New Oxford American Dictionary states:
"A firm decision to do or not to do something."
Basically, resolutions are choices.
Then, I looked at the origins of the word.
It's a late Middle English word derived from the Latin resolvere meaning "loosen, release."
Ultimately, resolutions are choices we make to loosen or release ourselves from something. I went into this idea more deeply in my talk and will post is as soon as I get it typed up.
And then tonight, I was watching one of my favorite BBC shows, "The Good Life," on Amazon Prime. There are a few things in life that bother me. Such as the fact that I don't know how to grow a garden and am not as self-sufficient as I would like to be. But I have this balcony space that faces West and is quite spacious for one person. (It's actually a bit larger than the photo makes it look.)
So, one of the things I would like to release myself from is the need to buy produce at the grocery store. It never tastes quite right and the homegrown produce I've had from friends in the past year is so tasty. Plus, I find myself on a much stricter budget than I've ever been on before. My monthly income has been reduced by almost $800 and I'm not sure when I will get a full-time job again or if I will be able to obtain emergency financial aid for school in 2 weeks. (Although, I'm highly optimistic that I will since I had to file unemployment a few weeks ago.)
~ One of the choices I am making to loosen myself from the supermarché world is learning how to container garden. I have looked up some sites and found some helpful suggestions. Now, I just need to make a plan to achieve this.
"Guide to Container Gardening"
"Turn your patio or balcony into a vegetable garden"
"The Bountiful Container"
~ The other choice I am making is to get control of debt. I already live as frugally as possible. The only bills I want to have in 2014 are: rent, electricity, water, sewer, internet, phone, car & renter's insurance, groceries and student loans. Those are essentially my only bills now with the exception of a credit card debt I have been trying to pay down. I want it gone. The first thing though is to convince someone to hire me to work for them this week.
~ These two choices have prompted a third choice. Namely, not eating out. This is a challenge for me because eating alone night after night is depressing. But, ultimately, it saves money in the long run. Every recipe I have is for 6 servings or more and so I really only need to cook twice a week. An average unhealthy meal at Jack in the Box cost ~$8.00 USD. That's almost 10% of my allotted grocery budget. Not worth it.
To this end, I have decided to learn how the Krazy Coupon Lady system works. And re-vamp my bill paying system.
~ The other thing I have chosen to do has to do with my spiritual well-being. I saw this idea on a friend's FB status and loved it. These are the 4 basic things we can do each day to draw closer to God and make a MESS of our lives.
M--Morning Prayer
E--Evening Prayer
S--Scripture Study
S--Service
- What are some ways you have cut down financial costs in your life?
- If you garden, what are your tips?
Your resolutions are FABULOUS - and even better, totally doable!
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to garden in containers for the last five years. Some years have been much more successful than others. Just make sure your containers have an EXCELLENT drainage system. If they don't, you have to put about three inches of gravel in the bottom of the container before you put the dirt in. If you're planting tomatoes, make sure to plant the plant in the dirt - like 3/4 of the plant should be under the dirt, not just the roots. I find that buying tomato starters is SO much better than starting them from seeds - other plants can easily be started with seeds.
I'm sure I'll have more to say later!
I really enjoy your posts, Emily. They are interesting and thought-provoking. I also like the MESS and plan to use it in my own life. I've never heard of it before.
ReplyDeleteHere are a couple of financial suggestions for your consideraton. Why don't you spend a couple of months writing down EVERYTHING that you purchase. It might surprise you where money is leaking away. Then you can analyze your data and see where you might cut back. Second, there is a great Christian financial counselor named Dave Ramsey. He has a radio program and books. His Financial Peace University has helped literally thousands of people get out of debt. You could listen to his program for free and check out his books from the library. I recommend him highly. Another thought: When I was in school (back in the 1970's), I received small Mary Gibbs Jones scholarships each semester. They were a godsend. Back then the colleges had a number of scholarships like that that weren't used because people didn't apply for them!
I don't know anything about gardening. However, I've been told that it is often cheaper for a novice to buy the produce than to attempt to grow it, especially if you learn which items are 'in season' and concentrate on them. If you enjoy gardening, then it might be worth your time for the self-satisfaction.
Best wishes to you for a healthy and prosperous new years!
(This is the second time I've tried to post this comment; I hope you don't get two of them!!!!)