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Oct 21, 2019    |       11 comments

Alternative Easy Meals

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One of the biggest places in my budget to save more money is groceries. In fact, I think that I will be able to drop my grocery budget a bit after the holidays. But to maintain this, I am desperate for some new ideas for quick and easy meals. By this, I mean to replace the Ramen nights and the sandwich nights. We are getting a bit tired of both.

Now don’t get me wrong, we (or rather I) do not eat Ramen very often. The kids eat it a bit more frequently when they have to make their own food. But sandwiches are my go to choice when we are rushed or tired or I just don’t have an hour to prepare dinner. (I eat a sandwich every day for lunch if there are no other leftovers to eat, which is fine.)

Princess especially does not like sandwiches. Even though I often have different sides…chips, pickles, grapes, veggies and dip. I think the sandwiches are just getting old.

Leftovers aren’t really available come dinner time because both History Buff and I will eat them for lunch if available. So I must provide a new dinner nightly. And there are just some nights, I need something quick. I’m sure this is not an unusual issue in busy families, whether there are two working parents for a single one.

Hit me with your best ideas for quick and easy and health and cost effective dinners. Preferably made from ingredients that stay fresh for a week or two.

I have started prepping some additional sides to be able grab and go as well:

  • Pasta salad with feta cheese, olives and little pepperonis.
  • Chopped up veggies with a new dip every week or two.
  • Cut up fruit for smoothies (this is great, except Princess doesn’t do smoothies.)

We don’t own a microwave so I don’t do any pre-made items. Although that thought has crossed my mind more and more. Especially as we get into soup season, it would be nice to be able to quickly re-heat soup versus having to put it on the stove.

What are your go to meals when you need something quick? I’m placing a grocery order tomorrow, so any advice would be great!

Oct 18, 2019    |       2 comments

The Challenge of Finding Last Minute Money for the Holidays

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Unlike Hope, I haven’t been planning for the holidays since summer. I think I’ve been actively avoiding the entire idea. My mum and grandparents are moving to Nova Scotia to be closer to my sisters, who are each going through Big Life Events. One of my sisters has a baby and is experiencing huge problems outside of her control. I’m so grateful my mum is able to retire early and go be there for her. At the same time, I’m absolutely devastated. It’s an 18 hour drive or a flight to see most of my family now. I was doing dishes the other night and had that punched-in-the-gut realization that my mum won’t be an hour away any longer. What will I do if I need her? What if she needs me?

A really strange Thanksgiving

Canadian Thanksgiving was last weekend. Because my mum is moving, Thanksgiving was a bit of a bust. Mum’s house is for sale and she had showings over Thanksgiving weekend. For the first time in my life, we ate Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant. It was so strange. While we don’t have the football games or the parade, Thanksgiving has always been a big holiday for everyone I know. People travel far and wide to be with their families for this holiday, and we do the huge meal with all the fixin’s. This is the beginning of my favorite time of year.

My mum is so cute!

Finding Last Minute Money for the Holidays

First, let’s chat about Halloween. Halloween is so much fun! I’m going to dress up as a goth, I think. I won’t need to buy a costume for that. I am spending $38 on a ticket to a Halloween music event for next weekend, but I won’t be spending much more than that (maybe $40 for an Uber and a couple drinks – I’ll budget for it). On Halloween night, I’ll hand out candy. I love to see the kids dressed up and my neighborhood has more and more kids moving in! I needn’t worry about finding last minute money for Halloween, thank goodness.

But what to do about Christmas?

With the move in mind, I still don’t know what my Christmas will look like. That’s my absolute favorite time of year, especially here in Canada. I love the serene, perfectly silent blanket of snow, and all of the winter traditions. My family gets together to ski, snowshoe, ice fish, hike. Gosh, I’m teary thinking of this without my half of my family.

With my pets in the picture, I would have to drive out to Nova Scotia, and I just don’t want to do that alone in the winter. So it looks like I’m going to be here, with my dad and brother and his family. That will make it a much cheaper holiday, because my dad and brother are low-key and outdoorsy. I will get to do the fun outside stuff without the expensive inside stuff. My mum’s side is the one that does lavish gifts and over-the-top expensive wines and meats. I still want to find a few Rover gigs before Christmas to cover seeing my dad, bottles of wine or little mementos for friends, and for small gifts for my direct reports at work (like a coffee gift card).

Thinking it over now, I will still send a box of gifts out east. I’m thinking of a handful of homemade gifts, such as pictures and some treats I’ve baked. And I need to get my mother something half decent, but that’s where I’m hoping to use my credit card rewards.

Does anyone have tips for spending the holidays away from family? How about gifts that travel well? 

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