Books I Love: Money Secrets of the Amish

 (source)

I "read" (listened to the audiobook actually) of this book in the summer. I love budgeting and family financial management, but I am always intrigued by the simple life of the Amish. When I saw the title of this book (I don't even remember where I heard of it) I knew it was a book for me.

The audiobook is read by the author (my favorite kind of audiobook) and let me tell you, Lorilee Craker is funny. Really, I was frequently laughing in my car while listening to this book.

The number one lesson I learned is the catch phrase of the book, which is "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." There is a section of the book dedicated to this phrase, but she brings it up many time through out. This one phrase really got me thinking about what things in my life am I not using up or wearing out.

One of the smaller ways I've started using things up is with my makeup/beauty products. The liquid foundation I wear has a pump dispenser. My foundation got so low that the tube part that brings the foundation up to pump it out (am I making sense? I don't know if these things even have technical names, I've never written about them before.) Anyway, it got too low to properly use the pump. Normally, I'd consider it empty and get a new bottle of foundation, but then the words use it up went through my mind and I realized there is still a whole heck of a lot of foundation in that bottle. I ended up unscrewing the cap and using the little tube thing (whatever it's called) to scoop out the rest of the foundation. Guess what, I got another month of use out of the foundation bottle. Seriously, I was pretty shocked myself. (Note: I don't use that much foundation each day.) I've also started cutting my hand lotion bottles open and using up the rest of it lotion inside. I had no idea how much lotion was left behind after it's not easy to squeeze out anymore, crazy.

I hope to make blog posts about how I am applying "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"  to my life on a regular basis. I'm sure there will be many more situations arising in the future where it would be useful.

Overall, I love this book. It is full of practical tips for saving money and it was so entertaining that I didn't want to get out of my car when I got to my destination. I highly recommend it.

High Five for Friday

1. Seeing Les Mis with my littlest sister was so much fun. I need to hang out with her more.

2. There has been an abundance of cake/cupcakes at my house this week due to my birthday last week. I like cake :)

3. Wednesday was National Pie Day. My co-workers and I celebrated by having a pie pot-luck. Yes it's exactly what it sounds like. Everyone brought different kinds of pie and it was AMAZING. I made a chocolate chip pie but my favorite was the peanut butter, yum.

4. Once Upon a Time is my favorite show and I loved this weeks episode. I am sad I have to wait until after the Super Bowl for a new episode though.

5. Clear blue skies.

Five Ways to Save More Money

It's back to buget basics and today I'm going to talk about saving money. I know some people are naturally spenders and some are naturally savers but everyone should be saving money, even if it's only for a rainy day.

Here are five ways to save more money:

1. Make it Automatic.  With online banking making saving automatic is easier than ever. You can set up a reoccurring transfer from checking to savings. Or if your paycheck is directly deposited into your checking account, try talking to the human resourses or payroll department where you work to see if a percentage of your paycheck could go directly into your savings account. You'll be surprised how much money you'll accumulate in your savings account this way!

2. Use the "Leftovers." Leftovers? How could there be leftover money? Let me explain. If you work hourly and you usually get the same hours per  week but some weeks a little more and some weeks a little less, find what is an "at least" paycheck for you and when you get a paycheck that is more than your "at least" paycheck, put those leftovers in your savings account. Here's a basic example: your  paycheck is usually at least $100, but this week it's $117 so you would move those $17 leftover dollars into savings and next week it's $101, then move that $1 in your savings account. Your "at least" paycheck is the lowest amount you typically get. You don't want to overextend yourself budget wise so base your budget on what you usually at least receive and then put the leftovers into savings.

3. $5 Bill Savings Plan - I don't know who first thought this up but it's a great idea. Every time a $5 bill falls into your possession, save it. Put it in a piggy bank, coffee can, envelope, etc. do whatever you have to do to set it aside and not spend it. This thought process can apply to any amount of money. Every time you get a $10 bill you save it, or every time you get a quarter you save it.Whatever works for you is best (obviously.)

4. Spend Less Somewhere Else, Save the Difference. If you are out shopping and buy something on sale and the bottom of your receipt says "YOU SAVED $10 TODAY" then move ten dollars to your savings account. If you're a normal coupon-er (as in not extreme coupon-er) then that $15 or $20 you save each week with coupons could be moved to your savings account. You would really see how spending your time couponing can add up. This also applies to your budget categories. If the month ends and you've got $8.76 left in your entertainment budget category, well then transfer that $8.76 to your savings account. This could possibly encourage you to come under budget sometimes. (The better you get at sticking to your budget the easier it is to come in under budget.)

5. Don't Go Shopping. Okay so this one is kind of a trick (and it's completely opposite of tip #4) The best way to save money is to not spend it. No matter how many 40% coupons you get in the mail or how many "blowout sales" there are; the best way to save money is to not spend it. Don't even go to the store or their website (if online shopping is your thing.) If the purchase is not a need then the best "deal" you could possibly get is not buying it and keeping your money in your pocketbook. I know no one wants to hear that, but it's the truth.

As always, I am not a financial expert I am just sharing what works for me with the hope that it helps at least one person out there.

Les Mis

I saw Les Mis with my littlest sister last night.

I love Les Mis. I was first introduced to it when my high school performed in as their spring musical during my freshman year. (Unfortunately I did not participate except as an audience member.) Even with a high school cast / crew / and orchestra I was so connected to the story I balled like a baby.

Then as a senior in high school, I traveled in New York City with choir and had the opportunity to see Les Mis on broadway. Amazing. Seriously, amazing. I was so moved I balled like a baby.

Now, I saw the movie last night. Obviously I know the story but again, I balled like a baby. (Am I sensing a theme?)

*side note* I sang a Les Mis medley when I was in college choir and I, in fact, did not cry like a baby. (Thank goodness because I had a solo.)

Anyway back to what I was originally talking about. Les Mis is such a beautiful story and I can't help being sucked into the lives of the characters. But waking up with puffy eyes this morning makes me wonder why I do this to myself. Why do I enjoy these tragic stories so much that I keep going back to them even though I know they are going to make me ugly cry.

If it's been awhile since I've been around anything Les Mis related I think I forget how sad it's going to make me. But as soon as the first big cords of "Look Down" begin the opening scene I feel all excited again thinking here I go again diving into this amazing story (that is going to make me sob.)

Have you seen Lis Mis yet? Do you want to? Are there any other sad stories that you can't help but love?

High 5 for Friday!

Here are my top favorite things from the week!

1. MY BIRTHDAY!!! Yes I turned another year older this week. Do I have any pictures? No, they are on everyone else's cameras/phones. Oh well. My hubby took me out to dinner, my mom made my favorite meal (cheese ravioli) and we're having some friends/family over to hang out tomorrow. It's been a good birthday week.

2. My sister got me an adorable trench coat for my birthday that I love and cannot wait to wear. It's literally below freezing so I'm wearing my extra warm coats for now, but spring time and trench coat weather will be here soon.

3. My other sister got me Raisinetes. I flipped when I saw them, they are one of my faves and I have not had them in seriously more than a year. (Good thing there are no calories on your birthday)

4. I successfully made an egg sandwich! After my first egg disaster (you can read about it here) I was determined to figure it out. Egg sandwiches might be my new go-to lunch.

5. This week at work there was little boy somewhere outside of my office that was laughing his head off with the most adorable/contagious laughter I've ever heard. I have no idea what was making him laugh so much, because I couldn't see him from my office, but I found myself smiling at my desk knowing that something was bringing that little boy pure joy. It's the little things.

I'm linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk for High Five for Friday!

Today's Lesson

I just spent the past 20 minutes cleaning dried egg out of my microwave.

Okay lets rewind. I came home on my lunch break today and wanted to make something quick and easy to eat. I have English muffins and thought an English muffin and egg sandwich sounded really good. When I lived with my parents I watched my mom make them all the time. I mean, watching someone make something is the same as knowing how to make something, right!?

Anyway, making this sandwich involves cooking an egg in the microwave (you don't have to use the microwave you could fry your egg in a frying pan, but in my case the microwave was my fastest option.) I got out my little bowl, sprayed it with some cooking spray, cracked an egg and dumped. I wasn't sure how long to cook it for but I thought to myself I should probably put it in there for a good long time because raw egg is gross so I don't want to take any raw egg chances. Four minutes sounds good I'll do four minutes. So I popped it into the microwave with the timer set to four minutes and got busy toasting my English muffin.

Less than 40 seconds later something in the microwave explodes. It made me jump so much I almost tossed my English muffin. I open up the microwave to find raw egg everywhere. (Raw egg, yuck and exactly what I was trying to avoid.) It's dripping down the mircowave door and on to the stove top below.

Remember I'm on my lunch break. I don't have time for this mess, I've got to eat and get back to work. So, I decided to deal with it later and made a bagel instead, making a mental note to ask my mom how the heck she makes her microwaveable eggs the next time I talk to her.

Conviently my mom calls me less than five minutes later (it would have been more convient if she had called me before the exploding egg incident.) Turns out you have to pop the eggs yoke before you mircowave it or they explode. LESSON LEARNED. After sharing my egg mishaps at work when I got back I also learned that you should poke holes in a potato skin before you microwave them or they will also explode. (I'm really glad someone told me this because otherwise I'm sure an exploding potato would be in my future.)

Anyway, I took care of operation egg clean up when I got home from work today and now my microwave is sparkling clean.

So tell me, have you ever had something explode on you in the microwave?

My Sister

                                               
                                                                    (source)

Everyone needs a little inspiration in their lives. My sister made this graphic of one of her favorite Bible verses. I am super proud because she taught herself how to make it, she even made it available for download on her blog. She also made the banner for my blog and a share button I have in the side bar. She blogs over at Noelle Austin, and you should check her page out.