In my ongoing effort to eat more meals at home, Mr. Sam bought me these Morningstar veggie sausage, egg and cheese biscuits . I am delighted to report they are a super yummy and quick (50 seconds in the microwave) breakfast.
Calorie wise these biscuits are reasonable as well - 270 calories. Compare to similar products like Jimmy Dean at 490 calories and McDonalds at 570 calories.
If you've never tried veggie sausage, Mr. Sam, who is a huge meat eater, reports that he very much enjoyed these Morningstar breakfast biscuits. He also likes the Boca brand Italian "sausages."
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Making Progress - 401k
Today, on my lunch hour, I spent a few minutes adjusting my with-holdings upward in order to max out my 401k ($17,000 cap in 2012).
Great to cross that one off my list.
Great to cross that one off my list.
Eating My Way Through Big Bucks
Mr. Sam and I eat opposite diets, I'm eat a vegetarian diet (with fish and seafood, but is low on actual vegetables) and Mr. Sam eats a more Atkins type diet based on animal proteins. As a result, we don't often eat the same meal and in our household, at dinner time, its really every person for themselves. A typical dinner at our house is as follows. Mr. Sam will eat meat off the grill and I'll have a bowl of cold cereal. We also don't normally eat at the same time as I normally arrive home after him and cooking after a long day of the office is not my activity of choice.
When it comes to breakfast, I'll have quick oatmeal at the office or a glass of juice at home.
My big meal is normally at lunch time. But since I don't like to cook and I hate to grocery shop I noticed that the amount I spend on ordering in lunch became unsustainable last year. Ordering or going out for lunch was costing me about $250 a month, or a quarter of my allowance monies. As a result, I am determined to change my ways in 2012. My plan going forward is to limit my eating out or ordering in to once a week. For my career, its important that I go out for lunch with my co-workers and or other contacts in my field. But, once a week should be enough.
The rest of the week my plan is to eat frozen dinner type meals, I'm a fan of Lean Cuisine and some of the steamer bags of mixed veggies and sauce. I'd prefer to eat home made soups and deluxe sandwich creations, i.e. apple, brie and walnut on a fresh baguette, but I need to start small and not over-reach in my goal setting. I'm almost positive that I can manage bringing a few frozen dinners to the office so I'm going to commit to that plan. Perhaps, eventually I'll manage a home made meal for lunch.
When it comes to breakfast, I'll have quick oatmeal at the office or a glass of juice at home.
My big meal is normally at lunch time. But since I don't like to cook and I hate to grocery shop I noticed that the amount I spend on ordering in lunch became unsustainable last year. Ordering or going out for lunch was costing me about $250 a month, or a quarter of my allowance monies. As a result, I am determined to change my ways in 2012. My plan going forward is to limit my eating out or ordering in to once a week. For my career, its important that I go out for lunch with my co-workers and or other contacts in my field. But, once a week should be enough.
The rest of the week my plan is to eat frozen dinner type meals, I'm a fan of Lean Cuisine and some of the steamer bags of mixed veggies and sauce. I'd prefer to eat home made soups and deluxe sandwich creations, i.e. apple, brie and walnut on a fresh baguette, but I need to start small and not over-reach in my goal setting. I'm almost positive that I can manage bringing a few frozen dinners to the office so I'm going to commit to that plan. Perhaps, eventually I'll manage a home made meal for lunch.
Monday, February 13, 2012
I'm Stuck and I Need to Get Unstuck
Six weeks into the new year and I have not finished our annual spending plan for 2012 and we have not finalized our savings plan.
What the heck has happened to me? I have gotten sucked into preparation land. I had good intentions, I was going to really study and work our annual plan rather than just relying on our numbers from the prior year. And, I started off right, I spent several hours working on our 2012 annual spending plan. But then I got bogged down and stuck when I couldn't easily pull up the data I needed.
Am I using preparation to avoid getting started? Possibly, my plan, in theory, was to commit to an extra high savings number this year. If I never finish our spending plan I don't have to commit to keeping my spending under control, I don't have to commit to discipline, I don't have to commit to tough choices.
Today is February 12th, I am committing to having our annual spending plan done and our 2012 savings goals set up by February 19th.
What the heck has happened to me? I have gotten sucked into preparation land. I had good intentions, I was going to really study and work our annual plan rather than just relying on our numbers from the prior year. And, I started off right, I spent several hours working on our 2012 annual spending plan. But then I got bogged down and stuck when I couldn't easily pull up the data I needed.
Am I using preparation to avoid getting started? Possibly, my plan, in theory, was to commit to an extra high savings number this year. If I never finish our spending plan I don't have to commit to keeping my spending under control, I don't have to commit to discipline, I don't have to commit to tough choices.
Today is February 12th, I am committing to having our annual spending plan done and our 2012 savings goals set up by February 19th.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Close Call
I came very close today to breaching my 30 day spending fast to purchase this J. Crew polka dot skirt that is on super sale, currently on sale plus 40% off (and today is the last day).
But I held out, put my J. Crew spendy certificate back in its drawer and closed out of the site and went back to work.
But I held out, put my J. Crew spendy certificate back in its drawer and closed out of the site and went back to work.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Retirement Savings
I have had a a chance to update our networthiq.com retirement savings numbers.
In January 2011, we had $381,076 in our 401k accounts and a total of $445,933 for retirement savings. Now, in January 2012, we have $407,895 in our 401k accounts and a total of $484,333 for retirement savings.
If you follow this adventure, you will note that we actually "lost" money this past year in our 401k accounts as we contributed the max to our 401k accounts, $33,000 (plus my husband receives a match) but our 401k accounts only increased by $26,819. The 2011 markets were generally flat, so our returns were worse than the market.
We did a bit better in our IRA accounts. In January 2011, we had $60,858 in our IRAs and in January 2012 we have $76,438. We contributed the max to our IRAs, $10,000, in 2011, so we had a "profit" of $5,580. I think it is interesting that our IRA investments did better than our 401k investments. Our 401k monies are invested in mutual funds, while our IRA monies are invested in riskier individual stocks. However, we did buy some super bargain stocks in the spring of 2009 and those investments are doing quite well.
As an aside, I heard an interesting tid bit on NPR the other day. The speaker suggested that when purchasing an investment, one should keep track of the cost of that investment, the amount purchased, and why the purchase was made so that when considering selling you have much more information. I think this is a great idea and one I'm going to suggest to Mr. Sam.
In January 2011, we had $381,076 in our 401k accounts and a total of $445,933 for retirement savings. Now, in January 2012, we have $407,895 in our 401k accounts and a total of $484,333 for retirement savings.
If you follow this adventure, you will note that we actually "lost" money this past year in our 401k accounts as we contributed the max to our 401k accounts, $33,000 (plus my husband receives a match) but our 401k accounts only increased by $26,819. The 2011 markets were generally flat, so our returns were worse than the market.
We did a bit better in our IRA accounts. In January 2011, we had $60,858 in our IRAs and in January 2012 we have $76,438. We contributed the max to our IRAs, $10,000, in 2011, so we had a "profit" of $5,580. I think it is interesting that our IRA investments did better than our 401k investments. Our 401k monies are invested in mutual funds, while our IRA monies are invested in riskier individual stocks. However, we did buy some super bargain stocks in the spring of 2009 and those investments are doing quite well.
As an aside, I heard an interesting tid bit on NPR the other day. The speaker suggested that when purchasing an investment, one should keep track of the cost of that investment, the amount purchased, and why the purchase was made so that when considering selling you have much more information. I think this is a great idea and one I'm going to suggest to Mr. Sam.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
More on Mortgage
Post holidays I have been slammed at work, so I have not finished our 2012 Annual Spending Plan nor have we completed our 2012 Savings Plan. My goal is to get it done this week, since we are one pay period into the new year.
I'm still researching and contemplating whether to continue our mortgage prepayment plan from 2011, and if yes, how much.
I think the answer to question #1 is yes. I think we will either continue a monthly principal prepayment or we will set aside prepayment amount into a savings account (meaning we will allocate funds for principal prepayment but keep it liquid in a savings account).
The answer to question #2 is still unknown and somewhat dependent on our spending plan. But, today we received our 1098 for the mortgage on our primary home. We paid down our mortgage principal by $11,847.53 in 2011, $5000 of that from prepayments and the rest from our regular mortgage payment. We also paid $13,365.03 in interest in 2011. So, I'm thinking that we might increase our principal prepayment at least a couple thousand more, if possible, so that we are paying as much in principal as we are in interest.
I'm still researching and contemplating whether to continue our mortgage prepayment plan from 2011, and if yes, how much.
I think the answer to question #1 is yes. I think we will either continue a monthly principal prepayment or we will set aside prepayment amount into a savings account (meaning we will allocate funds for principal prepayment but keep it liquid in a savings account).
The answer to question #2 is still unknown and somewhat dependent on our spending plan. But, today we received our 1098 for the mortgage on our primary home. We paid down our mortgage principal by $11,847.53 in 2011, $5000 of that from prepayments and the rest from our regular mortgage payment. We also paid $13,365.03 in interest in 2011. So, I'm thinking that we might increase our principal prepayment at least a couple thousand more, if possible, so that we are paying as much in principal as we are in interest.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Store Debit Cards
I stay far, far away from most store branded credit cards because, more often than not, the terms of such cards are horrible.
But, did you know that Nordstrom and Target both offer a store branded debit card?
Nordstrom is one of my favorite stores, great quality merchandise and the best customer service. I have friends who live by their Nordstrom credit cards, because the rewards are so great, but I have always said no, no, no to a Nordstrom credit card. In fact on a recent girls trip, one of my friends paid for my Nordstrom purchases with her Nordstrom credit card because she wanted the points (I gave her a check). I understand that the Nordstrom rewards program provides two points for every dollar spent, and when you hit 2000 points you get a $20 Nordstrom note. So basically once you spend $1000 you get $20 back which doesn't seem that great. But, and this is why my friend paid for my purchases, if you make your purchases during double or triple bonus point events they can add up quick.
The Target debit card provides 5% discounts (just like the Target credit card) on purchases.
So, how do these fancy new cards work? First, you can only use the debit cards at the particular store. With your debit application you supply a voided check our a routing number and the store submits a transaction, like if you use your debit card for an online purchase, utilizing same.
Upside for these types of cards? no debt and rewards galore.
Downside for store debit cards? possible overdraft charges and increased spending to obtain said rewards.
But, did you know that Nordstrom and Target both offer a store branded debit card?
Nordstrom is one of my favorite stores, great quality merchandise and the best customer service. I have friends who live by their Nordstrom credit cards, because the rewards are so great, but I have always said no, no, no to a Nordstrom credit card. In fact on a recent girls trip, one of my friends paid for my Nordstrom purchases with her Nordstrom credit card because she wanted the points (I gave her a check). I understand that the Nordstrom rewards program provides two points for every dollar spent, and when you hit 2000 points you get a $20 Nordstrom note. So basically once you spend $1000 you get $20 back which doesn't seem that great. But, and this is why my friend paid for my purchases, if you make your purchases during double or triple bonus point events they can add up quick.
The Target debit card provides 5% discounts (just like the Target credit card) on purchases.
So, how do these fancy new cards work? First, you can only use the debit cards at the particular store. With your debit application you supply a voided check our a routing number and the store submits a transaction, like if you use your debit card for an online purchase, utilizing same.
Upside for these types of cards? no debt and rewards galore.
Downside for store debit cards? possible overdraft charges and increased spending to obtain said rewards.
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