First, I have to apologize for being so slow answering your comments. I just replied to them. It looked like my cold was returning this week so I was resting more and on the computer less. But now it seems to be going away again.
So now for the more important topic, in no particular order:
1. I have learned that saving is more important than spending. Saving for a rainy day and to keep you and your family debt free is most important. Anyone who has ever had debt and paid it off can will tell you that spending beyond your means(income) is a big no no. Eventually that bubble will burst unless you change that pattern and pay off that debt.
2. No one needs a stockpile of food larger than 3-6 months. This is a lesson that I learned over the past year or so. The more you have, the more you have to take care of, rotate, and risk losing to freezer burn. I don’t worry too much about expiration dates on pantry items because most of the dates are just sell by dates. You must keep an inventory of what you have so that you use it up.
3. A stockpile, besides being a supply of food, lets me decide how much to pay for a product rather than the store deciding for you. When you buy at rock bottom prices and track those prices, you always know what price you are looking for to buy at. For example, if I buy a few lbs. of ground beef on sale at $1.99 and then see it at $ 1.69 a lb., I will buy enough to get me to the next sale(usually a 3 month cycle). I will be looking for that $ 1.69 price as my buy price but if I am almost out, I can buy at the $ 1.99. Doing this allows me to never pay the regular price of $3.99.
4. It also let’s me continue to use up and resupply my pantry using the best sale prices matched with coupons.
5. You can eat healthy and use coupons. There are many companies who put out coupons for healthy products.
6. Buy meat that is reduced because it is getting close to the sell by date. If you can combine it with a manufacturer’s or store coupon, even better. Use the meat right away or freeze for the future. I have only had 2 reduced for quick sale meats be bad when I went to use them in all of these years. So I am always on the hunt for marked down meat.
7. The amount of money you can save(or don’t spend) is a factor of how much time and effort you are willing to put into it. Think of how much money you could save if you spent it researching and planning how to do it and then do it, rather than watching TV or playing computer games all day.
8. If I put the time and effort into finding ways to save on my gas and electric bill, it will pay off month after month after month. The same goes for insurance bills, cellphone companies, gasoline costs, and cable companies. That is time well spent.
9. I can save a whole lot of money making a restaurant type meal at home rather than eating out. Plus I have always said, “I know where my hands have been.” That is especially important today with the flu everywhere.
10. My husband and my sons and their families are the most important people in my world. I do my best for them every single day. Their needs and your needs are more important than anyone elses.
11. Stay busy and healthy. Do things every day for your mind and your body. Take that walk, jump on that bike or treadmill, eat healthy and read a book.
12. Be optimistic every day. It is so important for your mind and body. Give up being pessimistic because it will only make you sick.
13. This one is a biggie: Learn something new every day. That is what I have always done and I love it.
14. Be charitable and you will get it back in your life twofold.
15. Don’t stockpile so much in your freezer that you can never defrost it before it develops ice. Because now I have to go down and put all of this food in ice chests so that I can do it. See picture above.
16. Don’t save just to save. Plan out your goals for the next year, 5 years, 8 years, 10 years, etc. Then make a commitment to those and you will get there.
I am young at heart and I have many goals for the next 10 years. So don’t ever stop making them.
16. Lastly, for today, we are continuing to eat out of our freezer so that I can eventually have room for the 40 lbs. of chicken from Zaycon Fresh that I ordered.
What have your most important lessons been?