The Haves & The Have Nots

 

By definition I suppose I fit into the “Have Not” population, at least on paper anyway.  My income is low, really low, and I don’t complain about that.  When I file my taxes I fall into the poverty level and qualify for the Earned Income Credit.  This year I got a $21 credit – whoo hooo!  I get a refund every year, always have.  Despite that, I do not take advantage of any welfare programs.  I don’t use SNAP or seek food from pantries and food banks.  In fact, quite the opposite, I help those in need.

 

The majority of people in higher income brackets, the “Haves”, tend to carry a large amount of debt to sustain their standard of living.  They drive newer automobiles, live in larger homes in upscale neighborhoods with HOAs, they entertain and frequently go out to eat and their children are likely to be involved in everything.  Also, they typically aren’t great savers.  Emergencies and vacations are taken care of with credit and retirement savings is far off into the future.  On the whole, the money going out doesn’t match what is coming in.  Studies also show that the “Haves” tend to have more anxiety, for a variety of reasons, then the “Have Nots” hence the adage “money doesn’t buy happiness”.

 

To the contrary this “Have Not” feels like she has it all!  Everything I have I own outright.  I have plenty to eat and everything I need to live on a daily basis.  My utility bills get paid as soon as I receive them.  For the most part, if I want or need something I can just go out and get it.  I have savings and an emergency fund and I have retirement savings that I am able to invest and allow to grow.

 

While I don’t drive a new car with all the bells and whistles and I don’t live in a big house in an upscale neighborhood I do have a nice car and a nice little truck, a home that is perfect for me in a nice neighborhood and, most importantly, I am content and happy.  I don’t have those financial worries that plague so many.  I’ve always lived within my means, had something in savings and an emergency fund, taken advantage of my employer’s retirement programs (401k, PERSI and ESOP) and taken care of the things I own so they last a good long time.  As a single person who raised a family on her own without financial assistance and still managed to retire early I am rather proud of this.  I wouldn’t trade places with any of the “Haves” if you paid me!

 

Digital Decluttering

 

When it comes to my digital clutter on both my phone and my laptop I am what I like to call a “habitual deleter”.  I don’t like to have too many texts or emails stacking up on my devices and I routinely clear my phone log, because to me, it equals clutter.  I like to keep it clean.

 

I find that by routinely going through my laptop, backing up my files onto a jump drive and deleting what I no longer need not only makes me feel better, but it also helps my laptop work better by freeing up that space.  This habit has been very helpful in getting more mileage out of my devices as they get older because they aren’t bogged down with old data.  In fact, my last laptop was ten years old before I retired it.

 

My phones are, on average, five years old or older before I replace them as well and it is usually because the battery won’t hold a charge anymore rather than the phone’s function.  Sadly, it is often less expensive to replace the phone than the battery which feels wasteful and less efficient, but that is how technology works, it seems.  Last time I checked into replacing my phone batter I found out that, due to obsolescence, I couldn’t get a replacement battery.

 

Along with prolonging the life of my devices digital decluttering also gives me peace of mind because I only keep the important stuff and the rest is simply gone and no longer requires my thought or attention.  I also know that by backing up my important files and photos onto a separate storage device I don’t have that worry if my laptop is stolen, gets damaged, dies or crashes.  Digital decluttering not only safeguards my data, but it helps me to clear my mind.  I don’t have those things in the background quietly telling me to deal with them.  That makes the process all the more worth it.

 

Fats

 

In the past ten years I have been eliminating unhealthy hydrogenated fats and oils, including those in processed and ultra processed food products, from my daily diet.  In this time I have been researching healthier fats and the truth behind why we should choose these over alternatives like vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean and seed oils, shortenings, etc.  For me this made a lot of sense because when I think of vegetables I don’t think of them as being particularly oily so for them to be able to make fats they must be dramatically altered.  I know that sticking closer to what nature provides is much more optimal to a healthy lifestyle.

 

By sticking closer to natural whole foods I have found it to be quite transformative.  I’ve enjoyed better health, especially with regard to frequent migraines that I had been plagued with since I was fourteen years old.  I have recovered remarkably well from some health issues I had five years ago and now I am considered healthy once again.  My weight is stable, my digestion functions properly, my activity and energy level is optimal and I feel better overall.  I am also able to eat quite well, a variety of healthy foods, on a very low grocery budget which allows me to hang onto my hard earned cash without overspending to feed myself.

 

As part of my healthy diet I am interested this year in making wise use of all of the food I purchase in order to minimize food waste and get the most bang for my buck.  In the past few years, especially this last year, I have seen how expensive fats have become, especially the healthier options, so I’ve been doing what I can to make the most of the fats I currently have.  Part of that is to make wise use of the fats I render.  Bacon fat is one of those fats I have rendered and saved all my adult life to reuse in the cooking of other meals.  I’ve also saved rendered chicken fat, also known as schmaltz, as well as beef fat which I skim, strain and save as tallow.  Rendered pork fat is also something I save to reuse as well.

Instead of reaching for my pantry oils like avocado, olive or coconut first I will decide if I can use one of my rendered fats instead to cook my meals, which is usually the case.  This saves me substantially as it means my pantry oils last much longer.  Instead, I use these oils for making salad dressings, condiments and for baking.  I also use lard or butter in recipes in place of shortening and I can tell you my biscuits and pie crusts are amazing!  The biscuits are light and fluffy with layers and my pie crusts are lighter and flakier.  Neither of which are greasy at all.  They are much tastier too.

 

Many might argue that animal fats are not healthy, but my research and education on fats leads me to believe otherwise.  By design, our bodies actually need good fats in order to be healthy and function properly.  I am firmly planted in the camp that oils and fats made from altered and GMO food products are far less healthy for us.  Of course, as with anything, you need to enjoy them in moderation.  Healthy fats help to make foods more satiating too so we tend to not overeat as much.  The added savings to my grocery bill further affirms that the closer I eat to REAL Foods, the less money I need to spend to feed myself delicious, high quality and nutritious meals.

 

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 201

 

Is everybody thawing out?  Unlike most of the nation we did not have a storm but our temperatures were icy cold with only a skiff of snow that didn’t last very long.  Then last week it warmed back up to above average and here we are!  I’m enjoying the warmer weather because my power bills have been much lower these past few months and I’m thankful.

 

I began my latest week in retirement by working all day at the senior center Friday and then it was girls night out.  We hit happy hour and had dinner at a local restaurant.  Good beer, good food, plus lots of good conversation and giggling was had!  I love my gal pals!

 

Chicken quesadilla

A quiet and relaxed weekend was on the docket.  I spent some time in the kitchen going through the freezer and selecting readymade meals for the week ahead.  No meal prep required last weekend as I had plenty of items in both the fridge and freezer to use up.

 

Mr. Darcy!

I also did a fair bit of paper crafting while watching movies – Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion.  Sometimes little projects like using up my scraps to make more butterflies to add to my stash is enough to give me the creative boost I need.  I also did some stamping and put the finishing touches on some cards I had started.

 

This year I’m focused on making sure that Sunday is a day I have all to myself without any heavy duty chores, projects or big commitments.  So far it is working out really well for me and helps me hit the ground running the rest of the week to stay energized and productive.

 

My latest Butcher Box order arrived

I worked all day Monday and then again Tuesday afternoon and had the rest of the week off.  After checking the grocery ads I determined there was nothing in them to tempt me to do any grocery shopping so I didn’t.  Instead I stayed home and puttered around the house.  It was nice to have a quieter week.

 

How was your week?  I hope you are all doing well.  Stay safe and take care my friends!

 

 

Tightening Up My Circle

 

This year my word is Focus.  I chose this word because I want to really focus on what is most important to me – my faith in God, my ethics and morals, the quality of my life, my happiness and contentment.  What doesn’t fit, has to go.

 

I have decluttered” the stuff” from my life that no longer serves me and enhances my life and I continue to do that on a regular basis to make sure I maintain that.  I carefully pick and choose what I listen to, read, watch on television and participate in.  I meet with my therapist once a month to make sure my mental health is intact.  I am focusing more on taking good care of myself.

 

One of the things I’ve also felt compelled to do is to tighten up my circle of friends, family members and associates.  If people in my life do not fit within my set of principles or are damaging to my overall wellbeing I no longer wish to spend my time with them.  If they do not enhance my life or cause me to feel uncomfortable I am going to avoid them.  If they degrade me in anyway because they don’t agree with my way of life or how I feel and think, then I don’t need them to be in my life.  The world is full of hate and ugliness so I don’t need to invite that into my inner circle.

 

I only want to surround myself with really good people.  Not to sound like a bible thumping holy roller, but if you follow the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ, then you are in with me!  He was kind, patient, loving and generous and that is how I try to live my life as well.  I have zero tolerance for racism, hateful thoughts, statements and behaviors, greed and corruption, the total disregard for the rules of law and our United States Constitution.  It is ugly and it is WRONG on more levels than I can count and if anyone is okay with any of it I don’t want to associate with that person.  It’s that simple.

 

I know we all have the right to think and believe what we choose to, however I don’t have to accept all of it into my life.  I have a criteria that must be met in order for someone to have a relationship with me.  I’m tightening up my circle and it feels right and just and better.

 

Stop Buying Crap!

 

There are multiple reasons for me to stop buying stuff with the first being purely financial.  Every time I spend money on something it means I have less money overall and this year I want to be much more mindful about the money going out.  Now when I go to make a purchase, any purchase, I ask myself what I plan to do with it, why I feel I need to make this purchase and how exactly is this going to benefit me in the long run?  The other things to take into consideration is where am I going to store it and how often do I think I will realistically use it?  Do I really need this?

 

The next thing to consider is whether or not this purchase warrants upgrading to a better quality item.  For instance, with clothing I want durable and long lasting, but I also don’t want to overspend.  I don’t necessarily need my clothing to be brand specific or designer labeled.  With that being said, if it is something I use or wear often, like shoes, and I need them to be both comfortable and really hold up, a specific brand may be my better option.  In that case I am willing to spend the extra money to get a better product.

 

As I am working on living with less these days I also think in terms of more replacement purchases rather than additional.  In most cases I am replacing the items I use or wear out.  If I find I want something different or better then I try to consider first what item can leave the house in order to accommodate that purchase?  And again, I also want to ask myself if this purchase is even necessary or is what I already have adequate to meet my needs?

 

Lastly, I want to make sure any purchases I make are affordable.  Is this something I can afford to pay for without incurring any debt?  If so, will this purchase affect my finances in the long term?  In other words, is this purchase risky?  Right now, so many people are going into debt to buy things they want or think they need.  Sadly, more and more are going into debt to afford their basic necessities.  I am very grateful not to be a part of that statistic.

 

Keeping my financial future secure is extremely important so I don’t want to go out and just buy something to buy something.  It needs to serve a viable purpose, be of good quality and must be affordable.  If it doesn’t meet those criteria then I’m not going to buy it.  What are your thoughts?  How do you decide if something is worthy of purchasing and serving your needs?

 

Vintage Cookery - Spreadable Butter

 

With the current prices of groceries on the rise I thought sharing this WWII tip for “stretching the butter” might be a really good idea.  When butter was rationed smart housewives had to figure out ways to make the most of what they had.  Butter was one of those rationed foods that was a bit hard to come by so when it was advised to stretch it with some evaporated milk I thought that was brilliant.

 

Using your electric mixture you take a pound of softened butter and whip it on low speed while adding a can of evaporated milk to it one tablespoon at a time.  It is a bit tedious and requires some patience because if you add the milk all at once it just makes a soupy mess.  The most important part of the process it to take your time and slowly add the milk to the butter, scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl as needed, until it becomes a big fluffy incorporated bowl of goodness.  Once it is done you simply transfer all of butter mixture into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.  It is nice and spreadable even when cold, melts like butter and even more importantly, it tastes like butter.

 

It takes a pound of butter, 2 cups, and turns it into four cups of whipped butter so if that seems like too much at once, simply cut it in half and only use a cup of butter and half a can of evaporated milk.  I’ve not tried freezing this, but it seems like it might work.  If any of you try this and try freezing it let me know how that works.  Do you think it would be worth doing?