One Car Family: Our Story

Our son helps to clear off the car on a cold December Vermont morning

Way back in Ye Olde Days, Tom and I each had our own car.  It was made abundantly clear through not just one but two failed attempts that he is simply not made to maintain a car.  Due to a desire to save our my sanity, we became a one car family.  I handled the car maintenance and such, and Tom decidedly stayed in the dark about such lurid matters.  (Gasp!  A woman being in charge of not only household finances but the car, as well?  What is this world coming to?!  Snicker).

Today we own Maude, a silver Camry that is technically elderly but has low miles (only about 70,000 at current).  It's a good, reliable car that has only rarely failed us (full disclosure: it's usually because I leave the headlights on and drain the battery).  That's point one:  if you're considering becoming a one-car family, you must assess your current fleet to decide which one is the most reliable.  Oh, and carry some jumper cables. Or have a brother-in-law who is a mechanic.

Several times during our being a one-car family, we have lived close enough to my husband's job that he was able to walk to and from work.  He enjoyed the exercise, and it freed me up from his schedule to be able to adhere to "only" the needs of my son and I.  During those times, we rarely if ever said, "Man, it would be cool if we had another car."

Now that we've moved out of town, eliminating the possibility of Tom walking to work, we do sometimes say that things would be easier with two cars.  We have a 15 minute drive to get to...well, just about anywhere (hello, Vermont).  However, on a day to day basis, we are just fine--with a little planning.

Our daily jaunt is thusly:

1. Leave apartment at 7:30 am.  Or as close to as possible.  
2. Get to our son's daycare at 7:45 am.  (One benefit of this arrangement is that we both get to be at pickup and dropoff, which is nice for our son--he routinely asks for "family hugs" before we leave).  
3. Get Tom to work at 8:00 am.  (Goals are good).  
4. I get to my first office at about 8:20 am, and after completing my work there, I get to my second office at about 9:00 am.  
5. I must leave my office by 3:35 pm at the latest, or I will not make it to pick up Tom on time.  We meet in a specific parking lot (that was chosen for it's ease of getting to by car) at 4:05 pm. 
6. We drive to pick up our son, and usually arrive around 4:20 pm.  
7. If we don't have any errands to run, we get home around 4:45 pm.  
8. Phew.  Another workday done!

It's a lot of driving for me, but it saves on all the costs of a second car.  For the workdays, there's really no need for a second car.  We have found that there are situations where we need to communicate ahead of time, and to plan with the other spouse.  But isn't that true in any marriage, regardless of how many cars you have?  I do sometimes find the schedule constraining, especially when I see other co-workers leaving to do fun things after work (and I usually have to decline).  It's just like anything else when leading a frugal lifestyle:  don't compare yourself, or your situation, to others'.  Your journey is not theirs.  

Frankly, our jobs make this arrangement possible.  I have a flexible work schedule, and my husband works school hours.  If I needed to be at the office later, or earlier, we would have to look in to other options. 

The public transit in our neck of the woods is next to nil.  There is a small bus that could get my husband to work...45 minutes early.  It's a good emergency back-up, but as far as reliable public transport...not so much.  There is no public transit that would take me to my office. We look forward to the day when that's a possibility!    

We do sometimes wish for a second car.  However, living according to our current budget and means, we've decided to table the idea for now.  This embodies both simplicity (to keep things simple, we have the one car) and frugality (we have what we can afford).  

Do you have a one-car family?  Do you find it helpful to your budget, or a burden to your lifestyle?  Share your tips and questions in the comments below!    

Apologies for Being Away!

I don't have any good excuses, so I'll just say it:  I'm sorry that I've been away.  I'm working on some new entries, and I hope to be back in your good graces soon!

Some entries to come:

• Rag Rug!
• How to Bring a Bag Lunch (without Lunchables)
• Money, and Some Tips to Manage Yours
• Gardening!
• One Car Family:  Our Story

Hope to see you soon!  

Animal Crackers: Now More Awesome

I found the inspiration for this recipe on Weelicious.com.  Among their many tasty recipes and beautiful pictures, I found a recipe for Animal Crackers that I just had to try!  My son loves anything crunchy, and has loved animal crackers in the past--at least until I stopped buying them due to the HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup), preservatives, and dyes that were found in many of the packages.  I refused to buy the expensive organic versions due to the price.  I knew that what I wanted was waiting for me in my kitchen.

The following recipe gives the best of both worlds.  The addition of almond extract gives the crackers a more traditional animal cracker taste, but the ground oats make it a complex enough texture that even picky adults will enjoy it.  My husband says that it tastes kind of like those butter cookies that you can get in the tins at Christmastime, and I think they taste a bit like Girl Scout shortbread cookies.  My son just eats them.  I hope you and your family enjoys them as much as we did!

Animal Crackers
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Cook Time:  12-15 minutes, depending on size
Total Time:  Max 45

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract*
1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
1 large egg

Instructions
Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.  
1.  Place the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and sugar in your food processor and pulse to combine.
2.  Add the butter and pulse to combine (it will look like cornmeal when combined).
3.  Add the extracts and egg.  Turn food processor on until the dough forms into a ball.
4.  Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out animal shapes.  (Hint: if you want to have many different shapes, do them in batches so that your cooking time can be appropriate for each shape.  Don't try to bake small cookies with your larger sized cookies).
5.  Place the cut-outs on parchment-paper lined baking sheets.
6.  Depending on the size, start checking the cookies at 10-12 minutes.  You'll want to see a light, golden brown along the edges of the cookies, and the bottom will be a nice, uniform golden brown.
7.  Cool and serve.  Enjoy!

*Feel free to experiment with the extracts.  Don't go above a total of 1 teaspoon for the extracts, though, or else the flavor will overwhelm the cookies.  I would suggest lemon as an alternative to the almond.  

Lemongrass: My New Favorite Scent!

Mr. Hats and I picked up some Lemongrass essential oil the other day at Hunger Mountain Co-Op.  I was originally going to get one of my old standbys (lavender), but after smelling the lemongrass at the suggestion of Mr. Hats, I was convinced.  Lemongrass would provide a bright, sweet, clean smell to our house.  Here's a few suggestions for its practical use around your house:

• Add 10 or so drops to the All Purpose Cleaner.  This doesn't diminish the cleaner's ability to clean glass, and leaves behind just a hint of aroma.  

• Add 10-12 drops to a few cups of baking soda and combine by shaking in a large glass jar with a screw-top (or a large yogurt container or a large Tupperware or...you get the idea).  I shook it over my furniture and carpets and vacuumed.  My whole apartment smelled so good!

• Add a bunch of drops to a small container of baking soda and place it next to your litter box, teenager's room, trash can, or any other smelly thing.  

Happy Spring Cleaning!

The Best All Purpose Spray Cleaner

I've been experimenting with all-purpose cleaners lately.  I'm pleased to tell you that I've come up with a very  inexpensive, very effective, all purpose cleaner!  You will need:

• a re-purposed spray bottle
• 2 tablespoons of Borax
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• a couple drops of essential oil (optional)

1. Put your 2 tablespoons of Borax into a measuring cup with a spout.  
2. Add the vinegar.
3. Fill the measuring cup with hot water.  
4. Pour into the spray bottle. 
5. Fill the spray bottle the remainder of the way with hot water.
6. Add the essential oil (if you want to use it).  
7. Shake.
8. Use!

This cleaner works well, and is truly all-purpose.  It's safe on wood, on countertops, and great for the bathroom.  It works well on pet messes (and on toddler messes, too)!  

I always feel very proud and thrifty when I make my own cleaner instead of adding it to the grocery list.  I am amazed at how much commercial cleaners cost--especially when they aren't any more effective (and are usually quite toxic) than my homemade counterparts.  

I hope that you enjoy this recipe!  Let me know how it works for you and your family!
  

Simplify Your Cleaning Routine!

I don't spend a lot of money to keep my bathroom clean.  With a tight budget, three cats, one dog, a husband and a toddler, I need to be able to clean my bathroom quickly and cheaply!  Here's what I use:  

• Baking Soda
• Borax
• Water
• A lemon
• Essential Oils (lavender is my favorite)
• Vinegar
• Newspaper
• Re-purposed spray bottle

Seriously!  

Here's how I do it--and not lose my mind in the process.

Step One: Toilet

Give your toilet bowl to get some soaking action with some baking soda (about half a cup) with a generous dollop of vinegar.  If you're out of both of those items, just use Borax.  Close the lid and allow the toilet bowl to soak while you're doing the rest of the room.  

Step Two:  

Spray the mirror with vinegar and wipe clean with newspaper.  Newspaper will get the mirror totally clean without leaving streaks.

Step Three:

Sprinkle some Borax or Baking Soda on a damp rag and use it to scrub the dried on toothpaste and other gross stuff from the sink and counter.  Rinse and re-apply as needed.  Use a dry rag to dry the area when done.  

Step Four:

Grab your bathmat, hand towel, non-slip mat and shower curtain and give them a good wash in hot water in the washing machine. Sprinkle Borax or Baking Soda on a damp rag and clean the bathtub.  Should your bathtub require some extra attention (or if you're looking for a more fragrant option) try using half a lemon as your rag.  In this case you'd sprinkle the Baking Soda (don't use Borax with the lemon) directly on the surface to be cleaned and then scrub with the lemon half.  It will clean better than a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!   Rinse with a clean wet rag.  

Step Five:

Using the same re-purposed spray bottle that you used to clean the mirror, spray the outside of the toilet and wipe down.  Now scrub the inside of the toilet bowl with a toilet brush.  Everything should have come off, but if you've got some residual staining, try using a pumice stone.  

Step Six:

Sweep the floor, then mop with diluted vinegar and hot water (add essential oils if you'd like some fragrance).  Vinegar is safe for both linoleum and hardwood.

Step Seven:

Empty the trash.  When you replace the can liner, sprinkle some baking soda inside and add a few drops of essential oil.  

Step Eight:

Replace the newly cleaned bathmat, shower curtain, non-slip mat and hand towel.  

Congrats!  Your bathroom is clean and fresh.  Quick, take a bath!

My New Mindset

"To find simplicity, what we need is reflection, attentiveness, compassion and courage."  

--David Cadman, 'A Necessary Simplicity'

I used to be the kind of person who would engage regularly in retail therapy.  Not even the good kind:  I wouldn't go and splurge on a great pair of shoes or some sexy lingerie.  Instead, I would stop at the drive-thru because I had a bad day and I deserved it.  Or I would throw a few extras in the shopping cart because I really wanted the things.  At the same time, I would swear up and down that I didn't have enough money to save for the things that I really wanted.  I didn't put any conscious thought into my purchases; I didn't regularly abide by my budget.  If I wanted something, I bought it (unless my debit card was declined, of course).  


As my thinking and life has evolved over the last several years, I've had to change my thinking.  My spending habits were that of someone who had access to a bottomless trust fund.   (My husband works in Special Education, I work for a non-profit.  Neither will get us rich.  Read:  no trust fund here).  I came to the understanding that we could either go get second jobs...or we could pare down our spending and get our money under control.  It's our money--it was high time for us to take charge.  


I don't think that I would have understood my situation quite as well as I do if I hadn't been introduced to the Dave Ramsey money management system by my good friend (we'll call her Ms. B).  Dear Ms. B took me under her wing and taught me to tell my money where it went.  I now have a Google Spreadsheet that allows me to manage each of my dollars as I see fit.  I now have an emergency savings fund that grows every month.  My husband and I came up with a definite plan for how our tax refund would be spent (for the very first time in our marriage).  This is a continual learning experience--I'm by no means an expert here. 


Of course, the downside to understanding y our money better is to understand that you do, in fact, have limits.  If you spend $1 on one thing, you can't spend that same dollar on something else.  It's gone.  You've designated that one thing as being important enough to give away that money. 


By being mindful about your budget and your limits, you can start to understand what your priorities are.  By living in line with your priorities, you become more simple.  By living in line with your budget, you become more frugal.  By being both, I truly believe, you can become happier.