Goodbye to the Two Week Party

Perpetual Party at Our Ceramic Pub

The whole family has been mostly off work since December 20, and it has been a non-stop party around the homestead.  Trips to Whole Foods (Mr. Saver reminded me that we can ‘Live like No One Else’).  Old-fashioneds (a cocktail) at night.  Dinners that are comprised of foods you eat while watching a movie at home.  The dining room table has become more of an American Girl furniture making shop than a spot for family meals!

BUT… tomorrow is back to school and work for us all.  I did prepare myself for this inevitability by having two meals ready to cook for Thursday and Friday.  I at least managed that in between buying all the fancy cheese and crab sushi!  I also kept a grip on reality by doing Flylady’s Holiday Clean-Up missions every day.  The clean-up missions are quick 15 minute actions, such as putting away holiday dishes or tossing out holiday foods that are on their way to becoming science projects.  I feel good about that.

Another thing I really let go of over the holidays was my coupons.  Today I will sort through them while we have the Rose Bowl Parade on and get back to my money saving ways.  BudgetLovingMilitaryWife – watch your mailbox, my loss is your gain.

One of the best ways I know to keep myself on budget and on task is by making a weekly meal plan and sharing it with you.  I am working on next week’s meal plan which returns to some pantry and freezer meals, and I am real excited to try a new recipe for a White Bean, Sausage, Kale soup.

While being debt-free does allow us to ‘live like no one else’ for periods of time, we have many financial goals and getting back to the basics of meal planning, budgeting, and coupons is how we can make them happen.