Goals

I searched the web for "50 pounds of rice and beans" and didn't find my prose at the top of the list, or by page five for that matter.  I mostly found people's advise on how to store food in mylar lined plastic buckets for either the coming apocalypse or for the fulfillment of their Mormon commandments.

I did find some interesting blog/comment posts about people trying to do a No-spend Month experiment.  Typically this would involve not spending any money, or sometimes a goal of very little, during a whole month with the exception of a few things like rent and electricity and the like.

Having worked a serious budget for the last four months and seeing how much we "have" to spend each month made this sound like a laughable goal.  But I was reminded of something I recently heard on a piece featuring Ted Turner's successful career and charitable givings.  He said you have to set your goals high (as have a million other people I suppose).  So even if we've felt successful putting away some savings each month according to our budget, are we just coasting?  Could we put away a serious chunk if we really put our minds to it and set a big goal.  No-Spend November?

Reverse Course

I have let you down my rice and bean fans.  A whole week without a post.  The blogosphere is dismayed.  I have sinned!  I must atone.  I... I'll fill you in.  Over the last week we had for all intents and purposes some plainish rice and bean dishes.  And we brought out the old rice and bean salad, previously made for the Boardwalk outing, for Ev's Rockin' BBQ Baby Birthday Bash (no babies were barbecued in the making of this party).  Other than that the most shocking development is that we've started going backwards.  C is doing a science experiment, and now we're growing beans.  They're multiplying!

Rice and Beans for Everyone

I just placed a new link on the right side of the page.  I wrote the HTML code myself.  It's nice that the internet teaches you how to use the internet.  The Rice and Beans Foundation is a non-profit that distributes chickens and fruit, j/k, rice and beans to the needy in Nicaragua.  They source it locally which is good.  For $35 they can buy 100 lbs which I know makes quite a few meals.  Together rice and beans make a complete protein, provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, and they store well.  

Tonight's Dinner - Quinoa Pinto Bean Patties

I was going to donate $88 to 88bikes.org this month, but work set me back $30 for a baby shower and charity walk, so I chipped in for 100 lbs this month and will stick $88 back in the budget next month.  I'm not sure how Dave Ramsey feels about all the line item adjustments we make each month to the budget.  The $88 bucks has been getting bumped for months now, as has my new iphone.