Meal Plan for 2/22/15 - 2/28/15

My last meal plan didn't go as planned. But alas, I am trying again. It will get easier the more I practice.

Sunday:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal and coffee
• Lunch: Rice, corn, and kielbasa
• Dinner: Pancakes

Monday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Spinach pasta w/red sauce
• Dinner: Soup and crackers
  

Tuesday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Spinach pasta w/red sauce
• Dinner: Chicken and rice
   

Wednesday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Sandwich and chips
• Dinner: Chicken and rice
  

Thursday:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal and coffee
• Lunch: Salad
• Dinner: Flat bread pizza
  

Friday:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal and coffee
• Lunch: Salad
• Dinner: Flat bread pizza
  

Saturday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Sandwich and chips
• Dinner: Leftovers
  

I hope this works out! Feel free to comment with your meal plan for the week. I'd love to see it to get some ideas for future meal plans.

Just take my stuff please!

I have two boxes of books, two boxes of misc. things, a garbage bag of stuffed animals, and a mile long list of other things to donate that are just sitting around...waiting.

I don't drive. It's awkward to have someone else donate my stuff and get a receipt and/or take me to do it myself with a toddler in tow, and it's complicated to coordinate a time for my husband to do it since he doesn't wake up early enough to get to the local thrift shop before they close. I'd rather donate stuff there because they do so much for the community, they need donations, and they would appropriately take care of my former things.

I have a porcelain doll that my grandmother hand made especially for me when I was young. It's beautifully made...but it's ugly. (there, I said it!) I don't want to display it or store it somewhere forever. I want the local thrift shop to have it because I just know they will find it a proper home.

But the other things. I'm about ready to pack up hubby's car and politely demand that he drop them off at the local Goodwill truck on his way to work one afternoon. Having these things hanging out in my house for over a month in purgatory is starting to stress me out. Ugh! And the free magazine subscriptions! Why did I sign up for so many? These dead trees full of ads sit mostly unread on bookshelves in "I'll get to it one day" skewed piles, and I feel a twinge of guilt when I look at them.

Alas, no donation centers pick up at my location. Giving stuff away is complicated.

Meal Plan for 2/8/15 - 2/14/15

What better way be motivated to actively meal plan than to blog about it every week? So here is my first installment of...my weekly meal plans!?

Sunday:

• Breakfast: Cereal and coffee
• Lunch: Spaghetti
• Dinner: Corned beef, yellow potatoes, broccoli & cheese

Monday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Cheesy pasta and kielbasa
• Dinner: Soup and crackers

Tuesday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Spaghetti
• Dinner: Tacos or ?
   

Wednesday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Leftover corned beef and yellow potatoes
• Dinner: Soup and crackers

Thursday:

• Breakfast: Cereal and coffee
• Lunch: Pita pizza
• Dinner: Pancakes, eggs, sausage

Friday:

• Breakfast: Waffles and coffee
• Lunch: Pita pizza
• Dinner: Homemade "KFC Bowls"

Saturday:

• Breakfast: Parfait and coffee
• Lunch: Leftovers
• Dinner: Soup and crackers

This is a rough draft. Things might get mixed up. Sometimes my husband will cook something at random when he gets home from work because he works different shifts than me.

I'm also trying to eat through my pantry and freezer. I try to bulk cook to make working full time + keeping house + raising a toddler + being a wife somewhat manageable.

My Financial Goals for 2015

My husband and I are not high earners so my goals might not seem like a big deal to you. We are both searching for better jobs, but in the meantime my goals are based off of what we currently make.

1. Save 3 months worth of expenses. We already have 1 1/2 months saved.
2. Pay off 3k medical bill. (on an interest free payment plan)
3. Pay off $1,100 home maintenance bill. (on an interest free payment plan)
4. Buy a new used car. (with the help of trading in our current 1995 car and selling our old dead car probably for scrap)
5. Open Roth IRAs for both of us. If not both than just my husband, and I'll bump up my currently 4% 401k contribution.
   

We don't have student loans or credit card debt. We don't have cable. We have one 1995 car (bought with cash) that's seen better days. I just started my 401k at the end of December. I immediately signed up for the 4% because that's what the company match is. Once some of the above goals are reached I'll bump it up.

We will be getting a tax refund this year. I'm hoping it makes a big dent in my goals. I'm researching some side hustles to enable more cash flow as well as ways to lower our expenses further. On the list so far is:

• Republic Wireless. We're deciding on a phone (buying used on Ebay) to try the service out. If we both like it we will switch, potentially saving ~$48 a month.
• Getting a different car that gets better gas mileage and doesn't require premium fuel.
• Preparing meals in advance to hopefully stop my husband from buying as much takeout and convenience food.
• Lowering the thermostat and using a space heater in the bedroom with the baby.
• Eating out of our pantry and freezer.
• Look into being a virtual assistant.

So this will be an exciting and fulfilling year.

Meal Planning 101 - The First Step to Meal Planning

I am on a mission to simplify my life, and one part of that journey is learning to meal plan. I've looked on Pinterest and read threads on various message boards. It is easy to get overwhelmed with all the information out there.

If you are feeling the slighest bit overwhelmed, then I recommend your absolute first step to learning to meal plan is to simply write down what you are already eating for 2 weeks to a month.

That's it!

You can print out a blank calendar and write out your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. You can do this when you're brushing your teeth at night so you don't forget.

Then once you have completed your "food log" you have a basic idea of the foods you eat so you now have a foundation to work with.