Reflections: Where we are in the journey...

Hello everyone! Can you believe it will be 10 years ago that I started this blog - next month, in fact!

I thought it would be good to write about where we are in our journey today. So many things swirling about in my mind as of late. I realize that I am not where I want to be in some things, and yet so much further along than I thought I would be in other things, at the same time. As in life, our choices greatly depend on what's available, our experiences, and more. Many things involve others along the way. I have always believed that if progress is made in a positive direction, it's better off than before. If you can make good big changes quickly, good for you, especially if it involves moving away from something destructive. I will speak up for the baby step idea though, it can't be overlooked as a more permanent option for most.

It might get a little long, so hang on!

While my family and I continue our vegan diet (as originally summarized in my "food philosophy" blog posts, we have changed things here and there. We have gone from using wheat (and other gluten grains) to gluten/wheat free for a few years, and now back again with an emphasis on organic whole grains and doing more of our own baking if we can. As you know, I really love making our own food from scratch. I still favor organic if I can. Local and sustainable food sources are important to me.

While at one time, we used to have daily green smoothies (I still love them!), it's not quite as often anymore. We now also balance our breakfast choices with some organic rolled oats (soaked or cooked) with nuts, seeds, and dried/fresh fruit, or even a breakfast of whole grain toast with some yummy avocados or even coconut butter. Leftovers should not be overlooked either, and we are known for checking out what's in the fridge to eat in the mornings.

We tend to eat out less than we did before, mostly for financial reasons (as of this month, we are debt free!). When we do go out, we try to choose a reasonably healthier version of cuisine to enjoy. Lately, we have been doing added oil free at our house, so eating out can be a challenge, but we also allow ourselves to have the vegan options at restaurants without a lot of requests for no added oil (we try to choose the best options we can without customizing our orders).

Regarding eating foods without added oils: I have found that we are adjusting quite well, in fact. My son, who will be turning twenty soon, embraced it from the get-go. He routinely now makes his stir-frys and sautés with water or broth, and we all still eat just fine. We don't have the greasy feeling in our mouths when having "fried" rice and such. Added oils contribute a lot of calories and not much else. We do routinely still use foods like nuts and nut butters, shredded coconut (what I make our coconut butter from), seeds, avocados, etc.

We prefer eating foods in their whole form, more or less. We have now adapted our diet to be what most people call a whole food, plant based diet.  I have always believed that eating real food, as close to it's original form, is best for everyone! The term vegan has almost become synonymous with no animal products, but vegan processed/junk food is welcome. That is not my philosophy here at Vegan Footprints! You can continue to find wholesome foods and recipes here!

We continue to adopt habits that help us not only save money, but are better for the environment. That means to us, using cloth napkins at mealtimes, cloth handkerchiefs (preferred by my family anyway!), reusable water bottles (stainless steel is our preference - I can't remember the last time I drank or even bought a one-time-use bottle of water),  recycling what we can (which is expanding all the time!), and buying things with less packaging (or none at all). Having said that, recycling isn't everything, and we are trying little by little to do low/zero waste instead. Our trash is considerably less, amounting to about 2-3 small kitchen size trash bags per month. We compost our food waste and recycle what we can otherwise.

When we do buy things, whether it be clothing, school/office supplies, furniture, kitchen misc., etc., we try to find it second hand first. There are so many things that are still useful out there. I look for yard/garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, antique places, flea markets, etc. Friends sometimes will offer things they don't need anymore. I tell them if I can't use it, I can donate it for them.

There are so many benefits to not buying disposable products! This goes for just about anything bought that is meant for one single use only. I will add here that we still buy toilet paper, so for those of you wondering, you can breathe a sigh of relief! Ha, ha! Seriously though, just think about bottled water (I have survived without), paper tissues/napkins/towels/plates (you can eliminate), plastic wrap/foil/plastic bags/utensils (I have not bought these for years), and the list goes on. I even have lined up a still-good-to-use antique safety razor. Just today, I realized that along with writing this blog for ten years, I have also used a reusable menstrual cup for even longer!

Cleaning products in my house now consist of an all purpose liquid soap (which we use for hands, body, hair and household cleaning purposes), vinegar, and baking soda, along with all kinds of brushes and rags. Along with a second hand acquired Rainbow vacuum (for a total of only $40, which includes a power head!), a few essential oils, and a feather duster, we can cover just about anything. We can't forget our small brush that cleans out our reusable stainless steel straws! Love those straws for our green smoothies!

For storage containers in our kitchen, we generally use glass or stainless steel. It might be canning jars, in all sorts of sizes, to glass storage which I can bake, freeze or use in my cupboards. I bake mostly using an assortment of stainless steel pans. Using silicone mats for easy cleaning and no added oil baking and roasting. To go shopping, I try to have reusable cloth bags for carrying groceries. Keeping them in the car helps tremendously!

My husband and I will celebrate 25 years married this year. So glad he is the one who has been by my side in our journey together. My children have grown to be taller than me - not a great feat since I am only 5' tall! My daughter is just now reaching that milestone, having passed my shoe size awhile ago! My son has graduated from our homeschool a couple of years ago now and will be moving out soon. My daughter is still in middle school, so we will continue for a good few years yet. I am happy to have found a good homeschool rhythm for us that's been working well for us this year! And it involves much less paper and textbooks than before, so I am happy about that for sure!

I understand the fewer possessions I have, the easier it is to clean, move and generally take care of what we call "our stuff".  My house is less cluttered. And less clutters my mind when I have things in order. And the fewer things I have to put in order, the better. Currently we live in a nice rental, so if and when we do own a home, I know we will have to have a few more things. Currently though, because we do not need to mow a yard, we enjoy the space we gain from not having any kind of mowing equipment whatsoever! With only one garage, which we do use for our car, it can get tight in there! We actually sold our oil changing equipment, in favor of getting our oil changed in our town, where it's done quickly and with a car wash as well!

Recently, my husband and I repainted our antique secretary desk. I held off for so long, because I really love wood, but I am so glad we did it. It really brightens things up and doesn't look nearly as worn. I polished up the metal pulls and realized how nice they really are! This is one of only two pieces of furniture we have owned from even before we were married when someone gifted it to my husband just shortly before we were engaged.

I have found that decluttering as found in Marie Kondo's books, has been a game changer for me. The way she categorizes things in a home has made my life easier and more organized than ever, without all the unnecessary things in the way. I continue to remember things from reading her books that still aid my efforts. And I tell others about it too. I really like helping others to come to a place of satisfaction in their own homes using Kondo's methods.

In the last three years, I have enjoyed being part of the stage again. I haven't acted on stage since my high school and college days, so it is challenging me! About five years ago, my son wanted to be part of the community theater in town, so that's how it started. It wasn't until I saw an advertisement in the local paper for auditions for a favorite musical of mine, that I realized it was something I thought I wanted to do. I didn't want to regret not doing it. So I auditioned, along with my daughter. I got a nice part to come back to the stage! And because of my love for singing, being part of The Sound of Music musical was really an honor (role of Sister Margaretta). Both my son and daughter also were in that production as well. Since then we have participated together in two other plays, Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden (Mrs. Sowerby). Last year, it was an honor to be part of Cheaper by the Dozen, my biggest part yet (Mrs. Gilbreth)!

I am still a music lover and a couple years ago, we chose to acquire a bigger piano. We found it second hand from the first owner (now in her eighties), who has owned it new since she was my daughter's age. I love my antique baby grand! My children also play and we all enjoy the sound. And yes, it does bring me joy. I play to relax and could use even more time on it. Along with some piano books people gifted us, some hymnbooks we have, and a good metronome, we are all set to play for years to come. Our musical collection also includes a recorder, ukulele, a couple of Djembe drums, and guitar in this house. You can never have enough music in the house! As homeschoolers, I feel it has been well worth our time to learn music. For anyone really, it adds so much to life!

The Lord has been good all along the way. He remains faithful. May God bless you and yours today! Shalom!
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Urban Homesteading Video Link

Here is an interesting video about urban homesteading. Thanks to a reader who passed this on to me. Click on the link to view. Have a great day.

Thoughts about Money and Food

   I am still on a journey. A journey to get to where I'm going. Some people may read this blog and other blogs and think that we have it all together. Fact is, we are really on the road just like you are. We've just written about our experience so far. That's it...it is our experience, epiphanies, memories, aha! moments, and advice we might have for others coming along behind us.

I know that the following post is long, but I didn't want to break it up into more posts. I hope you'll read it through and comment.

   Recently a friendly neighbor asked where we shop for food. Knowing our "special" diet, I think she wondered about the healthy food we try to eat and where to obtain the like. My answer was a long one, as it isn't one specific place. Rather it's a few places, depending on where I may be or what I need. To say that, seems logical, however we do not shop at only "health food" type places or only farmer's markets.

   As I've stated on the blog before, we do consider the cost and live on less than we make. Eating on a budget seems to be all the buzz lately as people claim the economy has changed their financial outlook.

   I've written about some specific people who have had impact for me in this particular area. These things have really shaped how we go about our journey. One thing that I have realized is that there is not one single solution for everyone. No magic bullet.

   I have come up with what works for me at this time. It may change, and, by the way, it has many times over and over....I think they call it growing, progressing, and generally moving towards a goal.

   Years ago, I thought that if I just cut out certain things that I would be finally eating right. For example: no bleached white flour, no white rice, no white sugar, no white hydrogenated shortening, no white table salt. I substituted those with unbleached flour, brown rice, turbinado ("raw") sugar, butter (in my non-vegan days), and sea salt. And in my pre-vegetarian days: no pork products, no non-fish seafood, no lard, or not use lots of red meat or dairy. Instead I would eat more chicken and fish, and cut down on red meat and use "better" forms of dairy.

   All these are a good step forward I may agree, however it may seem to some people that if it stops there, they are set for life. There is so much more to life than what we eat. To say that may make you think that what we eat is not important. That couldn't be further from the truth. What we eat makes our body into what it is.
  
   If you eat "nutritionally poor" food, you will have a body that has to figure out how to come up with the building blocks for your muscles, bones, blood, organs, glands, arteries, veins, and so on. If you eat "nutritionally dense" foods (have a high percentage of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and other nutrients), then your body will have what it needs to renew your body's building blocks like it should.

   To eat what you want with no regard for nutrition and then take a few supplements to cover your bases isn't what I mean either. That approach does nothing to help you or your pocketbook. Our "SAD" ("Standard American Diet") food is not helping.

   Have you noticed prominent fast food restaurants have been introducing more and more "healthy" foods to their menus lately. In an effort to save their reputation for inadequate nutrition (and maybe more so to cater to those that simply choose not to eat their food, so they still make money) they have changed things. I am always glad for more choices. Glad that I can still choose to eat at home, thank you.

   I enjoy good food. I don't know anyone that doesn't. It is true that you need food to live, but one must not live to eat. There's a saying that if something tastes so good, you say "it is to die for". In health food circles, they may say instead, "it is to live for". The difference being, of course, that the food can taste good and be good for you.
  
   To go back to my list of foods (above) I should do without, I now think about many things when I consider what to buy. I may choose whole (sometimes sprouted) grains, fresh & dried fruits and raw honey to sweeten, use avocados, nuts and seeds to get my fats, and use herbs and spices to flavor my food. In the animal products department, we have decided to go "whole hog"  =) and cut it out altogether. And you know what? I don't miss it. I find that we eat many more vegetables than we used to and more whole fruits and I've introduced more nuts and seeds than we ate before. And I can't go further without mentioning that raw foods have become really prominent in our diet. When we do have cooked foods, I try to make sure that they are still full of nutrition and things I and my family need to build good healthy bodies.

   My taste buds have changed. My "pinch your pennies" attitude about things doesn't always apply to food anymore. I can still buy dried beans from a discount store and know it's helping to save money and buy nutrition at the same time. I may look for organic whole grain pasta and organic dried fruit. It's amazing when you look, what you find in any store that can help you save money and still get the nutrients you need. But remember that apple may seem expensive compared to the candy bar, but we all know which one is the better buy nutritionally.

   I just made a raw birthday cake for my husband that I know he'll love and I had a lovely little four year old help me. This was also the cake she requested for her fourth birthday last year. And we call it raw cake. Imagine that.

   There are so many things you can do "one better" than you did before. Keep moving on the journey and you'll never get tired of the many ways to eat better and enjoy it. I have learned so much about food, but I haven't "arrived" by any stretch of the imagination. What I've learned has worked for me. I'm glad to share it with you.

   When it comes to saving money on food expenses, please don't shortchange your family's health. Save in other areas so that you can afford the apple instead of the candy bar. Start a garden, or like we are planning, garden where you can (thanks, Katie!). You may find more "gold" than you planned when you dig into that dirt.

   I write mostly to give you food for thought so that you never stop learning. Learn something new everyday. You won't be disappointed.

Traveling? Save money while you're gone...

Many people are traveling this time of year and visiting friends and family. If that's your case, why not "pack up" the house too? Not to take with you, of course, but rather to save some money on your bills while you are gone.

It makes most sense to turn down the heat to something that will still keep your plumbing from freezing up. In the case that you are traveling during warm weather, make sure your air conditioner will not be on all the time (or turn off). And what about your water heater? Some people have a "vacation" setting they can use.

We have used a checklist in the past to remind ourselves of things we didn't want to forget when we were busy packing. Some things we did a few days before. Others where done the day before and some were done the morning or a few hours before heading out. Organizing our travel this way ranked right up there with the best ideas we've done. It went something like this....

Hold your mail at the Post Office. See if you can do it online.
Turn in all library books and materials.
Have someone water plants (if needed).
Secure someone to feed pets and check them.
Clean all toilets.
Clear refrigerator of foods that may go bad.
Wipe down counters and wipe stove off.
Wash and put away all dishes and clean sink.
Check that all windows are closed and locked.
Tidy up, picking things up and putting things away.
Turn heat down.
Turn water heater to vacation setting or to pilot.
Close curtains and drapes.
Unplug all things not needed while gone (this may include the computer, stereo, lamps, alarm clocks, small appliances, etc., but leaving the refrigerator and chest freezer on).
Double check that the stove burners and oven are turned off (can unplug if easily accessible or gone for a long period of time).
Make sure all faucets are turned off and are not dripping.
Make sure toilets are not running unnecessarily.

There may have been others, but these come to mind right now. I know that each household will be different and have other things to remember. What I liked about a checklist is that we were reminded of things, in the busyness of getting packed and ready to go, we didn't have to think about it. Things were all written down.

The biggest benefit for me, besides saving money while we were gone, was having a clean house to return to. So nice. Like someone gave me a jump start when we returned.

Remember to leave your checklist out for when you return to make sure you turn things back on. No one wants a cold shower, so turn that water heater back on when returning.

Now enjoy your time with family, worry free.

Financial Freedom

I wrote one year ago today about financial independence. Go read it now, I'll wait.... =)


(Seriously!)


How's it going?
Are you where you want to be?
Have you taken the opportunities God has put in your path to be more secure moneywise?
What about saving money where you can? ...And then some.

Please, if you have found some tips that have helped you to keep and save your money, please comment on this post and pass them along. Pay it forward, so to speak. I'll be reading every one of them and sharing the best ones in a future post.

We are still happy that through all the time of not finding work for my husband that we have remained debt free. I can't say enough that everyone should save up emergency funds and work whenever the opportunity arises to help someone out here and there, whether you get paid or not. It's not always in cash that God provides. He is faithful. So you be faithful.

The Nice Thing About Museums

No matter what kind of museum you enjoy, there are many interesting things to see and admire. There's a bit of history in every piece. What I like most about museums is that although I like to see the exhibitions, there is nothing I desire about the upkeep related to taking care of each piece. Thanks to curators, who oversee the care these collections require, we all can enjoy history a little more.

I have likened my house to a museum sometimes to get a feel for the care I must give to keep things in order and in good condition. It matters to me the maintenance needed to take care of one more item in my "collection". When I see something in a store I like, I need to remember that unless I remove an item at home to make room for this new item, that I will only add to my daily work of having to take care of one more thing. Depending if it will help me more than it will make me work, I may consider it.

I see many beautiful things when I'm out and about. But I can much more enjoy them knowing I don't have to take care of them. Sometimes leaving them exactly where they are is key to enjoying them best.

Your Money Ceiling

Sometimes saving money isn't about all those discounted prices on goods you "can't live without". Using coupons is good only for those who already have the appetite for the things they can be redeemed on.

If you suddenly found you were without money, all those decisions about which one and what color to buy of the latest gizmo would be laughable. It would be much easier to decide that it's impossible to buy, considering your current circumstances.

Ah, but you say, "I have a credit card, no problem". The fake money ceiling of credit makes you feel like the sky is the limit. In actuality, your real money ceiling is much lower, for some very very low. Nothing like realizing that it's right above your nose. You have no room to budge.

What I'm talking about makes sense to some of you. Then there are those of you who have been "playing the Pharaoh"...living in denial (the Nile). If you really live within your means (less than your income), then this makes total sense, does it not?

You've probably heard a famous person say "I've been fat and I've been slim...Slim is better." Well I say, "I've been in debt and I've been debt free...Debt free is much much better!" There's nothing like knowing that you owe no one...for anything. Your whole mindset changes and you can sleep at night.

I realized recently that after 4 months in the US with no work for my husband, that we may be in for more belt tightening. Times are tough for those out of work. I can relate.

What I challenge everyone to do is to reconsider the things you want and only consider those that you need. Who knows, maybe your situation will take a downturn before you know it. What are you going to do? Where's your emergency fund?

Financial Independence

I keep hearing about everyone tightening their financial belts. It seems that indeed our world does revolve around the oil "crisis." You don't realize it until the (US) economy suffers (more than usual). How do we know? Fuel and food prices have been going up. These two affect us everyday - it finally hit our wallets. It is starting to "hurt."

I remember when Amy Dacyczyn (author of the Tightwad Gazette newsletter and books in the 1990's) talked about being frugal, in varying degrees, as a way to live your entire life. She talked about living your life, not based on credit, but based on paying for everything with cash. "Pay as you go" as the phrase goes.

She talked about her and her husband's goal to have a large family and a home in New England (USA) with an attached barn. Nobody thought it was a realistic goal. You know what? They now live in Maine and have six children. They own a pre-1900's farmhouse with attached barn! Her husband retired while she was doing the newsletter. And she retired from the Tightwad Gazette when her goals were met. How about that? She finished up her work when most people would have just been getting started. Her writing was popular. Still is.

I like her name, Dacyczyn...it's pronounced "decision." Mrs. "Decision" made the choice to enjoy her family and be financially independent while still having children at home. Financial Independence (“FI” as it's called for those in the know) is achievable for many people, but most people think that they need to work the rest of their lives. These days people only hope to retire and enjoy the end of their days with "ease." She had some pretty interesting ideas about the economy and how it should be handled. I liked them and I think she showed real insight that the rest of us should consider. I wonder what her thoughts are on the stimulus checks these days? Hummm...

What about enjoying the days you have now? What about working in a field of your calling and enjoying every minute of it, instead of waiting 20-30 more years to "relax" with arthritis, bifocals, thinning hair, and maybe a cane, all on a fixed income? (By the way, I am using a stereotype here - in no way do I imply all people are like this, but it's more likely when you are older).

How about living the way you want now, not luxuriously, mind you, but on purpose? You can enjoy your family now. Enjoy being debt free. Enjoy the freedom that comes with not worrying about money. Enjoy sleeping at night. Enjoy your spouse more because you will not have the #1 cause of divorce in your house - financial woes.

Surely God does not want us to be slaves in bondage to the money driven life people have because they think they need more to live the "American dream" lifestyle. Are the diamonds and gold, the latest style in clothing, pools, electronic toys, numerous cars in the driveway, and fancy televisions and stereos all worth it? Most people in the world will never own anything like that list. And many are happy people despite this.

I have known poor people and I have known frugal people. "Poor is a state of mind" - a statement that is very true. Frugal is a choice. Sometimes we think we have no other choice. If you say you're "broke," then you have a "poor" mentality. If you choose to save money by growing a garden and not eating out, then you are being frugal. If you choose to be a stay at home mother for your children, when everyone thinks you're crazy because "it takes two incomes in this world to raise a family," you might be of the frugal persuasion.

I started this post talking about the economy. Let's go back to that for a minute. Who do you think is having a hard time budgeting now? Those that are (more or less) forced to because of their skyrocketing expenses to maintain their fancy lifestyle? Or those that have lived that way for years?

I remember when the Y2K scare was on everyone's mind. Coming up to the year 2000, banks, schools, utility companies, all computer using businesses were having to become 4 digit year friendly to "save" their records and so everything wouldn't just "stop" as we were told. All because of going from "1999" to "2000." People stocked up on non-perishable foods (grains, beans, dehydrated and canned foods). People bought generators. Lots of them. Some people were ready to "camp" out. Or they thought they were.

Who do you think was standing by wondering what all the commotion was about? People that already were doing these things for years. The Amish do not use generators and they don't rely on electricity to lives their lives. And others that are "off the grid" need not worry that their dependence on electricity will stop them from making breakfast and being happy.

I'm not saying we should all be Amish (many are them are fine people, I know). I am saying that for true financial success, the result of a lifetime of financial stewardship really shines through the longer and more intense you are about it. Even if we don't want to or can't achieve total financial independence, we can still be satisfied and financially secure. Dave Ramsey would approve.

Today being July 4th (Independence Day in the USA), and being in Africa just makes me think a little more about true freedom. Did we gain independence only to be slaves to the "almighty" dollar?

I'd rather choose for my family to stay debt free (more than 1 year now!) and control my money before it controls me. You in?