I was visiting over at Saving for later's blog and she had mentioned about the TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account) with Ing. It has a 3% interest rate on the money you put into your tfsa account. I looked into it and put 1/2 of our emergency fund in there which would be $500. I just couldn't seem to put the whole $1000 which we have saved thus far into it. I am off from work for the summer so maybe that is why.
I am also not sure how much we can contribute into our savings as we do have debt to pay down/off. At the end of this month I will be contributing to our Freedom account for our irregular expenses which by the way will be ongoing each and every month while still paying down debt.
I am still proud of dh and I though, even when we fall down with life's happenings we just brush ourselves off and continue on with our goal for financial freedom :).
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Mini Goals For July 2009
I am late posting my mini goals for this month. Here they are:
(1) Keep expenses to a minimum and not use the credit card as I will be going down east for two weeks to spend time with my friend who is terminally ill.
(2) Learn to paint a picture with acrylic paints.I picked up the basics to do this or at least try. I wanted to do this as paintings are expensive and I figure I might stand a chance so why not try lol.
(3) organize our family room.
If anyone would like to join me with doing monthly mini goals that would be great, I would sure love having the company :)
(1) Keep expenses to a minimum and not use the credit card as I will be going down east for two weeks to spend time with my friend who is terminally ill.
(2) Learn to paint a picture with acrylic paints.I picked up the basics to do this or at least try. I wanted to do this as paintings are expensive and I figure I might stand a chance so why not try lol.
(3) organize our family room.
If anyone would like to join me with doing monthly mini goals that would be great, I would sure love having the company :)
My Best Friend.
My best Friend has been terminally ill for some months now. The dr. told her last week that the cancer has spread to her liver and lungs and that she will not live to see her birthday in Sept. We all knew that this would happen eventually but we thought that she would still have more time, even she thought at least another year.
I was going to go and spend the summer down home between her place and my mothers in Nova Scotia but have decided that I will go down the middle of this month and stay a couple of weeks, come home, and then go back down for a week in August.
Carmen is a Beautiful person and I have learned so much from her. She has three girls ages 24,19,and 12.
Please say a prayer for my friend,her family, and for me too. We are headed for a lot of heartache even though we all know that we will meet one day again and that God will take great care of her.
Thank you to all,
Heather
I was going to go and spend the summer down home between her place and my mothers in Nova Scotia but have decided that I will go down the middle of this month and stay a couple of weeks, come home, and then go back down for a week in August.
Carmen is a Beautiful person and I have learned so much from her. She has three girls ages 24,19,and 12.
Please say a prayer for my friend,her family, and for me too. We are headed for a lot of heartache even though we all know that we will meet one day again and that God will take great care of her.
Thank you to all,
Heather
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
We started our Freedom Account YAY!!!
Ok so, we have our goal of $1000 in our emergency fund, now it is time for us to start our Freedom Account for all of those irregular expenses as well as start paying down/off our debt. I am putting in $180 (Canadian dollars) a month divided up into categories so that we hopefully do not have to touch the emergency fund. These are for expenses that we know will eventually come our way whether it be once,twice,three times, etc a year. We had a few extra $ to put in there so it is a bit over what we have allotted.
Because We are starting this late in the year we will probably not have enough once the actual expense comes up but the good news is that we won't have to come up with the whole lump sum at one time because we will have a portion of the $ in that category which is with our Ing account.
Here are our categories and the amount of $ going in each month
1) Home and Auto: $55
(2) Medical and dental: $35
(3) Gifts and Vacation: $55
(4) Kids: $35
Here is what we have in there right now as of today and a break down for what each category will be used for :
(1) House and Auto ( this covers repairs, wood, snowplow as we live on a snowbelt and can't keep up with shoveling durring the winter months, liscense and Registration fees). : $91.68
(2) Medical and Dental (covers eye glasses, unexpected medication, dental visits, etc..) : $65.36
(3) Kids Account (covers school registration, book fee's, sports or leisure).
: $45.11
(4) Gifts and Vacation : $65.43 (for all gifts throughout the year whether it be for Holidays or Birthdays etc...wanted to add that I don't think that we will be going on a vacation anytime soon, it just felt good to type Vacation in there lol )
Because We are starting this late in the year we will probably not have enough once the actual expense comes up but the good news is that we won't have to come up with the whole lump sum at one time because we will have a portion of the $ in that category which is with our Ing account.
Here are our categories and the amount of $ going in each month
1) Home and Auto: $55
(2) Medical and dental: $35
(3) Gifts and Vacation: $55
(4) Kids: $35
Here is what we have in there right now as of today and a break down for what each category will be used for :
(1) House and Auto ( this covers repairs, wood, snowplow as we live on a snowbelt and can't keep up with shoveling durring the winter months, liscense and Registration fees). : $91.68
(2) Medical and Dental (covers eye glasses, unexpected medication, dental visits, etc..) : $65.36
(3) Kids Account (covers school registration, book fee's, sports or leisure).
: $45.11
(4) Gifts and Vacation : $65.43 (for all gifts throughout the year whether it be for Holidays or Birthdays etc...wanted to add that I don't think that we will be going on a vacation anytime soon, it just felt good to type Vacation in there lol )
Friday, June 26, 2009
We reached the $1000 baby emergency fund Mark!
Yay! it took a couple of months but we did it, doing a happy dance! I had three mini goals lined up for June which were (1) get the emergency fund to the $1000 mark, (2) make a summer wreath for our front door (3) learn to crochet a dishcloths and I have accomplished all three goals YAY!
I have to think on what mini goals I would like to do for the month of July. One goal in which I have in mind is to paint a picture. I guess it will be one of my goals because I picked up some paint,brushes and a board to paint on. I hope that I havn't bitten off more then I can chew but after teaching myself how to sew from watching video's online and reading articles on the internet I think that I can do this one lol.
Anyhow, I am thrilled with my success so far with my mini goals to date.
I have to think on what mini goals I would like to do for the month of July. One goal in which I have in mind is to paint a picture. I guess it will be one of my goals because I picked up some paint,brushes and a board to paint on. I hope that I havn't bitten off more then I can chew but after teaching myself how to sew from watching video's online and reading articles on the internet I think that I can do this one lol.
Anyhow, I am thrilled with my success so far with my mini goals to date.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Emergency Fund Madness!!
I reviewed the four posts here regarding our Emergency Fund and I am just stunned that over the past 1 1/2 to 2 years how we are still yet again at the stage of getting that baby emergency funded.
Over this time period we have been murphy'd left,right,and center. Between dh being without work for 2 to 3 months last year, money owe'd to dh from his previous employer which never did get to dh, losing money on the investment property we had bought and have since sold.
Everytime I think that everything is just grand something happens. We need to have that emergency fund in case the car breaks down, a tire blows,or if we need an emergency dental visit etc. We need to get this done so that I can move on to getting the Freedom Account started (I will post about that once we have our baby emergency fund completed) I already have the categories and how much $ will go into each one once this first step is done. All the extra $ after this will be going on to snowball our debts which of course is another entry to post.
Seriously though, enough is enough and I/we am/are finally going to break this vicious cycle. I'm tired and I want financial freedom and I want it within a reasonable time frame. I don't mean like tomorrow I want the financial freedom fairy to appear, although that would be something, but I want to at least set the plan in motion and keep the wheels rolling until I can finally say we did it!
So, right now our baby emergency fund is at $567.01/$1000. We are over the half way mark. I will not be able to add to this until next week. I thought maybe this week but no, there is no wiggle room what-so-ever in this pay which I have just discovered after talking to dh.
I have to remind myself that we started funding this yet again on April 24th/09 with only $66.89 in our emergency fund. We made a decission that we would take $100 out of each pay (works out to weekly as dh gets paid one week and I the next)I don't know how that amount came to be the amount but we Knew that if it was too hard that we could scale back.
It takes dh and I about 3 to 6 weeks to form a habit, it is just to hang on to that habit lol. With determination and keeping this our goal I have no doubt that we can have our baby emergency fund completed within 3 to 4 more weeks.
Over this time period we have been murphy'd left,right,and center. Between dh being without work for 2 to 3 months last year, money owe'd to dh from his previous employer which never did get to dh, losing money on the investment property we had bought and have since sold.
Everytime I think that everything is just grand something happens. We need to have that emergency fund in case the car breaks down, a tire blows,or if we need an emergency dental visit etc. We need to get this done so that I can move on to getting the Freedom Account started (I will post about that once we have our baby emergency fund completed) I already have the categories and how much $ will go into each one once this first step is done. All the extra $ after this will be going on to snowball our debts which of course is another entry to post.
Seriously though, enough is enough and I/we am/are finally going to break this vicious cycle. I'm tired and I want financial freedom and I want it within a reasonable time frame. I don't mean like tomorrow I want the financial freedom fairy to appear, although that would be something, but I want to at least set the plan in motion and keep the wheels rolling until I can finally say we did it!
So, right now our baby emergency fund is at $567.01/$1000. We are over the half way mark. I will not be able to add to this until next week. I thought maybe this week but no, there is no wiggle room what-so-ever in this pay which I have just discovered after talking to dh.
I have to remind myself that we started funding this yet again on April 24th/09 with only $66.89 in our emergency fund. We made a decission that we would take $100 out of each pay (works out to weekly as dh gets paid one week and I the next)I don't know how that amount came to be the amount but we Knew that if it was too hard that we could scale back.
It takes dh and I about 3 to 6 weeks to form a habit, it is just to hang on to that habit lol. With determination and keeping this our goal I have no doubt that we can have our baby emergency fund completed within 3 to 4 more weeks.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Right Side Up Stuffed Mushroom Chops
Another recipe from the cookbook Life's on Fire Cooking For the Rushed by Sandi Richard.
I made this for supper today for our Mother's Day dinner.
Right Side Up Stuffed Mushroom Chops
8 pork chops medium thickness boneless and trimmed (apporx 700g)
1 pkg Uncle Ben's Stuff'N'Such Traditional Sage
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 can cream of mushroom soup (Campbell's)
1/3 soup can water
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
(1) Preheat oven to broil.
Place chops on a large oven-safe cake pan and broil at close range about 1 minute per side.
....meanwhile....
Prepare stuffing in a medium size stove-top pot according to package directions, however, add brown sugar.
Remove chops from oven. Drain excess grease from pan. Reset oven temperature to 350. Return chops to pan. Mound stuffing on top of each pork chop.
Combine in this order in the Used stuffing pot (No Heat): soup, gradually stir in water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well blended and spoon equally over stuffed chops. Bake in hot oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes
============================================================
When I make the above recipe I fry the pork chops up in a cast iron fry pan opposed to broiling. I made mine with mashed whipped potato and peeled carrots with parsley sprinkled over them.
This recipe is definately a Keeper :)
I made this for supper today for our Mother's Day dinner.
Right Side Up Stuffed Mushroom Chops
8 pork chops medium thickness boneless and trimmed (apporx 700g)
1 pkg Uncle Ben's Stuff'N'Such Traditional Sage
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 can cream of mushroom soup (Campbell's)
1/3 soup can water
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
(1) Preheat oven to broil.
Place chops on a large oven-safe cake pan and broil at close range about 1 minute per side.
....meanwhile....
Prepare stuffing in a medium size stove-top pot according to package directions, however, add brown sugar.
Remove chops from oven. Drain excess grease from pan. Reset oven temperature to 350. Return chops to pan. Mound stuffing on top of each pork chop.
Combine in this order in the Used stuffing pot (No Heat): soup, gradually stir in water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well blended and spoon equally over stuffed chops. Bake in hot oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes
============================================================
When I make the above recipe I fry the pork chops up in a cast iron fry pan opposed to broiling. I made mine with mashed whipped potato and peeled carrots with parsley sprinkled over them.
This recipe is definately a Keeper :)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Steak Fingers
This recipe is not only frugal but delicious! It is also very filling. I found it on recipezaar.com here Steak Fingers . I cook mine a tiny bit longer though then the recipe says. I have been including this recipe in our menu at least once a month for over a year now.
SERVES 4 -6
Ingredients
1 lb of good quality round steak or sirloin steak (calculate about 1/3 to 1/4 pound per person)
1 cup flour (or more)
1/2 cup soy sauce (or more, Lite is good, I find regular soy sauce to be too salty)
fresh coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
(1) Cut up Round Steak or Sirloin Steak into finger-sized pieces (about 1" or so in diameter, but no thinner or the meat will cook too fast), about 1/3 to 1/4 pound per person.
(2) (To make slicing easier, place the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes before slicing.).
(3) Dip the Steak Fingers into the Soy Sauce, then dredge in the flour. (You can use a plastic bag for the flour-dipping part.).
(4) Repeat Step 3, then place all the meat on a plate or platter. (At this point, if I want the pieces to turn out especially rare, I put them back into the freezer for a bit before cooking.).
(5) When you get a plateful of breaded Steak Fingers prepared, quickly place them into a frying pan of heated vegetable oil one at a time. They should really sizzle as soon as you drop them into the oil. As soon as the entire plateful of meat is in the oil, begin turning the pieces. As soon as you have finished turning all the pieces, begin taking them out to drain on a paper towel covered plate. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and serve over hot rice with a salad.
(6) NOTE: The entire frying process should only take a few minutes. DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE OR THEY WILL OVERCOOK. The meat may turn out tough if it is cooked well done.
(7) P.S. These steak fingers heat well the next day for lunch, just so long as they are not cooked well done to begin with.
SERVES 4 -6
Ingredients
1 lb of good quality round steak or sirloin steak (calculate about 1/3 to 1/4 pound per person)
1 cup flour (or more)
1/2 cup soy sauce (or more, Lite is good, I find regular soy sauce to be too salty)
fresh coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
(1) Cut up Round Steak or Sirloin Steak into finger-sized pieces (about 1" or so in diameter, but no thinner or the meat will cook too fast), about 1/3 to 1/4 pound per person.
(2) (To make slicing easier, place the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes before slicing.).
(3) Dip the Steak Fingers into the Soy Sauce, then dredge in the flour. (You can use a plastic bag for the flour-dipping part.).
(4) Repeat Step 3, then place all the meat on a plate or platter. (At this point, if I want the pieces to turn out especially rare, I put them back into the freezer for a bit before cooking.).
(5) When you get a plateful of breaded Steak Fingers prepared, quickly place them into a frying pan of heated vegetable oil one at a time. They should really sizzle as soon as you drop them into the oil. As soon as the entire plateful of meat is in the oil, begin turning the pieces. As soon as you have finished turning all the pieces, begin taking them out to drain on a paper towel covered plate. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and serve over hot rice with a salad.
(6) NOTE: The entire frying process should only take a few minutes. DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE OR THEY WILL OVERCOOK. The meat may turn out tough if it is cooked well done.
(7) P.S. These steak fingers heat well the next day for lunch, just so long as they are not cooked well done to begin with.
May Mini Goal
I decided that each month I will try to do a mini goal so that I can see at the year end what I have accomplished. The year is already 1/2 over but better now then never. I figure these mini goals will add up to my bigger goal which is to get better oganized with my time and to actually start accomplishing the things which will in some way help my family along with myself in one way or another.
For the month of May my goal is to learn how to sew. I bought some material about 3 months ago (on sale)to learn how to make curtains for one of my basement windows in our family room and have yet to get it completed. My sewing machine believe it or not I bought 1 1/2 years ago and still don't know how to get the thread on the bobbin! There are 4 ladies where I work who all sew and I am going to see if I can get one of them to help me with this, if not I will proceed to hand sew these curtains even though I am not good at that either lol. I figure if I give myself mini goals this is very doable. I have about 2 1/2 weeks to accomplish Mays goal.
For the month of May my goal is to learn how to sew. I bought some material about 3 months ago (on sale)to learn how to make curtains for one of my basement windows in our family room and have yet to get it completed. My sewing machine believe it or not I bought 1 1/2 years ago and still don't know how to get the thread on the bobbin! There are 4 ladies where I work who all sew and I am going to see if I can get one of them to help me with this, if not I will proceed to hand sew these curtains even though I am not good at that either lol. I figure if I give myself mini goals this is very doable. I have about 2 1/2 weeks to accomplish Mays goal.
Emergency Fund
As we know life happens, it has been crazy with the ups and downs here.
We are starting back up with the emergency fund, our goal right now is to reach $1000. We started this back up April 23rd and so far we are at $467.01/$1000.
I am determined to get back on track and to actually stay there this time around although I never meant to have to start over at this stage of the game but really, who does?
We are starting back up with the emergency fund, our goal right now is to reach $1000. We started this back up April 23rd and so far we are at $467.01/$1000.
I am determined to get back on track and to actually stay there this time around although I never meant to have to start over at this stage of the game but really, who does?
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