1. Reduce Holiday Debt While Simultaneously Saving Money (Even A Little Bit Counts)
2. Money Basics-Woman Market (Life) Ready
3. Holiday Budget Spending Plan
4. It’s All About the FICO you know?
5. A Woman’s Guide to Buying a Car—Love or Loathe?

Heck, I even wrote a book with an entire chapter dedicated to the subject!

So why now, why this particular January, was I so successful? Then it hit me—I had changed my mindset AND I didn’t micro to the nth degree my goal! I built in a fail-safe. $200.00 was my fail-safe. I had $200.00 of discretionary money to spend on whatever I wanted. Now I know, that may seem like a lot to some but for me it is what worked in my budget arena and kept me on goal. I have been the CFO of my household for a very long time, trying all the tricks & creative financial accounting imaginable to reach a monetary goal. And now I found the secrets—the fail-safe. Oh and the mindset thing too, don’t let me negate that. They go hand in hand. 

So to the paragraph that probably should have come first—why implement a No Spend January in the first place? And to that there is only one answer—financial control. To me 2022 is to be the year of experiences not things. And I love things, no matter what the lady who says if it doesn’t bring joy, dump it. Things & memorabilia I have collected over the years do bring me joy and I will not apologize for that. But it is said to change a habit successfully you need to love something more than the habit. Again, going back to experiences. I love the time spent with family & friends exploring different parts and beaches of my new region. I love being able to throw a big party with lots of spirits & delicious food. I love being financially free to do so. 

I will never abandon my financial goals; as a woman I feel there is no better service to yourself and your family than to be the CFO of your own life. No Spend January has taught me I can however simplify the financial bottom line into these components: 

• Always have money in the bank for emergencies & just plain life.
• Keep your credit score in check as it follows you your entire lifetime.
• Love something more than the habit you wish to break and build in that fail-safe to all your financial plans.
• Mindset matters, be the change you wish to see in your financial life. 

And feel free to review any of the articles I have written & shared above. It’s just the basics but sometimes we all need to do just that—get back to them.

Much success to you!

Featured image by rawpixel on Unsplash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix together the Neufchâtel cheese, sour cream and ranch dip mix.

   

2. Mix in the chopped artichoke hearts.

   

3. Add half the chopped parsley, half the mozzarella cheese and some kosher salt and pepper to taste. Combine and spread evenly into an oven safe baking dish.

   

4. Evenly sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Add the rest of the parsley. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

   

5. To serve with crostini, turn the oven up to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lay out your bread slices and drizzle with some olive oil. Bake for 5-8 minutes until the crostini is golden brown. Enjoy!!!  😀

   

Here are 5 steps to help you get back on the saving track (always the #1 financial priority, in WMR’s opinion) and reduce your debt simultaneously. Win-Win in WMR’s book!

I am not going to state the obvious (well maybe I am) but if there was a -1 step it would be:

DO NOT ACCUMULATE ANY NEW DEBT FROM THIS POINT FORWARD  🙂 

1. LAY IT ALL OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! I know, I know! This may sound arbitrary but it is definitely the #1 way to fool yourself into thinking you have less debt than you have if you do not do this step first. Find a nice big surface like the kitchen table and lay out your receipts, your credit card bills, match them up and move on to step 2!

   

2. So of course your second step would be to TALLY THOSE BILLS UP! Arbitrary and Duh sounding again, YES! Unequivocally necessary, YES!!

   

3. On to step 3, CREATE A STRATEGIC PAY DOWN PLAN! I have again included my free Financial Spreadsheet to help you get this done. This spreadsheet is fully customizable and I put some figures in it to get you started. This step is a little more in-depth so let me expand upon it:
   

   (A). Fill in your fixed expenses first, the column farthest left, make sure to include emergency savings in there even a little amount. If you take the savings right off the top, chances are you won’t even miss it.

   (B). Next estimate what your variable expenses will be for the month. This includes: food; gas; entertainment and so on and input them into the spreadsheet. This will leave you with the net income you have to work with to pay down your bills.

   (C). You have a few options now: 1. pay down the lowest balance first, provided the interest rate isn’t too high 2. pay down the one with the highest interest rate, not necessarily the one with the highest balance first or 3. any combination of the two. Use a free financial calculator found on the www to see how much you will be paying in interest overall to help you decide which approach to take as well. Most credit card statements now include the pay down breakdown with your monthly statement.

4. MONITOR DILIGENTLY YOUR PAY DOWN PLAN! Hopefully by step 4, you will have a better grasp of how much you owe and how long it will take for you to pay off your holiday debt. As with everything in life think of this as a learning experience. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, nothing more!

   

5. MODIFY YOUR PAY DOWN PLAN AS NECESSARY! Things happen, that is called life! For example if you can’t pay more than the minimum on a bill because you had an unexpected car expense, don’t sweat it! BUT please always make the minimum payment to maintain a good credit score as we have found out is very important!

   

I am a goal orientated kind of woman, I believe we all are! So when I think in terms of saving or paying down debt sometimes the joy of it, just isn’t enough. I need something else. For me that something else is always mainly traveling, this year it is Disney World with my Family, next year who knows but I do know I will be prepared, so will you!!  😀

]]> 702 https://kimberlyboutin.com/recipe/squash-and-zucchini-bake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=squash-and-zucchini-bake Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:29:11 +0000 https://kimberlyboutin.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3836 I was looking on-line for a quick easy Squash & Zucchini dish that wasn’t really a gratin. A gratin made with cream, etc. Winter dish maybe, summer, for me—not so much. I had a few ingredients on hand, some familiarity in the kitchen with whipping up dishes on a whim and voilà; this bake was born. Enjoy!

“There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate.”― Robert Brault.

As a Lover of Life and all things to celebrate life, of course this quote when I first saw it and every time I see it strikes a deep chord within. For some innate reason I have always lived life, fully, knowing there is an expiration date. This sentiment has always permeated my life especially when I am planning a celebration. “Go Big or Go Home” has always been another motto of mine. So with those mottos/quotes in mind and with the busy party planning season coming up—graduations, weddings and as always birthdays, let’s get planning. Life’s next Celebration awaits!  😀

1. Set a budget. I know the sentiment “Go Big or Go Home” isn’t exactly synonymous with budget. And I will be the first to admit, I set a budget then sometimes forget it. I am not advocating this for you, I am just keeping it real that it does happen. With that in mind I still consider it the #1 rule of party planning. After you set your budget amount, break it down further into percentages. Here is how I normally breakdown my party budget:

• 50%—Food, right off the bat, take it right off the top! Especially if you are serving alcohol, believe me the costs add up fast.
• 25%—Decorations—including but not limited to: custom invitations; backdrops for photo ops; customized plates; cups; balloons and streamers. The following pictures are just a few ideas of how to really personalize your event decor.

  

  

  

  

• 25%—Party Essentials—including but not limited to: tents/shelter if you are holding your event outside; extra chairs; any special feature items such as a tiki bar, chocolate fountain or popcorn machine.

  

  

  

  

  Note: The 50% allocated to decorations and party essentials can be allocated 10/40, 20/30 or any percentage combination as your party needs dictate. You will find that as you acquire more party essentials over time, less has to be allocated to this category which will leave more room in the budget for food or decorations or for savings. 

2. Theme, theme, it’s all about the theme. Some themes automatically come built in when you are planning a party. For example: graduations, bridal/baby showers and weddings. With birthday themes, the sky’s the limit! I always find picking a theme lends itself to the whole party planning process going that much more smoothly. You have a starting point and can plan everything around it from there. Here are a few tips to picking a theme:

• Choose a theme based on the likes of the guest of honor. I can’t think of any easier way to pick a theme. If your 9 yr old likes trains-there you go, if your husband likes golf-there you go. The possibilities are endless!
• Create a primary theme based on a previously used theme. Let that absorb in for a minute, then I will explain.  😉 One of my themes over the years was a Martini themed party. I love standees and recycle them in different themes over and over again. When planning my daughter’s 21st birthday party I inventoried my collection of party essentials and when I came upon my Martini standees (pic to follow), I jumped off from there to create different party zones in my home and the previously used theme of Martini Lounge, led me to the primary theme of Red Carpet Magic, I combined them and the rest was history.

  

• Let the holiday dictate the theme. If you are having a Halloween party, there is your theme. Valentine’s Day Mixer, there is your theme. There are so many ways to customize within holiday themes the only limitation is your imagination!  🙂

  

3. What’s on the Menu? You already have a healthy budget set so here comes all of the fun! Separate your food & beverages into these three main components:

• Appetizers—Appetizers are a must! They can range from the simple-chip and dip, cheese and crackers, cut up veggies and dip to a little more such as stuffed mushrooms, hot spinach artichoke dip all the way up to hot hors d’oeuvres served by waiters if your budget allows. The point I am trying to make is  allocate at least 10% of your food budget to appetizers so that guests can come in, relax and get in the party mood right from the start. Have you ever gone to a party, starving only to come find out there are no appetizers, I know it has happened but you will never allow that to happen at your party, right?  😀
• Main Course—Depending on your theme, the main course again can run the gamut. If you are having a barbeque-hot dogs, hamburgs and steaks will fit the bill nicely. If you are having a tapas style event, small plates are the way to go. I like to do a lot of family style entertaining, serve a big bowl and let the guests help themselves. Keeping in mind, some guests may want a little more, some a little less, family style lets them choose, keeps it simple and running smoothly.

  

  

  

• Signature Cocktail—This is my all time favorite part of planning any party. The Signature Cocktail! I think I personally spend more time on Pinterest, Facebook, and the Internet collectively planning the signature cocktail than the rest of the whole entire planning of a party (that may be a teensy bit of an exaggeration but believe me to those that know me, it is not) combined. I usually limit my signature cocktail to 3 ingredients. An alcohol, a juice or simple syrup and a bubbly soda. Here is my number 1 secret to create the most magnificent signature cocktail—are you ready, really ready—CREATE YOUR OWN FLAVORED VODKA—Yes! I have done this for 3 parties so far and if I had known about this sooner believe me that number would be a lot higher. I know vodkas come in many flavors these days and I take advantage of that often. But for the A List events there is no substitute than making your own. In a follow up article I will explain how to steep your own vodka. The following pictures are just a few examples of the Signature Cocktails I have made over the years with my homemade flavored vodkas.

  

  

  

  

  

  There really are endless possibilities for food, decorations and party essentials when you are planning a party. My final piece of advice is just let your imagination run wild and most of all have fun with it! Your next occasion is waiting to be planned, what are you waiting for!  😀

Photo Op  & More Fun Ideas Gallery

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Butter your favorite bread, laying one buttered side down on a baking sheet.
2. Top the buttered sided down with a piece of your desired cheese. Add your favorite filling, caramelized onions for example, on top of the cheese. Top the filling with another piece of cheese and put the other piece of buttered bread on top, buttered side up.

   

   

3. Bake on one side for 8-10 minutes, flip and bake for another 8 or so more minutes.

   

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   I know 20 minutes may seem long for a prep time for grilled cheese but believe me once you try this for the first time it will become your “go to” preparation method every time!  🙂

   

My Preparing Instructions for the Perfect Pork Chop

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Start with a Boneless Top Loin Pork Chop about 1.5 inches thick. Sprinkle each chop on both sides with Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder or any spices of your choosing. Take a fork and press the rub mixture (salt, pepper and garlic powder) into the meat on both sides. If you choose you can use your hands and press the rub into the meat, or use a combination of both methods. The end result is just to get the rub onto the meat evenly on all sides.

   

   

2. In an oven safe pan, heat up some extra virgin olive oil on medium heat. When the oil starts to move to the sides of the pan as you can see in picture 2, add some whipped butter and let it melt.

   

   

3. When the butter has melted your pan should be nice and hot. Test it first by putting a few drops of water in the pan, if it starts to sizzle and hiss you are good to start searing. It is important to make sure your oil and butter is hot enough to get that nice sear to seal those beautiful, delicious juices inside. Try to avoid crowding the pan so the oil stays nice and hot. Cook in batches if you have to or use two pans to accommodate more chops at once. Sear for 5 minutes on each side, adding more olive oil as needed. Baste with the juices as well during the searing process to keep the tops moist. When they are done searing on both sides place them into the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and put a piece of aluminum foil over the chops to tent and let them “rest” for an additional 5 minutes. While tented they will continue to cook internally and while resting the juices will redistribute inside.

   

   

   

   

4. At this point you now have the most succulent, juicy pork chop to stylize as you wish. Here I styled mine with a Mushroom Demi-Glace ←(click on for link to glace recipe) and some fresh corn on the cob. This picture is making me hungry! Enjoy!  😀

   

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Preparation Notes: For thinner chops, 1/2-3/4 inch adjust sear and baking times as follows: Sear for 3-4 min per side and bake for 9-10 minutes, respectively. Skip the tenting, but allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. As all stove and oven temps vary, adjust your cooking times so that the pork chop is cooked through but not overdone. This takes a little practice to get it just right but it is well worth the efforts!  🙂

]]> 1238 https://kimberlyboutin.com/create-that-vacation-deficit-now-so-you-can-enjoy-yourself-later/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=create-that-vacation-deficit-now-so-you-can-enjoy-yourself-later https://kimberlyboutin.com/create-that-vacation-deficit-now-so-you-can-enjoy-yourself-later/#comments Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:00:54 +0000 https://kimberlyboutin.com/?p=736 Controversy, controversy, everywhere there’s controversy, especially when it comes to the “ideal” body image. Before I proceed I want to drop you the link for MARKET READY-Take 1 as a refresher to how I feel not about body image but about getting to and maintaining a weight that works for each individual woman. Further a weight you can easily or with a little effort maintain without fad diets, fitness gimmicks and the like. Also I would like to share with you an excerpt from About Kim—I have been a certified Group Exercise Instructor since 1998, have gained, lost and maintained that loss of 50, 53, and 43 lbs respectively, with each baby—Believe me, I have done the legwork for this article for years! Because I am so strict with my day to day let me just call it what it is—weight regimen (obsession just sounds so negative  😛 )—it is very difficult for me to let go when on vacation and just enjoy food and drink without always thinking about the possible ramifications of said letting go, on the scale. I also thank goodness have the inert wisdom and healthy relationship with myself to know, life is short and vacations are supposed to be a fun and joyful escape from “everyday normal  life”. This realization, 1992, being my earliest recollection is where my Vacation Deficit program came into being. I have tweaked the program over the years building upon the successes but the core plan has always remained the same—easy to follow, healthy and effective. My goal is always to lose between 5-7 lbs and I always give myself at least 2-3 months before vacation time to do so. My averages have sometimes been a little less, little more depending on how my body wants to cooperate with me (especially as I age), nonetheless it has always worked. This article isn’t for everyone but hopefully to those women and men that have the desire to let go and let loose on vacation may you find it beneficial.  🙂

NOTE: This is what works for me, if you have any dietary limitations or other health problems please consult your doctor and make the necessary adjustments as needed.

It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1. Incorporate as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you can into your diet. **I will use the term diet in this article only to define the whole of your eating plan, not to be mistaken as deprivation so commonly associated with the term.** I eat a big bowl of fruit for breakfast everyday and when I say big, I mean big. I pick from the bowl all morning long. Fruit is so full of water, fiber, nutrients and vitamins, it truly is Nature’s Candy. It leaves you feeling so light yet so satisfied and believe me full of energy. Most mornings I would teach 2 hours of exercise classes, fueled by this one bowl of fruit and I could substantiate my energy levels were above par and have many a participant who would gladly give testimonial to just that fact.

   

   1.2-Veggies!!! This is one of my go to tips everyday but especially when I am in deficit mode. I substitute higher calorie, higher fat ingredients with vegetables. For example if I am making a beef stew in the crocker, or a risotto or a lasagna I will substitute some of the meat or rice (in the case of the risotto) with vegetables, lots and lots of vegetables. I will also at times, skip the meat in a lasagna and make a vege lasagna in the crocker, YUM! As much as I sing the praises of fruit, vegetables share the same attributes and they are so versatile in cooking. There is NO loss or deprivation with #1, in my humble opinion. So many fruits and vegetables to try, so little time!  😉

   

   

   

2. Practice being PC, no not politically correct—Portion Controlled. Believe me, I don’t like to limit myself especially when I am eating something really tasty. In my early deficit days (years ago) I would use Nutrisystem® or Weight Watchers Personal Cuisine® (I believe that is what it was called, we are talking early 90’s here) to practice portion control. And it always worked, but was very expensive. I would pay upwards of $700 to lose 7 lbs-$100 a lb, no bargain there. Then luckily and with age and wisdom I devised my own portion control plan. There are really only twoish-three parts to it too, very easy: •use small dishes, the size of a bread plate, think of it as a magician’s trick. •Now don’t make anything different for lunch or dinner than what you are making for your family. Just serve yourself a fist sized portion of whatever you are having to eat. This goes for eating out as well. Bread plates are usually already on the table, when your entrée comes take a fist size portion and put in on your plate. To sum that up an example plate might have: a fist sized portion of protein, a fist sized portion of rice or potato, or the like and the caveat here as much salad as you can put on that plate. Just watch the dressing and even have seconds and thirds if you like. Because I said this step is twoish-three parts, now thinking maybe more, I will conclude with this final piece which can be very controversial so proceed with caution—limit your choice to one food item and eat until you are full. Hear me out as again I have been doing this for years. I love potatoes, no secret, love them! In fact I would go as far to say if there was a potato famine I might consider that the apocalypse. When I am in deficit mode and make dinner or go out for dinner, I will sometimes (a lot of the time) stick to one food group i.e. either starch OR protein, meat OR potatoes. In my potato example I will have only the potatoes and eat until I am satisfied—note I did not say full, there is a difference. If there is a nice filet on the line, I will eat only the filet and protein is a good filler so a palm size cut is usually more than adequate to satiate me. I will eat my protein OR starch accompanied by a nice salad and again with a little dressing will eat as much as I like. I love potatoes, so eating just them is very easy for me. For you it might be rice, or turkey, just pick one with a salad and eat until you are satisfied. Calories count for sure when creating that deficit but eliminating one food group from your meals and adding in a nice sized salad already deducts calories as long as you eat until you are satisfied, again not full.

   

   

3. Avoid alcohol, sweets or your trigger foods most days of the week. No secret, alcohol, chips, cookies and pies are higher in calories, nil in nutrition, yet oh so tasty! I am not going to dwell too much on this step as I am sure in this day and age with so much health information right at our fingertips I don’t wish to hammer redundancy. I do practice self-control almost to a fault with this step to get the maximum results, however life is short and chocolate is good so most days of the week will work too! Stopping myself from going for one of these ⇓ right now!  😛

   

   

4. Amp up your exercise regime. I am not talking about adding crazy amounts of exercise here nor am I talking about adding exercise extremes—run until you drop, for example. If you workout 3 days a week, add a 4th. If you workout for 30 minutes a session, add 10 minutes. While watching TV at night, get up and walk in place during the commercials. If you normally perform steady state exercises, cardio in nature, interval train instead. Add bouts of higher intensity moves with strength training. When you add manageable quantities of exercise to your routine, the results really add up over time and get you to goal that much faster.

   

5. Finally, take a well deserved day or two off! I used to say in my exercise classes all of the time, being a human in the normal course of a “normal” day is hard enough, when you add any “extra” life stuff on top of that, the challenge surmounts. Sometimes just not even thinking about what you are going to eat and did you exercise today is enough to keep the momentum going the other days of the week. It really is all about balance. However, I don’t recommend taking more than two days off—we have a goal here!  😉

   

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   Post Script: Before writing this article, I consulted with 3 very WMR-WOMAN Market Ready women. One is preparing for an upcoming vacation, one is an exercise enthusiast and the final WMR I spoke with always has a weight line she will not cross. In speaking with these women I found that the one common thread among them was their devotion to find their balance between the food they eat, the energy they expend and the results they wish to achieve. Whether your goal is to create a vacation deficit, exercise so you can eat that pizza you so enjoy or maintaining your desired weight, every breakthrough begins by taking that first step, then another until autopilot towards your goals is the only way you fly!  🙂

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]]> https://kimberlyboutin.com/create-that-vacation-deficit-now-so-you-can-enjoy-yourself-later/feed/ 3 736 https://kimberlyboutin.com/recipe/one-eyed-horseradish-deviled-eggs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=one-eyed-horseradish-deviled-eggs Sat, 14 Oct 2023 12:00:28 +0000 https://kimberlyboutin.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1935 A Party and Deviled Eggs seem to go hand in hand. They way you can customize them to the occasion is endless. Same goes for the fillings. You can add whatever you want to the yolks to make them truly your own. To these I added the zip of smooth horseradish, adds a “nice” bite!  😉

There are no temporary fixes when it comes to lifetime fitness & nutrition and if anybody is telling you different, be rest assured that approach is driven by $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Marketing for weight loss and that quick fix is a multi-trillion dollar industry. I saw an “advertisement” post recently on social media about the benefits of fasting. After I rolled my eyes, because I knew the post had a catch, I took a look. And you guessed it! Someone wanted you to pay them to tell you how to fast—HOW TO NOT EAT!!!????  I digress, they were also telling you when not to eat, I am assuming…Assuming because you had to comment first before you got any more information—privately. I personally think a good time to fast if any, are the hours you are sleeping. Common sense, maybe?

I fully support a person’s right to make a living, especially a woman. Financial independence for everyone is paramount in this lifetime, in my humble opinion. What I don’t support is multilevel marketing BASED on selling pills, powders, shakes, diet information or the like that you are basing your scientific knowledge on of the one who is selling it to you. This article will indeed not stop any of this from happening but what I hope it does is help the recipient, the one who wants to lose 10 lbs in 10 days to maybe take a step back and examine the information they are being inundated with to support somebody else’s lifestyle. Ask further questions of the one selling these things to you. Ask them what else they do in addition to popping some fat blockers before they indulge in a 12″ pepperoni pizza. Do they workout in addition, do they practice moderation in food indulgences at other times? What, if anything else do you know about the people who are peddling you a quick fix? Are they even something that you aspire to be?

I will try to wrap up this article as I really want everyone to make their own decisions when it comes to their bodies. I think the reason I really get all riled up is because I want everyone to live their best lives no matter what form that takes for them. However, wouldn’t it be so much easier if we got up everyday and had a healthy breakfast and really looked at the food we are putting in our mouths as life giving joy and nourishment. Wouldn’t it be a great world when lunchtime is approaching and you are really looking forward to what you have planned; leftovers or your favorite lunch out. Wouldn’t it be exceptional after a long day to come home and really enjoy preparing the food you are about to put into your body that will know carry you until the next day. Perhaps even provide you a good night’s sleep. Wouldn’t life be so much simpler if we just viewed our eating experiences as a joy, don’t you think your body would respond positively both inside & reflect that joy on the outside.

As I mentioned earlier I do have an additional take on my resolve that has nothing to do with finding a lifetime eating plan, exercise plan or style plan as depicted in my Market Ready-Take 1 premise. How about we find a Lifetime Love of our Body Plan. Not only what we put in our mouths but what we put into our hearts and our souls. Feed the body in all areas so that we are satisfied with God’s creation—US. A body, mind & spirit is such a great gift; a gift our Creator thought these souls deserve. Feed yours well my friends.

No Pills—No Powders—No Shakes! No thank you! Personally, if I am going to, I like to drink my calories with a little lime juice, orange liqueur and tequila. Well I guess you could call that a shake!