Does It Work? 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

 

To get more creative in battling the rise in grocery prices I am open to trying all kinds of different ways to make that happen.  There are a lot of people using a variety of strategies to keep their dollars in their pockets and still feed themselves and their families.  One of the ways I discovered is the 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 – 1 Method and it intrigued me.  Especially as it is a method that can be tailored specifically to my own needs so I came up with my own way to utilize this and I’m going to give it a solid try this month.

 

What I figured out rather quickly is that this method requires me to really think about what I truly need and how much quantity I should actually purchase.  As I am focused on mindful spending this year, I find this really helpful.  It makes sense  for me to try it this month, based on what I already have on hand, as follows:

 

The beauty is that I can rearrange this list however I choose to based on what I actually need.  One month I may need to purchase more dairy or pantry items, while I may not need as much starch or protein.  This month I actually do not need any protein so I may decide, if I need something else, to purchase two additional items from another category.  I can make the protein category into an “extra” instead.

 

I hope this makes some sense, but the overall goal is to get out of the grocery store by only purchasing a structured 15 category items.  Now, you can make the rules however you choose so if I say I am going to buy tomatoes I can get as many as I need, as that is a category.  Does that make sense?  So my list may look like this:

 

I still have room to add three more things to my list

Regardless of how well this works out, I do think it will be a fun way to change things up and hopefully, in the process I can save on my overall grocery spending.  I will let you know at the end of the month how well it turns out.  Feel free to try it out and let me know how it works for you too.

 

My Tireless Retirement - Week 217

 

Good morning!  Can you believe we are sitting at the end of May already?  That is okay because life is good and getting better with each passing day.  I’m super happy with my decision to let go of my part-time job and fully embrace retirement.  The peace and calm that has taken over my life is indescribable.  As it sits now, I have no plans to find another part-time retirement gig.  I’m good!  And very grateful!

 

Gift card Trader Joes haul! 😀

I am sleeping so much better now.  I woke up Friday morning feeling well rested and ready to start my day.  With my Christmas gift card from Trader Joes I drove downtown and treated myself to a little bit of a shop first thing that morning after I had my coffee.  In the parking lot I visited with a kind, older gentlemen for a while before heading back home.  It was nice to just be able to do that without feeling the need to rush off to do other things.  I’m seriously in no rush to do anything.

 

A friend made me this card and the candle

A dinner get-together at my house was already preplanned for Friday evening and I felt no need to cancel or put it off, but I did change up the menu from a more complicated plan to a simple taco bar using home canned carne asada and pork verde, crisp taco shells out of a box, a jar of home canned black bean corn salsa (last one, need to make more) and tortilla chips.  For dessert I pulled out a frozen hot milk cake and some berries from the freezer for a super quick and simple berry shortcake complete with a can of the squirty whipped cream.  With the exception of the tortilla chips I already had everything on hand.  Perfect!

 

Saturday morning I got up and did something I haven’t done in ages.  I went into the craft room and worked on some doll rehab projects that have been sitting and patiently awaiting my attention.  I was able to completely transform one doll and finish another one I had already started.  It felt so good to get back to a passion project and devote my total time and attention to it.  I was so focused I was almost late to meet a friend for lunch.

 

I met a friend at a favorite pizza place where they serve a buffet and salad bar for lunch.  After lunch we went to Fred Meyer just to look around because we weren’t quite ready to quit visiting with each other.  I told my friend I wanted to see if I could find a cross body purse similar to hers and ditch because I no longer feel it fits my “new” lifestyle.  She agreed and we found exactly what I was hoping to find.  It is black leather with only a few compartments and a long strap so I can wear it across instead of just on one shoulder.  Best of all, it was on the clearance rack for $20.  We both agreed it was meant to be.  I love it!

 

Sunday was a more relaxed day for me.  I watered the garden, worked on my doll rehab project some more and then enjoyed watching a few shows on my new TV and the humming birds at the feeder outside my living room window.  Monday, also Memorial Day, and the rest of the week for that matter, was much the same.  Just calm and quiet and I can tell you the noise inside my head is leaving me alone as well, confirming further I made the right choice.  Our weather was a bit topsy-turvy and we even got a bit of rain which I appreciated very much.  It was just a really, really, really good week.  Nothing special or earth shattering happened, it was just nice.

 

I hope this past week has been very good to you and all is well and right in your world.  Do take care of yourself and let me know in the comments what has been keeping you busy lately.  And thank you so much to all of you who have left such kind and supportive comments.  It has been very much appreciated.

 

This Month's 2026 Grocery Spending – May

 

I began this month by taking advantage of sales in the flyers, but to be honest I wasn’t all that impressed.  Right now sales prices look a lot like the regular prices from only a few months ago.  Nonetheless, I was able to restock my dairy items at fairly reasonable prices with sales and digital coupons I had downloaded.

 

Digital coupons & sales purchase at Fred Meyer
plus cream from Cash & Carry for best prices

My next shop was at Winco to pick up some fresh produce, again very high compared to a short time ago, and a few pantry items including restocking my teas.  One of the things I was craving for some reason was cheerios with sliced bananas on top, a staple growing up, so I splurged and bought some.  I like the honey nut, but find them too sweet so I purchased a box of plain ones too and when I got home I mixed them 50/50.  I also picked up a box of raisin bran.  By sticking to store brands which surprisingly had a clean ingredients list, by comparison I spent a whole lot less and they are really good.  I was very selective with my produce and ended up scaling back the amount I originally planned to by, but it was enough so I won’t complain.

 

Winco haul

My last shop was to pick up two boxes of Triscuits on sale for $1.99 each and a few more bananas.  I wanted the crackers to take with me on my summer excursions.  I enjoy these with cheese slices or cream cheese spread on them while I am out camping or hiking for a quick snack or as part of a light lunch.

 

My only nonfood item was to pick up a extra jug of laundry detergent to add to my current supply for a mere $2.99.  I thought that wasn’t too bad.  My total spent on food came in at $64.61 for the month and although I don’t appreciate the rise in prices I do feel I did alright pricewise with what I got.

 

With prices set to rise even higher I am going to have to get creative and figure out new ways to curb expenses I suppose, but as always, I am up for a good challenge.  How are you doing with your grocery purchases?  Are you still able to find good deals and sales?

 

I'm Not The Same & I Made A Mistake

 

In 2021 I had three heart attacks and a few subsequent TIA’s while I was recuperating.  Eventually, it was determined that my heart issues were related to job-related stress.  I also learned that I had an undiagnosed congenital heart defect as well as an undiagnosed genetic artery disorder called Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD).  My goals when I was discharged from the hospital was to do everything I could to get back to the person I was prior to these events.  Little did I know at the time, this wasn’t going to happen.

 

My mistake was thinking that it would, or even could, happen and not accepting that I am no longer the same person I used to be.  But, the truth is, that is completely okay.  I don’t have to be.  What I am now is physically and mentally healthy.  After two and a half years my heart was completely healed and the surgery I was originally told I might need I no longer do.  I no longer take any medication for my heart, but I do take one medication to manage my FMD plus a daily low dose aspirin.

 

I do notice a difference in my body with regard to my energy level, strength and stamina which used to frustrate me very much, however I have come to realize that not only did I get walloped with cardiac issues five plus years ago, I also went through menopause and I’m older too.  Things changed and therefore, so did I, physically and mentally.

 

There is no way someone goes through something like I did without it affecting you in some way.  One thing I was not prepared for was the emotional toll it had taken on me and at first I was in complete denial that it did.  But, eventually I acknowledged that I had been scared, weakened and literally put through the ringer.  It was, to say the least, traumatic.  I was more emotional and sometimes I would cry for no apparent reason (I partially blame menopause too).  It was a lot.

 

Fast forward to today and I am happily accepting that, although I still deal with hot flashes, I am completely okay with the person that I am now.  I am no longer trying to be who I was and embracing who I am.  Change happens, in so many different ways, and I’m just going to ride the wave.  I need be very protective of myself and make sure I do everything I can to remain healthy so I don’t end up in a pickle again.  That is what I plan to do.

 

Memorial Day

 

Wishing You A Blessed Memorial Day

My Tireless Retirement - Week 216

 

Hello my friends!  What a difference a week makes!

 

By now you all know how my latest week in retirement began and now I can say I am very happy and relieved.  Once you are out of a bad situation, only then do you truly realize just how bad it actually was.  It was bad.

 

"Thank you, thank you so much"!

Fast forward past all that nonsense and my goodness life is feeling so much better.  Even with my TV crapping out on me Sunday and having to get a new one I can’t complain because I was able to affordably replace it and I had all the momentum I needed to thoroughly clean my living room while I was waiting for the delivery.  It was easy to set up and works perfectly.

 

Tuesday evening I was blessed with visits and messages from supportive friends.  It reminded me of how truly blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life.  I’m not sad that my retirement gig came to an end because I had some really good times and met some really nice people along the way.  Not everything was awful.  In fact I choose to think of it as a glass half full situation.  I had a lot of really good experiences.  I refuse to let certain individuals steal that part away from me.

 

It felt really good to clean up my phone, delete work related texts and contacts, remove apps and clear my alarm settings from my phone.  That night my body gave in and I slept like a log sleeping in on Wednesday morning.  Feeling well rested I made my way through my morning with coffee in hand and new sense of self, not to mention a healthy dose of pure relief.  I had the best therapy session I’ve ever had - positive, supportive and uplifting.  I finished feeling like I am standing on top of the world.

 

Later Wednesday morning I pulled project supplies out of storage (items I had packed up and put into bins and placed there because I felt like I wasn’t going to have time anymore to do them) and took the bins upstairs.  Just two weeks ago I was thinking I needed to get rid of these bins, but couldn’t seem to follow through.  Now I am glad that I didn’t.  After bringing those bins upstairs to my sewing and craft room I organized everything back onto the closet shelves where they belong.  Once I finished I grabbed a couple of books off another shelf and settled in to begin planning my next project.  Knowing that I now have all the time in the world to do whatever I please fills me with hop and a lot of joy.

 

Thursday was a slow and quiet continuation of Wednesday.  I did some laundry, ran the dead TV down to the hazardous waste collection site and then came home and pretty much did nothing.  That was completely okay!

 

The wave of relief that has flooded over me since Tuesday morning is on a whole other level.  It didn’t hurt as much as I was imagining and to be perfectly honest I’m really enjoying the fact that I’m no longer on anyone else’s schedule.  I feel like my life is truly my own and I’m excited for all the things I will now get to do with all of the extra time I have.  Have a wonderful weekend and do something fun!

 

Until It Stops Being Fun…

 

Last Friday was an unexpectedly tumultuous day at work and it appeared we were headed back into HR land.  Stuff happened that I was completely unprepared for.  I learned the full depths of depravity within management and it was beyond shocking.  I have never in my life encountered anything quite like it.  Why can’t grownass adults, just behave like grownass adults?  I just don’t understand.  My sleep has been way off lately and I was struggling.  I was mentally and physically drained, still in shock too, I think.  In all my years I have never encountered anything quite like the gaslighting session I had witnessed.

I was scheduled to work all day Monday through Wednesday to cover for her.  Our plan was to have a great week and prove to our supervisor that we all work so well together as a cohesive unit while making it all very enjoyable.  We were actually looking forward it.  Unfortunately having TTO on vacation, even in a completely different state, wasn’t enough to keep her crap away from us and things went dramatically sideways again.  I have to tell you, for me to even be in this situation in the first place was absolutely nuts!  Especially for a retired person that typically works very part time hours.  This situation just wasn’t going to get better and had kept dragging on and on with no end in sight so on the way home Monday I made a crucial decision and Tuesday morning I woke up feeling that “it’s time”.  I was done.

 

I told you a couple weeks ago I would know when.  Well, “when” arrived and I handed in my badge prior to the start of my shift Tuesday morning and called it good washing my hands of the whole thing.  I wasn’t even the slightest bit nervous about it.  I just walked in and did the deed.  Yes, I do feel sad that I am leaving my three fellow co-workers to deal with this crap on their own, but I know they can handle their own stuff and I’m going to be completely honest, I am so grateful it is over for me.  It was such a convoluted, messy, unhealthy, degrading, toxic workplace with a narcissist at the helm of the chaos.  No way was I going to be able to affect any kind of positive change.

 

The upshot now is that I have zero toxic people in my life.  I should have done this much, much earlier.  It stopped being fun about a year and a half ago.  Despite all of my best efforts and “hanging in there”, with the promise of a solution just on the horizon, I think I knew deep down inside there would never be an end to it.  Some workplaces are just plain noxious no matter what you do and there is no way to fix it.  Had I known a year ago what I know now I wouldn’t have stayed.  I am proud of myself for the efforts I made to at least try, taking a few for the team and for asserting myself and standing up against TTO as well as supporting and defending my teammates.  I’m not sorry about any of that.  It’s another life lesson that I don’t ever need to repeat as long as I live.

 

What’s next?  It’s hard to say.  I’m just going to take things one day at a time.  What I do know, it can only get better from here.  No BAD Days!!