by Nicole Comeaux, owner of Grocery Getters, LLC
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Do you have a hobby that saves you money? I do: cooking. I love to cook. I love finding new ways for old dishes and incorporating my own style into new recipes that I find. My spice cupboard is outrageous and that is my splurge. I don’t skimp on my spices and I am brand specific on certain spices. I know this eats into my budget when I need to restock something pricey but it is part of who and what I am and I refuse to change. My sister loves to come over because she says that she never eats the same thing twice. I love that in my home the kitchen is referred to as “Café Comeaux” and I pride myself on my original dishes. Honestly, most of them are made on the fly based on flavors/ingredients being used and past experiences either in my kitchen or someone else’s that influenced me one way or another.
Being such an avid cook really helps with our frugal lifestyle. I know that for some of you this is a challenge but being passionate about something can really change your perception. For example, how many of you have hobbies that you do simply because you enjoy doing them and they just happen to save you money? Do you sew? I wish I did. If there isn’t a button involved I’m calling my dear friend Sally who is a whiz with needle and thread. I’ve thought many times that I could save a bundle and add money to my budget if I took up sewing but it doesn’t interest me in the least so I don’t make time to even explore that option.
So, how can you use your hobby to save money? Well, first think about the things that make you passionate. I don’t just mean things that you like to do every once in a while because it’s fun but if you do it to much you’ll get bored with it. I mean something that you do everyday because it is part of who you are. Now, think of how that something can save or make you money.
Do you journal? How about starting a blog? It’s free with blogspot.com and you have the option to invite Google to add sponsors to your blog.
You choose how you want the ads to work for you and get to journaling. So, easy!
Do you enjoy reading? Start a book club. Invite some friends over that are as passionate about reading as you and take turns hosting the gathering. You save money on trips to the library (or eeeks! the bookstore) and you get to have adult conversation about something that is extremely intellectually stimulating.
The options are endless. If you haven’t created your New Year’s Resolution List for 2010 start one today and add: “Find out how and make my hobby can work for me.” I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how enlightened this new year will be!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Getting Organized
by Nicole Comeaux, owner of Grocery Getters, LLC
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Christmas is almost upon us! For many of us the shopping is done, maybe even the wrapping is done. But how about all the stuff that’s already there? Yes, you are going to have to make room for all the new stuff, but where?!? In my family our girls only get a little because of our beliefs so making room for just a couple of gifts would not be a big deal, but they have grandparents and they are spoiled, so we go through the same Christmas ritual every year. We sort.
In my world I wear many hats and being a professional organizer is one of them. I helped a client get her home right for the holidays this weekend. We did a great deal of sorting and in the end there really wasn’t much left to organize. I actually have fun doing this and love getting to the end result but I am probably very close to alone in my world. Sorting can feel like such a daunting task to many but in actuality it is extremely quick if you are honest with yourself and you don’t reminisce over every item.
Here are the three key piles you need to make in organizing ANYTHING: throw, donate/consign, keep. (Do NOT try to do anything with the keep pile until the other two are out of the house! This will not keep you focused and will turn a very simple job into something that you will complain about later because it took too long.) The key is complete honesty. Let’s start with the throw pile. Don’t go crazy here there are many things you might consider trash that others would not so my suggestion is only throw it if it is broken (and cannot be repaired) or stained. It doesn’t matter that you think the missing piece is around somewhere or that the shirt only has a little spot on the collar. It has breathed its last breath, let it go.
Then there is the donate/consign pile. This pile is for anything you don’t or can’t use anymore. You do not necessarily need to donate it. Here is the advice I give my clients: if you do not itemize your taxes, then put it at a consignment shop or have a garage sale if you have enough items to warrant one. If you don’t itemize your taxes and you only have a couple of hundred dollars worth of stuff you are better off trying to get immediate (or almost immediate with consignment) cash. If you have big ticket items that could get you some cash go for it! Now, I’m no CPA so get advice from one or an accountant before you do anything just to be on the safe side.
Finally, the really fun part, the keep pile. Now you’ve decided what to keep what are you going to do with it? Make more piles, of course! Now these piles are specific to the individual and your convenience. You know you and your family better than anyone so what you do depends on how you will keep it up. Don’t think those CD’s are going to stay alphabetized, so organize them according to genre, favorites, or location. Are you constantly aggravated about the shoes by the door that no one seems to put away until you do it or you tell them to do it with clenched teeth? Then put a basket or one of those small shoe racks that sits on the floor and can hold about 10 pairs of shoes. The mess is contained and your stress level goes down… a little. How about your children’s rooms? How are you going to organize what you decided to keep? I highly suggest getting rid of any deep-dish toy boxes immediately. They encourage clutter, which is the opposite of your goal. There are other solutions like plastic drawers or if you know someone with woodworking skills maybe you could get one custom built for very little money. Whatever you do I suggest you don’t buy anything to help you get organized until you know how you will keep it. I know it can be tempting to give in to all the cute options available but before you buy anything decide how you want to keep it, look around to see if you have something that could get that done, and ask friends or relatives if they have what you are looking for and they are not using it. Here’s a great example. My daughter loves shoes and so does her grandmother so her grandmother feeds my daughter’s love and fills her closet. I got so tired of organizing her shoes at the bottom of her closet. No matter what system I put into place they always ended up mixed up and unorganized because she would be in a hurry just once or twice and throw the shoes in and messing with my system. So, I asked around and a relative had one of the shallow boxes that fit under the bed that she wasn’t using. Now she kicks the shoes off, throws them in the box, and pushes the box under the bed. If she doesn’t have a problem looking for the matching shoe why should I, as long as I don’t have to see the mess, its no problem. The solution fits her personality and mine. Know how to organize is not just finding some cute or chic box or container, it is about being honest with yourself from the beginning.
If you are perplexed about how to handle a specific problem email me nicole@grocerygettersllc.com and I would gladly help you find a solution and some peace of mind!
Happy Sorting!
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Christmas is almost upon us! For many of us the shopping is done, maybe even the wrapping is done. But how about all the stuff that’s already there? Yes, you are going to have to make room for all the new stuff, but where?!? In my family our girls only get a little because of our beliefs so making room for just a couple of gifts would not be a big deal, but they have grandparents and they are spoiled, so we go through the same Christmas ritual every year. We sort.
In my world I wear many hats and being a professional organizer is one of them. I helped a client get her home right for the holidays this weekend. We did a great deal of sorting and in the end there really wasn’t much left to organize. I actually have fun doing this and love getting to the end result but I am probably very close to alone in my world. Sorting can feel like such a daunting task to many but in actuality it is extremely quick if you are honest with yourself and you don’t reminisce over every item.
Here are the three key piles you need to make in organizing ANYTHING: throw, donate/consign, keep. (Do NOT try to do anything with the keep pile until the other two are out of the house! This will not keep you focused and will turn a very simple job into something that you will complain about later because it took too long.) The key is complete honesty. Let’s start with the throw pile. Don’t go crazy here there are many things you might consider trash that others would not so my suggestion is only throw it if it is broken (and cannot be repaired) or stained. It doesn’t matter that you think the missing piece is around somewhere or that the shirt only has a little spot on the collar. It has breathed its last breath, let it go.
Then there is the donate/consign pile. This pile is for anything you don’t or can’t use anymore. You do not necessarily need to donate it. Here is the advice I give my clients: if you do not itemize your taxes, then put it at a consignment shop or have a garage sale if you have enough items to warrant one. If you don’t itemize your taxes and you only have a couple of hundred dollars worth of stuff you are better off trying to get immediate (or almost immediate with consignment) cash. If you have big ticket items that could get you some cash go for it! Now, I’m no CPA so get advice from one or an accountant before you do anything just to be on the safe side.
Finally, the really fun part, the keep pile. Now you’ve decided what to keep what are you going to do with it? Make more piles, of course! Now these piles are specific to the individual and your convenience. You know you and your family better than anyone so what you do depends on how you will keep it up. Don’t think those CD’s are going to stay alphabetized, so organize them according to genre, favorites, or location. Are you constantly aggravated about the shoes by the door that no one seems to put away until you do it or you tell them to do it with clenched teeth? Then put a basket or one of those small shoe racks that sits on the floor and can hold about 10 pairs of shoes. The mess is contained and your stress level goes down… a little. How about your children’s rooms? How are you going to organize what you decided to keep? I highly suggest getting rid of any deep-dish toy boxes immediately. They encourage clutter, which is the opposite of your goal. There are other solutions like plastic drawers or if you know someone with woodworking skills maybe you could get one custom built for very little money. Whatever you do I suggest you don’t buy anything to help you get organized until you know how you will keep it. I know it can be tempting to give in to all the cute options available but before you buy anything decide how you want to keep it, look around to see if you have something that could get that done, and ask friends or relatives if they have what you are looking for and they are not using it. Here’s a great example. My daughter loves shoes and so does her grandmother so her grandmother feeds my daughter’s love and fills her closet. I got so tired of organizing her shoes at the bottom of her closet. No matter what system I put into place they always ended up mixed up and unorganized because she would be in a hurry just once or twice and throw the shoes in and messing with my system. So, I asked around and a relative had one of the shallow boxes that fit under the bed that she wasn’t using. Now she kicks the shoes off, throws them in the box, and pushes the box under the bed. If she doesn’t have a problem looking for the matching shoe why should I, as long as I don’t have to see the mess, its no problem. The solution fits her personality and mine. Know how to organize is not just finding some cute or chic box or container, it is about being honest with yourself from the beginning.
If you are perplexed about how to handle a specific problem email me nicole@grocerygettersllc.com and I would gladly help you find a solution and some peace of mind!
Happy Sorting!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Running On Empty
By Nicole Comeaux, owner of Grocery Getters, LLC
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Well, it’s the holiday season again and we all feel like we are running crazy. By the time Christmas gets here we feel like we’re running on fumes. How about we stand our ground and let this year be different. You can’t imagine the overflow of time you acquire when you plan your day/week well.
I am reading a wonderful book about entrepreneurism by Mike Michalowicz. In this eye-opening book he wrote a line that truly inspired me: “ Your success is completely determined by how you use you mind, how you manage your critical resources, and how decisively you act to achieve the ‘impossible’ with very few traditional resources.” One of our traditional resources is time. Even if, no, especially if you have very little of it, what you do with it is extremely important. I am the first to tell people how important budgeting time can be and even I got caught up in the last couple of weeks and felt like I was running in circles because I didn’t take the time to budget time for exactly what needed to be done.
In this holiday season I encourage all to budget time to give away. Take time to visit a nursing home, serve at a soup kitchen, babysit for a neighbor or friend just because, read a good book that can inspire you and your family, or read the Christmas story from the Bible with your family to stay focused on the reason for the season.
The best part about giving time is that you are blessed through what you are doing. It’s easy to buy something and have it delivered. I know how difficult it can be to schedule time to give away especially during the holiday season, but I think you will see it’s worth every minute. A really great perk: it’s totally free!
Please, find it in you to act decisively to achieve the impossible with the extremely limited traditional resource you have and give time to someone who could use some uplifting and encouragement this holiday season. You will quickly see how full your tank becomes when you give what you don’t think you have simply by including it in your budget.
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Well, it’s the holiday season again and we all feel like we are running crazy. By the time Christmas gets here we feel like we’re running on fumes. How about we stand our ground and let this year be different. You can’t imagine the overflow of time you acquire when you plan your day/week well.
I am reading a wonderful book about entrepreneurism by Mike Michalowicz. In this eye-opening book he wrote a line that truly inspired me: “ Your success is completely determined by how you use you mind, how you manage your critical resources, and how decisively you act to achieve the ‘impossible’ with very few traditional resources.” One of our traditional resources is time. Even if, no, especially if you have very little of it, what you do with it is extremely important. I am the first to tell people how important budgeting time can be and even I got caught up in the last couple of weeks and felt like I was running in circles because I didn’t take the time to budget time for exactly what needed to be done.
In this holiday season I encourage all to budget time to give away. Take time to visit a nursing home, serve at a soup kitchen, babysit for a neighbor or friend just because, read a good book that can inspire you and your family, or read the Christmas story from the Bible with your family to stay focused on the reason for the season.
The best part about giving time is that you are blessed through what you are doing. It’s easy to buy something and have it delivered. I know how difficult it can be to schedule time to give away especially during the holiday season, but I think you will see it’s worth every minute. A really great perk: it’s totally free!
Please, find it in you to act decisively to achieve the impossible with the extremely limited traditional resource you have and give time to someone who could use some uplifting and encouragement this holiday season. You will quickly see how full your tank becomes when you give what you don’t think you have simply by including it in your budget.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Portion Control
by Nicole Comeaux, owner of Grocery Getters, LLC
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Have you had a family gathering lately where there was just too much food leftover? There are leftovers, and then there is waste. In line with our Christmas Feast Challenge I would like to challenge you to keep things within a manageable level. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
Thanksgiving Day we hosted the feast in our home and everyone brought a dish. My sister and her fiancé brought the potato salad. Well, I think they thought they were feeding a small army! We sent everyone home with plates of food and everyone had enough potato salad I assure you and we were still left with a truck- load. Her defense when I asked why she brought so much was that she wanted to make sure there was enough. Well, mission accomplished!
If you are participating in the Christmas Feast Challenge I highly encourage you to consider portion control. Let’s take the potato salad example again. If you were to have a baked potato with a steak you would only have ONE, right? Well, if you are preparing potato salad know that the average person will not put more than ½ cup in their plate especially if there are several dishes there for them to enjoy. In a half-cup of potato salad you have only about a half a potato, less than you would have with a steak! So, say you are having 10 people over, how many potatoes do you need? Yes, five average size potatoes are all you need. Now, I know you think I’m crazy but if you try it you will be amazed. If you want leftovers for family and friends to take home and so that you don’t have to cook again for dinner, then of course, cook more. But there is no reason to go overboard. Also, keep the extra aside and don’t factor that into the feast in your cost per person.
Now let’s get into that cost per person. Keeping with our potato salad example let’s say we are having 10 people over and we need 5 average size potatoes. That weighs about 2.5 lbs. Obviously, that’s half of a 5lb bag of potatoes. Let’s say you bought a 5lb bag of potatoes for $3.00. (I know you could find a better deal just work with me here) Half of that is $1.50. Now in my house we like a plain potato salad (in the words of my daughter, “no crunchies!”). So, to my 5 potatoes I will add 4 boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and a touch of mustard. My eggs were 1.25 for the dozen and I used 1/3 so that’s $0.31. The mayonnaise and mustard are minute but must be calculated so I’ll figure $0.25 for the mayonnaise and $0.10 for the mustard. My total cost for the bowl of potato salad is $2.15 and I divide that among 10 people for a total of $0.22 per person. Phew! A little work but worth every penny!
I know you can do this. Just think how much your family will benefit from this activity when you are all done. I know you’re out there finding deals and planning your feasts, I hope you are having fun. Remember what this season is about and simply enjoy the experience.
Happy saving!
www.grocerygettersllc.com
Have you had a family gathering lately where there was just too much food leftover? There are leftovers, and then there is waste. In line with our Christmas Feast Challenge I would like to challenge you to keep things within a manageable level. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
Thanksgiving Day we hosted the feast in our home and everyone brought a dish. My sister and her fiancé brought the potato salad. Well, I think they thought they were feeding a small army! We sent everyone home with plates of food and everyone had enough potato salad I assure you and we were still left with a truck- load. Her defense when I asked why she brought so much was that she wanted to make sure there was enough. Well, mission accomplished!
If you are participating in the Christmas Feast Challenge I highly encourage you to consider portion control. Let’s take the potato salad example again. If you were to have a baked potato with a steak you would only have ONE, right? Well, if you are preparing potato salad know that the average person will not put more than ½ cup in their plate especially if there are several dishes there for them to enjoy. In a half-cup of potato salad you have only about a half a potato, less than you would have with a steak! So, say you are having 10 people over, how many potatoes do you need? Yes, five average size potatoes are all you need. Now, I know you think I’m crazy but if you try it you will be amazed. If you want leftovers for family and friends to take home and so that you don’t have to cook again for dinner, then of course, cook more. But there is no reason to go overboard. Also, keep the extra aside and don’t factor that into the feast in your cost per person.
Now let’s get into that cost per person. Keeping with our potato salad example let’s say we are having 10 people over and we need 5 average size potatoes. That weighs about 2.5 lbs. Obviously, that’s half of a 5lb bag of potatoes. Let’s say you bought a 5lb bag of potatoes for $3.00. (I know you could find a better deal just work with me here) Half of that is $1.50. Now in my house we like a plain potato salad (in the words of my daughter, “no crunchies!”). So, to my 5 potatoes I will add 4 boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and a touch of mustard. My eggs were 1.25 for the dozen and I used 1/3 so that’s $0.31. The mayonnaise and mustard are minute but must be calculated so I’ll figure $0.25 for the mayonnaise and $0.10 for the mustard. My total cost for the bowl of potato salad is $2.15 and I divide that among 10 people for a total of $0.22 per person. Phew! A little work but worth every penny!
I know you can do this. Just think how much your family will benefit from this activity when you are all done. I know you’re out there finding deals and planning your feasts, I hope you are having fun. Remember what this season is about and simply enjoy the experience.
Happy saving!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Christmas Feast Challange 2009
Hello all! How was your shopping weekend? I hope you had fun; made lots of great deals, still have your health, and some of your money. I took advantage of a few Black Friday deals (though my story isn’t quite as interesting at the TBQ’s!) and had a really relaxing weekend. I had a whole other story waiting for you yesterday but unfortunately I couldn’t get it to you because our Internet was down all weekend and was finally fixed at 4:45 this afternoon. Yes, you would know, of all days: Cyber Monday. Well, maybe it was divine intervention, right?
Well, now that most of your shopping is done (hopefully) you can concentrate on the holiday itself. I know in our family the meal is always a big deal, aside from the gifts of course, and even though we try hard not to, we always seem to go overboard with the food. Well, this year I am standing my ground and refusing to let it happen again! Does this sound familiar to you? Well, if it doesn’t you are rare and you are going to love what I am about to propose because you will think you were born for it. For the rest of us, it will keep us focused on the task at hand: keeping the Christmas Feast reasonable. The Budget Queen and Grocery Getters LLC/CID Concierge Service have partnered to offer you an incentive for keeping things under control this year.
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to create a Christmas Feast that not only is to die for but costs pennies on the dollar! The family that creates the Christmas Feast for the smallest cost per person will win. Do not be mistaken: it is not just for huge families! You need to shop for the number of people you are feeding and keep the cost per person as low as you can possibly get it.
Okay, so now you want to know what you’re playing for right? Of course you do! Well, first prize is a free budget consultation with The Budget Queen in January. This way you can make sure you will start off 2010 with a bang! First prize will also get a free shopping trip from Grocery Getters LLC. All you do is give your list and coupons and we will shop your list for you! Second prize is 2 free hours of service time from CID and third prize is 1 free hour of service from CID. You can use the hours of service as soon as you win or bank them with us until you run into a week that has you running crazy and you need some help getting your regular tasks done. There will also be two honorable mention awards too. These awards will go to the most creative meal and the most “from scratch” meal. These families will win a 10% discount from CID to use however/whenever they see fit.
The rules are simple. You must have an appetizer, main meat dish (turkey, roast, etc), at least 3 sides (greens, vegetables, etc), and of course, dessert. Whatever is brought to the table must be calculated in. If your family all pitches in with a dish their cost must be calculated as well. So, either get them involved in the game (and make sure they keep receipts) or offer to pay for everything and then get them the ingredients before the big day. Just keep a log of everything bought, what you spent and the total cost per person, don’t forget to attach the receipts. The rest of us will want more than just what you spent, we will want to see how you saved with the deals you found and used, so a small note next to each item would be a plus. Also, get creative with the menu! Try to keep costs down by making something from scratch. But, most of all have fun!
If you have any questions please contact me at nicole@grocerygettersllc.com.
I can’t wait to see what you cook up!
Well, now that most of your shopping is done (hopefully) you can concentrate on the holiday itself. I know in our family the meal is always a big deal, aside from the gifts of course, and even though we try hard not to, we always seem to go overboard with the food. Well, this year I am standing my ground and refusing to let it happen again! Does this sound familiar to you? Well, if it doesn’t you are rare and you are going to love what I am about to propose because you will think you were born for it. For the rest of us, it will keep us focused on the task at hand: keeping the Christmas Feast reasonable. The Budget Queen and Grocery Getters LLC/CID Concierge Service have partnered to offer you an incentive for keeping things under control this year.
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to create a Christmas Feast that not only is to die for but costs pennies on the dollar! The family that creates the Christmas Feast for the smallest cost per person will win. Do not be mistaken: it is not just for huge families! You need to shop for the number of people you are feeding and keep the cost per person as low as you can possibly get it.
Okay, so now you want to know what you’re playing for right? Of course you do! Well, first prize is a free budget consultation with The Budget Queen in January. This way you can make sure you will start off 2010 with a bang! First prize will also get a free shopping trip from Grocery Getters LLC. All you do is give your list and coupons and we will shop your list for you! Second prize is 2 free hours of service time from CID and third prize is 1 free hour of service from CID. You can use the hours of service as soon as you win or bank them with us until you run into a week that has you running crazy and you need some help getting your regular tasks done. There will also be two honorable mention awards too. These awards will go to the most creative meal and the most “from scratch” meal. These families will win a 10% discount from CID to use however/whenever they see fit.
The rules are simple. You must have an appetizer, main meat dish (turkey, roast, etc), at least 3 sides (greens, vegetables, etc), and of course, dessert. Whatever is brought to the table must be calculated in. If your family all pitches in with a dish their cost must be calculated as well. So, either get them involved in the game (and make sure they keep receipts) or offer to pay for everything and then get them the ingredients before the big day. Just keep a log of everything bought, what you spent and the total cost per person, don’t forget to attach the receipts. The rest of us will want more than just what you spent, we will want to see how you saved with the deals you found and used, so a small note next to each item would be a plus. Also, get creative with the menu! Try to keep costs down by making something from scratch. But, most of all have fun!
If you have any questions please contact me at nicole@grocerygettersllc.com.
I can’t wait to see what you cook up!
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