October 6, 2016

Retirement, what? Better start planning honey....

future self {heart}
A few months ago the husband said the statement to me, "we're closer to 50 than we are to 20". No, this can't be true....I love Hello Kitty and unicorns like I'm six, but, I did the math and it's true. 

As much as I love planning for the month or the year or the five year goal. I never really thought about my life as an cute old lady that calls everyone honey, other than how much gold chains and neck tattoos I want after 80. So here it goes, I know social security income will be something in the history books, I'm not a government employee or teacher, I don't work for some big corporation with company retirement plans, so nobody but me will be putting money aside for that wonderful life of retirement. {I'm not complaining, I love my employment situation, just realizing my responsibility to my future self.} 


All that to say, if you're thinking the same thing.....I found a good article that explains a Roth vs Traditional IRA, by NerdWallet


Welcome to adult life!

xoxojolleen
{you are beautiful and wonderfully made}


October 1, 2016

October Meal Plan || Hello Fall!

little piggy and cabbage 

Fall is here! I was traveling for a week and a half, when I returned fall had hit. The weather is crisp, leaves are turning, and my mums are blooming! I like summer because of my garden and the excitement of watching things grow, but I'm always ready for fall when it comes...ready for soups, lots of baking, and delicious fluffy adding foods.

flowering moss balls 

OCTOBER

1: Monthly Costco trip - eat there  
2: BBQ meatballs  
3: Veggie rice bowls 
4: Slow-cooker honey sriracha barbecue chicken sandwiches, green salad 
5: Grilled cheese, raw carrots, sliced apples 
6: Leftover clear out 
7: Date night 
8: Saturday 
9: Pork loin with spicy honey glaze, green salad, rice 
10: Mac and cheese, raw broccoli, berries
11: Sesame chicken, rice, raw carrots 
12: Tacos with leftover spicy honey pork loin, sliced cucumber 
13: Leftover clear out 
14: House guest  
15: House guest   
16: House guest  
17: House guest  
18: Chicken BBQ pineapple quesadillas {using frozen leftover rotisserie chicken}, green salad
19: Soup, homemade biscuits, green salad 
20: Leftover clear out 
21: Date night 
22: Saturday 
23: Grilled burgers, baked beans, raw carrots 
24: Cereal, bacon 
25: Black bean taco soup {homemade from freezer}, green salad 
26: BLT {use leftover bacon}, fruit 
27: Leftover clear out 
28: Date night 
29: Saturday 
30: Homemade chili, corn bread muffins, green salad 
31: Leftover chili and corn bread, sliced cucumber 

  • SIDES - I typically cut up fresh fruit and/or raw veggies each night. 
  • Leftover clear out, anything that is a leftover is pulled out of the fridge and you make your own creation. 
  • Saturdays I leave open, then if anything gets switched up during the week whatever I had planned for that night we can have on Saturday. 
  • As with any meal plan it's always subject to change, but planning the month out doesn't take me much longer than planning a week out AND it cuts my grocery shopping down by more than half! I'll get all non-perishable staples for the whole month the first week, then do a quick fresh items trip the remaining weeks. 
  • Staples {not listed above} on my weekly/monthly list are {as needed}: Milk, eggs, peanut butter, jelly, sandwich bread, carrots, broccoli, apples, fresh spinach, bananas, yogurt, seasonal fruit, seasonal vegetable, coffee, cheddar cheese block, oatmeal, cereal, tortillas, tortilla chips, ramen, and peanuts. These items we pretty much always have in house, so for example, if there isn't something leftover on a leftover night we can make something using items from this list. Or if we really don't have something for the Saturday night, then we make something from this list.  
  • Monthly grocery budget: $300 + $20 each Friday for Date Night.

Happy meal planning! 
If you have a recipe favorite, please post in the comment section. 

xoxojolleen
{you are beautiful and wonderfully made}