But investors don't necessarily have the patience to wait for the great company with the great underlying economics at the right price. When Warren bought Dairy Queen, I joked, "He probably wanted to buy it when he was eight years old, but it wasn't the right price." So he waited 50 years or so. - Mary Buffet

Perseverance - Life is difficult. This is the great truth, one of the greatest truths - it is a great truth because once we see this truth we transcend it. M. Scott Peck

Balance - The word 'happiness' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. - Carl Gustav Jung

Self-Awareness - I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion. Billy Jean King.

Learning - I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I have not lived. Henry David Thoreau

Of course I don't know all of these people and I may find some other quotes in my researches, BUT, no matter how much money you have or don't have, they're worth thinking about!

Now back to doing the things I need to do - like freezing the peppers I got on sale!

To Life! - Regardless of how short your shoestring is!

A Frugal Christmas? ?...

2007-10-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Or any holiday for that matter.

Make your own cards! Make your own gifts! They sound so inexpensive, but are they really?

Of course I make my own cards. I've been playing with a design for years now, And it is fun to do. But... by the time you buy the paper, the special inks, stamps, embellishments (I don't get that complex) making 50 or 60 cards can get pretty expensive.

Last year I had no money. Period. So....I went digging in the supplies from years before and here's what I came up with:

Fine black Sharpie markers
Prismacolor pencil crayons
white and off white cardstock
my unique rendition of the word JOY which I've been playing with for years!
I borrowed a corner curve cutter from a Scrapbooking friend!
Free envelopes from a Hallmark card stocker

The cards were very skinny, so I could get 5 from each sheet of paper. Of course you had to dig around in the envelope to find the card, but the annual letter was a good locater.

Next time I think I will write about the fine art of brooding - because pondering a project for a long time helps make them less expensive and more personal as well!

Till next time,
Marcia

Shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse.

2007-10-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

Our family has been involved in putting together shoe boxes for many years now. My daughter even had the opportunity to participate in handing them out to children in Mexico. They loved the stuffed toys and dolls.

Here in Calgary, my Bible-study group volunteers every year at the warehouse which is where I find great ideas for things to put into them.

From personal experience, I find that if I start gathering stuff early, I can put together 4 boxes for the price of one - BUT I have to start the project in January!

Now that my nieces are older, I buy the boring stuff and they buy the toys. Here's how I put together my shoeboxes every year:

Soap - I put at least 5 bars of soap in each box. We may take it for granted but in some countries it's worth it's weight in gold. I took advantage of a "B1G1F" deal back in the spring.
Toothpaste also came on sale - but I forget what I paid for it. Not much, and they're nice big tubes!
Dominoes. When the toys were reduced to 50% off, I bought 2 sets of them. They are really nice - nothing tacky about them and they won't break.
Calendars showed up at Michaels in September I think, so I bought 4 small ones with wild animal pictures. Only $1.50 each.
Toothbrushes came courtesy of my dentist. Don't ask now, when everyone is, but ask in the spring, when no one is.
School supplies of course are bought in September.
CRAYOLA CRAYONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I go through boxes at the warehouse I am astounded by the cheapness and lack of quality of some of the items. Toys that don't work well, or break in 5 minutes are no fun at all. Spend a little more and get them on sale! (This goes for any thing you put in a shoebox I think)
I buy a bag of combs and put a couple in each box. Maybe they will need or want to share.
Small towels or washclothes can be bought inexpensively and used to wrap larger items.

Next year I will start tracking my purchases earlier, because this is a cause that is dear to my heart. And it's fun to watch out for things to put into the box!

The Journey continues!

2007-10-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

It's the middle of October and I am still trying to cut the grocery bill down to size. I'm still enjoying the lasagna and moussaka I made almost a month ago. It's time, however to fill up those containers again. Maybe Shepherd's Pie, with mashed sweet potatoes.

I've been using my Google Spreadsheets to track my spending. Although I use Quicken for the banking stuff, this allows me to be more specific. And helps me watch price trends, and when things go on sale.

I've stocked up on my favourite jam, at $2.50/bottle. Limited myself to one jar per month so I'm not buying anymore. It seems to come on sale fairly regularly, so I'll watch for that and add lesser amounts to my stock pile!
Coffee (Kicking Horse is my brand of choice - organic, fair trade...) just went on sale so I bought 2. A bag seems to last me about 6 weeks, so hopefully I'll have enough to get me to the next sale. If not, I'll know to buy more next time. - Still 2 bags were just shy of $24.
I never see milk powder on sale. But I need a bag of that too. About $25 there, but it lasts me about 6 weeks too. I bought some when I got back from vacation and the Tupperware that holds it is nice and clean and waiting for the next bag!

AND THE POINT IS?
The point is that when you are keeping track of how long something lasts you, and when it goes on sale, then you can guesstimate how many you need to buy to get you from one sale to the next.

I've also discovered that my Co-op has yogurt on sale every week. And cheese, and cereal. There seems to be a rotation happening. I just need to get into the rhythm of it to buy at the right time!

Keeping track of things is a millionaire habit that I'm applying to my groceries, my finances and to my diet.

One thing I do know for sure: I have more money and I lose more weight when I don't buy cheese!

The Daily Snack! or Snacks...

2007-10-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

I work in a grocery store. I have two breaks and a lunch in a grocery store. There is a cafe in the grocery store where I could buy a hot lunch. There is a sushi bar in the grocery store too!

You get where I'm going with this, right - Working in a grocery store can get pretty expensive.

Here's how I cope!

Bring lunch from home - my mega cooking of casseroles and soups, and my endless supplies of Tupperware helps with that!
Buy an apple - 53 cents.
Buy a bagel - 49 cents
Buy ONE cookie - also 49 cents.
Bring instant coffee and milk from home.
Buy a box of teabags and keep them in my lunch bag!
Use only cash that I take out every two weeks.
JUST SAY "NO"!!!

Of course it isn't always so easy to stick to this plan. But most days it does work. Therefore
most days I am in control of my spending AND my calories!

The big expense this week will be coffee, since my brand is on sale for $11.99 a pound. Yes!! I just have to figure out how many I'll need to last me till the next sale. A pound lasts me about 6 or 7 weeks.

Millionaire Wannabe
Marcia

The Quest continues

2007-10-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's October and I haven't posted in....over two weeks. Not what I had intended when I began my blog.

Anyways, back to the grocery challenge. I've been reading other blogs and seeing the prices they quote for stuff - well it's not like that in my backyard at present! Which is okay. I deal with Calgary prices, and in particular at the Co-op where I work.

Last week I invested quite a bit into sweet potatoes. I don't eat the white ones and the sweets were $1.99/lb. before they went on sale. They were $1.49 a pound most of the summer. Most of them are cooked and in the freezer in single serving packs. And yes, I will reuse the baggies!

The challenge that hit me last week was the Money Girls party - for which I wanted to bring a snack that we feature in the deli. That ended up just over $11 for the evening. Everyone liked it though, and I still have some left for snacking at home.

Tomorrow, Thursday is going to be my major shop for the week. I want to freeze some pumpkin for soups, frozen veggies are low, as is my favourite apricot jam. And ice-cream's on sale too!

Well, I've got chaos happening in my small corner of the world, so I better keep tackling it.
Have a great day!

Still trying - other adventures beside the groceries

2007-09-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today I am decluttering. I am off work, and I've decided to put off the shopping trip until tomorrow. I have Toastmaster's on Tuesday night, and I can hit Superstore before I go. And hopefully on the same bus ticket!

I found a chicken in the freezer. I don't know how old it is, but it should be okay for roasting and turning into a few meals. And of course the soup! I'm hoping to get at least 5 meals out of it.

Before I did the chicken I made some blueberry muffins. That's because I'm out of bread, and I like grainy things to munch on. And the oven was hot and ready for the chicken that came next. I like using my oven and stove like that!

Anyways, back to the decluttering. I have a lot of Ikea Antonius (I think) drawer stands. It's easy to organize stuff that way and I can declutter one drawer at a time without making a great deal of mess! I found some Lang calendars that I had been given. They were from 2003 and 2004. I was about to toss them, but decided to have one quick look. There were about 5 pages that I really liked. I had a frame that would fit them, with a bit of trimming. So I measured and trimmed and fitted all the pictures in one frame. It's hanging up above my kitchen sink, and every few months I can switch the picture. I also cut some bits and pieces of pictures to use for note cards. Another page cut nicely into 4 smaller pictures that I can frame in smaller frames that I know are somewhere!

All from one calendar!

So back to the clutter battle, and the $15 a week battle. I would for one week like to have a $15 grocery bill!

$15 a week, still trying

2007-09-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Why are there always things on sale? I've decided to cook the turkey Saturday. I was planning on a very small grocery shop -BUT - there's a super sale on this week! I can get the curly noodles at 5 for $1. And there's also tomato paste, and tomato soup. So what's the solution?

Well, for one thing I am not going to be buying any cheese this week. I've bought this the last 2 weeks and that's a $10 expense right there. One of these weeks I'm going to have to buy skim milk powder and that's close to $25.

I do know that the attempt to do this has resulted in a bit of a change in my spending habits. First of all, I am not buying odds and ends every time I go into work. I do try to limit my "coffee money" ($10 per week) for fruit or vegetables only and I am having success with that. I have a list that I shop from. I have a "bulk" meal that I cook every week. Moussaka 2 weeks ago, lasagna last week, and the turkey on Saturday. So I have made about 4 weeks of main dishes. And added to the stock of my pantry. Maybe the solution is that for one week, I'll ignore the flyers and not do any shopping at all!

I'll keep posting.

I hope this averages out!

2007-09-13T17:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm on my first week of eating on $15 per week. So far I'm at about $50 per week. I bought some of the ingredients for my lasagna - which made 14 servings. I had ground beef, spinach, sauce, and tomatoes on hand. I did buy cheese, cottage cheese and onions for that! There were also ingredients for a soup that will last me a while. I ran out of my Tupperware containers, so I had to package it in larger quantities. It is a very good meatball soup with lots of veggies in it. Yum!

My back pack was full, so I didn't buy the sugar. I bought that today! Wednesday seems to be the day I use to do a major cook. Last week it was my version of Moussaka - I still have lots of that in the freezer too. This week the aforementioned Lasagna! Next week I think I will cook the turkey. It's been in my freezer since Christmas. Then I'll use the meat for fajitas, soup, and other recipes I find around the house.

I'll just mention the source of the lasagna recipe, because I make it often. Check out www.30daygourmet.com and explore their free recipes!

So, as it stands, we'll put the weeks groceries at $50 (it's not more than $51, I know that!) and we'll see how long the sugar lasts!

Marcia

iGoogle and the cost of beans.

2007-09-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't written for a bit because I've been busy. Like many, I've caught the "Facebook" bug and am visiting friends and sending them silly things, they definitely don't need. At least they're not real and cluttering up the house!

The other internet resource that is keeping me busy is "iGoogle". I have several tabs, corresponding to the many interests in my life - one of which is money. That's why I write my thoughts here!

Here's a link that I've been enjoying- www.getrichslowly.org/blog

Today's article was on feeding yourself for $15 per week. I was challenged, I can tell you. In spite of my frugal ways, I am absolutely positive that I spend way more than that per week. Of course, I don't eat Macaroni and Cheese at all (I don't eat wheat) but I love Ramen noodles and buy them when they are 5 for a buck. That is a good deal here in Calgary. Fortunately for my health and waistline, that doesn't happen too often.

As a result of this challenge, I'm going to report on this blog, every time I buy groceries (I work at the Co-op, so I buy often, and only what I can fit in my backpack). Here's the scoop. I'll tell you what I bought and resisted buying. And then I'll tell you what I made and how many meals it made!

I know that tomorrow I have to buy sugar because it is on sale. A 4 kg. bag lasts about a year in our home - maybe longer.

Anyways, that's the post for now. I hope you have a great day!
Marcia

The Journey - by Bus

2007-08-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a trip to Ontario. We celebrated my parents 50th anniversary with our whole family, 6 kids, 5 spouses and lots of grand children. It was a blast and so wonderful to have so many people to share the load with. Hurray for large families!

I traveled by Greyhound from Calgary to Toronto and back - an investment of 100 hours of time. Anyway you cut it, that's a lot of time. You also see a lot of rocks and trees, and trees and rocks and rocks and trees and water (The Arrogant Worms sing that and it's true) When I do the math, it takes me more than 100 hours to earn the difference between flying and busing. Especially for two tickets.

On the up side of this (and I've made this journey 3 times now) is that no one phones me, I don't have to check my e-mail, there are no dishes to wash, and I can sleep and read and relax.

I also got to spend precious hours with my 19 year old daughter - something that hardly ever happens these days. I met interesting people from all walks of life. And of course a couple of fabulous sunrises and sunsets. I saved about $500 dollars that I got to spend on other dumb vacation things.

Vacations can be pretty hectic events. And this one was full of events, shopping, visiting, sight-seeing and spending time with family. The bus trips were a great time for winding up and winding down.

There is a downside to this. I don't recommend long trips in the winter. There is too much slush that makes its way into the bus and your blankets get wet. People take off their boots and.... Even I needed to buy some fresh socks by the time we hit Dryden, Ontario on the way home. Regardless of the time of year, the movies aren't always the best. Some of the rest stops aren't great (and they're worse in winter).

So, based on my experiences, here's my advice if you want to save some money and take the bus:

Leave at the same time every trip. You'll know where your meal stops are. If I leave Calgary just after midnight or Toronto at noon, I know I'll be hitting Thunder Bay at around breakfast. If there is anything I've forgotten I can pick it up at the Zeller's or Walmart near the depot. On the way home, I know that there's a grocery store in Dryden where I can stock up on healthy snacks.
Don't try to not eat at any of the stops. Just stay away from too much junk food. And set a budget. You don't want to blow all your savings on meals. Tupperware comes in handy for storing all kinds of foods in smaller quantities, and keeps them from getting squashed, stepped on and otherwise messy. Keep snacks simple. I never found a microwave that I could use to heat up a meal.
Buy your ticket two weeks in advance. This saves a lot of $$$$.
Bring along books and puzzle books that you won't mind losing in the hustle and bustle. I often end up buying them in Thunder Bay because I've run out or forgotten to bring them.
If you have a book that is hard to find time to read, bring it along. It is amazing what you get done.
Families with kids - keep the toys simple and noise free. Most kids had colouring books, crayons, and books to keep them busy. There were enough kids on my bus that they played very nicely together.
Take along sweats to change into for sleeping. It gives you a change and you do sleep better at night.
Don't forget a pillow and light blanket. This is vital to a good sleep and you can stuff a lot into the case in addition to the blanket. (Makes for easy packing when you are changing buses - it works for me!)

Anyways, I hope this encourages you to try taking the bus to your next vacation destination!
Frugally yours,
Marcia

The complexities of buying eggs.

2007-07-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Before last week I bought the package of 18 eggs in the styrofoam containers. I thought that these containers were being recycled, but alas, they are not. It seems that my favourite grocery store does not have someone who will take them. And I want to recycle my egg containers!!!

I headed to the back of the store to grab a dozen eggs in a cardboard container, and I am overwhelmed with a plethora of choice!! Organic? Omega 3? Young hen plain? Young hen organic? I was dizzy!!! How could something as simple as wanting my eggs in a cardboard container become so complex.
Fortunately I was distracted by a friend who needed me to witness a document - which took a few minutes, and then I was back to make the choice.

I chose the young hen Omega 3's. They're mediums - so less calories (good for the diet part of me) And the cardboard can go into the recycling bin!

Sometimes it is easier to just grab and not think about it so much. Does the buying of eggs need to become such a dilemma? Maybe once, just to think about it and make a decision, and now to stick to it. I sure hope they don't get too expensive!

Another day, another dollar

2007-07-20T10:17:00.001-07:00

Today was payday, and of course it gets deposited directly into my account, I go onto the internet, and with a few clicks, the account is almost empty again!

Sometimes I find this a bit discouraging. But on the other hand it is a pretty balanced system I have going on.

I have a few bills that I pay every payday. My rent, my Mastercard bill and of course the money that is diverted to my long and short term savings accounts.

I developed this system a few months ago, because it was hard to see a bill of $600 be paid. Somehow, splitting it in half makes the pill easier to swallow. And that's how many people pay down their mortgages as well.

The other advantage of the system is that I get in a couple of extra payments on the Mastercard, and a bit of a cushion in the rent.

I'll write about the egg debate later!
See you soon,
Marcia

Hey! I can do this!!

2007-07-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings and Salutations!
This is my first ever attempt at writing my thoughts for anyone to see! I want to share various aspects of my life as I end my forties.

I am involved in so very many things - crafts, work, Toastmasters, losing weight, training to walk a marathon, being frugal (and having fun!), knitting, and at the moment disecting video tapes for the "yarn" inside!

So, I will throw this mini introduction into my blog space, and add more later. Just now I have to wash the dishes and disect some more videos! ( I am crocheting a shopping bag out of them!)

Marcia