A new year, a new you

Do you make new year's resolutions? I do. Last year's resolution was to have better posture. Did I keep it? Well I do sit up straighter when I think about it. The year before that I wanted to cut down on my potty mouth. Did that work? Damn straight.

This year's resolution had to be made too. So this year I am resolving to be a better wife. Wait, aren't I already perfect? Why yes, I am. But I am trying to be more organized, write all purchases down in the checkbook, make a weekly menu and shopping list and stick to them both, and I am trying to cut out frivilous spending. A tall order, even for me.

Brad and I won't be in Utah forever. Or, more acuratley, we won't be right here in Utah forever. We're getting a little older and we're getting ready to start thinking about buying our first house. We never thought of buying one before now because we'd never be in one place for more than a couple years. Home ownership as I understood it, would be the building or purchasing of one home, where you would live til you died, and willed it to your children. This is the way everyone I ever knew in Louisiana does it.

Well, we will continue to move around so why buy a house if we can't stay in it? Because rent is like taking money and burning it for heat. We will just have to buy a house, make it a home, live there for two or three years, and sell it. Most of the construction people we know do this, so why not cave to the peir pressure?

My resolution is a self serving one. By making menus and shopping lists, I will stay away from impluse shopping. The more times you go to the store the more money you spend, end of story. If I only go once a week for the major groceries, in theory, I will spend less. I will have to go to Albertson's for at least one extra trip per week. We drink more milk than the average American family. So the two and a hlf gallons I buy on Monday will not make it all the way to Sunday. But, if I go in with cash, keep my head down, and not look at anything, I should be able to get out for under ten bucks.

I am thirfty, don't get me wrong. I will not pay $2.68 for a loaf of Sara Lee Delightful Wheat bread at Walmart. I will go to the bakery outlet once a month. But the Sara Lee for $0.78 a loaf and stock up. We cut coupons, actually Brad cuts them, I redeem them. I have never been above buying something used. I love deals found at store close outs. I frequent yard sales. I aslo make things instead of buy them if I can.

My masterbed room is a fine example of thirftiness in practice. We never bought matching bed room furniture. Up until last year, we never had matching furniture for any room. After tax returns I did get a new living room set. It's beautiful, and more so because we waited for it. But, back to my bedroom. The bed side lamps were bought at an estate sale. The art over the bed was a garage sale find. The furniture was not one set, but matches now because I refinshed all of it. Now we have a beautiful set- King headboard, nightstands(picked up for free from Craigslist.org), and an armoire. I like to refinsh things. Out dining room table and chairs cost me about thirty-seven dollars. I sold the small four seat dinette set that we had outgrown, bought a used set, refinshed it and upolstered it and it is stunning. So I know how to save money, but I know I can do better. The goal of a house is more than enough to inspire me.

So thanks Jenny Craig for use of your catchy slogan. When that new nail polish starts tempting me, I will sing "Anew year, a new you". I will say "No, I do not need this bottle of Desert Sands Sally Hensen, I can go home and use the Desert Sunset Maybeline that I already have". Here's to a New Year and a Newly tweaked Tiffany!