My life has gotten pretty hectic in the last couple months. It's hard to believe that March is coming to an end soon. In January I quit my job at Starbucks and started working at a local baker that is only 3 blocks away. They're giving me 40 hours a week...plus tips. I'm also getting trained to do some of the office work (taking/processing/invoicing wholesale orders). I've come to realize this past weekend that this job is EXACTLY where I need to be right now. I have this big dream to open up a yarn shop in a traditional New Orleans style home in the Mid City area. I want it to be a fun place to hang out, knit/crochet, and buy yarn. I also want to offer an after school program (for kids probably middle school through high school) that would be free to the parents. We (me and whoever works for me) would spend probably 2 hours a day working with the kids teaching them a useful skill (crochet/knitting) and providing them a safe place to be after school rather than on the streets while their parents finish out their work day. Awesome, right?! I thought so! This current job that I have is really showing me how a small business in New Orleans runs. I'm trying to take in as much as I possibly can to help me later in my career adventures. I'm starting to do research on small business grants for the NOLA area...as well as business plan writing...etc.
Last post I talked about budget and food, etc. We are doing AWESOME on our grocery budget. Sticking to $50/week has NOT been difficult AT ALL. People thought I was crazy when I told them I was going to do this...We almost never spend all $50. Today I went grocery shopping and spent only $35 (we did buy bananas yesterday and we will still probably have to buy a half gallon of milk before next week as well...but that is aprox. $5 total). We are sticking to buy almost NO packaged foods...It's weird...we go to the back of the store for our milk, juice, cheeses....Then we skip all the middle aisles (except the cereal because my husband is addict and unable to eat oatmeal with fresh fruit for breakfast) and go straight to the meats, fresh fruits and veggies. We do, however, buy frozen fruit and veggies often...mostly in the winter. I like frozen fruit to make oatmeal fruit smoothies :) YUM! I'm drinking a TON of water...especially since I'm not drinking milk and haven't for almost 5 months now. Wow! If you knew me, you'd think I'd lost my mind. I LOVE milk and dairy. Now I only consume dairy via cheese...and that's not nearly as often as before. I have since seen a HUGE improvement in my skin. It's amazing. Cutting out dairy (and all the hormones/antibiotics that are in it) has made a huge positive change...and I no longer miss the milk...or yogurt...
We are doing whatever we can to pay off our credit card debt ASAP. We are playing catch up with some student loans as well as the money we owe the IRS this year...yeah...no refund for us :-(. After this is all caught up we will be throwing ALL excess money we have at our debt. We are looking to be credit card debt free in about 1 1/2 years! WOO HOO! Seriously...WAAAAHHOOOO!! This will be such a HUGE relief for us. It will allow us to grow....as a family...open up a business...get a second vehicle...maybe even plant roots and buy a home?! Sadly, student loan debt will still be lingering...but we really don't expect that to go away anytime soon....blah.
What are you doing to save money!?
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