At the beginning of the year, I make a list of finance-related goals that I want to meet over the next 12 months. At the beginning of each month, I report on my successes or failures. If you’re new here, you might want to read my original goals post, my February update, March update, April update, May update, and July update.
1. Eat non-cereal breakfasts 4 days a week and eat more fruit at breakfast.
The reduced cereal thing is still going very well (we’ve been eating lots of whole wheat toast topped with freezer jam!), and we did a lot better this month with the fruit-at-breakfast thing. This is pretty easy to do during the summer when there’s so much good fruit available…we’ve been eating strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and local watermelon and canteloupe.
I’m not sure how well we’ll do with this once winter arrives, but I suppose we can get by on citrus fruits, which are cheap during the winter.
2. Save for a replacement van.
This is going pretty well…I think we’ll be at 15% of our savings goal by the end of this month, which is encouraging. I’d really, really like to be at 30% by the end of this calendar year, but I’m not sure that’s feasible. We’ll see…the next few months should be a little better money-wise for us, because I’ll be back to my full load of piano students (I teach pretty sporadically in the summer). So, maybe 30% can happen!
When I showed you the picture of our van under the shade tree, several of you wondered if that was a new van. Nope, it’s not! We still have a long ways to go towards our savings goal (if we can help it, we won’t buy a new one until we have the money!), and besides, our van is still going strong.
3. Buy more organic, local food.
I’m pleased to say that I’m doing great with this goal! I’ve been frequenting the produce stand and farmer’s market, the local organic store, and I just bought several packages of local ground beef. I also have some veggies growing in my yard (plus basil, which is awesome!), and I’ve mooched lots of garden food out of my parents’ garden during their vacation.
Again, this is going to be much more difficult once winter arrives (farmer’s markets and produce stands are only open part of the year, and in January, there’s not much in the way of local produce here!), but for now, it’s not very hard.
I’m especially pleased that I’ve been able to increase our local food consumption without going over our grocery budget, at least thus far. Yay!
4. Keep Quicken updated once a week.
Um, I think this might be the first time I thought about Quicken since last time I did a goal post. Darn. And I was all up-to-date then too!
Must go catch up.
Today’s 365 post: Shooting in high sun
Condo Blues/Lazy Budget Chef
Friday 13th of August 2010
I'm doing great about eating local veg this summer but I'm cheating a bit because I bought my first CSA share. It isn't a cheap way to get produce on the short term but I'm hoping that by freezing what we don't eat from week to week that the costs will even out over the long term since I won't have to buy frozen corn, peas or green beans (my freezer staples) for several months after our CSA ends for the summer.
Sharon @UnfinishedMom
Thursday 12th of August 2010
I'm with Rebecca. Try canning. This is how we eat more local (and often) cheaper fruit in the winter. Canning fruit is really not very difficult - just a big pot with boiling water and lots of canning jars. The Ball Blue Book and The Pick Your Own.org website were great help when I started canning a few years ago. The photo tutorials on the Pick Your Own website, I found particularly helpful. And you can get your kids to help, too! They can wash peaches, apples, jars. The older ones can help load the jars too. It can be great family fun. Just be sure to call around to get the best prices for your fruit. You'd be amazed at the differences in price from farm to farm.
momcents
Thursday 12th of August 2010
Now is a great season to look into purchasing a side of grass-fed beef. I don't know if the prices are different on your side of the country, but over here you can get 100 lbs of grass-fed beef for about $4/lb. It includes steaks, roasts, ground beef and soup bones. Stick it in your deep freeze and you've got healthy, local beef all year round. Eatwild.com is a great resource.
Also, your first goal inspired me to take action and do the same. You're right - homemade bread and freezer jam is delicious!
Elizabeth B
Saturday 14th of August 2010
Wow. I have serious beef envy now. (Oh dear, that sounds... not so polite, doesn't it? O_o ) Around here (SF Bay Area) you pay big bucks for grass-fed beef. Plus I have nowhere to put 100 lbs of... well, anything! Lucky you that you have a big freezer. ^_^
Megan
Thursday 12th of August 2010
I just happened upon your blog last week when doing a search for Zoe and Birthday. My daughter Zoe is approaching her first birthday next month. I can't say how pleased I am to have found it, and a little embarrassed by the amount of time in the evening I have been giving to reading your past posts. It is so refreshing. I am so happy that there are others out there opting to teach their children the value of life experiences over consumable goods and giving our landfills a bit of a rest too. Cheers to you!
Kristen
Thursday 12th of August 2010
Oh, I've totally done that! lol When I find a new blog, I love to go poking through the archives.
And isn't Zoe a lovely name? I was a little iffy on it when my husband suggested it, but I truly do love it now!
Battra92
Thursday 12th of August 2010
Your cereal goal makes me kind of giggle as since moving out on my own (well, with my fiancee) I have switched from toast and butter to cereal as my morning breakfast and I'm actually enjoying it more. I guess it's a perspective change.
Also, I was reading Cooks Illustrated last night and did you know that bagged carrots you get at the grocery store can be up to 6 months old! They suggested it was worth spending the extra money for the less sweet but more "carrot-y" fresh variety. Not sure I buy it but we'll see.