'Saving What You Don't Use'

My husband said it best when he said "you're just saving what you don't use".  This was in reference to the discussion about how I take more disposable forks and knifes from Chipotle (which we frequent EVERY Friday) than I actually need.  I now have a very large collection of disposable forks and knives in our camping box. This is just another way to save money, why buy disposable silverware when at so many fast food restaurants you can take a few extra then you actually need.  Also, if you take the food home to eat, use your real silverware and save the disposible ones.  This does not just apply to silverware, but also those ketchup, mustard, mayo, salt, pepper, sugar, etc. packets .... why not take an extra few and save them for camping, picnics, and cook-outs?!

Again, I love FREE things......

Living the City Life On a Country Budget

I hope you got to know me a little better from my last post, I went back and forth on how to word everything, but finally I was like 'screw it, it's a post about me, I am just going to write how I think!'. 

But now to part of the purpose behind my blogging, I want to teach people how to live a city life on a country budget.  I want to teach people to live a fabulous lifestyle on a not so glamorous budget.  There are many ways to do this, from couponing, to cashing in on sales and deals, shopping at discount stores, and trimming the un-neccessaries out of your life.  I also hope to become more aware myself of how much money I am truely wasting.  It's being able to do the things you love without breaking the bank.

My first tip, is if you are from Maryland and a Potomac Edison customer definitely take advantage of their FREE Energy Conservation Kit (https://myconservationkit.com/)!  With this kit you receive for FREE,  6 (six) CFL light bulbs, a  Surge Protector,  a low-flow showerhead, four faucet aerators and four aerator adaptors!  Why would you not order it?! Everyone can always use light bulbs and surge protectors as for the showerhead and aerators, keep them in your garage because who knows when you might need them, but the point is they are FREE!

I love FREE things :) If you are not in Maryland or not a Potomac Edison customer, check to see if your state/company offers something similar.

'We're Not Hillbillies, We're Hillwilliams Because We Have Class"

When I was little my father used to tell me, "Your grandmother used to say, 'We're not hillbillies, we're hillwilliams because we have class".  I think that it perfectly describes me, part hick and part yuppie, a little bit country and a little bit city, a sophisticated redneck, a combination of everything good in life.

My little bit of country:

I live in Frederick, MD, the ultimate little bit country, little bit city town (but more country, after all it has earned the nickname of Fredneck).  Frederick sits on the outskirts of DC, it's the last 'big' town before you hit the true country of western Maryland and middle of no where Pennsylvania.  I find that alot of people around here have a duality of both cultures, during the week they are hard working professionals in DC, the empitome of everything city and international, but during the weekend they let loose and the country in them comes out, they work hard outdoors, throw backyard BBQs and enjoy the beautiful countryside. 

So, what makes me a little bit country?  My husbands' parents own a horse farm and on the evenings and weekends I am found there mucking out stalls, riding my horses, feeding the horses and doing all the other fun chores that come with owning horses.  I find that being outdoors on the farm, watching the horses graze and run around and working hard to make sure they are happy and healthy is what truly makes me country, my love of the outdoors and animals and the desire to build a connection to them both.  My husband and I hope to own a horse farm one day, and I look forward to getting up early mornings to feed and do chores.  The primary purpose of our horses is to play polocrosse, which the people who play it kindly refer to it as 'the poor man's polo'.  This is where I meet a lot of country folk from all over the country, and let me tell you they love to party!  Bonfires, moonshine (yes!), tons of Bud and Bud Light, pick up trucks, and country music, I know it sounds stereotypical but sometimes life is!  There really is nothing better than being out in the middle of a field, with no technology around you (I leave my cellphone in my car), sitting on a tailgate, with a Bud Light Lime and talking to these amazing people.  The one thing I love about all these people is that they are so nice and the pace of life is so slow and relaxed.  It's waving and saying hi to strangers on the street, saying please and thank you, people who live in the country take time to care about others.

My little bit of city:

My old city friends say I have gone all country now, which is true (not that I wasn't a bit country when they knew me, they just didn't notice).  But I still am a little bit city!  I am a foodie for sure, I enjoy nice upscale resaurants that serve fancy dishes with names I can't even pronounce.  I love a good wine and a good wine tasting (although, where is all the wine made, in the country! Which is a bonus for me, don't have to drive as far)!  My job has me travelling in Europe during the summers, enjoying the cultures, sights and food.  I still occassionally get involved in some ballroom dancing events, where I literally exchange my cowboy boots, jeans and tank tops for evening gowns, heels, glitter and fake tanner.  And as much as I enjoy the outdoors bonfire parties I attend, when I throw a party it tends to be more of the Martha Stewart dinner party type.  I am also I high strung perfectionist, who feels the need to clean my whole house whenever my husband mentions that someone might be coming over.  When I first started riding, my entire family laughed at me, miss little perfect girlie girlie, ballerina/ballroom dancer, non-outdoors person (I chose the indoor chores growing up) was going to go to a farm and walk around in the mud and muck out horse poo?!  Well, yes I did, thank you!

Now, I am not saying either is better, and I am not judging those who are one or the other, but both have awesome qualities and I find a bit of both is best!  I think people do judge one another to harshly, when I walk into a nice upscale restaurant in NYC in my cowboy boots, jeans and a ponytail, I get werid looks like they are thinking 'she does not belong here'.  Why don't I belong there! I enjoy the good food you offer and just because I don't wear high heels and Gucci does not mean I don't belong there.  Same goes when I walk into the local tack shop in my coach shoes and a sundress, they think the same but it doesn't mean I don't belong there.