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Jan 25, 2013    |       11 comments

Paycheck!

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I just received my paycheck today and it dropped by another 80 bucks since the January 11 check.  I compared the two pay stubs and it appears I was paid near $80 in “stock dividends” on the 01/11/2013.   I didn’t catch that when I looked at  my 1/11/2013 check the first time but it appears the lesser amount that I see in today’s check is the “final answer.”   I see about $450 less per paycheck now and that is sobering.  As a reminder the new deductions are increased federal withholdings, my health insurance and the flexible spending accounts (FSA).

On the upside–of that $900–I have $208 to recover from my health care and dependent care FSA.  Please remind me that this is a good thing for tax purposes because the lazy financial person in me just does not want to deal with submitting receipts to recoup that money.  Hurry.  Tell me.  I already have expenditures to get that back but it’s just that hassle factor that gets me.  That is my old mindset rearing its ugly head–pay for convenience–I guess.  I’ll get over my silly fit about this but in this moment I simply do not want one more thing on my “to do” list.  I know.  Get over it.

It’s another busy weekend ahead.  There are kid events (a band performance and a end-of-season basketball party) and then a Real Food Workshop on Saturday.  I’ve put the invite out for the Feb 10 couples’ event and so far have 5 couples attending.  I am still excited about this little side hobby/money earner.  The kids and I have a lot of fun putting it all together.  The kids are natural little “party hosts” and I like to see those skills grow in them.

Have a good one!  I’m off to gather receipts for child care and medical expenses!  🙂

Jan 22, 2013    |       6 comments

French Kids Eat Everything–Read This Book!

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Hello!  I’m BACK!  I’ve had some technical difficulties on my end but I am back and running with my internet connection fixed!  It was a neighborhood wide issue over the weekend and it turns out to have been a great “problem.”  My neighborhood is pretty open and friendly as it is but when all technology is on the blitz, it became even friendlier!  We ended up having a great time spending time outdoors and doing things we might have otherwise missed because we were inside watching television or fiddling on the internet.

The “technology outage” also led the kids and I to catching up on reading books!  I was finally able to finish the book I started far too long ago: “French Kids Eat Everything” by Karen Le Billon.  I think I mentioned it when I first started reading it about 4 or 5 months ago as I was diving deeper into my real food journey.  I know there are some readers who aren’t crazy about hearing about my real food adventures but I know, without a doubt, that this food journey has saved me money!

I don’t have many regrets about how I raised my kiddos.  I’ve certainly made mistakes but, for the most part, I’m regret-free.  I communicate well with them and vice versa.  BUT, if I did have things to do over again I would follow some of the great rules presented in this book.  So, if you are a mom or dad to be, or  a new parent—I write this post for you.  Go get this book.  It will teach you things to do very early in your journey that will undoubtedly improve your health and the health of your children, AND save you MONEY!

The book presents 10 food rules.   1) YOU (as the adult) are in charge of food education, 2) avoid emotional eating, 3) parents schedule meals and menus AND KIDS EAT WHAT ADULTS EAT (no short order cooking), 4) eat family meals together, 5) eat your veggies, 6) you don’t have to like it, but you do have to taste it, 7) no snacking! It’s okay to feel hungry between meals! 8) slow food is happy food (as in, EAT SLOW), 9) eat mostly REAL food and 10) Remember that eating is joyful and RELAX!

These rules are a quick summary of what the book talks about but it offers such great tips on training your children early to eat well.  And children that eat well simply cost less money—from health issues to fewer snacks, we are saving money!  Take a look at this book—good stuff!

Things are moving along at a decent pace and I am continuing to live each day with being debt free as my goal.  Some days are harder than others but thankfully I haven’t had any major setbacks.  It’s been a good month and we are taking one day at a time!

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