Update: Two-week challenge

Well HippieHusband and I made it through the two-week challenge with a little bit of bruising to our egos.

On the very last day, HippieHusband admitted to me that he was scrounging for coffee in my baking cupboard and found some 10-year old expresso. This was coffee I had bought when I was in my first year of my MSc. and tried to bake some gingerbread cookies. The cookies were terrible. I was still with my ex. back then.

Yes, he did drink it and very much regretted it.

My low point came earlier than HippieHusband's. I got into our car and found the remnant of a sour cream and onion potato chip, which I have to admit looked quite yummy from where I was sitting. But I didn't do it.

All in all - not bad.

This past weekend, HippieHusband's uncle and aunt visited and we talked about the two-week challenge. As a geneticist, I know that resemblance between relatives is well a "duh", but I am still amazed. HippieHusband and his uncle, ElderHippie are ridiculously similar in their personality.

ElderHippie gave us advice on how to save money. He believes that you pay yourself first, then pay the necessary bills, and with whatever's left you buy groceries. Not the other way around. It means that if you don't have any money left for groceries, then you make do. Instead of focusing on the pleasure of the now, it makes our future a priority.

I think that this works because we don't have little mouths to feed.

In any case, it makes sense. I would much rather have future savings and deal with being creative about my food than be shit out of luck when our jobs end or HippieHusband gets "fired". (I put the word "fired" in quotes because heck given what has happened how can we know when it is for real.)

Plus, not having money for groceries is usually just a short term problem.

And given the medical bills that have come our way and will continue to at least over the next year, this is a way of ensuring we can pay for them as well as have some savings left over.

Speaking of medical bills, I'm back to Seattle for yet another surgery. Sheesh. This one's just a minor day surgery but frankly, I'm tired of the assaults on my body.