New Ideas and New Adventures

I have been thinking a lot about what I want my focus to be on this blog, and I have an idea.

Right now my husband and I are on a tight budget. We are trying to spend as little as possible and save as much as possible. We are saving to put me through school, as well as saving for a down payment on a house. Those are some pretty big things and we are trying to be as proactive as possible when it comes to cutting costs. 

For example, we recently turned off cable to cut bills, our grocery budget per month is $200, I only go grocery shopping twice a month with a planned menu and list of things to buy, I rarely buy clothes new, etc.. 

My idea is to blog about saving money while still incorporating all the things I am interested in. I want to live out the reality that we can eat healthier, live better, be greener, and spend less all at the same time. I am going to write about my grocery shopping process, the pros and cons of couponing, what to do when you can't afford organic, how to find the best prices, where you can save the most by making items homemade, and much more. I am really excited about this new shift in focus, and I feel like my blog will be much better for it. 

Now, speaking of saving money, I want to show you some amazing yard sale finds from today. Going to yard sales is a recent development for me. I have always been a major supporter of thrift stores, but for some reason I never frequented yard sales. I would see the sign reading 'Yard Sale" with an arrow pointing right and just drive on by. But not today. I checked on Craigslist this morning to find out if we had any local ones and headed out to explore. I also found a few unexpected ones from following signs that I saw driving on the main road. It was a blast and I am sad that the yardsaling season is about over. 

I started with $19, and I came away with 21 items. I found 2 Benjamin and Medwin cast iron pans, 2 purses, 1 brown ceramic serving plate, a pair of aeropostale skinny jeans with the tags on (they make my butt look fabulous :)), a pair of shorts, a toilet paper stand, 2 windows, and 11 books. I did some research once I got back and realized if bought new the total would have been over $300. The books alone would have cost over $90 even buying them used off amazon. Some interesting ones include 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - A Year of Food Life' by Barbara Kingsolver, a book of yoga poses, an autobiography of Paul Rusesabagina the man who inspired Hotel Rwanda, 'Real Christianity' by William Wilberforce, a book about spiritual warfare for women, 'This Present Darkness' and Piercing the Darkness' by Frank Peretti, and a french classic called 'The Red and the Black' by Stendhal. I am excited to dive into these amazing reads!

I am also super excited about these windows. The smaller one is a surprise project that I can't tell you about yet. The bigger one I am planning on mounting in the kitchen with each glass pane featuring a close up picture of the naturally vibrant and colorful foods that keep me passionate about eating healthy. I am thinking close ups of carrots, kiwi, jalapenos, tomatoes, grapefruit, etc... When it is finished and hanging on the wall, I want it to make my mouth water and inspire me to eat food the way God designed in its beautiful and delicious natural state.