Menu Plan Monday ~ July 19, 2010

Two blog posts in a month, and we’re only 11 days into it. I’m feeling accomplished.

Well, I have to get back to my roots. I’ve felt a little empty without Menu Plan Monday. Although I think it’ll be challenging cooking and working out in the evenings, I have to, at least, give it a try.

But know this: If I can’t maintain both, cooking will be the activity that get’s sacrificed. (Although considering the fat and calorie content of my food this week, I might be better off paying someone else to prepare my meals.)

Hopefully, I haven’t crafted an overzealous menu for the week.

Monday/Tuesday – Tater Tot Bake

Wednesday/Thursday – Beef & Broccoli over Jasmine Rice

Thursday – Japanese Chicken Wings and Fried Cabbage

Friday – Etete

Saturday – Mini Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Sunday – Leftovers

I figure now’s a good time to ask if you have any deliciously, unhealthy options on your menu plan. Be honest. I’ll exercise portion control. I promise.

It’s Alive!

By “it”, I mean my blog.

Soooo, it’s been roughly two months or so since we last spoke. Admittedly, that’s a while. A few You Have More Than You Think readers reached out to see if I was in good health…whether life was treating me well. You know who you are, and I genuinely appreciate your compassion and concern.

As for the rest of  yous, I didn’t hear a peep. I coulda been dead ya selfish jerks!

But that’s neither here nor there.

I’m alive.

I’m well.

I’ll start things off with a teeny, tiny confession. I’ve been busy at work as well as in my personal life, but I haven’t been so pressed I couldn’t find time to birth a blog post or two. The inexplicable hiatus was due primarily to good ol’ fashioned laziness.

Honestly, I’m kind of ashamed. You should see the remains of my massacred budget. The spring came, and I lost my wits which usually happens every year. I shed the winter weight, update my tattered, sauce stained wardrobe, and relax the purse strings.

There’s an article I’ve been hoping to pen for months, but this ain’t it.

Let’s catch up.

Here are a few highlights of my life over the last 69 days.

• Watched all 8 seasons of Monk. I simply could not rest until I found out who killed Trudy.

• Bought practically every shade of ankle length, denim jeggings (a fashion trend I previously thought to be no less than dreadful) from Urban Outfitters. These pants are so tight you don’t even need a belt. My greatest fear was realized the morning I broke a nail while pulling, stretching, bending, squeezing and kicking into my black pair.

• Met a sales associate named Nappy at Guess which initially evoked an internal emotional response that reminded me of the days I wasn’t “happily nappy.” My, how things change.

• Spent $300 on the cutest, hot pink Coach bag you’ve ever seen. Which promptly began to lose said hot pink paint 3 weeks after I bought it. I mean really…REALLY?!

• Thought I’d have to amputate the tip of my pinky finger when I got it stuck in the complimentary key chain I received in conjunction with the purchase of above mentioned handbag.

• Met a boy. I know what you’re thinking, but he’s only partly to blame for my absence.

• Inadvertently disclosed the ugly truth of what happens when my boy’s seemingly put together girl loses it, throws her head back, and falls asleep with her mouth agape in a New York taxi after a long, drunken night on the roof top of The Dream Hotel.

• Visited New York City three times and discovered the joys and perils of “traveling like a human” thru a website called AirBnB. More to come on that at a later date.

• Rode a mechanical bull for 8 seconds at a bar in Charlotte, NC. Could’ve sworn I was on there a full minute.

• Injured my left foot while jogging at a 5.0 mile/hour pace on a treadmill in the air conditioned comfort of my neighborhood Gold’s Gym while wearing a new pair of $100 running shoes. I can barely do a calf raise now. I know. I’m hardcore.

• Agreed to foot a $3,000 bill to replace the central air and heating unit of a close family member. I felt relieved when they decided to liquidate  a portion of their 401(k) (before 59 1/2 years of age). They weren’t satisfied with the pace at which I was conducting my product research. That’s fine. More shoes for me. Ya gotta learn to set boundaries people.

• Witnessed the most discriminating dog terrorize passersby outside the P Street Whole Foods. I still can’t figure out what criteria he used to determine who was deserving of his vengeance, but it sure was funny watching 19 blissfully ignorant, unsuspecting yuppies walk by a calm, sweet little dog. Unfortunately, number 20 got the [expletive] scared out of ‘em. Hehehe.

• Rocked a new hairdo aptly named “squiggles” by a colleague. Check out the locs (and disturbingly muscular deltoids.)

Notice the uncanny resemblance to Zoolander.

• Missed the company of the mouse who invaded my space 3 days before the first snow storm of the past winter who immediately abandoned me as soon as the weather warmed up. Furry ingrate.

Yeah. This post wasn’t the most relevant, but I just wanted to let you know of the random moments in my life.

I missed you.

Care to share the notable events that incurred in your life over the past couple of months? Don’t be shy. Clearly, I’m no one to judge.

My Thoughts on Tipping

A few weeks back, I didn’t leave my taxi driver a tip. It wasn’t because I’m cheap. He’d clearly been smoking in the cab right before he picked me up. Since I have asthma and allergies, I don’t take too kindly to folks putting me in a position to make a difficult decision regarding my health:  inhale smoke fumes and wheeze or roll down the window and freeze. It’s not right. #KillYoSelfAndNotMe

If it wasn’t for the taxi driver’s faux pas, I would’ve gladly left him a tip. Maybe he’s learned his lesson.

It isn’t often I bump into a service industry employee who performs their job so poorly, I feel they deserve a tip of exactly $0. If you do your job reasonably well, expect a tip of no less than 15%. That clearly doesn’t apply to people who aren’t customarily compensated with tips.

By the way, what’s with fast food restaurants leaving a tip line on their receipts? I’m not tipping you for putting three spicy chicken wings and three buttermilk biscuits in a box. It’s not happening.

A friend once asked me if she should deny herself the enjoyment of having a sit down restaurant meal because she couldn’t afford to leave a tip. Um, yeah. If you can’t afford to leave a decent tip to your waiter, then don’t you sit your broke butt down in a restaurant and let someone else serve you.

I don’t take this position simply because tipping is the right thing to do when it comes to people busting their rump for minimum wage. I also feel this way because if adding an additional 15% to your food bill results in an overdraft fee on your bank account, then you either need to cook at home, order takeout, or find a place that makes more sense given your financial situation.

I know tipping can add a significant chunk to your food bill. That’s why when I was getting out of debt, I ate primarily at restaurants that didn’t require it.  Chipotle and Chicken Place are two of my faves. You can get a hot, semi-healthy, and delicious meal for $6 to $10. You can’t beat that.

Before I go, I should note that I especially despise tipping hairdressers. Aren’t they like professionals? I’ll tip my locktician, but the percentage she’ll get on my total bill will be considerably less than even the most obtuse server at The Original Pancake House.

So what are your thoughts on tipping?

Seems Like a Good Time to Catch Up

Can you believe me? I haven’t posted anything in so long even spammers don’t comment on my blog anymore.

It’s been almost a month since you last heard from me. The longer You Have More Than You Think lay dormant, the more embarrassed I felt to show my face again. It kinda feels like when you haven’t been to church in a long time.

Well, here I am – the prodigal blogger. I don’t have any groundbreaking personal finance news to share right this second. I just got back from the gym, and I need to eat something. But I do have some pretty good ideas in the pipeline.

In case you were wondering, life is good. I’ve been really busy at work and really busy trying to lose 15 pounds. I’m just exhausted after I get home from working and working out. I’m not motivated to do much more than watch past episodes of Monk.

And to make matters worse, I can’t have a glass of wine without sabotaging my weight loss gains. That really pisses me off. I thought I saw one of the women of Basketball Wives blowing smoke out of her nose that she’d inhaled from a glass. I wonder if that was alcohol. Can you smoke alcohol? If you can, let me know. I’m desperate. (I’m just kidding…sorta.)

Menu Plan Monday ~ Mar, 15 2010

The last time we talked about menu planning, I told you I was getting fat. In order to not be fat, I have to be more careful about what I eat.

Although I cooked and enjoyed the Beef Daube Provencal from last week, I didn’t get around to eating much else on the menu plan. It was a lot of food. Because I ate other small meals throughout the day, the recipe lasted me even longer than it normally would’ve.

In my experience, it’s much easier to ensure you’re not consuming excess calories when you keep your diet simple. This week I’m going to try something a little different. My menu plan will consist of one main dish and a bunch of other foods I eat to feel full, satisfied and healthy throughout the day.

• White-Bean and Sausage Stew (main dish)
• Hard boiled eggs (including yolks)
• Rolled oats with ripe banana as a sweetener
• Grilled chicken breast
• Beans, either black or pinto
• Almond butter and apple butter on whole wheat bread
• Broccoli
• Brown rice
• Fruit (this week is pineapple and cantaloupe)

Find other menu plan options on Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

What are some of  your favorite healthy staples?

When People Do Dumb Stuff With Money – Speak Up or Shut Up?

Do you ever feel like your pragmatism is misinterpreted as pessimism by delusional idealists? Sometimes you have to stop yourself from warning a dreamer of all the things that could go wrong, and then telling them how to fix their phantom problems. You don’t wander around peeing on people’s parades to make yourself feel better. You just want them to think rationally before making life altering decisions.

A couple days ago, I was presented with the opportunity to either tell someone they’re making a huge mistake or keep my mouth shut. I decided on the latter. I kept my practicalities to myself because I’m not close enough to the individual to voice my opinion without offending her. Now, if you’re a close friend, I’ma say something if you’re being stupid. Too bad if I hurt your feelings in the process.

So, here’s the issue. Nothing gets my blood boiling faster than someone who digs themselves deep into student loan debt in pursuit of a career path they’re unsure is right for them. If you ask, they’ll probably say they’re 100% positive about what they want. Maybe they are, but I don’t know how you can be so sure of something you’ve never done before. Maybe you should try it out first.

For simplicity’s sake, let’s call the inspiration for this blog post Larissa. She’s been pursuing higher education off and on for the better part of a decade. There were times when life happened to Larissa, and she had to take time off from school. Other times, Larissa happened to Larissa.

Apparently it can take 10 years to finish a 4-year degree when you’re a) not sure what the heck you want to do and b) your education isn’t a priority. There’s nothing wrong with you if you’ve experienced either of the two. I’m just saying it can take a minute to graduate.

The day Larissa graduates with her bachelors degree is quickly approaching. However, she’s decided to get a masters because she wants a job at a particular company that requires it.

When I heard this, my natural, internal response was “Say what now?”

I couldn’t believe it. All these years she’s been pursuing a degree. I was so excited for her to use it. Now I have to wait at least another two years to see if she gets the job at this ONE company AND if she’ll actually stick with her chosen career path.

The company she wants to work for will repay her student loan debt. But what if she doesn’t get a job at that company? What if she can’t afford to repay her student loans with the money she makes from the job she ultimately takes?

Don’t get me wrong. If you have a dream, by all means, pursue it, but don’t be blissfully ignorant of issues that are likely to crop up and derail your plans.

I won’t tell Larissa this, but I think she should take some time off school to work in her field before pursuing additional education. I think she should try interning with the organization she wants to work for before going to such great lengths to seek full-time employment. There might be a similar company with similar benefits that doesn’t require a masters degree. That organization might even pay for it. Maybe there are scholarships available that she’s not taking complete advantage of. I want so badly to tell her.

Oh well. It’s none of my business.

Have you ever experienced a situation where your genuine concern was misconstrued as negativity?

Menu Plan Monday ~ I’m Getting Fat Edition

In regards to sticking to the menu plan, last week was even worse than the previous one. I must shamefully admit I didn’t make a single meal. This week will be different.

Some people are yo-yo dieters. I’m a yo-yo exerciser / “change my dieter”. How I wish I was more consistent. From time to time I get lazy and neglect my appearance and health. But that phase will last just long enough for me to feel fat.

Lately, my pants have gotten almost unbearably tight. Unlike many people who see their weight creep up, I refuse to buy bigger clothes. I won’t make getting fat and unhealthy comfortable. Plus, I don’t wanna spend the money. (Surprise, surprise.)

I’ve set a goal to lose 15 pounds in 12 weeks. That’s 1.25 pounds per week, which will bring me to a weight of 135 pounds. Although no reasonable person would say that I’m fat (except for me), I think it’s easier to lose 15 pounds as opposed to 50. So, whenever I see my weight getting out of control, I get serious. Yes, I should be serious all the time, but I’m not. Let’s see if this time will be different.

Monday/Tuesday – Chicken Stew

Wednesday/Thursday – Blackened Crab Stuffed Salmon Fillets and Garlic Green Beans

Friday/Saturday – Beef Daube Provencal

Sunday – Cube Steak with Onion Mushroom Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Find other menu plan options on Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

What are some of your favorite healthy, low calorie meals?

Why You Can’t Enjoy Your Money or Your Life

If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Doesn’t that always seem to be the case? I’m not talking about mishaps, setbacks, trials, or tribulations. What I’m referring to is your inability to relax. Why can’t you just bask in your glory?

Even if your money isn’t right at this very instant, I’ll bet you’ve achieved several lofty non-financial related goals in your lifetime. I know I’m not the only one who struggles with Chronic Malcontentedness Syndrome. The instant I accomplish one goal that required a great deal of time and sacrifice, without pausing to take half a breath, I’m off to the next one.

I think it was around the time I entered middle school that I adopted my life’s theory of “if you’re not reaching for the stars, then life isn’t worth living.”

That’s crazy isn’t it? And here you thought sharks were the only ones who risked their lives by staying still.

When I was in grade school, I wanted to go to a middle school for the gifted and academically talented. I went.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to go to a college preparatory high school. I went.

When I was in high school, I wanted to attend a four-year university and have my tuition paid for because my mama didn’t save any money for me to go. I went to college and received a 100% scholarship for my tuition. (I had to foot the bill for room and board. Grrr.)

When I was in college, I wanted to graduate summa cum laude and work for a Big 4 accounting firm upon graduation. Okay, I fell a taste short of the summa cum laude accolades, but I did work for a Big 4 accounting firm upon graduation as well as during a couple winter internships.

When I went to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers I wanted to become a CPA, so I studied my fanny off and worked like heck while accomplishing that goal.

And on and on I went. On and on I go.

When is it okay to do nothing? To not strive for anything? To kick your crusty heels up, unbuckle your pants, and say to yourself, “I’ve done good by me?”

I don’t have an answer for you or myself for that matter. The post title may have been more appropriately framed, thru pouted lips, as “Why you can’t enjoy yo’ money or yo’ life, Willis?

Well, Willis….why can’t chu?

Menu Plan Monday – Next Time I’ll Get KFC Edition

I did not successfully adhere to my menu plan last week, but it wasn’t my fault.

The exact day is a little fuzzy, but I think it was Tuesday when the plan fell apart. It all began when I started starving. Too hungry to wait for a delicious, home cooked meal, I decided I’d drive to KFC for an order of fried hot wings and potato wedges.

Since you tend to get more bang for your buck at the supermarket, I had the brilliant idea to pick up some sort of frozen entrée from Harris Teeter instead. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but I thought I’d figure it out once I had a chance to look around.

Well, I didn’t figure it out. I ended up buying a bunch of crap I didn’t need: beer battered fish sticks, ice cream, mozzarella cheese sticks, buffalo wings, and tater tots. I don’t know what came over me.

I exited Harris Teeter $33 poorer and covered in shame.

With all the convenience food safely tucked away in my freezer, I couldn’t resist not cooking. It was too easy.

Next time I’ll know better.

Monday/Tuesday – Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff over Rice (modified to include garlic and beef bouillon cube)

Wednesday/Thursday – Baked Salmon & Broccoli

Friday/Saturday – Salisbury Steak and Green Beans

Sunday – Broiled Trout with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic and Mashed Potatoes

Find other menu plan options on Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

We all have bad weeks. What events usually cause your menu plans to go awry?

What Effect Does the Government Have on Your Money?

As is often the case, a spark of inspiration ignited inside me when I heard something stupid. It’s no secret I’m socially liberal and fiscally conservative. There are times when the twain meet.

Tell a conservative these days you’re liberal, in any respect, and they immediately wax on about how Democrats are ruining this nation, President Obama is a socialist, and rising rich folks like myself are going to be taxed into obscurity 40 years from now.

Surely we should be concerned about the decisions our elected representatives allegedly make on our behalf. But some people are just ridiculous.

Allow me to paraphrase a recent exchange I had with an individual who’s aware of my political leanings.

Me: I’m not ready to buy a house yet.

Crazy Person: I dunno. Obama just spends, spends, spends. If you voted Republican they’d cut taxes, and you’d be able to afford a house.

You see what I’m talking about?

Never mind that I’m not ready to buy a house because I despise debt, and I’m seriously pondering a 100% down plan for my first home. The possibility I’m not in a place personally to commit to such a permanent decision also deserves no further consideration. Apparently, the gov’ment has its grubby little legislative hands in every aspect of my life.

Let’s all aimlessly run in circles, screaming and flapping our arms in the air while randomly setting stuff on fire.  All hope is lost.

After writing all that, I’m beginning to realize perhaps my reaction is a bit exaggerated. But to suggest the actions of Republicans, Democrats, Teabaggers, Libertarians, and the like, will somehow influence my decision to buy a home is absolutely absurd. Maybe the promises of our ever reliable leaders led many people to buy an asset as expensive, illiquid, and risky as a piece of real property, but dis chick ain’t one of ‘em.

Besides, tax cuts in the foreseeable future are extreeeeeeeemely unlikely. There are times in our personal lives where cutting spending isn’t enough to pay off debt. Sometimes you have to increase income. That’s the case for our nation as well. Taxes must be raised to pay off the national debt.

And even if by some miracle Republicans find a way to reduce tax rates, there wouldn’t be enough extra coins in my current paycheck to justify a decision to move from renter to owner. I’d be too afraid Democrats would regain control of the legislature and raise taxes again. I’m just kidding…sorta.

Don’t get me wrong. There are times when government regulations can directly impact our lives. They’ve directly impacted my life, but let’s not give them too much credit. We still exercise a great deal of control.

What do you think? What impact does the government have on your financial life?

Photo Credit: Gawnesco

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