| How Boot Camp Can Help You Survive 2009
by Tim Kaderli, Operations Manager
There's no doubt that 2009 will most likely offer much tougher financial times for all. So then the natural question exists "what do I do to hedge against the unpredictable times"? That is to say, preparing a hedge against uncertainty is certainly a critical proactive step to financial and emotional peace especially when it comes to us and our families. What's the old saying; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, isn't it? Like a sailor battening down the hatches before a raging tempest, we likewise must prepare ourselves. It's the simple things that tend to produce long term results, and offer us the most assurance in uncertain times. Here are a few suggestions:
- Plant a garden. With multiple nationwide outbreaks of e.coli in everything from peanut butter to spinach, wouldn't the peace of mind of your own homegrown organic vegetable garden be invaluable? And speaking of organic, why subject yourself and your family to all of the dangerous pesticides and potential GMO (Genetically Modified Organism/Seeds) foods that are inundating our grocery store shelves today? It's no secret that because of current growing practices from mass producing corporate farms that the soil has been significantly depleted of valuable nutrients, which leave your fruits and vegetables devoid of proper vitamin/mineral content. The savings alone from seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in your own backyard will be significant as prices at the store continue to rise. Not to mention the most important part: great exercise and family togetherness. It's no secret that gardening is not only wonderful exercise but also tremendously stress relieving and a wonderful way to spend time with the family, teaching and learning a skill that will benefit everyone for a lifetime.
- Keep your vehicle well maintained. This is a simple thing to do and can pay such tremendous dividends in the long run. To get the obvious statement out of the way: cars are expensive, and having to buy a new or even used one can be financially prohibitive in uncertain economic times. The simple things go a long way when it comes to vehicle maintenance and compared to the cost of engine breakdown minor maintenance costs are a comparative fraction. The most important maintenance items to accomplish on a routine basis are: change the oil and oil filter every 5,000 miles (when changing the oil you should also: check the air filter, inspect the exhaust system, look at the breaks, clean the radiator, check the battery); drain and flush the cooling system every 2 to 4 years; replace the drive belts and hoses every 2 to 4 years; and finally change the belt every 60 - 80,000 miles. Some of these things can be accomplished by yourself (changing the oil for example), and can also present a fun, challenging activity and unique learning experience, not to mention money saved!
- Eat In. Prepare fresh, home cooked dinners from scratch (i.e., no pre-packaged/pre-prepared food). For most the home cooked meal and accompanying sit down family dinner seems to be a fable from the distant past. However, when considering the cost of going out to eat, not to mention the general low quality, high fat content and low nutritive value of pre-prepared restaurant food, eating at home starts to make a lot of sense. As obesity levels continue to rise, due no doubt to our general poor eating habits born from poor quality pre-prepared food and constant "eating and running" it is important to teach our families the importance of healthy sensible eating. What better way to do this than by, buying fresh whole foods at the local grocery store (or from your garden) and having an event where the family comes together to help prepare healthy dishes? It serves as a great opportunity to learn how to cook or to teach others how to cook at home, in addition to the quality family time and money saved by making sensible, healthy, cost effective food choices.
- Give back. It may seem counter intuitive to reach out to others and altruistically give freely of your precious resources (time, money, personal possession, etc.) in a time when those resources seem indispensible. However, this is exactly when it is important to give till it hurts. "Give and it will be given to you a good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use it will be measured to you" Luke 6:38. Regardless of your beliefs, I think that we can all agree that when you "do unto others" and put others needs first that somehow things sort of "magically" work out for us in ways that we never thought possible. It can't hurt to try, and what better way to teach your family and loved ones about the innumerable benefits of giving and volunteering than to set the example yourself. Some suggestions: go to a local consumable goods store and buy packages of socks, shirts, non perishable food items, toiletries, (be creative) and make hand out bags with each of these items inside. Keep these in your car then hand them out to the homeless. Do it at a stop light if someone is begging for change, or if you are shopping and you encounter someone less fortunate outside whatever store that you are at, have one of these bags ready to give to them. Or buy something (food, clothing) for them when you are in the store and give it to them when you walk out. When you leave work to go to lunch, pick up an extra meal to pass out to someone who may not have enough to eat that day. Volunteer one hour per week at a local soup kitchen. Make an effort to donate unused clothing to the Red Cross or Salvation Army, or Goodwill. It's the little things that go a long way for someone else. It's also the little things that you do for others which pay untold riches into your own life. Give it a try; you never know when you could be the one light in someone else's life that they may need in order to keep going. and someday you may need that someone to pay it forward to you.
- Boot camp! Boot camp? Yes, boot camp! Okay, so what is boot camp and how exactly does this fit in with preparedness against tough economic times, frugality and family time? As the economy worsens, and companies begin to tighten their belts in the form of salary cuts, and layoffs it becomes increasingly important to do everything possible to make yourself as indispensible and as valuable as possible. But first things first, what is boot camp? Boot camp is everything from running/power walking (less than 1 mile), weight training (upper and lower body), core conditioning, abdominal work, calisthenics, plyometrics, circuit training, and weight lifting. Every day is a little different from the day before and it involves a complete workout every week. Classes are typically held outdoors with little more than an exercise mat, set of dumbbells and lots of water. In short if you want (or need) to get in top shape and do it quickly in a fun environment (and make lots of friends at the same time) then Boot Camp is the way to go. But back to the original point, how will it help you become more valuable in your work life? Well it's no secret that the fitter you are, the more energy you have. More energy equals better productivity at work. The fitter you are, the better your general mood is. Better general mood allows you to more easily handle stresses at work and accomplish more than those around you. The fitter you are, the more confident you are. Better confidence equals greater ability to take on and complete tasks and do so faster than your co-workers. Handling more projects more quickly - you have just raised your stock even higher! Simply put, keeping yourself in top physical condition has tremendous positive spillover effect into everything that you, especially in you work life, and insures your value to your employer. If and when your employer considers layoffs, and cutbacks, because of the positive steps you have taken to get in shape, thereby increasing your value to the company, you will likely be able to successfully ride out the tough economic times (unlike some of your less fortunate co-workers). In this writer's opinion, it just makes sense to do it for the peace of mind, security for yourself, and your family. In addition to the priceless health benefits! The next logical thought is what being in better shape can do for your family life. Increased energy, better mood, greater confidence, looking better, feeling better all correlate to a happy home too. Not to mention the positive example that you set for everyone around you. You can sign up online to register for a session or try a class for free!
These are just a few suggestions, there are so many more things that we can do to keep our wallets and family close to home in these tough economic times. Remember, look for the good in everything, and you will find it.
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| Serious Food... Silly Prices
by Tim Kaderli, Operations Manager
I haven't been this excited since I was a kid (6 or 7) attending the opening of the "new" HEB at Burnet Road and Allendale. This was back when laser bar code readers were first being introduced and the thrill of watching food items magically reveal their prices at checkout, was a sight to behold. Times, technology and grocery stores have certainly evolved some since then; though in Austin, we have only been able to watch a hand full of the same stores in this evolution. As of February 11 that is about to change. Newflower Farmers Market held its grand opening in the old Hobby Lobby building at the corner of Manchaca and William Cannon (I attended their sneak peek on Tuesday). But don't let the name or location fool you, this is a full blown grocery store with "farmers market" DNA. The old Hobby Lobby building has been tastefully remodeled to reveal a well assembled, friendly, organic leaning, health food/grocery store. If you were to think "Austin type" grocery store - this would be it. Don't let the praises for Newflower Farmers Market detract from the longstanding, successful and well loved establishments such as Sun Harvest, Whole Foods, Wheatsville Co-op etc. It is simply this writer's opinion that there is a deserving new kid on the block which is sure to develop similar deep roots in the hearts of Austinites. Picture a clean, well run, unpretentious, upscale grocery store with lots of organic produce, locally produced food items, natural meats, healthy pre-made meals and a generous offering of minimally processed grocery items (cereals, pasta, peanut butter, multi grain breads, Amy's frozen foods etc). There is also a generous helping of bulk food items at fair prices, not to mention the friendly grocers asking "How can I help you?" and "How ya doin' today?". The motto of Newflower Farmers Market is "Serious Food... Silly Prices", I would say that they hold true to their moniker. Go check them out, if for nothing else, you will enjoy their practical buffet of free samples. www.sfmarkets.com
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