Keeping My New Year's Resolution

Due to my resolution to not spend ANY money this month, I obviously couldn't go Goodwill Hunting.

But for someone who wants to spend less money (me!), thrift stores are great places to shop!

Right after Christmas (pre-New Year's resolution), I was wandering through a Goodwill in Madison, Wisconsin when the cute copy boy ran over and asked if I wanted a pizza maker for $3.

YES!

He has one, and I love it, but they're regularly about $50.

It was a Presto 03430 Pizzazz Pizza Oven, and it looked like it had never been used, so we plugged it in and it worked!  (Always make sure.)

So, I brought it home and a few days later this...

became this...

in about 15 minutes.

(Luckily frozen pizza also falls into my "spend less money" resolution.)

I can't wait to see what resolutions Winavie at Lemons & Chambray made this year!

Next month - All you need is love!

Resolution Evolution

Initially I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year.

Then I read something somewhere about someone (specific, I know) who had made a resolution to get rid of 10 things every day for 30 days.

I love getting rid of stuff, so I decided to do that too.  

It's so easy!  

I've gotten rid of expired medicine, old phone books and catalogs, movies I've watched and books I've read (and don't intend to ever watch or read again), and I'm working my way through dozens of those little bottles of shampoo and shower gel from hotels I've stayed at over the years.  

Then I started thinking about how some say it takes 30 days to make (or break) a habit.

In addition to clearing out the clutter, I would really like to spend less money.  I don't spend A LOT, but I could (should!) cut back.  

So I decided to not spend any money for 30 days.

NONE!

I want to break the habit of spending money I don't really need to.

I already have more than enough to eat, drink, read, watch, knit and home improvement projects to do.

So instead of going out to watch the Iowa bowl game on January 1, I took my salsa to a friend's house and watched there.  (The black eyed peas did not prove to be good luck after all.  The Hawkeyes lost an exciting game 14-21.)

Ten days later, I still haven't spent any money!  

(None!)

I know at some point I'll have to start spending money again (Tuesday, in fact), but I've come up with a budget for the first time EVER.

This is going to be interesting.

For Good Luck in the New Year

Supposedly eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day will bring prosperity in the new year.

I need all the help I can get, so this year I made Black Eyed Pea Salsa using another recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING:

½ cups Olive Oil

⅓ cups White Wine (or Regular) Vinegar

2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) Sugar

1 teaspoon Celery Seed

½ teaspoons Dry Mustard

½ teaspoons Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

VEGGIES:

3 stalks Celery Finely Chopped

3 stalks Green Onions, Sliced

1 whole Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1 whole Cucumber, Peeled, Seeded, And Chopped

1 whole Jalapeno (optional), Seeded And Chopped

1 cup (or More If Desired) Chopped Cilantro

2 cans Black-eyed Peas, Drained

Directions

Mix together dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Combine all vegetables (except cilantro) with black eyed peas. 

our dressing over the top and gently stir together. 

Add cilantro and stir gently.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Serve with tortilla chips. 

So good and it reminds me of the restaurant Cowgirl in New York.  It's one of my favorites!  (Good salsa & great margaritas!)

Here's to a happy (and hopefully prosperous!) New Year!