My husband and I are intentionally delaying having human babies, and we're doing so for a lot of reasons, like, you know, hoping to have a disposable income just for a little while. I've noticed that there are tons of articles circulating on the web about things to not say to pregnant women, mothers, and that whole group but there isn't a whole lot out there in the way of people who are intentionally child-free, be it temporarily or permanently. In an effort to spread some kindness in the world, I thought I'd take a minute to compile a list of things not to say to couples without children.
1) So, when are you going to have kids?
This one is hard, because lots of people think this is acceptable small talk, especially if you're about to get married or have just gotten married since it appears to be the next step. This is not small talk. At the very least it's asking someone to justify their life choices, which is no one's business and at the most it's asking for intimate medical details - you have no clue if the person you're talking to is fertile or not, and since 10% of the population is considered infertile it may be worth thinking about. This hasn't been my personal experience, but there is no easy answer to this question that leaves me feeling satisfied but is short enough to count as small talk. Say instead: So, what's the next big project?
2) It's good to wait - you want to make sure you aren't getting divorced first!
A real, live person said this to me two weeks after my wedding. Thanks for implying that my marriage is on the rocks when you don't know anything about it. Say instead: It'll be nice to have some time alone together.
3) I didn't want to have kids with my ex because I knew he wasn't the one.
See number 2. Say instead: Nothing. Just don't say anything.
4) Then what's the point of being married?
My husband and I got married really young. Not so young that we were fresh out of high school or anything, but young enough for people to assume that our values were way more traditional than they are. And we don't think the point of marriage is to have children. If it were then everyone would have to have fertility testing and the 10% mentioned above would be denied marriage licenses. Say instead: I'm so glad marriage is suiting you both so well.
5) But you would make such good parents!
Again, this one on the surface is a compliment but it implies that we aren't living up to our potential in some way. Like, I'd be a really great astrophysicist if I only applied myself. I could be a great mom if I just had more focus! Say instead: If you ever were to be passionate about parenthood, I think it'd suit you well.
6) Don't you want a little You/Your Husband running around?
Oh yeah, I really want a smaller version of us that will be inherently messy like him AND anal retentive like me! And it's virtually guaranteed that (s)he will be really clumsy and awkward. Let's just pray that they get my love of learning and his bubble butt and love of nature. Not in that order. Say instead: I think if you have children they'd be very special (say this in a non-sarcastic way. Don't imply their child will be delayed in any way).
7) But your kids will be so cute!
This one is similar to number 5, but instead of implying that we aren't living up to our potential that we are somehow missing out on really cute accessories that we can dress up and tote around and, frankly, we think kids are a little more valuable than that. This kind of goes hand in hand with "But you'll be lonely in your old age!" or "Who will take care of you when you're old!" It just feels wrong to have kids solely to create our own caretakers. Children are people too. Say instead: When you do have kids, I'm really excited to see what they will look like. I'm sure they'll be adorable!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
How to Play the CVS Game
Ask any serious couponer what their favorite drug store is and every single one of them will have an opinion. Drug stores are wonderful places to build up stock in basic necessities, learn how to coupon, and save a ton of money all at once. My store of choice is CVS and since I know the most about it I wanted to start there.
The very first thing you need to do before you being shopping is to go get an Extra Care card. Either go to the front desk or request one online. After you obtain said card, go to cvs.com and register it. You'll automatically be sent a $4/20 coupon to use on your next purchase. Registering your card makes it a lot easier to keep track of various rewards and means you'll automatically have coupons sent to your inbox.
Once you register your card, you need to opt into the Beauty Club. This allows you to recieve a $5 coupon for every $50 you spend on health and beauty products. The best part is that they count the full price of the item and you never pay the full price!
And while you're at the store you need to go get a Green Bag Tag. These are little leaf tags that attach to reusable bags or keychains. You scan it once a day when you shop and opt to use a reusable bag or skip one altogether and every fourth scan you get a $1 coupon back!
Now you can finally go shopping. The very first thing you should do when walking into the store is to go to the Red Box of Love. It has a fancier name, like the Extra Care Center somethingorother, but all you need to know is that once a day you can scan your Extra Care card and coupons will pop out the side. Usually they're for candy, but sometimes you can get really great things. Yesterday I got a coupon for a free bottle of vitamins up to $9.99 in value and another woman got a $3/15 purchase coupon. This is also where your beauty rewards print off. It hasn't been confirmed, but it's been noted that people who frequent CVS tend to get better coupons, so don't be discouraged and keep on scanning.
I won't lie to you - if you just walk into CVS and buy whatever it's going to be more expensive than if you went to, say, Wal-Mart and purchased it. The way you get items for free and/or cheap is to carry over Extra Care Bucks (ECB). Every week there are different items that if purchased will yield coupons on the end of your receipt. These coupons can be used just like cash and can really make a dent on your final bill. Most weeks there are items that will return the same amount you spend, and almost always one of those items has a coupon making it a money maker (MM in the biz) because you pay less than you get back. As far as other items go, it kind of varies based on the deals going around at the time and what you need to purchase. It is always better to use your ECB to yield back more ECB. Sometimes you'll end up with more than you had, sometimes less, but ultimately you always want to have some and receive some.
When you get to the register, hand them your Extra Care card, then your items. You may find it cheaper to break your trip into smaller transactions. I've never had a problem doing this, but use some common sense and don't try to do 20 different transactions. I've done 3 before without issues, but some people have done 4 or 5 and it just kind of depends on how quiet the store is and what all is going on in each transaction. Generally, if you have a dollar amount off coupon (like $4/20) then give that one first, then your manufacturer's coupons, then your ECB.
Once the transaction is done, you'll get your receipt and on there you'll find TONS of information. At the top is your store info, purchases, ect. Then after all the normal info you'll find How much you saved on that trip, then how much you've saved to date. Hopefully that's a scary number. Your card will also keep track of how much you've spend each quarter, and at the end of the quarter you receive back 2% of what you've literally given out of pocket. Then your Beauty Club spending and your Extra Buck deals. These usually change weekly, but some are month long deals. The first item will be your bag tag count, then any deals you've done that week. This is helpful when you don't get a print out because you can prove that you either did or did not do the deal. After that will be all of your ECB. These will print out separately per deal. When you use your ECB you have to use the full amount per coupon - you can't use part of one. So if you have an ECB for $10 you need to make your transaction have $10 or more than needs covered. You certainly can use larger ECBs on smaller amounts, but you'll never see the difference again.
That was awfully wordy, but hopefully that covers the majority of it. I'll probably go back and do a Q and A section on CVS to cover some of the nuances that I didn't cover. If you've made it through all of that then pat yourself on the back and go get couponing!
The very first thing you need to do before you being shopping is to go get an Extra Care card. Either go to the front desk or request one online. After you obtain said card, go to cvs.com and register it. You'll automatically be sent a $4/20 coupon to use on your next purchase. Registering your card makes it a lot easier to keep track of various rewards and means you'll automatically have coupons sent to your inbox.
Once you register your card, you need to opt into the Beauty Club. This allows you to recieve a $5 coupon for every $50 you spend on health and beauty products. The best part is that they count the full price of the item and you never pay the full price!
And while you're at the store you need to go get a Green Bag Tag. These are little leaf tags that attach to reusable bags or keychains. You scan it once a day when you shop and opt to use a reusable bag or skip one altogether and every fourth scan you get a $1 coupon back!
Now you can finally go shopping. The very first thing you should do when walking into the store is to go to the Red Box of Love. It has a fancier name, like the Extra Care Center somethingorother, but all you need to know is that once a day you can scan your Extra Care card and coupons will pop out the side. Usually they're for candy, but sometimes you can get really great things. Yesterday I got a coupon for a free bottle of vitamins up to $9.99 in value and another woman got a $3/15 purchase coupon. This is also where your beauty rewards print off. It hasn't been confirmed, but it's been noted that people who frequent CVS tend to get better coupons, so don't be discouraged and keep on scanning.
I won't lie to you - if you just walk into CVS and buy whatever it's going to be more expensive than if you went to, say, Wal-Mart and purchased it. The way you get items for free and/or cheap is to carry over Extra Care Bucks (ECB). Every week there are different items that if purchased will yield coupons on the end of your receipt. These coupons can be used just like cash and can really make a dent on your final bill. Most weeks there are items that will return the same amount you spend, and almost always one of those items has a coupon making it a money maker (MM in the biz) because you pay less than you get back. As far as other items go, it kind of varies based on the deals going around at the time and what you need to purchase. It is always better to use your ECB to yield back more ECB. Sometimes you'll end up with more than you had, sometimes less, but ultimately you always want to have some and receive some.
When you get to the register, hand them your Extra Care card, then your items. You may find it cheaper to break your trip into smaller transactions. I've never had a problem doing this, but use some common sense and don't try to do 20 different transactions. I've done 3 before without issues, but some people have done 4 or 5 and it just kind of depends on how quiet the store is and what all is going on in each transaction. Generally, if you have a dollar amount off coupon (like $4/20) then give that one first, then your manufacturer's coupons, then your ECB.
Once the transaction is done, you'll get your receipt and on there you'll find TONS of information. At the top is your store info, purchases, ect. Then after all the normal info you'll find How much you saved on that trip, then how much you've saved to date. Hopefully that's a scary number. Your card will also keep track of how much you've spend each quarter, and at the end of the quarter you receive back 2% of what you've literally given out of pocket. Then your Beauty Club spending and your Extra Buck deals. These usually change weekly, but some are month long deals. The first item will be your bag tag count, then any deals you've done that week. This is helpful when you don't get a print out because you can prove that you either did or did not do the deal. After that will be all of your ECB. These will print out separately per deal. When you use your ECB you have to use the full amount per coupon - you can't use part of one. So if you have an ECB for $10 you need to make your transaction have $10 or more than needs covered. You certainly can use larger ECBs on smaller amounts, but you'll never see the difference again.
That was awfully wordy, but hopefully that covers the majority of it. I'll probably go back and do a Q and A section on CVS to cover some of the nuances that I didn't cover. If you've made it through all of that then pat yourself on the back and go get couponing!
Things No One Tells You About Raising Chickens
My in-laws decided that we should all jointly raise chickens once Seth left for Academy. I secretly suspect it was a "Keep Colleen Occupied So She Forgets Life Sucks Right Now" project, but the thought of free organic eggs had me researching chickens. There are some things the internet will not tell you about raising chickens, and since chickens are second only to gardening on the homesteading front, I figured I'd share the little that I've gathered along the way.
Chickens Can Fly
It sounds kind of stupid, but most chickens that are raised for eggs can't fly once they've reached adulthood. They're simply too chubby. But when they're young and much slimmer they can hop that fence you made without a second thought. This wouldn't be such a big deal except...
Chickens Are Fast
Again, since adult chickens are chubby, you don't usually think of them being so speedy, but those suckers are really hard to catch. Luckily they can usually be herded, but plan accordingly that you won't be able to catch them once they're out.
Chickens Are Tasty
This one really should be obvious, but I didn't realize how hard it was to keep things from eating your chicks. You would think if chickens have survived without coops forever they'd be able to keep themselves alive IN a coop. Not so. Everything within a 5 mile radius will find your chickens delicious.
Chickens Take Months to Lay Eggs
Most importantly, if you're expecting a fast return then you should look elsewhere. It can take chickens up to 6 months to lay eggs, and if that 6 month marker falls too closely to winter they'll hold off until spring. This is why it's important to get your chicks early and account for 90% of them to either be eaten or to turn out to be boys.
It's Really Hard to Sex Chicks
Or, rather, if you get your chicks at a farm supply store they tend to not bother sexing them. Some online sources are much more accurate. At least most of your roosters will end up eaten one way or another.
With all of that being said, chickens are relatively low maintenance once you side step the whole predator thing, and farm fresh eggs are wonderful sources of vitamins and protein. If you've never had the real thing then you don't know what you're missing. For one, farm eggs are about 10 times darker in coloring than commercial eggs and taste about 100 times better. And once you taste them it's almost impossible to go back to the store stuff.
Chickens Can Fly
It sounds kind of stupid, but most chickens that are raised for eggs can't fly once they've reached adulthood. They're simply too chubby. But when they're young and much slimmer they can hop that fence you made without a second thought. This wouldn't be such a big deal except...
Chickens Are Fast
Again, since adult chickens are chubby, you don't usually think of them being so speedy, but those suckers are really hard to catch. Luckily they can usually be herded, but plan accordingly that you won't be able to catch them once they're out.
Chickens Are Tasty
This one really should be obvious, but I didn't realize how hard it was to keep things from eating your chicks. You would think if chickens have survived without coops forever they'd be able to keep themselves alive IN a coop. Not so. Everything within a 5 mile radius will find your chickens delicious.
Chickens Take Months to Lay Eggs
Most importantly, if you're expecting a fast return then you should look elsewhere. It can take chickens up to 6 months to lay eggs, and if that 6 month marker falls too closely to winter they'll hold off until spring. This is why it's important to get your chicks early and account for 90% of them to either be eaten or to turn out to be boys.
It's Really Hard to Sex Chicks
Or, rather, if you get your chicks at a farm supply store they tend to not bother sexing them. Some online sources are much more accurate. At least most of your roosters will end up eaten one way or another.
With all of that being said, chickens are relatively low maintenance once you side step the whole predator thing, and farm fresh eggs are wonderful sources of vitamins and protein. If you've never had the real thing then you don't know what you're missing. For one, farm eggs are about 10 times darker in coloring than commercial eggs and taste about 100 times better. And once you taste them it's almost impossible to go back to the store stuff.
Time Flies When You're the Only One at Home!
WOW I got really side tracked these past few months. And a LOT has happened! Seth is already most of the way through Academy - his graduation is on July 8th so we're almost home free! I cannot wait to have him home all the time. The extra help around the house is really valuable (not to mention, when he's here all the time he won't drop everything in on Friday and pick it back up on Monday morning, leaving everything to sit there for days on end) not to mention I just kind of miss him. Completing Academy is also a huge career milestone for him and will earn him much more respect as an officer once his training is complete.
In addition to the whole Academy thing, we've celebrated our first anniversary, started house shopping, planted a garden, planned a bridal shower for my best friend, done a little traveling, and welcomed a new baby into our family. Her name's Chloe and she's a boxer/beagle/golden retriever mix. She's already twice the size she was when we got her and she's terrorizing everyone in our house. I've never had a puppy before and it was kind of a shock. Did you know they just come with worms? I didn't. Not that I never expected to have to deal with it, and ya know, it happens, but there was a whole week where I was terrified of anything near her bottom.
I've been diligently couponing as always, but have been horrible about posting any of it. I'm going to need to write an article on how to coupon, as I've had a lot of inquiries lately and should just bite the bullet and write my own piece. Hopefully here shortly I'll be able to put together some couponing and homesteading entries.
In addition to the whole Academy thing, we've celebrated our first anniversary, started house shopping, planted a garden, planned a bridal shower for my best friend, done a little traveling, and welcomed a new baby into our family. Her name's Chloe and she's a boxer/beagle/golden retriever mix. She's already twice the size she was when we got her and she's terrorizing everyone in our house. I've never had a puppy before and it was kind of a shock. Did you know they just come with worms? I didn't. Not that I never expected to have to deal with it, and ya know, it happens, but there was a whole week where I was terrified of anything near her bottom.
 |
| The horror. |
Monday, April 4, 2011
Checklist update
Paint the outside doorsBuild a flowerbedPlant hanging baskets- Plant new flowerbed
- Plant shrubs in front of the house
Put up a hose keeper in the back yard- Do some form of landscaping in the back yard
- Power wash the house
- Repaint the window trim
- Build a compost bin
- Help my Father-in-Law build a chicken coop
- Help build a chicken tractor
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Summer 2011 Checklist
With Seth gone at Academy for most of the summer, I need to keep myself busy! And since I can't possibly have a Pampered Chef show every day this summer, I'm turning my attention to some things around the house. My mom always had a summer to-do list of all the big projects, so I might as well, too! Let's see how many of them I actually get through.
Paint the outside doorsBuild a flowerbedPlant hanging baskets- Plant new flowerbed
- Plant shrubs in front of the house
- Put up a hose keeper in the back yard
- Do some form of landscaping in the back yard
- Power wash the house
- Repaint the window trim
- Build a compost bin
- Help my Father-in-Law build a chicken coop
- Help build a chicken tractor
River Romp!
I should preface this by stating that I've been neglecting the blog because my husband is leaving for police academy on Monday and we've been trying to spend as much quality time together as possible. Because of that, we decided to go do one of our favorite couples activities - fish.
Yeah, it's kind of weird that we love to go fishing together, but it makes him giddy that I go and it reminds me of my dad, who used to make me fish with him. And I like the quality time.
We're lucky enough to live in an area where there are a lot of wooded areas, parks, nature reserves, ect. so finding a place to go fishing within a reasonable distance is pretty easy. We started out at a lake, but soon decided river fishing was where it was at.
We trekked through the woods for about a quarter of a mile, through a creek, over and around fallen trees, and risked life and limb on steep banks, but we got here. And despite all the brown still, it was rather pretty!
And we had much better luck at the river! I caught that beast and three others just as gigantic as him! They nearly pulled me in, I tell you. Seth caught the same tree twice, so technically I do have bragging rights.
We also brought Chester. He had a lot of fun showing off his new life jacket my parents got for him (and proving that camo does work by running off into the woods when I wasn't looking). He loved pretending to be a wild dog running through the woods and was so well behaved until a storm threatened to roll in and he felt it his duty to warn us to get the heck out of dodge.
Look at those paws! Filthy! All three of us got a really thorough scrub down when we got home since we were all covered in mud. And then all of us promptly tried to pass out, with only Chester succeeding because you don't ever have to do dishes if you don't have thumbs.
Yeah, it's kind of weird that we love to go fishing together, but it makes him giddy that I go and it reminds me of my dad, who used to make me fish with him. And I like the quality time.
We're lucky enough to live in an area where there are a lot of wooded areas, parks, nature reserves, ect. so finding a place to go fishing within a reasonable distance is pretty easy. We started out at a lake, but soon decided river fishing was where it was at.
We trekked through the woods for about a quarter of a mile, through a creek, over and around fallen trees, and risked life and limb on steep banks, but we got here. And despite all the brown still, it was rather pretty!
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