Irma Prep PR Style

Irma arrived Wednesday, Sept. 6.  We lost water earlier in the day then power around 5pm, which was the predicted time for Irma to reach the eastern coast. We were without city water and power until that Friday evening - almost exactly 48 hours.  We rent and are grateful for prepared landlords who had a water cistern and generator available for us.  Because propane is a hot commodity during storms, our tanks were running low, so we eventually started climbing onto the roof intermittently to turn it off and on to preserve fuel.  The water cistern is power-based, so only would that work when we decided to switch on the generator.  I realize this is more than others have, but it's something many should try to invest in.  And here, power or water outages can occur randomly any day.  

So now Irma has passed, but many here are still without water and/or power. We are grateful the effects weren't felt as much here as in other places and hope Irma makes her way back to sea without the U.S. being affected, especially in light of the grim forecast for Florida and Georgia.

With that, there were several measures we took in preparing and riding out the storm.

1) Pray. Declare the Lord's provision to supply His people's needs and His peace over stress, anxiety, and fear.  In our house, we called it a "hurricane party." The kids anticipated the power going out so they could start eating my homemade bread, popcorn, and cookies.  

2) Keto: I've been keto since April and try hard to keep it that way.  The storm was no exception.  And I did have to try.  There are lots of things that can keep in a cooler and shelf: obvious oils; hard-boiled eggs; pre-cut salad stuff; ghee and butter; cream cheese; olives; pickles; avocado; Duke's or homemade mayo (for veggies, meats, and to make chicken salad); PB; pre-made fat bombs, keto bread, and bacon; Stevia-sweetened protein powder; pumpkin seeds; jerky; pork skins; canned green beans; meats,... and I had stuff to make my fatty blends for when the generator was working.

Non-keto: I kept homemade cookies, bread, chips, granola bars, jerky, nuts, instant coffee, canned fruit, and popcorn on hand for the family.

3) Emergency "flee" bag: My emergency bag foods were pumpkin seeds, jerky, and protein bars if we actually had to flee the house last-minute. It also had essentials for me and the kids:

• Supplies: Small flashlight with extra batteries; ID, cash, and cards in a sealed plastic bag; matches; trash bags (including doggie poop bags); cell charger; emergency whistle; water purification tablets; band-aids, neosporin, and sanitizer
• 1 change of clothes each
• Food: protein bars; granola bars; fruit snacks; baggie of bread; jerky; baggie of jelly beans; couple water bottles
• Hygiene: comb; small bottle of liquid kid soap; bar of soap; flushable wipes; toothpaste; female hygiene products

4) If hunkering down:

• Get your laundry done asap.
• Obviously water. We filled containers with filtered water for drinking before the power went out to preserve our bottled supply. Getting the 5-gallon water-machine-refills at Costco is a help too - even if you don't have a dispenser. I filled an empty 5-gallon container from Walmart with filtered water from the fridge before the power went out!
• Coolers and ice. If you have a freezer that makes ice, fill some plastic bags now and fill more more as the ice maker refills if you can't get ice at a store. Foods will keep longer if you don't open the fridge/freezer during an outage, so have a mental plan each time you need to open them and have a container of ice to set in the fridge during an outage to keep it cooler.
• Batteries. If you have time, Amazon those jokers. Stores are probably out. We have candles and flashlights but could've used the batteries for our counter-top fan!
• BBQ: 1) Get one. 2) Elevate the charcoal and enclose it and all supplies during the storm. 3) Have metal cookware that can go on the grill to boil water, cook, etc.
• A stand alone freezer: Use it to just to keep bags of ice so it can be used as a cooler if the power goes out.
• Normal essentials: First Aid kit, prescriptions, TP, flushable wipes, trashbags, bar soap, kid soap if app., towels, and female Aunt Flo items if you can't get to a store for a month.
• Still be ready to leave. Put gas in the car, and living here, we have a 1-person kayak for recreation but made sure it was ready if needed. We also had shoes and kid floaties ready and their bike helmets out in case stuff started flying or falling.

There are SO many other things to include, many of which can be kept in a vehicle at all times. Research and be ready, especially if you're not in a place with ample resources or flee locations - like an island!

Documenting the New World of OCONUS Budgeting

Wow, it's been longer than I thought since my last post.... Well, I'm a stay-at-home mom now, living OCONUS with the hubs, 3 kiddies, and my dad.  I (thankfully) am able to still work some hours from home.  Our budget has been the greatest frustration, even more than not being able to fluently speaking the local language.  :) With higher costs of expenses and an unexpectedly bigger cut in pay, I'm more diligent than before in making necessary cuts.

We are big supporters of Dave Ramsey's financial plan we learned through Financial Peace University.  Prior to our move, we were past baby step 1 of a $1,000 emergency fund and had completely paid off all debt (baby step #2), which consisted of 1 of our 2 real estate mortgages; all of our vehicles; all student loan debt, and all credit card debt.  After the move, we're back at square 1 (but with only a $300 credit card balance to attack after step #1 is complete again). 

On this journey, these are the essential budgeting tips I've come up with:

1) Keeping my Costco list to 8 items or less and only going monthly. [A $2 roll of paper towels or baby wipes every week feels better on the wallet than a massive pack that would take months to use. Same with the $5 pack of TP from Walmart.]

2) Checking the electric meter every couple weeks to make sure the usage is the same or less than our last bill.  [Increase in usage means making changes to a/c use or electric hot water heater.]

3) Reducing trips to ANY store unless it's for something critical.  3a) If there's no emergency fund to cover something (like today's brake pads), a monthly budget line-item takes the hit.  Groceries are the only thing with a little wiggle room, so that's usually what gets reduced.  3b) If we run out of something non-critical, it waits until the next weekend.

4) Grocery budget was switched from bi-weekly shopping trips to weekly to keep more fresh produce on hand and plan meals easier.

5) Not a new one, but a keeper: Not using the credit card (unless a random expense comes up that involves travel...because even paying this off will have to take a back seat to baby step #1 of saving towards an emergency fund).  5a) Paying debt is step #2, so we do not incur it willfully.  Besides our mortgage, the only debt we have is that aforementioned credit card expense.

6) No pedicures since we've been here (and cool with it).  Maybe a hair cut after Christmas shopping. :)

7) No restaurants unless we've budgeted it (like... I haven't been to the Starbucks since we moved here 3 months ago.  I can buy 1 can of local coffee grounds that lasts a week for the same price of 1 Venti latte.)

8) Again, not new but important: Only essential clothing purchases...if it's budgeted.

I don't know how we end up managing the budget...and don't really want to know God's details.  We roll with it and are BLESSED. 

Almost but not quite...

It's time for another update... Prior to the New Year, I was able to reduce my hours to be able to stay home with the girls more.  With the reduced hours came an offset in finances by not needing to take them to the babysitter.  In recent days, we have needed to take them, and I'm reminded of how much more we need to manage current resources for those unexpected situations.  

We are able to put some money aside at times with our condo rent payments, but we still don't have our spending under control, so this is still an issue... Not to mention that I'm dreading tax-completion-time (if we end up owing of course :). 

The goal is to still make it so I can stay home when we have another child.  We just have a lot more progress to make.  I've been planning our bi-weekly meals, but the ones I do plan have ingredients I haven't needed before, specifically: chicken broth, unique meats (e.g. kielbasa), etc.  So, I think I just need to be more creative and find more recipes with common stuff while still making everyone else who has to eat it happy. :)  Couponing has helped at least one grocery trip a month.  

And so, I press on...

Gracious Response

As the end to our waterproofing debt approached last month, we realized we still owed more than we thought.  We had allocated those funds elsewhere since we thought it was already considered paid off.  We have a practice of making the minimum payments well in advance of when they were due, but this time around had to wait...

To add to the mix, a double mortgage payment went out last month, and we have gone through 4 weeks of back-and-forth with the banks to get it returned.  Finally, I was notified today that these funds will be available tomorrow [which will pay off the overdraft that was pushed to our credit card].

When allocating our bill payments for the month, I knew what recent paychecks amounted to, but with the due date approaching for the waterproofing payment, I had to throw it on there even though (in theory) it wouldn't be accounted for.  I acknowledged to our Provider the specific amount needed...

In recent weeks, Dave has worked grueling overime.  It isn't until after-the-fact we can see the blessing of it. 

Tomorrow we will be able to pay the minimum payment due for the waterproofing and the remaining balance on the account to completely pay it off!  God knew our goal was to pay it off within 1 year while it was interest-free, and He saw the number I typed up for what needed to be covered this week.  He has been gracious in meeting our need to get rid of this hindrance. 

In what seems like an endless storm, there are momentary breaks in the clouds that shine light on the situation to give hope for the end-result. 

To continue on this Road to Reward, adjustments to the budget are needed and sacrifices in regard to our time; however, our needs have always been met in one way or another (right on time), and we are so thankful to Him who provides... overtime, side-work, babysitters + grandparents, an understanding boss, and everything else. 

This is my story, and I'm sticking to it! 

DIY Projects Are A GO

This is definitely a slow-moving process, but several blessings have stewed and some hoped-for.  Dave's been able to bring in extra money, which should eliminate one credit card completely and put a good dent in the waterproofing debt!  The hoped-for aspect is that those funds can actually be used for that purpose and not on owed taxes.  We have yet to file but are hoping for a sizeable return...Okay - ANY return vs. owing.  =D

Last shopping trip, I was actually able to stay within budget!  There were 2 contributing factors. 1) Having a plan for 8 meal-ideas (since I concluded at least 50% of the time, we have leftovers as the next day's dinner), and this would definitley cover 2 weeks worth of dinners and my lunches.  2) Making baby wipes.

My goal in making our own basic household items now is to, of course, prepare for the future goal of staying home and living on a modified budget.  I am so grateful for our dual-income and the ability to play with these ideas while the funds permit.  So, here we go...

Not having to buy baby wipes helped with staying within budget last time since I only lacked one ingredient needed to make them myself (baby oil, which was like $3).  I've been making them but had to modify the recipe.  I realized the original solution doesn't get the wipes as wet as I'd like, so I found another one and asked Dave to try it out today with Katie to assist so she can have some fun with it. 

• Combine and shake up in a closed container the following:
• 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp baby shampoo, 1 Tbsp baby oil (which I bought the one with Vitamin E and aloe [I think]), and 1 tsp of alcohol - which I like the thought of antiseptic-wise, and I think it being such a small amount that it won't be painful on rash-occassions. We shall see.
• Original recipe: 1 cup water, 1 Tbsp baby shampoo, 1 Tbsp baby oil (and ended up pouring a little water on the inside of the roll.
• Cut 1 roll of Viva paper towels in half
• Remove the cardboard
• Dust off the lint from cutting it
• Smoosh the roll into the solution (flipping it over, etc.)
• Place the roll in a plastic container with the cut-side facing down so the smooth side is what you see.  
• Pull the sheets from the center of the roll (as you would your Lysol wipes, etc.)
• Store in a closed container (which should be easily accessible during emergency diaper-changes!)

I didn't think it would work putting them into the regular wipes container, but the 2nd attempt after trial/error totally worked.  I molded the roll and smooshed it into the container, and the wipes pull out from the center perfectly.  The roll is snug enough so the sheets come up and can be torn on the perforated lines, but loose enough to not be pulling off ripped bits as you're trying to get them out. 

I also plan on making our laundry detergent and dishwasher soap.  We will need laundy detergent with the next shopping trip, so I'll be buying the ingredients instead.  We can hold off on the dishwasher soap, but I'll already have the primary ingredients (as they are the same as the laundry detergent!).  The most useful ones I found are below.  If anyone has input, let me know.  I opted for powder because it seems the fastest/easiest!

Laundry Detergent (powder)

• Grate 2 cups of bar soap (will likely be Ivory)
• 1 cup 20 Mule Borax
• 1 cup Arm & Hammer washing soda
• (use 2 Tbsp per load)

Dishwasher Detergent (powder)

• 1 cup 20 Mule Borax
• 1 cup A&H washing soda
• 1 pack of unsweetened powdered lemonade
• (use 1 Tbsp per load)
• (and put vinegar in as a rinse agent once a week, which I should be doing anyway!)

I love the idea of getting Katie involved in making the wipes.  If I can get her to keep gloves on (and maybe a mask =D), I'll see how she does with the detergents. 

I'm feeling more frugal every pay-period. =D

Research & Resources

Skipping listing expenses for now and getting into more task-oriented things...

I have started compiling a list of meals for the month and used that to look up recipes to put together a shopping list for each 2-week grocery trip.  I love figuring out the logistics of everything, so it's been fun.  I'll let you know how my potato-bread attempt works out. =D

Not sure how this will pan-out, but I got a call from The Washington Post.  I cancelled my subscription last year when I got out of the couponing craze.  But I decided to sign up for the Sunday paper for $0.59/week for 26 weeks ($15.34).  I'm really hoping the cost-savings ends up offsetting that. 

This weekend will include a trip to BJ's Wholesale where we tend to get diapers, paper towels, and other bulky stuff.  I'd love anyone's take on this.  Without having to write down prices everywhere I go to compare, has anyone else done this and determined that it IS worth it for $50/year to renew my membership?  Their gigantic box of generic diapers for $25 seems very reasonable to me.  Either way, I think I'll budget it in this time and renew for this year. 

As of tomorrow (aka: payday), I'll shop around for our cloth-diapering supplies.  I'd also love advice on this venture.  I bought the liners for "catching" poop that are flushable.  We also have the standard Gerber cloth diapers (which we've used as burp cloths :).  But I'm looking for answers to the following: how many external covers should I buy; how many cloth diapers should I keep on-hand (since we tend to change Naomi after 1-2 pee cycles, I figure it would be more often with cloth?); are there general rules-of-thumb for using diaper rash cream (do certain ones stain, etc?); do I need pins to close the cloth diapers, or does the external cover secure it; and what kind of hamper should I use for storing the wet diapers between washes?  All of these things, I have no clue.

I was actually wondering about cloth-diapering running up our water bill, but I just read an article about doing dishes by hand vs. running the dishwasher and am wondering if I can correlate the cost of diapers vs. maching washing cloth ones.  I won't even attempt to do the actual analysis, but here's the one for dishes: 

Dishwashers Save Time & Money

Don't hand-wash dishes. Here's some priceless news for busy moms: It actually costs less money to run full loads in the dishwasher than to scrub dishes yourself. The savings increase if you own an Energy Star model.  Read more: Save More Money - Easy Ways to Save Money - Good Housekeeping
Reference: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/syndication/save-more-money-synd#slide-1

(Side-Note: I receive regular emails from Good Housekeeping titled "Good Advice".  I don't always browse, but some tips come in handy :)

Starting last shopping trip, I decided to venture to the $1 store for some basics.  I loved getting a box of freezer bags for $1, but I didn't like seeing that the hand soap I bought was made in China.  They don't carry the free and clear dryer sheets, laundry soap, or dish soap that I prefer for us, but I haven't ruled the store out completely.  We shall see.  I have been getting that kind of stuff when I go to Shoppers, but is Walmart cheaper?  It might take me going to 3 different stores, but I think I'll need to do it. I know our toilet paper is actually a few bucks cheaper at Shoppers than BJ's (I think because it's not a bulk pack - just the 12-roll one).  I actually just had an epiphony, but will post it later if actually works out. =D

Aside from groceries, I called my credit card company, and they won't reduce my APR from 13.24% but will re-evaluate it in 4-6 months... lovely. 

Just went through Verizon to change our plan to reduce that bill by about $10.  And I want to send back a non-HD box we haven't used in about a year.  That'll knock a few bucks off too.  At first I went online to reduce our plan, but then I called an agent and was able to get our same package but for the online price of the package that had fewer channels.  Works for me!

Already changed the cell phone plan with T-Mobile.  We've been with them forever, so any other carrier will just not do with the perks we get now.  Once I make it home, I won't need a data plan, so that'll take a little bit off down the road.

Added the Taurus to our Geico insurance,which made it jump by $40, but we'll be taking the van off soon, so hopefully that will help a little.  Still have inspections and registrations to make this month though... Another pay period will come and go, but my endeavors will keep on. :)

Let's Get to Packing

So, as with any trip, I have resources in mind that will play a role in this journey: people and information.  My sister was one of my primary consultants for this endeavor, though her situation is slightly different with the cost of living being less in Missouri, but she's an encourager nonetheless and makes it work with her family of five. Her easy solution for me to stay at home was to pack up and move there, which I did give serious consideration to... until Dave weighed in with his thoughts. =D  It was worth a shot.

The other person that will play an obvious role is Dave.  He's a stickler over wanting to get debt payed off in general, so I'll know he'll work to ensure we get these hindering monthly payments knocked out.  Part of that will involve not using our credit cards except for emergencies. Unfortunately, we have one around the corner; our dog is sick and needs a $500 surgery.  Such is life... 

Finally, I'm depending on others' experiences of cost-cutting and money-saving.  So... be prepared, folks, for random questions I may have in the near future. :)

I tend to go on information-overload, but for this task, I'm not sure that will be a bad thing.  My first stop was online to an article of a SAHM who cut their grocery budget down to $250/month for a family of four.  That definitely piqued my interest, and I'm looking forward to doing the simple hands-on things, such as baking our own bread, making our own granola treats, etc. instead of wasting money (and calories!) on processed stuff.  The other tip was creating a 30-day menu that includes storing leftovers and having a "restaurant night" of letting the fam pick which meal they want that night. Not sure that would work for me - needing to be in control of everything - but it was a good idea. :)  The other part is storing leftovers as "TV dinners" to use in the future. Being that I tend to buy a few of those every month (in case I don't have leftovers to take for lunch :), this would be practical for me.  Looking back, leftovers tend to stay in the fridge for a couple days before they go bad, so why not just freeze what I'm not going to use the next day?!  I'm learning... So, I started going through that person's monthly menu and making modifications based on foods I know Dave likes having every month (butter chicken, sausage and potatoes, etc.).  The other ideas prompted me to create inserts I'll be using as quick-recipe-references in a little binder I'll be starting.  I'm a stickler for 30-minute meals with our crazy schedules, so this will be fun for me.  The other tip was to buy bulks of meat on sale and have a butcher slice it all up and freeze it. I found a local butcher, but I think it has to be his meat that he'll slice.  I think we might still check it out as I get better at pricing meats. 

One of my other initial investigations was into cloth-diapering.  I have yet to make the actual purchase of everything needed, but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge. Since Katie's birth, we stocked up on cloth diapers because they make great burp cloths, so now we'll get to put them to actual use for Naomi. :)  I also read up on liners that go on top of the cloth diaper to catch poop but are washable for pee.  At $8 for a box of 100, I managed to get those with the last grocery trip.  I figure with cost-savings this coming paycheck for groceries, I'll be able to squeeze in the purchase of the actual reusable diaper covers, pins, etc.

My main purchase thus far is the book There's No Place Like Home - Steps to Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom, which is recommended by Family Life and actually written by a mom who worked. Looking back, she would have liked to have stayed home, so she lays out stories and strategies of how other people made it work. The memorable quotes so far:

• "This book is not about condemning moms who are currently working outside the home...This book was written specifically for the mom who is...longing within her heart to leave the workforce (or not enter it)..."
• An excerpt from one of Larry Burkett's books: "The truth is that working a full-time job should not be classified as a sin; nor should stay-at-home moms be viewed as drop-outs."
• "'A goal without a deadline is only a dream."'
• "Stress hormone levels in working mothers rise each morning and stay high until bedtime, putting them at higher risk than other working women for health problems such as heart attack, according to a study by Duke University Medical Center researchers."  

 I can definitely imagine the truth of that last quote. I don't know about other moms, but I am totally a TYPE A.  Because I'm the one that actually reads up on everything-baby, I obviously know how everything should be orchestrated throughout the day [even though I am completely out of control once I drop them off at the babysitter at 7:30am... or leave them with daddy :)  until I get home at 5:30pm].  So even though I don't have the stress of actually coordinating everything with the girls all day, the stress to make sure as much as possible is ready for EACH caretaker, finding out what each of them has done/not done, that there's enough of everything we need, that there's something in mind for me to make for dinner at 6pm so they girls get to bed at a decent time (while also trying to spend that limited amount of time with them in a quality way once I'm actually done cooking), can take its toll, especially when I was more hormonal pregnant and postpartum.  =D  You might be getting tired just thinking about it... But we make it work because that's what we need to do to keep everything moving along right now.

I know saying home will have its stresses, but at least going here and there and everywhere will be optional... until the girls are in school, sports, and other activities anyway.  We'll burn... I mean, cross that bridge when we get there.

So,... Bible, check!  SAHM book, check!  Family and Facebook friends, check!  Pending: completed recipe book and grocery list, cloth diapering essentials, and COUPONS.  I expect to be a better friend with Couponmom.com and the BJ's Wholesale coupon-mailer very soon. :)

Next up, I'll lay out our current expenses and our projected, post-debt expenses (along with expected cuts in cable, cell phone, etc.).