Life

We have been following the Dave Ramsey financial plan - at least loosely - for over a year (debt free exept the house - WOOHOO!). From a 'cash flow' standpoint, we utilize an envelope system, meaning that, for us, all our miscellaneous and food expenses is pulled from the bank twice a month and put into an envelope. Any money I need to spend for a two week period comes from the envelope. (Read: allowance?! Don't care, Ladies. It totally works to keep us on budget!!!)


Recently, my husband said:

Honey, ever since we went to the envelope system, it seems like we haven't
been eating quite as well!

Ya think?! I have a budget now, dude! We can't eat willy nilly when we don't have the cash to follow through with that 'concept!' (the concept being spending beyond your means...) ... and buy those necessary more-wintery clothes for the children, a few home decor items here and there, a school fundraiser, etc...

Tonite, however, I fed the family like I used to...but with fiscal responsibility! (And it felt great!) A few weeks ago, I bought the newest Martha Stewart Everyday Foods mag. The recipe for marinated chicken, mint cucumbers, and pita bread intrigued me. Tonite, as I went to prepare said meal, I discovered very few of the necessary ingredients in the cupboard. Instead, I grabbed some left over Mrs. Dash Zesty Garlic Herb marinade from the fridge and tossed it onto my budget frozen breasts (chicken breasts), poured ranch dressing (with just a touch of lemon zest) over my english cuke instead of the special Greek yogurt dressing from the original recipe, and went ahead and heated up the pitas I'd purchased. We. ate. it. all. Even The Picky Princess, who, all the way home from musical theatre class loudly and coarsely reminded me what she thinks of chicken, gushed over the final chicken product.

And we discovered pitas are fun. They are, after-all, a pocket.