I spent last week with my whole family at a cottage in Michigan. All 19 of us spent the week in a three bedroom cottage with one bathroom. Thankfully, we all love each other and get along pretty well, so things worked out. We cooked every meal at the cottage and spent most of the day on the lake in paddleboats and kayaks. It was an amazing time just spending time together and reconnecting. It also made me want to move back there even worse, but that’s something that’s been on my mind for quite some time.

photo credit: dougtone

While I was there, my one aunt made a comment that I “should be taking college courses at night” to try to further my education. This is the same aunt that was telling me to go to school to be a CPA awhile back. I remarked that I have a different career path in mind than that. She made it seem like I was not as good as everyone else in her family because I am not making over $60,000 a year. Her nephew is going to school to be a surgeon and someone else just graduated college and is making $70,000 a year and just got married and bought a beautiful house. Needless to say, her little comment hurt more than she will probably ever know.

Does she think that I wouldn’t love to make $70,000 a year? Who wouldn’t?! There are times every day where I think that I’ll never be “successful” because my husband and I will probably never make tons of money. I feel like a loser. I worry about so many different things related to money. I think if I had my MBA that I’d have a better job and make more money and be happier. I feel like I’m not living up to my potential.

It just pisses me off that she tries to force her beliefs on me and in turn makes me feel like I’m a loser. The thing is, if I went to school to get my MBA that probably would be a waste of time and money for myself right now. I want to have kids and stay at home. What good would that MBA do for me?

I hate how money is a status symbol. I hate how people measure success in how much money one makes, or how many things they possess. It just makes me angry. Is that because I’m not super rich and probably never will be? I’m not sure. I would love to be on the other side, making the money and having all the things that would be fun to have. I just need to learn to accept my life how it is and make the best with what I have. My husband and I are happy with what we’ve created, and that is the most important point.

Could you ever make enough money? Do you ever feel like everyone else makes more money than you?

I’ve always heard the saying “Nobody likes your kids as much as you” which basically means that when they are acting up in a public place, you may think it’s tolerable, but others may just want to choke them. I was thinking about it though, and that truly applies to pretty much everything! Nobody cares about your money as much as you, and nobody cares about your debt as much as you either.

Nobody cares about your money as much as you

Think about it- retailers aren’t out handing out coupons at the register to help you save money; you’ve got to seek them out yourself. If you don’t protect your money, no one’s going to do it for you. Surely a financial adviser can tell you which funds they think are best for you, but if you don’t feel comfortable with it, then don’t do it. It’s your future, not theirs. They haven’t worked as hard as you have to earn your money.

Nobody cares about your debt as much as you

When you’re deep in debt, it can be overwhelming and all consuming. It can be the only thing that you think about for days on end. You may worry about how you will pay your bills and stay afloat. Debt sucks, and that’s all there is to it. You’ve also got to realize that no one cares about your debt as much as you. Your friends may or may not know that you are deep in debt. It doesn’t affect your relationship with them, so they aren’t going to care about your debt as much.

Nobody cares about anything of yours more than you

I once was told that if someone died, their job could replace them pretty quickly with another person, but the family would grieve forever at the loss of their family member. Don’t spend too much time working, because chances are you’ll regret not spending time with your family versus spending that extra two hours at work.

Spend your money wisely, pay off your debt, and cherish time with people you love. That’s a recipe for happiness.

What else do you think nobody cares about more than you?

Someone remarked to me the other day that they were semi-surprised at my strong desire to have children. They thought that with my concern about the future of the environment that adding another person to the planet would be a faux pas for me. While I understand that every person creates more strain on the Earth’s resources, I also believe that if we all lived a little lighter and consumed a little less that we’d be in a much better place than not having kids just to save the environment.

photo credit: p.Gordon

I’ve thought sometimes that it’s almost selfish to want to have kids, but I think the way we raise our children and teach them to respect the Earth and its resources that perhaps our children will use less resources than other Americans. Also, our children may be monumental in influencing others to live lighter and respect the Earth. I do think that creating another human being consumes a ton of resources over their lifetime no matter how lightly they live. On the other hand, what would happen if we all stopped procreating?

We plan on teaching our kids the value of money, respect for the Earth, and how to live a frugal yet satisfying life. Hopefully those values will be instilled in them and stick with them throughout their lives. We also plan on cloth diapering, buying used baby items, and hopefully breastfeeding. All of those will save money, be better for the health of our child, and consume less resources. I think that having a baby will be one of the greatest blessings of my lifetime and I can’t wait to experience it. Even though it will leave more of an impact on the Earth than if we didn’t have a child, I think the rewards greatly outweigh the risk.

Do you think having kids is bad for our planet’s future? Or do you think it’s crazy to even take that into consideration when thinking about having a child?

Weeds can be a big problem in anyone’s yard, but when you do your best to keep an organic lawn, the weeds can take over!  Fortunately, many varieties of weeds are actually very nutritious and can be beneficial to consume.  Before you start eating weeds, though, make sure that you are picking weeds from a trusted source, preferably your own yard that you know hasn’t been sprayed with any chemicals.

photo credit: Asbestos Bill

Make sure that you can identify weeds before you start chomping down on the green goodness.  What weeds are edible and good for you?  Let’s find out:

-Dandelions.  Dandelions are high in vitamin A, can act as a gentle diuretic to purify your blood, and taste great in smoothies or salads.  Pick the leaves before the flowers appear and you’ll get the most tender greens.

-Red clover.  Red clover is a clover that actually appears more purple than red.  Red clover is high in calcium, magnesium, thiamin, vitamin c, and even isoflavones.  Red clover can be useful for women with an estrogen deficiency.

-Purslane.  Purslane is a very common weed that has a mild flavor and a chewy texture.  The leaves are my favorite part and can be tossed in a potato salad to liven it up.  It is high in vitamin E and alpha linolenic acid (Omega 3).

-Japanese Knotweed.  Japanese knotweed grows like crazy and can take over your yard overnight.  You can use the young shoots and saute them in a little olive oil.  They will taste great!

Before you tackle your next weed problem, try to identify it to see if it’s actually edible.  Then search for some recipes, or even try it mixed in a salad.  Not only will you save money on your food, but you’ll pack a powerful punch of nutrients in as well!

Would you eat weeds?

The other day I received our car insurance premium bills in the mail (along with our homeowners insurance policy bill, car tag registration on both cars, plus a driver’s license renewal notification!). We put aside money each month in an ING savings account nicknamed “car insurance” so that when the time comes, I transfer the money to our main account and pay the bill. It works out really well for us, and I am glad that we are able to pay six months worth of car insurance at a time. By paying in full for six months, we receive a discount and avoid paying a monthly installment fee.

photo credit: aresauburn™

Owning and operating a car is a huge expense. Every year, you’ve got depreciation, registration and tags, and car insurance to pay for. Seeing that Mr. Money and I keep getting older, our insurance premiums will hopefully stay the same or decrease a little as our cars age and we supposedly become more responsible. I’ll tell you though- when I opened my car insurance bill, I never expected that our 8 year old car would cost more to insure than our 5 year old vehicle!!

For six months worth of car insurance on our 2005 Ford Freestyle, we paid 255.15.

For six months worth of car insurance on our 2002 Ford Mustang, we paid 305.10!

I think it’s crazy that a vehicle that is three years older and worth less than the other costs more to insure. I guess that’s part of the expense of owning a sports car.

I’ll tell you- the next vehicle I own will either be a hybrid that is a few years old so that I can save money on gas, or it will be a compact car like the Ford Focus. I’m done with owning gas hogs and sports cars! I don’t put enough value into driving a sports car to make it worth the extra expense.

I should be glad that our car insurance is only 305.10 for six months on the Mustang. I know at one point we paid around $500 a month with Geico to insure the vehicle. Of course, I was also 20 years old, so that probably was a huge factor. All in all, I’m thankful that our car insurance is now something we can easily afford, and have the means to pay it in full for six months. I’m just still surprised that the older car costs more to insure.

Did the insurance rates affect which type of vehicle you purchased? How much is your car insurance?

Bartering can be one of the most fun and interesting ways to save money. What is bartering? Bartering is an exchange of services or goods. Bartering not only can help you save money, but it also can cut down on your consumption and help you get rid of clutter.

photo credit: StevenGroves

A few weeks ago, I shot a family portrait session for one of my friends. She said she would pay me but I didn’t feel right charging her. A few weeks later I needed someone to let my dogs out at night when I was unable to, and asked her if she would be interested. I offered to pay her, but she declined. We called it even. It was a win-win situation!

Are you interested in bartering? There are many ways you can get connected with like-minded people. One idea is to check Craigslist. There are many people that list items on there that are interested in trading. Who knows- that old hutch you have in the garage may be worth someone else’s pony!

Your friends can be untapped resources when it comes to bartering. Do you know how to cut hair? Do you enjoy decluttering? Chances are, you are good at something that another person values. Find out what they are good at and exchange services!

Bartering can help create a strong sense of community and friendship. You can save money and help someone out, and that makes everyone feel better.

Have you ever tried bartering?

I hate bottled water.  Not only is it bad for the environment, it’s also bad for you!  Drinking water out of plastic, BPA filled water bottles is not good for your health.  Studies have proven that some bottled water is just tap water that’s been put into a plastic bottle. Why pay for something that you don’t have to?

I hate when I see people drink bottled water and then throw their plastic bottles in the trash. Plastic never breaks down, so those bottles are around for the rest of time. How sad. There are alternatives to bottled water (duh). I try to make sure that I never consume bottled water, for the benefit of my health and the Earth’s!

I always make sure that I am carrying a water bottle with me. I prefer a bottle like the Klean Kanteen . I used to use a Sigg bottle but after the BPA fiasco I went through last year, I’ve ditched that and gone with a brand that I have more faith in. I’ve seen stainless steel water bottles at Costco as well. Check your local grocery or sports good store for one.

Do you hate the taste of tap water? Purify it for free, or invest in a filter. We’re looking at purchasing a Big Berkey system. I just need to save up for it!  I’ve decided that this is something that is very important to me, and I drink a ton of water, so I don’t want it laced with fluoride, chlorine, and other crap!

The point is: no matter how you drink your water, please don’t purchase bottled water.  Not only is it a waste of money, but it’s bad for the Earth.

What type of water do you drink? Are you worried about the quality of your tap water?  (Poll below!)

You are probably thinking to yourself: “What does veg*n stand for?!” Veg*n is a term used to identify vegetarians or vegans. Being a vegetarian or vegan can not only be good for your wallet, but it is also awesome for the environment. You see, animals consume a lot of food and release a lot of um, gases. When you cut back on your meat consumption you help reduce your carbon footprint.

photo credit: Violette79

Another great point to reducing your meat intake is that you are freeing up food and resources for people. This is the logic- farmers grow corn or wheat to feed the animals. The animals not only eat that food that takes weeks to grow, but they are also drinking water and using land that could be used to grow other vegetables and crops to feed people. If we just ate more whole foods instead of meat, we would eliminate the resources to feed the animals and care for them.

I know that many people couldn’t go 100% vegetarian, and that’s fine. As long as you cut back, you’ll save money and help the environment.

Some good meat dish substitutes are:

-Beans and rice
-Vegetable lasagna
-Stir fry with vegetables
-Spaghetti with marinara sauce
-Salad with fun toppings!
-Bean burritos

Could you go veg*n? Do you limit your meat consumption to save money?

Imagine this scenario: you are saving a penny a day, and at the end of the year you’ve saved $3.65 (or $3.66 if it’s a leap year).

What is the most creative idea you can come up with to spend your $3.65?

I can’t believe it’s almost back to school time.  It seems like it keeps getting earlier and earlier every year!  Before you know it, summer vacation will be a thing of the past.  Have you started your back to school shopping yet?  Here are some things to keep in mind to help you save money and green your school year.

-Buy recycled products.

Smencils are really cool recycled pencils! I have a root beer scented and a cherry scented one. They work very well, and are fun for kids.

Recycled notebooks are a great way to help keep our trees intact and reduce carbon emissions.

-Green your lunch

Kids Konserve Waste-Free Lunch Kit is a BPA, phtalate free lunch kit. It comes with a recycled cotton bag, stainless steel containers, stainless steel water bottle, and sandwich wrap.

ECOBAGS cotton canvas reusable lunch sac is a nice alternative to paper lunch bags. My dad always recycled his paper lunch bag until it fell apart! You don’t have to worry about this because it’s made out of durable cotton.

Reusable sandwich bags are nice so that you don’t have to keep buying sandwich bags. Even if you wash and reuse them, these are a little sturdier and should last a lot longer.

A Stainless steel water bottle is a must-have for pretty much anyone! Not only will it help you drink more water, but it’s BPA free, and it helps save the planet because it eliminates plastic water bottles.

These are some great items to consider for anyone, not just for kids going back to school.

How do you save money and go green with your back to school shopping?