Sneaky Ways to Save Money

Who isn't trying to cut back on spending these days? Or maybe it just feels that way a midst my college-aged peers and friends. Still though, who doesn't like to save money? In a few days I will be starting a new budget plan (look for details in my week 5 post) and I figured this seemed like an appropriate precursor to such a post. Below I've complied a small list of ways to pinch those pennies.

1. If you can stand it, shower every other day. I do this because showering half as often means using half as much water, shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. It will start to add up quick.
2. Drink more water. If you love your soda/juice/energy drinks/refreshments that aren't water, try cutting back a little at a time. You will find that quenching your thirst with water will be cheaper (and healthier!) in the long run. Also, ordering water when you eat out will save you quite a chunk of money, seeing as it's free. You would be surprised at how fast drinks can add up!
3. Take advantage of public transportation. Gas is not cheap these days, so you might as well use the bus system that your tax-dollars pay for, right? Or invest in a bike. Riding that instead of driving everywhere will also help you save on gas.
4. Only wash full loads of laundry. You will find that this uses less water and less detergent, which of course both cost money.
5. Buy the store brand of the products that you use most frequently. You might find that things like bread or lotion do not have to be of the highest (most expensive) quality in order to get the job done.
6. Take care of what you have. Chances are, you have a fair amount of clothing and your living room is not hurting for furniture. By taking care of these things (keeping them clean, using them properly, treating them gently) you won't have to replace them as often.
7. Remember that cheap entertainment is still entertainment. The good news is there is a plethora of it out there! Try Netflix instead of cable, the cheap movie theater instead of the regular priced one, hiking/going for a walk instead of going to the gym to get on the treadmill, take coupons when you eat out or get ice cream, and check out the free things to do in your community. 
8. If you're feeling brave enough, learn how to do it yourself instead of buying it or hiring someone to do it for you. Routine car maintenance and fixing leaky faucets will cost you much less if you aren't hiring someone to do the work for you. Also, making your own works or art to decorate your home or painting it on your own could be a fun way to save money.

These are just a few ways that I came up with, but if you put these ideas to use, you could really start saving some money! 

Week 4: New Volunteerism

The New:
Well, lately God has been pulling at my heart to get involved at church and so last Sunday I decided to listen and found out what I needed to do. This week, I spent time with some of God's most precious infants and preschoolers. I can't tell you how long it had been since the last time I held a little one and rocked him to sleep, but I can tell you that it was too long. I have always had a passion for children, and now I will get to spend time with them on a weekly basis, which is soo exciting for me! I don't know what took me so long to get on-board with this, but I'm glad I didn't wait one week longer.


The Evidence:
I don't have evidence for you this week, but I assure you I was there and lovin' every minute of it!


The Verdict:
If you can't tell by my first paragraph, I was thrilled at this new opportunity to serve others. So I want you to take two things from my week 4 post.

First: Doing something for others is truly uplifting, so I would encourage you to try it this week as you face the world. Think of what this world might become if we could all just make it a point to do one kind or helpful thing for someone other than ourselves on a regular basis. I think the difference would be miraculous and I don't think there's a single soul that wouldn't be touched by it. And how cool would it be if YOU were the person who restored hope in someone who was feeling hopeless and alone?

Second: If God is calling you to do something, procrastination is the absolute worst way to handle it. Just dive into and see what the King of kings and the Lord of lords has waiting for you. How much time will you waste before you let him bless you in a way that you can't even fathom?


Have a wonderful week, everyone! It's the last one of January 2014, so make it great!

Week 3: New Food

Well, it is the last day of week 3 of the new year, so I guess there's no time like now to post my next new thing, which just happens to be food this week. After all, I can't fail at this simple resolution so early on in the year! So here is my "new" for this week, and I promise to be more on top of it next week :)

The New:
This week, I went for a new, relatively healthy recipe called Italian Wonderpot. I'm almost positive I found this recipe on Pinterest, but I can't seem to find the link to share with you guys. Just know, this work of deliciousness was not my own idea! (Although I did make a few changes from the original recipe

Okay so you will need:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 12 oz. pasta 
• 8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
• 28 oz. diced tomatoes (2 cans)
• 1 med. onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbs. basil
• 1/2 Tbs. oregano
• Feta cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to large pot. Make sure all ingredients are submerged into the liquid.
2. Cover and heat to a rolling boil. Remove lid and let simmer for 10 to 15, or until pasta is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir often.
3. If desired, sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve and enjoy!

The Evidence:

The Verdict:

This recipe was super easy and super delicious, so basically awesome. If I were to change anything, it would be the amount or the size of chopped spinach. I am not a particularly big fan of the texture of cooked spinach, so I will probably try to get a bag that is more finely chopped next time. Other than that though, I was thrilled at how flavorful it was and how much it made! Definitely a welcomed change from the staple of spaghetti and meatballs :) 

Week 2: New Warm Beverage

I'm not a huge fan of cold weather, so winter is not even close to my favorite season. However, there are a few good things about this time of year that just don't make sense to enjoy during the summertime (at least in New Mexico summertime). Cute boots being one of those things. Warm beverages being another.

Since I have no control over the temperature outside, I decided to make the most of this dreary time of year by trying out a new recipe for hot apple cider. Don't get me wrong, that stir-it-into-hot-water mixture is good, but not THIS good. Check it out:

The New:
All you need is 3 ingredients. That's it, just three! And one step. Could this get easier? No, it couldn't.

12 Cups Apple Cider
1 1/2 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
3/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

Basically all you have to do it put all three ingredients into a large crock pot and let it sit for 4 hours on low. You might want to put the spices in first because stirring them in after you pour the cider in is a small ordeal that I don't have the patience for. Also, before serving, stir up the cider because the spices will settle at the bottom.

The Evidence:

The Verdict:
This stuff was delicious! I will definitely continue making this until the weather warms up, especially since it was so easy. The recipe can obviously be adjusted to make more or less, but the leftovers warm up so perfectly in the microwave that I can't imagine myself making any less.
My only complaint was the abundance of cinnamon and cloves left in the bottom of my mug and my crock pot. If I find a solution to this minor setback, I will surely add it in.

Enjoy! And stay warm :)

How to Make a Tie Blanket

So ever since I realized how easy it was to make one of these cozy blankets, I was dying to try it. Then, the perfect occasion arose: my boyfriend's birthday. Conveniently enough, he was born during the time of year when using an extra blanket at night or watching TV on the couch is at an all-time high, so I took advantage of the coincidence and make him a tie-blanket.

If you've never made one before, they are SUPER easy. Time-consuming? A little. Repetitive? Very. But hard? Absolutely knot ;)


So the first thing you want to do is buy what you'll need. Your shopping list should include fabric scissors* (if you don't already have some) and two different kinds of fleece material, about two yards of each. I'll admit I cheated a little on this step and bought a pre-packaged "kit" that already had two matching fabrics that match perfectly and were already cut to be the right length.

* Regular scissors would probably work for this project, but I would highly recommend fabric scissors because they are much sharper and you will be cutting through two layers of thick fabric.

Once you have everything you need, lay your two fleece fabrics with their wrong sides facing each other and their right sides facing out. If they don't line up perfectly, don't sweat it. When the blanket is all tied, you will be the only one who knows they weren't perfectly even to begin with. 

After your fabric is laid out, cut a square out of each corner, cutting both layers of fabric at the same time. The length of the edges of this square will serve as a guideline for the length of the strips you will be cutting next, so keep this in mind. A pretty standard square would be 5" by 5" but feel free to get creative with it.

After you have all four squares cut, the next step is to cut slits into all sides of the fabric, about one inch apart. Again, you should cut both the top and bottom fabrics at the same time. The length of your slits will depend on how big your corner square cuts are, so if they are 5" by 5" your slits will also be 5" long.

You're almost done! Now all that's left is tying the top strip to the corresponding bottom strip. I would recommend doing each of your corners first, just in case you have to stop in the middle of it. If your corners are tied, it will easier to keep the individual strips lined up.

About 275094620974 knots later, you will have a cozy, hand-crafted tie blanket!

Week 1: New Experience

Hi Y'all! Yesterday, on the first day of the new year, I decided to start off strong with my resolution to do something new each week by shredding a grapefruit using bullets alone :)

The New:
I've been shooting several times before (it even got me through one of my hardest break-ups), but never with a scope on the rifle (where has that nifty little thing been all this time!?), and never with the target being a starting-to-enter-the-rotting-phase grapefruit. I went with my whole family and it was a blast!

The Evidence:

Okay so in this picture, I had obviously not started destroying the grapefruit yet, seeing as it is clearly sitting a mere 16 inches from its demise, but just keep scrolling....

The poor thing never stood a chance...




The Verdict:
Now, I know gun control is a sensitive subject for some, so it is not my intention to step on any toes or offend anyone here, but I would highly recommend trying this at least once before you write it off completely. My dad and I have always had different interests, but going out and shooting at whatever we could think of (granted we always chose safe targets) has been a great way for us to connect and bond while spending quality time together in these last few years. I remember the first time we went, the kick (even though it was small) from the pistol that he was teaching me to shoot startled me every time I pulled the trigger, but with more and more shooting, I hardly recognize it anymore.
My biggest advice to first time shooters is don't forget to wear eye and ear protection and please, please, please, whatever you do, be safe out there and treat every gun as if it were loaded!!

This will definitely not be the last time I shoot a gun, especially now that I've discovered the miracle of a scope and a joy of exploding nearly rotten fruit!