My Tireless Retirement - Week 200!

 

Hello Friends!  How is everybody doing?  I hope all of you that have had storms and ice are okay and thriving.  My prayers went out to so many people over this past week as things have been a bit topsy turvy.  I pray a lot for peace and quiet too.

 

I worked a ten hour shift at the senior center on Friday starting at noon late into the evening as I escorted a full busload of wonderful people to a restaurant for dinner and then to the theater for a live performance of Four Old Broads.  It was fantastic!  I think I’m becoming quite the theater buff.

 

With the weekend off my intent was to relax and recharge on Saturday.  I was so sad to hear of another shooting in Minneapolis and it literally made me cry.  I am absolutely heartbroken and fearful, especially for my children’s safety as they could be at risk some day if this does not stop.  I refocused and did some writing, got my income tax returns done and filed and then had a friend over for drinks, appetizers and a nice visit.

 

I made a delicious cottage pie

Sunday morning I hit the ground running with laundry, some housekeeping and a meal prep to keep me going throughout the week.  Monday I worked a full day and then had the next two days off which I spent getting some more things done.

 

Bingo prizes for the senior center and some food donations

Tuesday I ran a couple errands and picked up some sales items using up coupons (about to expire) to purchase things I can share and donate.  Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday I was doing more paper crafting because this girl loves it so much!  I even managed to get a gift made and put together for a co-worker that is going in for knee replacement surgery next week.

 

These were so much fun to make!

Thursday I was back to work in the afternoon and with that my 200^th week of retirement came to a close.  200 weeks!  Hard to believe it has been that many weeks already!  It just gets better and better too!

 

This Month's 2026 Grocery Spending – January

 

This year I am prioritizing the bulk of my spending toward food purchases while I keep all other spending relatively low.  One of the choices made was to take advantage of a Black Friday deal and get myself a subscription to Butcher Box because, as it turns out, I am better able to get good quality grass fed beef for less money than I can at my regular grocery store.  Buying a half or quarter cow has crossed my mind, but realistically I don’t have the freezer space to store that much beef at one time and after researching my options locally I discovered it wouldn’t really save me that much money.  Right now, simply put, beef is expensive!

 

My first Butcher Box subscription order arrived at the end of December so I put it all away in the deep freezer out in the garage to wait for the new year to arrive.  Along with my grass fed beef choices I included a package of wild caught salmon.  My “freebies” are the package of uncured bacon and two rib eye steaks that I will be receiving in each box throughout the year.  I have since updated my cart for next time by replacing the salmon with more steaks as I am well stocked with salmon now along with four extra packages of ground beef on special offer.

 

This month I really didn’t need much so I began my in store grocery shopping by cherry picking the best priced items in the sales ad to purchase only what I need and use on a regular basis.  I went to two grocery stores, Albertson’s and Fred Meyer, and then back to Albertson’s for a three day digital offer on cream cheese and whipped cream at 99¢ per package.  At that price it was worth the extra trip.

 

I didn’t shop again for two more weeks as there was nothing worthy in the store ads and instead made my way to Winco, the best priced grocery store in my area, to pick up a short list of some dairy and fresh produce essentials as well as six bags of frozen vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower and green beans.  The frozen vegetables went into the chest freezer and I am now fully stock with veggies.

 

Next up was to go to Costco.  I hadn’t been there in months so I was excited to get back in there and see what all I could get.  Surprisingly, I did not go in there with a list although I did have a mental list of items I wanted to check out and pick up.  My primary reason to go there was to check out and hopefully get a few pieces of clothing, which I did, and a package of their boneless, skinless chicken breasts and some low carb yogurt cups.

 

My plans for nonfood purchases this year is to only buy what I need and use keeping up my current supply without adding to it – pull and replace.  I picked up a bottle of laundry detergent on sale ($3.25) to replace the one I pulled out of the linen closet and am currently using.  I had imagined I would likely need to buy some toilet paper at year end, but a really good sale on TP (12 double rolls for $3.99) at a price I haven’t seen in a good long while made me go ahead and pick that up too.  It is the first time I’ve bought TP since 2020 and if my calculations are correct I shouldn’t need to buy anymore this year.  My total nonfood expenses this month came in at $7.24, so not too shabby.

 

My total spent on food this month came in higher than what I typically do spend at $201.88, which is still a rather low spend and significantly under the Thrifty Food Plan budget.  That being said I still got quite a bit, I think.  The Butcher Box subscription I will be getting every two months is being paid through my Fun & Leisure budget so I am not including that in my regular grocery tally until the end of the year.  I am trying a no budget-budget this year to only buy the items I feel I need, so it will be interesting to see how things go.  Will my super thrifty shopping habits change much throughout the year?  To be honest, I kind of hope they do, but we shall see.

 

My BIG Goal Update #1

 

As many of you know I am planning to downsize and move sometime within the next five years, give or take.  As I have mentioned in previous posts I want to wait until I no longer have pets to care for and therefore that is going to establish my actual timeline.  I will also need to take the economic climate into account when that time arrives.  With that being said however, I have a lot of options as far as how and where I want to eventually land.  I might go with a condo, a tiny home or I may go transient for awhile and then decide where and how I want to establish my next home.  Right now, as I sit here typing, I am pretty sure I will be going transient for awhile and that has me extremely excited!

 

My hope is to find a minivan, possibly a Dodge Grand Caravan or a Chrysler Town & Country, I’m leaning toward the Town & Country, in nice used condition with low miles and the stow and go seats.  I know it will take me some time to find exactly what I am looking for, but I happen to have plenty of time so I’m not worried, however I’d like to have it at least a year in advance so I can put it together and make any necessary repairs or upgrades it may require.  I also want to test it out before I hit the road for good.

 

I’ve started round four to continue decluttering my home.  In the process I’m collecting items I already have that will work for the van.  I plan to see if I can reuse the twin mattress and bed frame in the guest room so I’ve set aside some bedding, a sheet set and a blanket, for it in a zippered vinyl bag.  I’ve also set aside a comforter and a quilt.  Eventually I will add a pillow or two.  I’m thinking two so I can prop myself up in bed and read or work a crossword puzzle.  I will try to also reuse the bed frame, but if it won’t work I plan to build one that will.  Either way I hope to be able to utilize the space underneath the bed to store a lot of my things.  That will be important.

 

In the meantime I’m going to be upgrading my camping gear with van life in mind.  That notion kind of drove most of the Christmas gifts I got from my BFF which included a pop up shower tent with a collapsible potty and a super cool wind break for my camp stove.  I was so excited when I opened these and I’m even more excited to test them out this summer.

 

Also, as I go through the house, I’m collecting items that I will be selling in a final “estate” sale once I’m ready to launch.  I’m pricing these items at very reasonable prices with the goal to sell as much as I can and then donate the remainder which I hope is very little so I don’t have to load up a bunch of stuff and haul it somewhere.  I’m storing the sales items in the downstairs bedroom as it will be the perfect place for me to work on this process.  Everything will be clean and in good usable order too so people will want to buy stuff.  By the time all is said and done it should turn out to be a good sale, I think.  And!  I plan to never have another sale like this ever again in my life!

 

This year I’m also planning to do a low spend year so that I can save as much of my money as I can to put toward the van and getting it ready to roll.  I plan to invest all of my extra money I accrue and allow it to grow as much as possible prior to buying the van.  I want to focus my money in the direction of travel rather than on buying a bunch of crap I don’t need and will only end up having to get rid of later.

 

That brings you up to speed on where I am at as far as my next big adventure is concerned.  God willing I will make it happen and I am super excited about all of the places I will be going and all of the things I’ll get to see and experience.  It will be worth the wait and all of the preparation I will be doing ahead of time.

 

Low Carb Living

  

I’ve been living a low carb lifestyle for quite a while now and I must admit I feel so much better when I limit the amount of carbohydrates I consume as opposed to when I indulge and eat a lot of them.  Carbohydrates are the sugars in the foods we eat that once consumed get stored as fat until our bodies require them for energy.  As one that isn’t overly physical on the daily (I’m no athlete) it doesn’t take long for those carbs to stack up and accumulate where I don’t want them to.  I also find that when I eat too much starchy foods or sugar it leaves me feeling sick and sluggish.  I don’t digest them well and it often results in heartburn or an upset stomach, which is rather unpleasant at best.  Limiting my carbohydrate intake makes me feel better.

 

Low carb doesn’t mean no carb.  What constitutes a low carb lifestyle is different for each person.  Some want to keep it Keto or Atkins low, consuming less than 35 grams per day while others are quite happy if they keep it under 100.  I tend to do well if I keep it between 35 and 50 grams per day.  Sometimes I go over that, but I try not to go over 100 grams if I can help it.

 

The carbohydrates I tend to consume are in the form of simple natural foods like rice, oatmeal or potatoes and low carb breads (Hero) with really clean ingredients.  On occasion I’ll enjoy a bit of pasta or some homemade bread or muffins.  I really limit the pasta and no longer buy regular bread products at the store because most of those foods aren’t the best quality and have a lot of processing and unnatural ingredients.  I seem to tolerate these ultra processed foods less and less.

 

For the most part I try to stick to plants and animals.  My plate usually contains a nice serving of protein and a lot of vegetables.  I do eat a lot of salads, cooked or raw vegetables and some fruit, mainly berries, that I will put in my smoothies, plus bananas, apples and oranges.  My smoothies contain a bit of organic milk, all natural organic yogurt, about a third of a banana for a little sweetness, some berries and a good handful of raw spinach.  I also add in a scoop of unflavored organic collagen powder.  The more variety of healthy and nutritious foods I consume, the better I feel.  The collagen helps me with joint pain and has the added benefit of healthier hair and nails.

 

With a brand new year it is always a good time to look at what we’ve been eating and look for ways to improve our nutrition.  We can always make better choices, especially after all of the holiday indulgences.  I am constantly looking for a variety of better quality, fresh foods with clean ingredients.  I find my meals taste better and are far more satisfying.  I also find that I am less hungry after a good meal and less apt to snack or overeat.  My body responds better and I have more energy too.  I really like this healthy and low carb way of eating so I will be keeping it up this year.

 

My Tireless Retirement – Week 199

 

Hello everyone!  Our weather has been frosty in the mornings, but has warmed up during the day with some sunshine.  I can tell the days are definitely starting to get longer and the hens seem to be enjoying it as well.  They are keeping me in eggs, about one or two a day, which is amazing as typically it is so cold out they shut down production completely.  Last week I had an extra dozen eggs I will be able to share with a friend.

 

My LTFS shelves and kitchen freezer are well stocked with meals or components to make meals with.  This year I am finding that all I need to do is about every five days meal prep two entrees, pull a few items off the shelf or out of the freezer and I have plenty of food to keep myself going, often more than enough so that I can add a meal or two back to the freezer.  Sides to go with these meals have been either steamed vegetables from the freezer or green salad.  Healthy, well rounded and delicious meals, not to mention, super easy too!  I think I’m getting the hang of this!

 

After working all day Friday (and it was quite a day!  Holy cow!) I enjoyed a relaxed five day weekend and had the opportunity to spend Monday afternoon with gal pal who shares my love of card making and paper crafting.  She is also a cat lover too, so you know she’s a good person like me, LOL!  We ended up going to dinner at Texas Roadhouse that evening.  Their rolls are so good and the steaks are amazing!  It was a great day.

 

Tuesday was my day to get caught up on housekeeping tasks, including paying bills and other home administration duties.  I made a list of meals I want to make on my next meal prepping session scheduled for this weekend.  What took the most time was to go through my phone and laptop and do some major decluttering of my photos, texts and emails.

 

Wednesday was my errand running day and included my first trip to Costco in quite some time.  I got the less fun errand done first by going to the tire center and get things checked out as to why my low tire indicator light keeps coming on and it seems one of the sensors has gone bad, but all of my tires are fine.  I’ll add the sensor to my list of things to do in the not too distant future.  Then I enjoyed a leisurely pace at Costco with, of all things, no list!  Yes, you read that right.  I intentionally went into Costco with no list and no budget – dangerous, I know!

 

My primary reason for going was to top up the gas tank and hopefully pick out a few clothing items to make a new outfit.  I am now trying to get one new outfit a year to keep me in clothes (without over doing it) and as it turned out I was able to choose a pair of pants, a top and a pull over teal jacket.  I also picked out an extra pair of pants.  All active wear for both work and home.  It’s how I live my everyday life right now.

 

I made my way through the aisles and picked out three bottles of wine as I have some planned entertaining with friends coming up, a new door mat for the front porch and then I picked out some groceries and got the heck out of there.  $200 later I was wheeling my little cart full of all kinds of goodies out to the car and feeling pretty darn good about it.

 

Thursday afternoon found me back at work and that ended my latest week in retirement.  I am feeling really good about where I am currently at in my life.  Things are getting done, decisions are being made and actions are being taken.  Right now I am feeling both empowered and productive.  This girl is taking care of business!  Have a great weekend!

 

 

Varying Degrees Of Minimalism

 

Minimalism is different for everyone.  For some it means to only have one fork, one spoon, one plate, one bowl.  To only have what they feel they need.  Keeping only what is necessary and nothing more.  And that is the key point.  Keeping only what is necessary to live a happy and enriched life and nothing else.

 

I try not to allow things to collect on surfaces

For others, what is necessary may mean more.  For me, I find that a complete set of silverware and dishes is necessary.  A room filled with crafting and sewing supplies is necessary.  I personally prefer to be surrounded by more things because that is what I am comfortable with.  However, I also feel that I need less of these things to feel that same sense of comfort.

 

I keep a service for 4 which works perfectly,
especially when I decide to use my dishwasher

As I am getting older I do find that what I feel is necessary to have in my life is lessening.  I no longer feel the need to stuff the craft room with everything imaginable to enjoy my hobbies.  I am happier now with a set of dishes for four instead of twelve.  I don’t need a full closet of clothes and instead I only keep items I wear on a regular basis.

 

It is super easy to figure out what to wear each day

There is no right or wrong way to live minimally.  For each of us what constitutes less is highly subjective.  I feel that you should minimize to the point that you are comfortable and only keep the things that support your current lifestyle.  Let go of anything that no longer serves you.  And that is a strong point.  Let go of anything that no longer serves you.

 

The junk drawer

I still continue to go through my things and re-evaluate the items I choose to keep often finding more stuff to get rid of.  As I age I find I prefer my possessions to be more consumable, things that move in and out of my home or are put into service on a regular basis.  Things I routinely look at and appreciate.  I no longer feel the need to have things stashed away and saved for “someday”, a special occasion or for “what if” and “just in case”.

 

The guest room/craft & sewing room

Swedish death cleaning and preparing for our ultimate demise is very important because we really shouldn’t leave our mess for others to have to deal with if we can avoid that.  I feel quite strongly about that.  Fortunately I am in that phase of life where I feel I’ve adequately done that.  I’m organized and prepared so whatever is left when I am gone is going to be manageable.  It’s a process, an important one, and as time goes on I know I’ll continue to minimize my possessions because every year I find I need to own less and less.  I am comfortable with this and that is a very good thing.

 

Become Your Own Best Friend

 

Since retiring I find I really do enjoy my own company more and more.  There has definitely been a shift in how I feel about myself in recent years too.  I treat myself a whole lot better than I used to.

 

For one thing I no longer have that negative self talk playing on repeat inside of my head.  We’ve all done that and it is a really bad habit to get into.  We wouldn’t say those things or think those things about others, but for some reason we do it to ourselves.  Its complete and utter nonsense and I chose to stop.  I no longer chastise myself.  Even if I make a mistake I tell myself it is completely okay and we’ll just chalk this up as a learning opportunity.  Case closed.

 

I treat myself so much better than how I used to in my younger years.  I take better care of myself, I feed myself better food, I allow myself to have certain things, do certain things and take time off to rest and relax – guilt free.  I treat myself to things I used to deny myself like a day trip (waste of gas), going out to eat a meal (waste of money) with a friend or even by myself.  I go to the movies (waste of time).  I will even spend the day doing nothing (need to always be productive) but playing.

 

Even if I’m alone I am never lonely.  I’ve become my own best friend and because of that I feel better, more confident and happier.  I enjoy doing things on my own and have absolutely no problem going places and doing things by myself.  In fact, I actually look forward to my alone time and whatever I have planned to do.  Yay me!