The public library: a new look

Exploring a public library without a purpose can be a really wondrous experience.  I use the library on a regular basis, but it is usually with a goal in mind.  I know what book I want, I order it or find it on the shelves, pick it up and leave.  Rarely do I stop to browse the shelves.  Last week as I found myself with some spare time and an injured foot in the public library.  I decided just to grab a few interesting books from the display and have a seat, since hobbling around the library was causing me immense pain and I just wanted to sit down.  The result led me to open some fascinating books that I most likely would never have thought to read, including the three shown below.

Exploring a public library with an open-mind, and venturing into new subject matters that we haven’t considered before, means that we embrace opportunities for learning that we might have previously dismissed.  We might accidentally discover new passions or ideas, or find our new favourite author.  And if it’s nonfiction you’re reading, you might simply enjoy learning for learning’s sake.  

In fact, it can be really intellectually nourishing to learn about a new subject that might not immediately benefit our career or other goals. Sometimes we need to nourish our minds and hearts with intellectual or creative stimulation that may not be “productive” in ways other than simply adding to the quality of our lives through imaginative and thoughtful exploration.

Being in a library without a set purpose made me feel a little bit like being a child, given permission to read, just for fun.  It’s a treat most of us rarely rewards ourselves with, and for that reason, an open-ended visit to the public library can be considered a very frugal luxury.

Do you use the public library on a regular basis? Do you visit with a purpose, or just to explore?

Reflections on life and money with Patricia Lovett-Reid

Last night I had the pleasure of joining my friend for a special event held by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, which is a really great charity doing some very interesting work supporting the financial and personal development women and girls.  Patricia Lovett-Reid (Senior VP of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc, a financial planner and host of BNN’s Money Talk) was the featured speaker at the event.  I’m so glad that got to hear Patricia’s funny and insightful, meandering speech. Here are a few of the interesting points she made:

1. It’s not too late.  It’s not to late to change direction, to change your financial habits, or change your career.  Patricia did not attend university, in fact she struggled to finish grade 9 math.  Now a notable financial expert, Patricia began her financial career working as a bank teller for many years, never expecting herself to climb much further than a clerical role.  It wasn’t until Patricia divorced her first husband and wound up with the station wagon, and little else, from the settlement, that she thought “I can do better.” I felt moved by this statement, since so many of us are weary of changing direction, especially when we have already invested so much in making something work.

2. You might be the one holding yourself back.  It took Patricia years to realize that she might just be capable of more than she thought.  She urged the audience to reflect on the limitations we have ingrained in our heads.  After all, if someone tells you that you can’t do something, you probably won’t listen to them. In fact you may even try harder to prove them wrong.  But if you believe you can’t do it, chances are, you won’t.

3. Success if yours to define. In Patricia’s book, “Get Real” (which I shall promptly take out from the public library) she profiles 26 successful Canadian women.  Each woman profiled has done exceptionally well - but to her own unique standards.  The definition of success will depend and vary according to our own goals and aspirations.  Success may look entirely different to each one of us.  I appreciated this comment, because it validates different kinds of lifestyles.  Achieving someone else’s definition of success is just not worth the effort, when we can put that energy into creating a life that truly satisfies us.

4. Start early.  Not just with saving, but with giving.  By starting at a young age, you can make a significant contribution, by helping to create the building blocks of change.  Giving small amounts of money will add up over time to create significant impact. 

5. Your best is good enough.  You don’t have to be perfect.  All you need to aspire to is your best self!

What do you think?  Are you living out Patricia’s words or taking a different approach to your life and your money?

Easter weekend meal prep

In anticipation of heading home for the Easter weekend, I worked in the kitchen for most of the day, preparing a soup, salad, snack and desert to take home with me.  Here are a few of the hearty yet frugal goodies I whipped up.

I started my making a double batch of my budget boosting butternut squash soup.   While it was pretty darn good following my initial recipe, it became even better with a few additions, including real cinnamon (freshly ground from the recent arrival of whole spices) fresh nutmeg and extra sour cream. Oh, and just a pinch of brown sugar.

Next I made an apple crisp.  Last time I made this desert I used organic Granny Smith apples from a nearby farm from my Fresh Box.  These apples were spectacularly tasty, but I didn’t have time to visit the farm so instead I bought some apples at the grocery store. They tasted great too.

Next up was the snack.  I made the old standby - an easy yet addictively tasty cheese ball. 

Here’s how:

Mix together the following ingredients:

1 pkg plain cream cheese, softened

1 tin canned ham

1 tbs horsradish

1 tbs dijon mustard (or to taste, depending on your preference)

few drops of lemon juice

freshly ground pepper

After mixing together thoroughly, form into a ball and roll in parsley flakes.

It’s that easy!  And lately canned meat is on sale, so it’s a pretty cheap snack to make.

Of course, I had to taste it to make sure it was edible.

Finally, I made a rice & bean salad.  Delicious, healthy, and hearty, this salad makes a nice addition to a springtime meal and is perfect for lunch.

Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice

1 red pepper, minced (can also add a green pepper)

1/2 large red onion, minced

1 cup  - 1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

s&p 

Directions:

Cook the rice, then cool in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Mix with a little olive oil and use a fork to loosen up the clumps.  Add the other ingredients.  Stir to mix well.

I love making meals additions that are this simple and tasty. Of course, the unavoidable mess in the kitchen leaves something to be desired!

It helps if you have a buddy in the kitchen, though.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

What frugal & tasty edibles are you enjoying this weekend?

Nonprofits and volunteers can create new opportunities together in difficult times

I read an excellent blog post today at the Ontario Nonprofit Network. The post was written by Cathy Taylor, Executive Director of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington.  The post was called, “Are we ready? The volunteer sector and volunteers in this economic downturn”. More and more people are interested in volunteerism as a way to gain experience, expand networks and explore new career directions, and Cathy urged nonprofits to capitalize on these exciting new prospects.

Cathy wrote:

The rising unemployment rate, the desire to create new opportunities for oneself, and to survive this economic crunch means that there is a huge new potential audience of volunteers for us to recruit… There is no better time than now to jump out of our box(es) and create meaningful volunteer opportunities for those seeking work, those who are under-employed, those who are new to our communities. By doing so, by creating meaningful (twice for emphasis - not just envelope stuffing!) one time or episodic opportunities (that often go against the grain of our formalized volunteer program structure which lends itself nicely to the Monday afternoon volunteer that answers the phone each week), we will be capturing the minds, hearts and enthusiasm of a new generation of volunteers. And yes, we will also earn their long term volunteer commitment and even their financial contributions as they become ambassadors for our organizations. 

Amen! I love this forward-thinking approach and had to share it with my  readers.  The needs and expectations of supporters of nonprofits - donors and volunteers alike - are changing,  and by extension, nonprofits must, must, adapt to these changing demands if they are to survive. Adaptation means, among other things, taking the time to engage volunteers in meaningful projects, working with them one-on-one to co-develop intellectually stimulating projects that may require some initial up-front investment, but over time will lead to profound volunteer contributions and ultimately minimize supervisory demand.  I have watched many nonprofits struggle in this area but I believe that those who invest the time to learn how to do it successfully will be the ones to attract and reatain a higher caliber of volunteers.  And with “venture-philanthropy” gaining in popularity, amongst the ever-increasing demand for accountability, I think we can expect to see more talented volunteers request this kind of involvement.

So, what does this have to do with frugality?  For one thing, I thought these ideas may spark some interest among those of you who are currently seeking new opportunities.  Volunteerism does not necessarily mean you’ll be stuffing envelopes or answering phones.  If you want to volunteer in order to build skills and experience, here is something to consider:

People working in nonprofits love, love it if you can bring forward an idea for a personal project, rather than requesting the volunteer coordinator to create a job for you.  This may take some thought and/or some research on your part. But it’s not that hard. Simply consider your unique skills, experience and passion and offer them to the organization.  It may require a little collaboration, but bringing ideas forward will help you find a position that is mutually satisfying.  In the end, you will build your resume in an upward direction and you will have the chance to leave a lasting imprint on the organization.

Secondly, I thought Cathy’s visionary comments could apply to all of us, even those outside of the nonprofit sector.  What other opportunities could this recession present you with?  Are there new opportunities to grow personally or professionally even within this challenging context?

As Cathy surmised,

We have a unique opportunity at this juncture. We can engage a new constituency, who may have different motivations for volunteering and we can embrace their insight and creativity. We can be mindful of how the “glass half empty” syndrome affects our planning and how the competitive framework we might all feel we are in might actually turn away prospective volunteers.

“Unique opportunity.” “Embrace insight and creativity”.  These are the kinds of words I like to read.  Cathy points out that a pessimistic, narrow-minded perspective can actually shut-down potential volunteers.  Most certainly it is the same for the rest of us. No doubt that those of us who come out ahead will be those who can think creatively, to find opportunities beyond the barriers.  In fact, you can expect those with vision to do better than ever.

Frugal luxuries

I thought I would share a few more frugal luxuries today. Focusing on what we have is such a lovely way to lift our spirits on dreary days. Since it’s been blizzarding this week (is it really April?) I thought it would be the perfect time to celebrate frugal luxuries in our home.

My friend from The Nature Hogg surprised me with a beautiful sampling of herb seedlings in a biodegradable pot.  I have a terrible black thumb but really want to grow fresh herbs, so I hope that I can sustain these gorgeous little sprouts.

Someone else was, of course, intensely curious about this new green life in the house.  She didn’t try to eat the herbs though. But I’m watching her, just in case.

My friend also made this delicious apple cake.  She said it was meant to be a sour cream cake, but ran out of sour cream and used yogurt instead.  It seemed to work just as well. 

I bought this Lilly of the Valley mug at the St. Jacob’s market by a local potter for $5.  I loved the idea of having something beautiful to hold my morning mug of coffee and to celebrate the morning.  It was a frugal treat.  

I love bringing my attention towards beauty, simplicity and peace that already exists within my life.  It’s such a great way to cultivate a happy existence without looking outwards. It certainly makes you feel rich and satisfied.

What frugal luxuries are you enjoying today?  

“Nothing like the 30s”

If you want to feel better about the economic situation in Canada, check out this great article by Richard Foot: “Nothing like the 1930s: Canada has sidestepped much of the damage from the global economic crash.”  This article is a great reality check, reminding us that things are not as bad as so many newspaper headlines make things out to be.  It’s also a reminder that people have been through much, much worse and have survived.  In the 30s, they had no universal health care, no EI, no Canada Pension Plan, no severance pay and no provincial welfare.  It’s important to keep in mind that not only are things not nearly as bad as they could be (or have been,) people always find ways of surviving.  As Prof. Blair Neatby said in his interview:

 ”We took pride in survival. We shared clothes, we grew our own vegetables, we economized as much as we could. We just assumed we would get through it, and we had little choice.”

How are you feeling about the recession today? Optimistic or pessimistic? 

Does eating locally mean increasing cost?

Crunchy Chicken has a sustainability challenge starting this month to find out if eating sustainably necessarily means spending more.  

So far I’ve certainly found ways to integrate local eating while reducing, not increasing cost.  As I’ve mentioned before, some local options for meat and eggs may be more costly, but veggies can be cheaper and so can other products, like flour.  Recently I stopped by the Arva flour Mill (a rare original flour mill in SouthWestern Ontario) and picked up a bag of whole wheat flour - it was certainly no more expensive, perhaps even cheaper than what you would find in a grocery store for similar quality flour. 

Plus, I love the simple packaging it comes in - a simple brown bag with white stitching.  

Now for some gratuitously cute shots of someone who was incredibly curious about this new bag…

While I won’t be taking Crunchy Chicken’s challenge, it’s an ongoing exploration to see how I can eat frugally yet sustainably.

Secret bank accounts: your financial undoing or relationship rescue?

I never expected the Globe & Mail to promote such unbelievably bad relationship and financial advice under the guise of male freedom, which they did in the recent article titled, There’s our money and there’s my money, by Micah Toub.  The author claims that it is actually healthy for men (and women) to keep secret bank accounts for activities like gambling and attending strip clubs.  No, I’m not exaggerating, the author actually condones such behaviour.  Toub argues that it is healthy for men to “reclaim a space in their hearts and minds where their significant other has no access” and that such a space can be occupied through secret spending habits.

I don’t disagree that spouses who have different interests should have the freedom to spend some of their money on pursuits that interest them, even if they don’t interest their spouse.  I don’t expect my fascination with antique tea cups to be reciprocated by my partner, and I have eventually come to accept that his spending on video games has merit, too.  Each spouse should have an opportunity to pursue their own passions and their own desire for fun and relaxation.

Many couples choose to deal with their separate interests by allocating a certain amount of money to personal spending. This option gives each spouse the freedom of the secret bank account, minus the secrecy.

The very need for the secret bank account suggests to me, that one of two things is going on in the relationship:

• One, the relationship is governed by a controlling spouse who is so strict that the other partner has no freedom.  Ideally, we should find ourselves in relationships where each spouse is willing to understand each others’ interests and makes compromises so that each feels satisfied with the budget and spending decisions.  In abusive or controlling situations, I can see the need for secret bank accounts, but not because this is inherently healthy or ideal plan.
• Two, perhaps the spouse is spending money on things they really shouldn’t be buying - perhaps they are spending money they haven’t yet earned, or are purchasing items they really can’t afford, or are spending money the family had earmarked for another purchase.  Or, perhaps they are spending money on something that has the potential to hurt the other person.

Two examples are provided in the article.  Example one:

“I play reasonably high-stakes poker and I could easily lose $2,500 in a night,” Dr. Kelly says. After one particularly bad loss, she came home and told her husband. He became judgmental, telling her to “think of all the people we could have helped with that money.” But poker is something that brings Dr. Kelly personal enjoyment, and she always comes out ahead over time. Once he’d calmed down, they agreed it would be better if he didn’t hear the ongoing details of her gambling, but would just be told the final tally once the year was over.

I can’t believe that secretly gambling as much as $2500 a night is justified.   If gambling is so important, than why not mutually agree on a limit that can be planned and budgeted for? Furthermore, it’s worth questioning whether this spending is even valid. Is Dr.Kelly’s “personal enjoyment” or a secret gambling addiction we’re talking about?  And is this “personal enjoyment” really the best form of stress relief, one that is worth risking the relationship, not to mention the family’s bank account for?  I believe that financial decisions, especially ones that involve high stakes, should be made together.

Example two:

Excited by this idea of delayed confession, I told her about an old friend who uses unmonitored cash from a private bank account to visit strip clubs, a salve to his wandering eye. “It’s saving my relationship,” he told me recently. Certainly it’s not a permanent solution, but the strip club - and the account from which the bills placed in a G-string are withdrawn - represents the temporary workshop space for his brain to sort out commitment issues.

Saving the relationship? Sorting out commitment issues by secretly stuffing bills into a woman’s G-string? Forgive me, but I can’t see how perpetual secrecy, accompanied by naked women, can do any more than delay addressing problems in the relationship.  It’s self-delusion with a capital (B)S.

While I believe that healthy relationships promote privacy and freedom, secrecy is not healthy no matter how you slice it, and is most certainly the undoing, not the gateway to, financial stability.

Do you believe it is healthy to keep secret bank accounts?

The soup

My Butternut Squash Soup turned out so beautifully that I thought I would share some pictures with you.  It was velvety smooth and intensely flavourful.  The hot curry powder, fresh nutmeg and colourful tumeric from my recent spice delivery really helped to give this soup a kick!

Although the squash is not cheap - I paid at least $4.50 for mine - the soup makes quite a large batch.  This batch made 5-6 portions.

And the soup is easily turned into a meal with the addition of a couple of small side dishes.  I like eating it with some homemade crispy pita chips and homemade hummus.  

What tasty homemade meals have you enjoyed this week?