(No) Help Wanted

So, this post got me thinking the other day.

I think it started with my dad when I was about 8 or 9. One Valentines Day, when my mom was working, he took my sister and I to San Francisco to volunteer at the soup kitchen and we happily fed the homeless with smiles and naivety. I'd been volunteer-happy ever since.
Back in high school, every spring break, while most kids were sleeping in our getting into trouble while their parents were at work all day, I decided I would do quite the opposite.
I joined my church youth group (I was in it for the social aspect, to be honest) on a trip to Mexico to build houses for the less-fortunate. I mean, really really less fortunate. No plumbing, no electricity, no paved roads, no concrete/stucco/by code homes...it truly was a 180 from the by-comparison pristine town of the East Bay I grew up in. Our church prepared all year with fundraising to save up for this trip, and somehow I learned the basics of home-building. (Though I wonder if the homes I had a hand in are still standing-yikes!) Those trips to Tijuana were truly the highlights of my teenage years, and very formative in terms of my confidence and awesome hammering skills. I remember one years, my crush of all crushes, Jon Speer, went, and I was beyond enamored when he spoke a sentence. TO ME! Yes, that was about the extent of our interaction. I was a bit, oh, shy around the good looking male gender. Oh, and somehow I managed to "borrow" his Foreigner CD and still sleep with it, I mean treasure it, to this day. Honestly, I haven't seen it in years, but a little glimpse at something that might have been in his hands still takes me back. (I heard he's fat and lazy now, and that makes me happy for some reason. Maybe that's not true but it makes me feel better. )
Anyways, back to the point.
The trips down to TJ (not THOSE kind of trips gutter mind) were amazing and showed me people that were truly thankful for us just being there, wanting to share our time and energy to maybe make a small impact on their life. We played soccer with the kids who spoke another language, yet we could read each other's minds. We learned to get over ourselves quickly when it came to peeing in a hole in the ground, covered with cardboard and lack of privacy. We looked forward to nothing but baby-wipe showers for a whole week, and sleeping in crammed tents on a rock hard rock quarry ground. We bonded and learned from one another, became confident that we could make a difference in others lives, and I don't think any one of us that would participate would call it anything less than rewarding.
Because of my trips to volunteer in Mexico, and times before and after with other organizations, volunteering has become something I truly enjoy and find important. I have been blessed with alot of fortune in my life, so why not share my time and energy with others?
Apparently that time and energy has been lacking since I graduated college. I haven't done much in my volunteering ways, and it does get to me every once and a while and I feel inspired. Then, life catches up with me, carries me along and that thought of "I should volunteer at..." slips my mind.
Yes, I'm getting to my point, I swear!
Two years ago, I decided to challenge myself and run a marathon. Sounded fun, why not? I knew I couldn't do it alone, so I signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training. For six months, we trained and trained and trained until my feet nearly feel off. But TNT really knows how to keep you going, by inspiring you with people who have it alot worse off than your poor little plantar fasciitis-ized feet. It was an amazing organization, who really have the whole fundraising thing down pat. I could not have crossed that finish line without TNT. Every couple months, they still send me a "Hey, you know you want to run another one, right???" postcard, and I consider it for a brief moment, then toss it in the trash when I am reminded of my poor feet (can you tell the marathon sorta jacked up my feet?) and the fundraising. Between my sister and I, we've wiped our families "donation" funds dry. Well, they sent one again this past December, and I thought a little longer about it this time. Seattle Marathon? My BFF lives up there, how fun would that be? I considered it for a good week or two before I finally decided what I would do.
Yes, I could run the marathon and train by myself. However; I wanted to run with TNT again because I believe in the organization, and nothing was so inspiring. But I had a better idea. I would volunteer with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society instead. I get all the personal benefit of being a part of a great organization and could put my extra time somewhere where it mattered, rather than in front of The Real Housewives of OC, or The City. So a few weeks ago, I logged on to their site, and asked to be contacted to see where I could help. I checked every box available-I'd even be the Coffee Biotch if need be. Whatever. I was really excited to start back on my volunteering journey and couldn't wait for them to tell me where and when I was needed.
It's been about 3 weeks, and ..... nothing. I'm a little put off. This is an organization that wants thousands of people to raise thousands of dollars a piece to run for "fun", and yet, they don't want fabulous me as a volunteer? WTH?
So, I took a second try at my work. We have volunteer opportunities monthly, and though I've been here for 3 years, I had yet to sign up for a single day. A bit ashamed, I finally jumped on a recent opportunity of tree planting/scenery improvement in the local area. I emailed the coordinator, and even got R to agree to come along. I finally got a response a few hours later. They were full and didn't have an openings. Huh? I'm a VOLUNTEER! I want to help-FOR FREE!? WTHx2??????
What it is? Am I not good enough? Smart enough? I know I am, I just can't figure it out why they don't want me? I could have stood around all day tree planting, for all I cared. I could be the greatest office helper-outer around, but L&LS will never know. I just wanted to be there, feeling like I was helpful somehow. But now, it seems as if I have been shrugged off twice, and as a result the wind has been let out of my "Erin to the rescue" sail.

Budget Crisis

Everyday, rumors swirl around me of layoffs, paycuts, 401k cuts, and I think "Wow, I'm lucky I still have my job!" (knock on wood, knock knock). It just hit this morning that they are cutting our 401k matching, but hey, I still have a job. (knock knock). No raises, either. Joy! But hey, I still have a job. That's a mantra I have to say to myself whenever I hear about things like the 45,000 layoffs. With R's work hours being cut, and taking on large amounts of school debt (which is worth it to me) we, like the rest of the country currently, just can't seem to get ahead. I'm pretty much supporting the both of us on my paycheck (and I'm fine with that actually-I won't let R quit school for anything at this point. I'm quite proud of him!) So, lately, we've just been cutting back further and further where we can, squeezing pennies here, and things like a .50 coupon excite me to no end. We made the hard decision to cut the DVR (tear.sniff.) and HD programming, because we spent 25 years without it and somehow managed. Eating out is a rare event anymore, with the occasional date night as a must. I've gone back to 2-Buck Chuck because let's face it-I'm not above it.

But my favorite way to save? I spend hours looking for ways to save, and grocery shopping has become a sick hobby of mine in the past months. I'm a coupon-clipper and an ad reader. I won't even let R do the grocery shopping, because I've memorized every grocery store item from here to, well, I guess just around me. I actually read the cost/ounce on an item before I determine whether the sale price is worth it or not. I have a 3-stop trip sometimes, but it's very carefully planned out to maximize savings in smallest amount of time. For example:

• I know that I can buy eggs at Trader Joe's for $1.49 for their basic "no hormone/antibiotic" eggs. Or $2.79/dz for their free range eggs. Go to Albertson's and free-range is at least $3.00/dz. Instant Oatmeal is all natural at TJ's, and at $2.29/box is often cheaper than Quaker or even Von's brand on sale, mind you less-chemical-ly.


• However; lunches for me are Lean Cuisine or Von's Eating Right frozen meals. Can't beat the price or calorie content. Maybe a little heavy on sodium, but what are you gonna do? At an average of $2 a pop per meal, depending which brand is on sale, lunch cost's me about $10/week.

I'll admit I'm a food snob sometimes, which can hurt the budgeting. I'm an (almost) full supporter of no hormone dairy and meat, and prefer organic though it's not a necessity, especially in this market. It sometimes is a struggle for me to swallow non-RSBT free milk. Shopping at Trader Joe's for most dairy products (with exception to my beloved Coffeemate) is not only cheaper, but easier for me to keep a little "greener" without thinking about it. It's the price I'm willing to pay, but hey, if butter costs me $3.00 on sale for the Albertson's brand, and $2.79 for the non-rBst Trader Joe's brand? Guess where I try and do most of my shopping...and yes, notice how I've memorized prices at each grocery store. Sad, but true. I don't think R realizes what an addict I am.

I don't have the most savvy budget skills, I'll be the first one to admit. My version of Quicken is my head, which is already crammed with too many thing, so the best system? I think not. Yes, I've overdrawn my checking account a time or two in my lifetime, but I tend to work it out in the end. When we first got married, we decided to combine the funds and I'm totally OK with that. I made R manage the budget and it was a catalyst for arguments many a times, I'm not gonna lie. So we made the decision I would take over the oh-so-fun task of managing our budget. It gives me headaches, contstant worrying, but it seems to work out better for the sake of our relationship, I'll admit.

I had brilliant plans for multiple savings account, paying down debt, wondrously solving all financial woes, but I was no better at it. There's no extra cashflow for the savings accounts yet, debt has managed to go up, and until we start making the dolla bills, that's just how it is.

So that brings me back to my favorite topic-groceries!

My budget for the 2 1/2 of us (we sometimes cook for our roomate, J, but he brings us prime-corn fed Midwestern meat so I don't mind one bit) is $75/week, including going out to eat. I sometimes tend to go over, but as long as I stick to that, it's manageable. We could go even lower, but there's a line between quality and healthy that I don't want to cross too often. My waistline isn't getting smaller, but I don't want it to get bigger, either.

Last weekend, R and I enjoyed a lovely night out at the local pub, and shared some way too expensive Newcastle's and dined on Chips. I secretly felt guilty adding up the dollar signs in my head. I added them up-$28. So, I took $28 out of weekly budget for Monday's grocery shopping trip. That left me with $47...hmmm. I rounded up the cans of whatever was in the cupboard, took inventory of the freezer and researched long and hard on the weekly meal plan. I came up with some great meals for the week, and given what I needed to make that happen, voila! $45 at both Von's and Trader Joe's combined, and we have breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week! Several tips that help me stick within my budget?

• Meal Plan. It's helped me avoid the "I'm hungry. This sounds good. (drops in cart)" purchases, which add up dramatically. I can vary it up and try new things, while being aware of how many ingredients are necessary for the meal. We haven't done the fanciest meals lately, but I made a wicked spinach lasagna last week with things I already had in my cupboard/freezer. I try and cook extra for leftover's for the next night's dinner, or at least lunch for one of us.


• List, list, list. Once I create a weekly meal plan, I make a list, and try and stick with it as much as possible.


• Don't buy in bulk. You'd think buying in bulk would save you $ in the long run, and it might, but it certainly doesn't help with budgeting weekly. I stopped buying 800 rolls of TP at Costco that might last me all year, and buy the cheap $5/24 rolls at Food 4 Less that will last a few months at the most. I normally want to stock up when I see a good bargain, but unless its on my list, I need to stay away. I learned this from The Great Grocery Cart Challenge (she's my idol) and it's really helped make a difference.


• Meat-bringing home roomate doesn't always spoil us, so when he doesn't I often buy in bulk at Costco. It's not the cheapest route to go, but it's quality meat, lean, and the one thing I don't mind buying in bulk as long as I can plan for it. I'm not usually willing to go fatty and cheap, another line I won't willingly cross. So I stick with mostly-lean beef or pork at Costco. Buying meat in bulk can be a cheaper option, but what the heck to do with 16 lbs of hamburger? Wrap up individual portions in saran wrap(1-1 1/2 lbs each), bag them in individual Ziploc bags (1-1 1/2 lbs each), group them in a giant freezer bag, and take them out and defrost as needed. I still stick with my freezer bag chicken breasts at TJ's-hormone free, right? But we don't eat chicken every week at $7.49 a bag.


• Go vegetarian at least once a week. That was one of my New Years resolutions (the one I'm keeping up with at least!) and I like it so far! I've been sneaking frozen spinach in at every corner, and R has yet to complain! It cuts down the costly meat cost, and usually increases our veggie intake.


• Speaking of veggies-go frozen. I can't tell you the amount of vegetables that I've left uneaten, rot, and subsequently thrown out throughout the years. No more! TJ's has great often-organic frozen product that's cheap and easy to freeze/store and thaw as needed. No more wasted fresh broccoli-it's all frozen for us.

So, you too can eat healthy AND be cost friendly. Just take some time to get to know your local grocery stores, dig out what's lurking in the cupboard and hit up the amazing All Recipe Ingredient Search, and don't be afraid to have the cell-phone calculator out when grocery shopping. And it's OK to substitute with a little Velveeta from time to time... (smiley)

P.S. Don't you just love a pig in glasses?

Foto Friday

The Saginaw Forest, winter

Confession

I love-yes, love-Bluegrass music.

I thought about this yesterday while listening to NPR on my way home from the grocery store (OK-nerd alert) and they were having a feature about "old-timey" music from the early 1900's that they are trying to "save" and archive online. Old-timey (which makes me think of 5-toothed grandpa's in suspenders) was the predecessor to Bluegrass and has the same delightful twangy vibe to it. So that reminded me of Bluegrass, which I love. R makes fun of me, but I'm OK with my hill-billy ways. Play me a dulcimer or a banjo any day, and I'll show you a happy E. Not sure where the love of the hick music started, as I'm a CA native and my parents were hippies, not hicks. I mean, I was raised on the Beatles! But once I discovered the family of zither instruments, it just spoke to me. It's probably a good thing I don't have Sirius radio in my car-I'd switch back and forth between Cosmo and the Bluegrass station!

Another confession-I also like (not love, but like) Polka music. (hanging head in a bit of embarrassment-but blame my Grandpa and the Fisherplatz for that one.)

Whew-glad that's out there.

Confession

I'm in love with Velveeta Shells and Cheese, and think it's a perfectly fine dinner that I could eat pretty much every night. And I'm OK with that.

Too bad my waistline might not agree. Sad face.

Fried.

I'm back from the state where Cabela's is the state's "#1 Tourist Attraction". Yes, it's true. I saw it on a billboard. And billboard's don't lie. This, after we passed the 802nd "Bob's Big Boy-this exit" sign.

My weekend trip to Michigan was well, exhausting, to say the least. Lots of family, lots of pictures, stress, and lots of snow. However; my mind is currently exhausted and worn out from 3 weeks of non-stop travel, so my bloggy friends, I'm keeping it short for a few days. That, and also, please excuse me, I'm having a love-affair with my other lovah (my beloved bed). So, until I can get up to running speed again, please enjoy a few photo's to appease you in the mean time:

The Deep Forest of Bangor Rd.

Built by Roy.

Also built by Roy. (My grandpa was a carpenter by trade. He might not be able to tell you the name of my husband though he asked many a time, but he can tell you what every tool in his workshop is called.)

Foto Friday-jumping the gun

Since I'll be out of town this upcoming Friday (making the trek to Michigan with R), and my New Years Resolution is to post more, I will leave you with the much anticipated Foto Friday a bit early. I know, I know-you really missed it over the 3 weeks I didn't post. So I'll leave you with quite a few to cherish...

Wish us luck we're not parked on the ground on our connection through Chicago to Detroit. Great choice, Erin! Brilliant thought-you think you're really going to make a weekend trip in the middle of JANUARY with flights going through O'Hare and Detroit...right...

On a sad side note, my grandparents are officially moving out of their home today. I can't imagine how sad it must be. Heck, I was sad to live the house I lived in until I was 15! Imagine 85! So many memories, so many pieces from the past that pop up in boxes stored away for 30 years. I'm really looking forward to the trip back, and I know my grandparents are, too. I'm excited for R to see this (boring) place where I have so many fond memories. I know my mom is sad, if not relieved, to see them move. It's a big weight off her shoulders on an already overload few years.

Without further ado (I really like that phrase, don't I?) from our trip to Mammoth Mountain over New Years.

Twin Lakes, California

Somewhere along Highway 395

395.2

Cheers!

*Please excuse the randome arm/foot/hairy object

I'm baaaack.

Christmas was a whirl-wind of family and driving and chasing Callie and eating yummy food and not sleeping in my oh-so-missed bed and getting sick and going to Mammoth and loving the snow and cold weather.

But I won't bore you with the details, as it's already 6 days into the new year, and vacation seems so far behind me right now.

Oh-and I had my blog-i-versary, so yeah for me! A whopping 73 entries-yikes! I tried going back to one of the aforementioned blogs to find my 2008 resolutions, but my old age must be getting the best of me, as apparently I didn't write one.

HAD I written one though, they would have been:

*Climb Half Dome-left unchecked in '08.
*Start a blog-technically I did that i '07, but it was really to gear up for the start of '08. So, check.
*Take a Photography class and get more into my love of photography-check!

So, 66%. Not so hot, E. But seeing as I went from a person who NEVER made a resolution to actually completing 2 out of 3, not so shabby. I'll be the first to admit I'm not that motivated of a person at times, and making a resolutions to let's say-lose 20 pounds-just sounded like too much work for me. After finding out what kind resolutions worked for me-GOALS, not impossible feats where I give up after the first discovery of Hershey kisses at my bosses desk, I'm now kind of a believer in resolutions.

So without further ado:

EW's 2009 "resolutions"

*Climb Half Dome-still leaving this on here since it was unfinished from last year. Pray gas prices stay reasonable so we actually drive up to Yosemite this year without burning through the rest of Callie's college fund.

*Blog more-you know you want it.

*Run a marathon-here's the catch-5k's at a time. Or 10k's should I so choose. But whatever the case-I just typed it here on my blog, and a blog is forever. I better have 5-7 more t-shirts clogging up my "work-out" clothes drawer.

*Eat meat-less once a week-cheaper AND healthier? I like it! Now, to fool R....

*Try and be more organized, at home and at work-always an ongoing battle, but I've improved over the years, haven't I, R? :)

*Use the credit cards less, like, ALOT less-homegirl needs a home someday, and my debt keeps going and going. Time to start putting an end to it. This goal also includes budgeting better for both R and I.

*Be a better wife-yes, hard to beleive I'm not perfect. But I'm sure R would appreciate me "mommy-ing" him a little less, and bitching a little less, too. In '08 I came face to face with some faces of me I'd rather not know, so time to break up with them and move on to better things.

*Remember my re-usable grocery bags more often-that kinda speaks for itself.

So, wow-quite a list for year #2 of resolutions. Hopefully I get an "A" this year, rather than the "D" of '08. I know they're rather "cliche" but it works for me, so get over it and don't rain on my parade.

Here's to a fabulous new-year, and here's to hoping it's a "down-hill" battle. I could really use that. I truly wish you all a wonderful year and hope you and I are both successful in "better-ing" our life (should you so choose, I'm no judge), because let's face it, there's always room for improvement.

Im curious-am I the only crazy one setting an insane amount of goals for '09, or are you joining in the fun, too?