$25 for Groceries

Q: You have $25 to feed yourself for a full week. You’re starting from scratch, with nothing in your pantry, freezer, or refrigerator. What do you purchase?


That is the question posed (and answered) on the latest post from food blog Cheap, Healthy, Good. I just found this site based on a recommendation from Lifehacker. I like their philosophy, and I'm excited to explore some more. I'll let you know how it goes.

Over Budget

Okay, it's time for a confession. I am currently $64 over on my allowance. I am in debt to my own budget. Ick.

The good news is, I'm making progress. I have been trying to dig myself out since January, when it was much worse (and the allowance debt rolls over every month, no freebies).

I'm going to make it out, though. I am determined. No new German bakeware this month :-).

Agreeing on Expenses in Marriage

Julianne and I have it pretty easy, we agree on almost all of our expenses, and the rest are small enough to fit into our personal allowances (see Giving Yourself an Allowance).

I know people who aren't so fortunate - who have large expenses that they can't agree on. When one spouse wants to make a large purchase that the other spouse does not support, this can result in major conflict - whether or not the money is spent. It can bring on feelings of martyrdom or of not being supported. The battleground over expenses can then quickly expand.

Here's an article discussing the importance of having similar financial goals, and ways to work out our differences when we don't: The Key to Wedded Bliss? Money Matters. One piece of advice that struck me as especially useful was to seek the help of mediators when necessary. And really, divorce is expensive, much more expensive than foregoing a few things you want, and letting your spouse get a few things you may think are unnecessary. Families are more important than finances, and letting money tear a marriage apart is foolish.

Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions

Last night we ate Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions for dinner. This dish is thoroughly unglamorous, the ingredients are simple, and we love to eat it. Add a side of beans or meat for protein.

Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions (Julianne's method)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
2-5 Potatoes
3-6 Carrots
1 Onion
Salt and Pepper to taste

Wash the potatoes; peel the carrots. Chop the onion. Put water on the stove to boil, enough to cover the potatoes and carrots.

While you wait for the water to boil, heat about a teaspoon of the oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent. Cut the potatoes and carrots into half-inch chunks.

When the water starts to boil, add the potatoes and carrots, boil about 9 minutes, or until the potatoes are just barely as soft as you like them.

Drain the potatoes and carrots. Add the rest of the oil to the frying pan, then add the potatoes and carrots. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook a few minutes more, stirring continuously, adding salt and pepper to taste, until the potatoes and carrots are brown around the edges.

Serve immediately, with ketchup.

Toy Cycling

Kids get bored with toys they see all of the time. For our kids (a preschooler and a toddler), that means they pull out all of the Legos, spread them across the floor, and then go get more toys. Very little playing goes on for the amount of mess they make. Luckily, we found a pretty decent solution. And we didn't have to buy them more toys!

My friend April introduced us to the concept of toy cycling. At their house, they go through toys every few months and put some of them in storage. Then, when they pull them out to put different toys in storage, the old toys are new and exciting.

At our house we do our own variation of toy cycling. We decided to put all of the toy sets with small pieces up high in the closet. The kids can play with whatever they want, but only one at a time. If they want a different toy set, they need to put away with the one they are already playing with.

This has done wonders for the mess level in our apartment, but it has also improved the way our kids play. Suddenly, they play with toys longer and more creatively. They like and care about their toys more. This is the solution we were looking for.

Overdraft "Protection"

A bunch of new laws are going into effect to try to regulate bank fees. One of the most important of these is requiring that people opt in to "overdraft protection." Overdraft protection is where the bank will kindly let you put charges on your debit card even when you don't have any money in your account. They then charge a very large fee for the "privilege." Banks point to the fact that you may need cash during an emergency, but I doubt that the $40 billion dollars a year they make from overdraft fees are all because of emergencies.

Without overdraft protection, your card will just be declined if you don't have cash left (which makes sense). Starting now, banks will be required to receive permission to allow overdraft protection for debit cards. Since this is a major source of revenue, they are likely to start sending lots of advertisements attempting to convince people to get this protection. I highly recommend ignoring the ads.

More information from the New York Times:

Banks Pressure Customers to Keep Fees Rolling In

Who is Responsible for the Family Budget?

For the greatest happiness and productivity in life, both husband and wife are needed. Their efforts interlock and are complementary. Each has individual traits that best fit the role the Lord has defined for happiness as a man or woman. When used as the Lord intends, those capacities allow a married couple to think, act, and rejoice as one[.]

Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness

In the family where I grew up, my father did the finances. In Jeremy's family, his mother did them. So, naturally, when we got married each of us hoped the other would do them.

It took us a long time to figure out who would be responsible for our money.

In the meantime, we had a budget, but we didn't follow it well or keep detailed records. Bills got paid on time, usually, but we spent more and saved less than we should have.

Fortunately, Jeremy stepped up and decided we needed to put together a better system. Every family is different, but here is what works for us:

1. Jeremy set up budgeting software and makes sure it is working correctly.

2. I go through our expenses every week online and label them with the proper budget category.

3. Jeremy pays online bills.

4. I pay bills that require writing a check.

5. Together, we discuss the budget and make changes as needed.

6. Jeremy files taxes.

7. I deposit most checks.

8. Jeremy manages our investments and keeps me informed.

9. Both of us are responsible for staying within budget.