Twenty Percent Reduction

Now if we were talking about investments, a twenty percent decrease would be worrisome. I think we can all agree on that. But what if we're just talking about "stuff".  You know, stuff. Just the stuff that's in the garage, the basement, the top shelf of the closet. The stuff that we don't actually use, touch or need anymore but still like to have.  What if, you could reduce your stuff. Would it make your life better? Would you have more breathing space? Would it lift a mental weight off your shoulders?

So here's the challenge I put forth for February.... (February - the month that's already smaller, shorter and better than January!)  Clean out the closet. Do you need 10 sweaters or could you live with 8? Five black pairs of shoes... how about 4 instead? 20 stuffed animals on your bed? Let's see what 16 feels like? Books... can you recycle, donated, trade or sell 1 out of every 5 that you have on the shelf? Think of it as American Idol for "stuff". They're all good, but somebody has to go!

Now the grocery bill. Can you buy 20% less?  Use 20% more of what you already have?  Or just find a way to use coupons or buy on sale to save 20% of your money, while still getting the same amount.
When was the last time you saw the bottom of the freezer? I know that I would like to save more, by throwing away less food. Have you ever rejected something because it had freezer burn? I have.

Twenty percent less stuff would mean 20% more room to breathe. I like the way that sounds. What do you think... up for the challenge?

Dairy Delights Cheap

I went to Sobey's this afternoon for some groceries and capitalized on a couple great deals. Deals so great, in fact I am moved to write about it.

Cheese. Giant bricks of their house brand cheese. $4.77 They had it in cheddar, marble and light (lo fat) from what I could see, and my Sobey's at least. was well stocked. It was displayed in one of the end coolers near the deli.  Also on sale was sour cream. The 500 ml container was only 89cents. That's crazy! That's probably the best deal on sour cream I've seen in a long time or maybe ever. Processed sliced cheese (you know, the grilled cheese sandwich stuff) also on sale. Not a fabulous deal like the real, brick cheddar, but still a good price at $3.99 plus bonus points.

They also had 4L pails of ice cream on sale. Irrelevant to me, because... well, you know,  I only eat real dairy soft serve.  But a good deal none-the-less.

So, I'm thinking taco night. Big piles of shredded cheese, steak strips, onions, peppers, warm tortilla shells, topped with lettuce and sour cream. Delicious! And so easy.

One more Sobey's deal, absolutely awesome in this cold snowy winter. Strawberries. Pallets and pallets of fresh, red, sweet strawberries. 1lb containers for $1.99. I bought 2 and am thinking about going back for more.

The Train Again

I've had lots of questions about my experiences on the train and I'm happy to share my story.  It seems that it's a nostalgic, romantic thought for most... taking the train across Canada.  And I can assure you that it is indeed spectacular and the view from the rail is magnificent. I suppose it could have been romantic, though my journey was not. We travelled with two young children. What could possibly be romantic about that? LOL

Train stations, and Via Rail stations in Canada specifically, still have an air of elegance about them. A presence notably lacking in airports. The train station in Montreal, Quebec is so cosmopolitan. It sits beneath the fabulous Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and the station itself is packed with merchants and French charm. (That's a story I'll share another day.)

This train trip takes us from Winnipeg to Jasper.

We had a deluxe cabin for our family of 4. This included bunk beds (or berths as they are called)  and our own private washroom. Meals in the formal dining room were also included, as was access to the observation car. (I can't recall if it had another name.)

The meals were wonderful. They were served in an elegantly appointed dining car. Each group of guests had their own designated table and server for each meal. We enjoyed getting to know our server and she got to know the meal preferences and quirks of our children. The dining car was one of the highlights of the trip. It really made an impression on me. I loved the pale pink table cloths and sipping wine as we watched the world go by.

The "observation" car, with it's relaxed seating, newspapers, coffee, fruit and juice made everyone feel comfortable. I recall great conversations among guests in a environment that put everyone at ease. The chance to see wildlife, mountains and statuesque trees from within our glass ceilinged car, was pretty amazing too.

When we arrived in Jasper, we were downtown, in the heart of all the action. Jasper is a very laid back, ski town. It was amazing. Log cabins, totem poles and breathtaking mountain views right from our first steps out of the train station. Jasper was a pretty amazing destination, though the journey itself to get there was equally impressive.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat!

I have a favourite snapshot from the trip. To me, it tells the whole story and reminds me of why we took to the rails. The photo is of my two boys, at daybreak in the train yard in Edmonton. They are perched on the berth gazing in awe out the window. That photo for me, says it all and reminds me why I put so much effort into planning these family trips.

Violence in hockey

It's Canada's game. It's a great way to get active in our terribly cold winters, but has hockey become too violent? The sports talk shows are all over it. Don Cherry has weighed in on it and even I had my say in this hotly debated water-cooler topic.

To hear my CBC interview, you could check out the pod cast. (January 21, 2011)  What has been in the past, a panel discussion, was a one-to-one interview that day. It was early in the morning (for me anyway) and the questions took on  repetitive nature, more narrow than I had anticipated. However, I enjoyed the conversation and I always enjoy having a chance to contribute to the topic of the day.

If you would like to know more about hockey fights, there's a great website www.hockeyfights.com
Not that head shots and hockey fights are the same thing. They're not! And for the record, I would like to note that head shots have never been acceptable in the NHL. They've never been "allowed" so therefore it would be near impossible to ban them.  But we certainly CAN punish offenders when this happens. Minor hockey has made this move recently. For head shots (accidental) the penalty is 2 minutes, plus a 10 minute misconduct. For a deliberate hit, or with INTENT to injure, the penalty is 5 minutes, plus the 10 minute misconduct. It's a significant penalty as that player would be out for nearly 1/3 of the game.

What I would like to see, is what I articulated in the interview... better split second decision making. To do this, we need to educated kids in their early years of hockey (and all sports) that they should never, ever, deliberately attempt to injure another player. And I agree with Don Cherry in that players need to have more respect for each other.  This starts in the Timbits level. Even when kids are 4 and 5 years old, they can be taught the right way to chase down a puck etc. Hacking, slashing and slamming into each other, whether it's intentional or not, needs to stop and be corrected immediately. To end a hockey career at 5 or 25, because of an injury, would be terrible, even tragic. If we teach our kids properly now, they will make better decisions into the future. It's our job to protect them, not to change the world so they never face adversity.

feed://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/includes/mbinforadio.xml

Blue Monday

I have no idea where all these statistics come from, truly, but it seems to be a commonly accepted fact that this, the third Monday of the year, is the most depressing day.  


Well, you certainly know from my last blog post that I feel there is something to January depression. I feel it too.  It's an ache that says, "Can I do this? Do I really have to do this?" when faced with any number of routine tasks. But I wrote about that last week. So that makes me a leader! (LOL) Yes, on the cutting edge of trends. So, that makes me feel good and therefore I am not so blue anymore. 


I don't have the answers to the January blues. Everyone's situation is different. Things are going on in your life that no one else is experiencing. Your perspective is unique. All I can make is my own suggestions on things that help (even a teeny bit) cheer me up when I start to feel the January blues. 

• Put on a bright colour. Even if it's just a scarf, tie or purse. 
• Enjoy one of your favourite meals or treats. Yeah, when was the last time you gave yourself permission to have blueberry cheesecake on a Monday?
• Call a friend. Or use facebook to connect with someone.  Instead of blurting out what your problems are, lead with " I was thinking about you today and wanted to know how your day was going? Or try "Do you remember when we........... I was thinking about that today." 
• Cuddle your pet. My dog Oreo is 14 years old. Some days I take it for granted that she'll be there every time I get home. Today, I'm going to give her back a good scratch and tell that old girl what she means to me.
• Set a goal. Pick something... anything. Then devise a strategy on how you are going to get there. 
• Browse some old photos. Share them electronically if you think it will give someone else a smile too.
• Celebrate your kids. Maybe a little card in their lunch kit?Maybe a letter with their laundry. Tell them one thing you treasure about them and see how they respond.

I like the idea that we're all in this together.  

I hope your day is a good one. 

Not my favourite month

I think I might be anti-January. If the months were all cupcakes, January would be pickled herring and jello flavoured with poppyseed sprinkles. February would be an over-spiced cinnamon;  you know, kinda nice, but still artificial and too sweet.  March would be a little sweeter, more palatable, something with a lemon zest;  but the weather is still fickle, hence the lemon. April, yeah, April would be good, something chocolatey... unless it rains, then it'd be that cheap waxy chocolate that nobody likes.

January. Ick. What can I say? This is the month where I would like to take a pass. I don't even think I want to analyze it. All I know is that January makes me feel bad. I get blue. I'm sure it's a combination of things. The cold, frozen tundra where I choose to live, the lack of live vegetation around me, even the sad, wooly look of the neighbour dog.

I like hockey, so that's kinda good. But it's in the middle of the season, so it's not very exciting, especially if the playoffs don't look like they're going to happen. So maybe I should blame the Wheat Kings for this January funk. Nah. Can't put that on them. And their playoff hopes are still alive... ok, on life support, but still a possibility.

I like NFL football and SuperBowl is coming up. 'Sigh' None of my teams have made it this far. Brett Farve and the Vikings went out with a fizzle instead of fireworks. At least last year they were exciting.

I'm out of chocolate. That makes me feel bad. I probably overspent at Christmas, so there's that guilt. I haven't contributed enough to RRSPs this year. So, that's not good either. My hair is going grey all of a sudden. I obviously don't like that. I have no tan, and no vacation planned for 6 months.

But I am an optimist* by nature. You know the asterisk* is for January, it's my exception. So, I'll just keep plodding along. Maybe colour my hair by the end of the month, but some cinnamon hearts and a pink tablecloth and look forward to February. How many more days?

Via Rail

On Thursdays the Via Rail website offers Express Deals. Trips coming up in the next month at great discounts. For example, Winnipeg to Jasper for $89.  Wpg to Edmonton for $67.  Or you can take their sleeper car, which includes meals, and is fabulous (I have done this trip) for about $200. These are one-way fares, but the taxes and add ons are far less than air travel.  Great bargains. Great way to see Canada and avoid driving in the winter.

Last $20

January is the month of the miser. Bills are cluttering the mailbox and people everywhere are struggling to make ends meet. The chat boards are filled with people looking for the best deal; looking for a way to stretch the household budget just that much further.  With this in mind, I gave the weekly flyers am extra close look. 

If i was down to my last $20, I would be spending it on groceries. And to avoid any temptation to spend money on bargain items (or just junk in general) I would go straight to a grocery store. My pick is Sobeys. They also happen to have their dollar days on how. 

Here's what my list would be: 

• 1L Minute Maid pure apple or orange juice         $1
• 1 loaf store made bread                                        $1
• 1 Head of lettuce                                                  $1
• 1 cucumber                                                           $1
• 2 mini carrots pkg                                                 $1
• 1 lg kraft ranch dressing                                       $2 ($1.98)
• 6 lean pork chops (sale $1 each) packs of 4 or 6  $6
• 1 500 ml Astro fruit yogurt                                   $1 
• 6 bananas (estimate by weight)                            $2.50
• 2 pkg Primo pasta                                                 $2 
• 1 250g pkg Dare cookies                                      $1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                    $19.50

Looking at this list, and assuming there is still milk, margarine, spices etc in the fridge/cupboard at home, my 5 day menu would look like this:

Breakfast  

A) Toast and juice

B) Banana and yogurt

Lunch:

A) Lettuce & veggie salad

B) Pasta

C) Sliced pork sandwich with lettuce

Dinner: 

A) Pork Chop with pasta

B) Salad with sliced pork chop

C) Pasta

Snacks/Sides: 

A) Veggies and dip

B) Yogurt

C) Banana

Treats: 

A) Cookies

$20 this way, sure beats having one take-out pizza instead. 

'Tis the Season

That's right, 'tis the season to get organized. The seasonal sales are upon us. The year's best prices on totes and shelves and handy storage items are here. In this week's flyers you'll see good savings on these items at Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Rona and Walmart. Whether you choose to organize your items in furniture-style cabinets, or rolling plastic towers, it's up to you. What works in a child's room may not work in an office, but there really is no right or wrong answer. The key is finding a system that works for YOU.

If you want some hands-on help in getting organized and finding the system that works for you, give me a call or FB me. www.sortandsell.ca.

At what cost?

We don’t watch a great deal of television as a family. The television shows we do watch are generally either news shows, sports events or conversation starters. Such was the case the other night when we stumbled upon a show about extreme “couponing.” It started some great conversations at my house. 

Essentially the show documented 4 specific people and how they used coupons. It followed them through collection, to the redemption at the store and home with their “haul”. 

(Sorry for so many quotation marks. They had all kinds of new terms that they were using in this arena that made it seem like it was some sort of sport or scientific endeavour specific to their activity )

It was an American program and the stores they portrayed were in the United States as well. These couponing folks would “stack” coupons so that their items were free. It didn’t seems particularly likely that the same could be applied in Canadian stores. Most things I’ve seen say “1 coupon per purchase” or something to that effect.  Never-the-less it was one of those train-wreck-type shows where you want to look away (change the channel) but for curiosity sake you can’t. The people the show featured would cut down their grocery bill from $230 to $6, using coupons. It was fascinating, but yet unrealistic. 

The best thing that came out of watching that show was the conversations initiated by my sons since. Our youngest, who is five-years-old, said that “it was crazy how many toothbrushes and deodorant the guy got for free and that the guy should really be donating it to a homeless shelter.”  The fact that he would think about donating makes me happy and I therefore know we are modelling good behaviours for him. 

Our oldest, who is eight, brought up the subject in the car just tonight. He was still mildly disturbed by the “way the people were ripping off the stores” and thought it was a waste to have 80 boxes of cereal. His thoughts were that you would be bored of one type, it would expire and the company who produced the cereal would be losing their money for no reason. 

Moreover, he was stuck on one point. His words were “I hope that guy doesn’t have kids. He would be teaching them to be greedy and wasters.” Further he noted that it would be “so embarrassing” to shop with that guy. He gave me an off-handed compliment in his next sentence. “I know you would never embarrass me like that, Mom. You find good deals and stuff, but you’re not embarrassing.” 

And he’s right. I do love a good deal. But it has to be a good deal for everyone. I buy products we can use, at prices I feel are good value, while bringing that business and more to the stores I respect and value. If people take advantage of stores, and abuse special offers and do everything they can to cheat the system, we all lose. 

A discount at the cost of your personal values or the respect of your family,  is no bargain.