So I just got back from grocery shopping.
I went to Target and got a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi. With the coupon it was free, so no money there! Of course, it meant that I had to buy Pepsi, so I guess my husband and daughters will have it (my son and I don't drink cola).
Now the lady who wrote the book "Not Buying It" said that she didn't buy anything that was processed during her year-long experiment.
As I was shopping at Costco, it suddenly dawned on me, what exactly does "processed" mean?
I bought milk, heavy cream (so we could make our own ice-cream), ground beef, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and lemon juice.
I was torn on the lemon juice. Should I have bought fresh lemons instead and juiced them myself? Is lemon juice "processed"? If it is, was the cream also "processed"? Should I have gotten a steak and ground it myself?
So confusing. Anyway, the good news is that my Costco bill was about half of what it usually is!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Rules
So what are the rules to my "Not Buying It" experiment?
I think that I'm making them up as I go along.
It's amazing how much money I spend with no effort of my own. Most of my bills are automatically taken out of my checking account or billed to my credit card: mortgage, various insurances, condo fee, most of my utility bills, etc. In fact, the only bill I have to pay myself is my natural gas bill -- why? I guess because they're the only ones so far that haven't pressured me to go automatic.
I'll be spending money on all my usual stuff, but I'm trying not to buy anything extra: clothes, activities, toys, fast food, junk food, entertainment, etc.
Also, this only applies to me. My kids can buy whatever they want (they never have any money anyway) and my husband can use his money (that doesn't really count because he's the type of guy that can have the same $10 bill in his pocket for seriously two years).
We'll see how it goes!
I think that I'm making them up as I go along.
It's amazing how much money I spend with no effort of my own. Most of my bills are automatically taken out of my checking account or billed to my credit card: mortgage, various insurances, condo fee, most of my utility bills, etc. In fact, the only bill I have to pay myself is my natural gas bill -- why? I guess because they're the only ones so far that haven't pressured me to go automatic.
I'll be spending money on all my usual stuff, but I'm trying not to buy anything extra: clothes, activities, toys, fast food, junk food, entertainment, etc.
Also, this only applies to me. My kids can buy whatever they want (they never have any money anyway) and my husband can use his money (that doesn't really count because he's the type of guy that can have the same $10 bill in his pocket for seriously two years).
We'll see how it goes!
Bored
So Monday was my first official day of "not buying it."
I was OK as long as I was at work, but then I went home. It's amazing how much I wanted to spend money just to alleviate my boredom (you know, finding reasons to NOT clean my house).
There's lots of stuff going on downtown to celebrate Independence Day, but I knew I would just end up spending money on snow cones and cotton candy, so I didn't go.
What did I do instead? Help a neighbor move. I didn't even know this neighbor. They were moving, I was bored, so I just started picking up boxes. It took quite a few hours because they lived on the third floor. After that I was so exhausted that I went to sleep.
So I didn't spend any money, helped a neighbor, got lots of exercise. Win-win-win!
I was OK as long as I was at work, but then I went home. It's amazing how much I wanted to spend money just to alleviate my boredom (you know, finding reasons to NOT clean my house).
There's lots of stuff going on downtown to celebrate Independence Day, but I knew I would just end up spending money on snow cones and cotton candy, so I didn't go.
What did I do instead? Help a neighbor move. I didn't even know this neighbor. They were moving, I was bored, so I just started picking up boxes. It took quite a few hours because they lived on the third floor. After that I was so exhausted that I went to sleep.
So I didn't spend any money, helped a neighbor, got lots of exercise. Win-win-win!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Not Buying It
A while ago I read the book "Not Buying It" about a woman who goes a whole year without buying anything (she set up her own guidelines -- since she couldn't go without purchasing some food items and paying her utility bills). I've always wanted to try this little experiment (I love me some stunt journalism), so I'm going to try to go the month of July not buying anything and then blogging about it.
I'm sure that I'll fail miserably, but that's half the fun!
Good news -- I didn't buy ANYTHING on Sunday, July 1st.
Of course, that's an easy one since my religion frowns on going to stores or purchasing items on the Sabbath, but I'll take any victory I can.
I'm sure that I'll fail miserably, but that's half the fun!
Good news -- I didn't buy ANYTHING on Sunday, July 1st.
Of course, that's an easy one since my religion frowns on going to stores or purchasing items on the Sabbath, but I'll take any victory I can.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Closed Captioning Foibles
I love watching TV with the closed captioning on. I'm not quite sure what machines those people are using while they're typing out a live news broadcast, but they have some interesting shortcuts that I don't think they should be using.
In one news broadcast (I think I've already blogged about this), every time the reporter said "Barack Obama," the trascriber typed in "Backyard Habitat."
Today, every time the news anchor said "Mexico," the transcriber put in "Mechanical Psycho." What? That's so much longer than just typing the word "Mexico"!
I really hope that hearing-impaired people are getting their news from newspapers, and NOT television.
In one news broadcast (I think I've already blogged about this), every time the reporter said "Barack Obama," the trascriber typed in "Backyard Habitat."
Today, every time the news anchor said "Mexico," the transcriber put in "Mechanical Psycho." What? That's so much longer than just typing the word "Mexico"!
I really hope that hearing-impaired people are getting their news from newspapers, and NOT television.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Helpless
Though I love to read self-help books, I really think they're lost on me. I don't think that I get out of them what the author intends me to.
Take those "Eat This, Not That!" books by David Zinczenko. He tries to shock us by telling stuff like 'a large buttered popcorn at the movie theater has as much fat as 14 McDonald's Big Macs!' While everyone else is gasping in horror, I'm trying to figure out how to sneak in 14 Big Macs the next time I go see a movie.
I just read a book on exercise science and the author was talking about how just a few minutes of a really hard, intense workout has the same benefits as hours of a slow, easy workout. Again, I came out of it with the attitude of, 'Wow, that's great. Since I've got nothing better to do, I'll do the slow, easy workout. Don't have to break a sweat and another excuse for not having enough time to clean my house -- win-win!'
I read a book on happiness zones and Denmark was one of the countries listed because of their low expectations. Yes, I'm all about low expectations. Any day I'm not kidnapped and forced into white slavery is an awesome day in my book. Hey, I wasn't sucked into an F-5 tornado today, let's have a party! Happy day, a car didn't crash into my----oh, wait. That did happen. Never mind. Hey, that car crashing into my bedroom gave me an excuse to paint my walls a new color (if only it did more damage so I could get new furniture -- but I'll keep those high expectations down to a minimum).
Anyway, I guess there's just no helping some people (me, especially).
Take those "Eat This, Not That!" books by David Zinczenko. He tries to shock us by telling stuff like 'a large buttered popcorn at the movie theater has as much fat as 14 McDonald's Big Macs!' While everyone else is gasping in horror, I'm trying to figure out how to sneak in 14 Big Macs the next time I go see a movie.
I just read a book on exercise science and the author was talking about how just a few minutes of a really hard, intense workout has the same benefits as hours of a slow, easy workout. Again, I came out of it with the attitude of, 'Wow, that's great. Since I've got nothing better to do, I'll do the slow, easy workout. Don't have to break a sweat and another excuse for not having enough time to clean my house -- win-win!'
I read a book on happiness zones and Denmark was one of the countries listed because of their low expectations. Yes, I'm all about low expectations. Any day I'm not kidnapped and forced into white slavery is an awesome day in my book. Hey, I wasn't sucked into an F-5 tornado today, let's have a party! Happy day, a car didn't crash into my----oh, wait. That did happen. Never mind. Hey, that car crashing into my bedroom gave me an excuse to paint my walls a new color (if only it did more damage so I could get new furniture -- but I'll keep those high expectations down to a minimum).
Anyway, I guess there's just no helping some people (me, especially).
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Better (well) Read than Dead
An old high school friend of mine (who doesn't have children) recently posted on Facebook:
A co-worker says that once you have kids, you don't time to read anymore. Is this true?
The long list of comments then reiterated what the co-worker said, talking about how motherhood prevents them from having the time to read.
I just wanted to yell out, NO! DON'T BELIEVE THEM! IT'S NOT TRUE!
I'm posting my "Shelfari" list on the top of this blog to prove that moms do read. I've been in a book club for over five years now and I love the variety of books and genres this gets me to read. I'm constantly going up to my friends (and I'll admit it, even strangers) and asking them what they're reading. My kids know that every night at 8:30 PM is "mom's reading time." Even my cat knows it (she knows that that means cuddle time).
I'm lucky in that my work gives us a paid day off every year for our birthday, and I use that day to lay in bed all day reading. My daughter, Frances, is now a total book worm, too. She constantly has a book in her hands (I'm hoping the other two will follow suit).
Now my mother, Dot, has always been an avid reader. Even with nine kids and five foster kids and running a daycare center out of her home (yes, we were THAT house in the neighborhood), she was always reading. She makes a point of reading all the Newbery Award winners (something I also do) and she loves, loves, loves Charles Dickens.
Don't have time to read because you have kids? Then read aloud to your children! Even the most adult books will have something you can read to them. My children love David Sedaris books -- though I read to them very edited chapters (they especially like the dying mouse story).
All I can say is, better (well) read than dead.
A co-worker says that once you have kids, you don't time to read anymore. Is this true?
The long list of comments then reiterated what the co-worker said, talking about how motherhood prevents them from having the time to read.
I just wanted to yell out, NO! DON'T BELIEVE THEM! IT'S NOT TRUE!
I'm posting my "Shelfari" list on the top of this blog to prove that moms do read. I've been in a book club for over five years now and I love the variety of books and genres this gets me to read. I'm constantly going up to my friends (and I'll admit it, even strangers) and asking them what they're reading. My kids know that every night at 8:30 PM is "mom's reading time." Even my cat knows it (she knows that that means cuddle time).
I'm lucky in that my work gives us a paid day off every year for our birthday, and I use that day to lay in bed all day reading. My daughter, Frances, is now a total book worm, too. She constantly has a book in her hands (I'm hoping the other two will follow suit).
Now my mother, Dot, has always been an avid reader. Even with nine kids and five foster kids and running a daycare center out of her home (yes, we were THAT house in the neighborhood), she was always reading. She makes a point of reading all the Newbery Award winners (something I also do) and she loves, loves, loves Charles Dickens.
Don't have time to read because you have kids? Then read aloud to your children! Even the most adult books will have something you can read to them. My children love David Sedaris books -- though I read to them very edited chapters (they especially like the dying mouse story).
All I can say is, better (well) read than dead.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Miracles
On this Christmas day, I'm pondering on the miracles that have happened in my life:
The neighbor who saw my dead car on the side of the road and me walking and instinctively knew that the kids I carpool home would need a ride home -- even though her kids don't even go to the same school. Thank you.
I couldn't find my cell phone charger. Then my cats knocked down a huge painting in my bedroom and as I went to pick it up, there in a Darth Vader helmet under the fallen painting was my charger. Thank you.
My other neighbor who saw my dead car at the mechanic's and called to see if the other carpool kids would need a ride home. Thank you.
The car that decided to die a few hours AFTER I drove my nephew to the airport so that he wouldn't miss his flight. Thank you.
My work's janitorial crew who forgot to clean out the fridge so I could reclaim my cartons of milk and orange juice that I had left behind the day before. Thank you.
And these are just the ones that happened this week. I think my new year's goal for 2012 is to pay more attention to the many miracles in my life.
The neighbor who saw my dead car on the side of the road and me walking and instinctively knew that the kids I carpool home would need a ride home -- even though her kids don't even go to the same school. Thank you.
I couldn't find my cell phone charger. Then my cats knocked down a huge painting in my bedroom and as I went to pick it up, there in a Darth Vader helmet under the fallen painting was my charger. Thank you.
My other neighbor who saw my dead car at the mechanic's and called to see if the other carpool kids would need a ride home. Thank you.
The car that decided to die a few hours AFTER I drove my nephew to the airport so that he wouldn't miss his flight. Thank you.
My work's janitorial crew who forgot to clean out the fridge so I could reclaim my cartons of milk and orange juice that I had left behind the day before. Thank you.
And these are just the ones that happened this week. I think my new year's goal for 2012 is to pay more attention to the many miracles in my life.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Closed Captioning Follies
As one who enjoys closed captioning mistakes, here's one of my favorites:
Instead of,
"Will my kids live better than I do?"
It read,
"Will my kids lisp better than I do?"
In my case, I would say yes, yes they will.
Instead of,
"Will my kids live better than I do?"
It read,
"Will my kids lisp better than I do?"
In my case, I would say yes, yes they will.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
TV Follies
I don't know if the TV producers are getting dumber or if they assume that the TV watchers are getting dumber. Two recent examples:
I was watching "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (yes, I'm admitting it -- I watch it) and they were describing their trip from Los Angeles to some exotic island local. Anyway, here's the map they showed of their starting point:
Wow, I had no idea that Los Angeles is in the middle of MEXICO! I can see putting it a little bit too high or too low or too far east on a map, but didn't that huge peninsula called Baja California give you a clue that you were a little too far south?
The other day, I was watching an infomercial for Victoria Principal's skincare line and they were advertising it for $89.99 for a 90-day supply. But if you called right now, you could get their special offer of a 30-day supply for only $29.99!
Now I'm no math genius, but even I could see right through that one.
I was watching "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (yes, I'm admitting it -- I watch it) and they were describing their trip from Los Angeles to some exotic island local. Anyway, here's the map they showed of their starting point:
Wow, I had no idea that Los Angeles is in the middle of MEXICO! I can see putting it a little bit too high or too low or too far east on a map, but didn't that huge peninsula called Baja California give you a clue that you were a little too far south?
The other day, I was watching an infomercial for Victoria Principal's skincare line and they were advertising it for $89.99 for a 90-day supply. But if you called right now, you could get their special offer of a 30-day supply for only $29.99!
Now I'm no math genius, but even I could see right through that one.
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