What's Up?

Moving Day

I learned February 3rd, who my friends are, and that I'm truly blessed.  In the excitement of having my own place the night before, my parents and I made few stops for groceries (Sam's Club & Aldi's)and then to The Lone Spur to eat before going to fill out the inspection form of my apartment and drop off a load of stuff.  When arriving at my apartment, it was worst case scenario. 

• carpet wasn't vacuumed, carpet not shampooed, key didn't fit in lock, refrigerator full of mold, walls not painted, cupboards and bathroom not clean, grout not done properly and cracking, etc.

 

Thankfully, the weekend before (when I was told I could move in early) I met my next door neighbor and the weekend caretaker.  She happened to walk by and we explained the condition of the apartment.  After calling the maintenance person on duty, he drove in a snow storm 40 minutes to check the locks and my apartment's condition.  He is not the maintenance person for my building, but thank the Lord he was the one on duty.  He was appalled and called the manager to have the apartment shampooed by the next morning.  I had already gathered a crew to help me move at 8:30 the next morning.

 

I love having a friend who's a social worker.  She's not only compassionate and a great friend, but shares resources to help in my dilemmas.  When Carolyn and her husband, Bruce, arrived to help me move, my parents shared the story of my apartment (same complex my friend's brother lives).  She told me what to ask for when I talk to the apartment, which I'll share later. 

 

My parents best friends Randy and Carol arrived.  I'm sure they were just as excited as my parents and I that I was moving on out.  I've never had so much fun pack move!  Randy and Bruce where the strategic planners to how furniture would be moved, when it would be taken out, and which truck or vehicle to place it.  Friends Lara, Lisa, and Cindy from church came to help load, as well, and then to unload.  They were gems!  I can't believe people would give up their Saturday to help me move.

 

o.k. turn it a little this way

yep. we're going to get it.

oh. it's almost out. we got this.



I work out & carry more.

turn a little this way.

buff ones stay in the truck.



it's cold, but we fun.

not that button, Randy.

w-o-m-a-n



More to come..... 

What Could You Do With....

In The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Tightwad) by Amy Dacyczyn says, "Saving money, rather than earning money, became the means to my goal.  I became a recycler first of aluminum foil, then of Ziploc bags, and now, I publicly confess, I have become a recycler of vacuum cleaner bags" (p.5).  Well for those of you out there, I recycled aluminum foil and Ziploc bags when living on my own from 2002-2005.  I also, recycled Ziploc bags while living on a stipend in China, but have not since living with my parents the last five years.  They though it was not necessary.  I've continued my quest for Ziploc bags, but not vacuum bags since mine is bagless. 

 

Amy continues with her challenge of "how low could [she] get [her] food budget and still have a varied, healthful diet, or how wonderful [she] could make a child's birthday with a $25 budget, or how many years [she] could go without buying wrapping paper" (p.5).  She writes about the ways she and her readers have done this and achieved their goals with sacrifices, but not sacrificing happiness. 

 

What are your financial goals and what are you willing to sacrifice to achieve it? 

Mine is to not honor God by being a good steward in order to become debt free of college loans, give freely, become a missionary, and eventually retire.  My sacrifices are finishing my special education license, live well beyond my means, and learn the art of a modern day tightwad.

Cucumber Peels

While visiting my parents the first week I was able to actually live in my apartment, they gave me an apple, orange, and cucumber.  After finishing my cucumber I wondered what to do with the peels.  I found some ideas on line and some in the Tightwad book.

 

While I have desire to learn canning, I'm not ready in my schedule to take that on.  However, it will be a possible summer adventure.

 

Pickles

1. In the Tightwad (p.313), on reader uses the left over pickle juice to make new pickles.  Buy a cucumber, slice it thin, and place it in the jar.  The reader suggests letting the new pickles sit in the refrigerator for four days.
2. I learned on one website, you can purchase a refrigerator pickle mix at the grocery store.
3. Easy Refrigerator Pickles

6  cups thinly sliced cucumbers

2  small onions, sliced

1  medium carrot

1 3/4  cups sugar

1  cup cider vinegar

2  tablespoons salt

1  tablespoon chopped fresh weed

 

Stir Fry
Cucumbers are similar to zucchini when used in a stir fry. 
 

Garnishes
Make into a flower or any desired design.

Challenge: What would you do with... socks?

 

Financial Update

Even despite my thriftiness, it was not a good month financially.  Details will be included in the next posting.

Apple?

I set out on a quest because my Toshiba last 100% for only two and half years falling apart in 2007-2008.  Could be due to the many travels it went on between countries or the fact that the internet was wiped out when calling the service place.  I still use it for my finances and the files on it and to play Tumble Bugs, otherwise the CD drive doesn't open and there's no internet capability.  Despite what rationale I'm about to give, maybe it was my will to think I deserve it. 

1. I get a teacher/student discount.

2. I can write it off on my taxes since I'm in school

3. Apples last longer than PCs.

4. I just bought Microsoft for multiple PCs (using my parents' computer while living there).

5. PCs are cheaper (though haven't had good success with any lasting more than 3 years), not said to last the 7 years of a Mac.

 

After discussing with the representative at the Apple store, he's a physics teacher, I decided on a MacPro due to the discounts I received.  He said that because I didn't remember the year of my Microsoft, that if it didn't transfer the data, I could return the CarePlan as long as it wasn't activated.

So, it's a good thing the person helping me determine if my Toshiba could transfer the data talked with the data person.  The person who was telling him what to do said it won't work if the internet capability isn't available.  She was wrong.  The data person said as long as there's a USB drive it'll work.  The funniest part was all the Apple workers looking at my PC from 2005 compared to my 2013 Mac.  They couldn't believe I travelled to and through various countries carrying it.  It's an investment and now to get Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.  Turns out, that I mentioned it in conversation to our media specialist and technology person at school and our district offers a discount for staff to purchase the software for personal use! 

 

 

Computer Price: $1,199.00

Individual Educator:-$100

Apple Care: $249

Individual Educator: -$66

One-to-One Membership: $99 (cost of educator discount)

Total: $1,460.95 (with tax $1381 + $79.95)

 

Now it's time to look into internet purchasing! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Moving On Up!!!

January 30, 2013

 



Good things come to those wait, right?  After years and months, I finally felt I could move out of my parents' house due to finances, emotional launching, and the stress of finding an apartment in a central location to meet my needs.  I took a big girl step. 

I arrived back to the states the summer of 2007 after living and teaching in Qingdao, China for two years.  Though great experiences since then, overall the job search has been frustrating.  August of 2011, I received acceptance into the CUE (Collaborative Urban Education) grant program through the state of MN and St. Thomas University for a license in special education at the graduate level.  A free program except for textbooks and parking, I knew the Lord was offering a blessing and new direction for my career based on my own journey, my passion for struggling students, and my previous experience as an educational therapist at a private school.  This opportunity has been filled with laughter, a few tears, many sleepless nights, good relationships with new friends in my cohort, research, lots of papers, new technology, and connections in the field.  Though time is valuable, the time we put into something proves its value to us. 

Through the stress, I am so grateful for this opportunity and hopefully if all goes as planned, will finish in May.  By being part of CUE, I have finally landed a job on a variance in a public school nearby in a large district.  That just means I am learning on the job as I go to school to learn the job.  This is not as easy as traditional student teaching, but in the end my friend (not in CUE, but on a variance in the inner city) and I are learning more and will look back on the experience and know He had a plan.

With this part-time position I am able to afford a very modest apartment.  I decided to launch the third week in January to move February 1st.  Though the location seems further away from work, it's actually about 22 minutes (according to Google maps), the same distance to get to work from my parents' house.  I choose this complex for many reasons, one being I know two people that live there and someone who lived there years ago, plus apartments near work cost about $980-$1,000 a month.  That would not keep me on my Road Map (Crown Financial Ministries) or working on my Baby Steps (Dave Ramsey).  I'll just have to take money saving advice learned from mom, friend Ellie Kay (author and financial expert- can be seen on Good Morning America), "The Tightwad Gazette" author Amy Dacyczyn, and hopefully you- my precious readers.

              

 

Here's the financial breakdown on the apartment:
1. $50 application fee (non-refundable)
2. $400 deposit
3. $810 monthly rent (includes: heat, water, trash, underground parking, storage unit...everything but electric/cable/internet)
4. Wash and Dry clothes $2.75 a load (will use sparingly)
5. Tanning bed (won't use- not healthy- $3 per time)
6. Pool, sauna, hot tub- some amenities

What I sacrificed for the price was hard for me, but a smart financial choice: separate dining area and washer and dryer in unit.  Guess I'll be having Monday night dinners with mom and dad to hang-out, do laundry, write reports/homework on their computer (no internet at my place), and watch "Biggest Looser!"  Plus, I can stop at the chiropractor where mom works beforehand (I get to go for free as a family member perk).

What's the biggest move up you've done lately?